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Nissan Motor Company & Renault S.A.
Carlos Ghosn, CEO
Carlos Ghosn is President and CEO of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., a global automotive company with more than 200,000 employees and $89 billion in revenue. He joined as Chief Operating Officer in 1999, became President in June 2000 and Chief Executive Officer in June 2001. In May 2005, Mr. Ghosn was named president and chief executive officer of Renault S.A. in addition to his current responsibilities at Nissan. As head of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, Mr. Ghosn is responsible for two separate companies with combined annual global sales of 5.9 million vehicles. Prior to joining Nissan, he served as Executive Vice President of Renault Motor Group, was Chairman and CEO of Michelin where he worked for 18 years, and had worked as the chief operating officer of Michelin South American activities based in Brazil; as head of research and development for industrial tires in Ladoux, France; and as plant manager in Le Puy, France. He graduated with engineering degrees from École Polytechnique in 1974 and from École des Mines de Paris in 1978. Mr. Ghosn was born in Brazil on March 9, 1954.
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Northwestern University J.L. Kellogg School of Management
Philip Kotler, SC Johnson & Son Distinguished Professor of International Marketing
Dr. Philip
Kotler, the S.C. Johnson & Son Professor of International
Marketing at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern
University in Evanston, Illinois, is the world's most renowned marketing expert. He received his
Master's Degree at the University of Chicago and his PhD Degree at MIT,
both in economics. He did post-doctoral work in mathematics at Harvard
University and in behavioral science at the University of Chicago. Dr. Kotler is hailed by Management Centre
Europe as "the world's foremost expert on the strategic practice of
marketing." He has authored what is widely recognized as the most
authoritative textbook on marketing: Marketing Management, now in it's
12th edition. He has also authored, or co-authored a number of other
leading books, including Kotler on Marketing; Lateral Marketing;
Strategic Marketing for Non-Profits; Marketing for Healthcare
Organizations; Marketing Professional Services; Marketing From A
to Z; The 10 Deadly Marketing Sins; Marketing Moves; Marketing places;
the Marketing of Nations; and Social Marketing. In addition, Dr. Kotler
has published more than one hundred articles in leading journals,
including the Harvard Business Review, Sloan Management Review,
Business Horizons, California Management Review, and the Journal
of Marketing. He holds many major awards, including the
Distinguished Marketing Educator of the Year Award of the American
Marketing Association and Marketer of the Year by the Sales and
Marketing Executives International (SMEI). Dr. Kotler has
been a consultant to many major U.S. and foreign companies - including IBM,
Michelin, Bank of America, Merck, General Electric, Honeywell, and
Motorola - in the areas of marketing strategy and planning, marketing
organization, and international marketing.
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Leo Burnett Asia-Pacific Advertising
Michelle Kristula-Green, President
Michelle
Kristula-Green is the current President of Leo Burnett Asia-Pacific,
one of the world`s best-known advertising agency brands specialising in
"icon brands", or "ideas that inspire enduring belief". Michelle heads
Leo Burnett and Arc Worldwide`s 18 offices, comprised of almost 2000
employees in 14 countries. Before assuming the role of President in
February 2004, she was previously the first woman to run a
multinational agency in Japan, serving as President and representative
director of Beacon Communications, the highly successful partnership
with Dentsu. One of the only non-Asian agency heads to have proficiency
in both Chinese and Japanese, Michelle began her career at Leo Burnett
more than 20 years ago, and has worked in Chicago, Taiwan and Tokyo. In
addition to incorporating Dentsu into Leo Burnett, Michelle is known
for creating campaigns for Diet Coke, Minute Maid, Ricoh International
and McDonalds, and has worked with a wide range of local and
multinational clients, including airlines, packaged goods and
technology companies, helping businesses effectively localize global
brands and globalize local brands. Michelle
is also known for creating pioneering thought leadership programs,
which translate across regions. Chief amongst these is `Voices at the
Bottom of the Pyramid`, an extensive study undertaken in China and
India, looking at the world of the low-income consumer and how best to
market brands and services to them.
In
a recent study by the Wall Street Journal about the top women they
believe to have the potential to make a significant impact on business
in 2007, the Journal included Michelle in their list of "The Top 50
Women to Watch:2006", referring to her as the "most powerful woman in
Asian marketing".
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Entrepreneur Media Inc.
Peter Shea, CEO
Peter Shea is the CEO of Entrepreneur magazine, one of the most successful business magazines for business owners. Before purchasing the magazine out of bankruptcy in 1986, he created, built and sold a number of businesses. Shea describes himself as a product of the streets and never continued his education past high school. Because of this, he realized that he was unemployable and that he had to take control of his life. In his career, he has been a police officer, photocopy machine salesman, land developer and owner of Stained Glass Overlay which had a patented method of creating the look of cut glass out of a solid piece. Shea built this into a company with 400 franchises in 29 countries. Mr Shea overseas Entrepreneur Media Inc., as sole owner, chairman and CEO of Entrepreneur, which has a readership of 2.1 million a month; Entrepreneur's Be Your Own Boss magazine, targeted to startups; Entrepreneur Press, which publishes 50-plus books a year, and Entrepreneur.com, which averages 30 million page views a month.
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Belkin International
Chet Pipkin, Founder and CEO
Back in 1981, when Chet Pipkin dropped out of college to start a business
on his parents' kitchen table, the cable industry was tiny and
fragmented, with hundreds of small players and no clear leader. Today, Belkin is one of the fastest-growing companies in the
United States, with 1,000-plus employees, $464 million in revenue, and an impressive
285% five-year growth rate. Amongst numerous awards, the company has made the Inc.
magazine list of the 500 fastest-growing privately held companies in
the U.S. twice; has earned entrance into Inc. magazine’s 2003 Hall of
Fame after placing in the Inner City Top 100 List for five consecutive
years; and has ranked in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s annual
Fastest Growing Private Companies List since 1999. Belkin owns a staggering 80% of the home- and
small-office market for cables, is the leader in surge protectors, and
has muscled its way into LAN products and accessories for mobile
devices.
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Public Agenda
Daniel Yankelovich, Founder and Chairman
Daniel Yankelovich is Founder and Chairman of three organizations: Viewpoint Learning Inc. (a firm that advances dialogue-based learning as a core skill in newer forms of leadership), DYG, Inc. (a market research firm tracking social trends), and Public Agenda (a public education not-for-profit) co-founded with Cyrus Vance in 1975. He is a director of Loral Space & Communications Inc. and director emeritus of CBS, US West (now Qwest Communications), the Meredith Corporation, Diversified Energies, and ARKLA. He is a trustee of the Kettering Foundation, the Japan Society, and the Fund for the City of New York, and Special Advisor to the Aspen Institute and Trinity Church. He is trustee emeritus and former Chairman of the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and trustee emeritus of Brown University. He is the author of ten books, including Coming to Public Judgment, New Rules, and The Magic of Dialogue. In 1958, he founded the research firm of Yankelovich, Skelly and White and in the 1970s initiated the New York Times/Yankelovich poll. He was a founding President of the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His academic affiliations include Harvard, NYU, the New School for Social Research, UC Irvine and UCSD's Civic Collaborative. He was educated at Harvard College, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard and the Sorbonne. He is the recipient of The Parlin Award for his pioneering work in marketing research, the Dinerman Award of the World Association of Public Opinion Research and the Outstanding Achievement Award from the New York Chapter of the American Association of Public Opinion Research.
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Audi Korea
Trevor Hill, Managing Director and Anaheim University MBA Graduate
Mr.
Hill currently serves as the Managing Director of Audi Korea, having
graduated from the Online Global MBA program at Anaheim University.
Originally from South Africa, Mr. Hill previously served as the General
Manager of Audi Japan and as the Managing Director of Volkswagen
Investment.
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Extraordinary Events
Andrea Michaels, President
In the special event business since 1973, Andrea Michaels — president of Sherman Oaks, Calif.-based Extraordinary Events — has seen the business grow from a little-known specialty to a full-blown profession. Often referred to by those in the know as the 'Queen of the Event Planning Industry," Andrea Michaels, four years ago joined by her son Jon Michaels, has produced logistically complex and visually memorable events all over the world--in Barcelona, Dublin, Cannes, Mexico, Germany, Japan and many U.S. cities. They dig deep into local cultures to create authentic, exciting and unique events, immersing attendees in experiences that teach them about the city they're visiting, while ultimately giving them a fresh perspective on themselves, and their businesses. Working side by side, Andrea and Jon have since opened new offices in Germany and Indianapolis. The firm now employs 75 people around the world, and brings in between $13 and $16 million annually. Andrea’s conceptualization skills, logistical savvy, and ability to produce the mega-event for thousands of guests is legendary. Each event presented to her is analyzed for its specific needs. Her ever-growing clientele is loyal, and many clients have been with her for more than 20 years. These sought-after relationships are based on proven performance, and enriched with trust and ethics.
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HLF Brandtailers
Cheril Hendry, Owner & CEO
Cheril Hendry is CEO and owner of HLF Brandtailers, a marketing and advertising agency located in Irvine, California. HLF Brandtailers is known for its specialized expertise in the automotive industry, helping retail dealers, auto groups and associations combine today’s consumer demand for a strong product brand with the constantly changing retail environment. Prior to establishing the agency in 1990, Cheril spent 9 years in account services with two other Southern California-based advertising agencies, both of which specialized in the automotive industry. Her combined 25 years of experience includes work at factory, regional and local levels for both foreign and domestic makes, including Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and General Motors, to name a few. Hendry and her agency are considered experts in consumer behavior within the automotive buying cycle. Cheril was named to OC Business Magazine's "Hot 25" list of 2007 for her leadership and influence in the Orange County business community. She is a popular guest speaker at dealer group and ad association meetings, offering cutting edge branding advice to automotive industry retailers. Ms. Hendry earned a B.A. in Psychology and a Masters in Business from California State University, Long Beach.
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NWP Services Corporation
Michael Radice, President and CEO
Mr.
Radice has over 30 years of experience in various financial, technology and
services-based businesses. Radice joined NWP Services Corporation in 2002 as senior vice president, sales and marketing before becoming President in 2005 and CEO in 2006.
Headquartered in Irvine, California, NWP serves
the multifamily housing industry as its leading financial transaction
processing provider. NWP is known for its industry expertise delivering
proven results and exceptional quality in resident billing, resident
payment processing and utility management. Prior to joining NWP, Mr. Radice served as vice president for corporate
marketing at Infonet Services Corporation, a global data communications
services and networking company in El Segundo, California. During Mr.
Radice's tenure at Infonet the company's revenue increased by over $400
miliion from sales operations in 57 countries around the world. Mr.
Radice has also served as a group executive and on the board of
directors of Computer Language Research Inc. and as vice president for
product marketing at Comshare, Inc. Radice is a member of NWP Services
Corporation's Board of Directors and is also a member of the National
Multi-Housing Council's (NMHC) Board of Directors.
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Laemmle Theatres
Robert Laemmle, CEO
Robert Laemmle is CEO of Laemmle Theatres, a chain of art house theaters specializing in the exhibition of independent and foreign films in the Los Angeles area. Started in 1938 by his father Max and uncle Karl, this family-run business has grown from the then-single-screen Los Feliz Theatre in the late 1950s to nine theaters and 39 screens, including West Hollywood's Sunset Five, one of the nation's most successful alternative theater complexes. Robert Laemmle earned a B.A. in Business Administration and Master's Degree in Finance from UCLA.
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interTREND Communications
Julia Huang, CEO
Julia Huang is the CEO of interTREND, one of the most innovative and fastest-growing advertising and marketing agencies focusing on the diverse and expanding Asian communities in the USA. The firm, established in 1991, is a pioneer in educating and guiding Fortune 500 companies in the intricacies and sensitivities of marketing products and services to the Asian American market. Having been raised in Japan, Taiwan and educated in the USA, Julia is fluent in Chinese, Taiwanese and Japanese. The multicultural life experience stressed upon the young Julia the importance of her community. This is now evidenced by her involvement in organizations such as Pacific Islander Census 2000 Network, Leadership Education for Asian Pacific, Organization of Chinese Americans, Japanese American Citizens League, Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team and Asia America Symphony Association and National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium. In 2002, Burger King Corporation appointed her to the company’s Diversity Action Council. Julia also has been tapped by Los Angles County Supervisor Don Knabe to serve on his Asian International Business Advisory Group. Her professional affiliations include the Asian American Advertising Federation, for which she is a founding member and Board of Director. For three consecutive years, Avenue Magazine honored Julia Huang as one of the 500 most influential Asian Americans.
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gkkworks
Praful Kulkarni, President & CEO
A
founding partner of gkkworks (formerly GKK Corporation), Mr. Kulkarni
brings more than twenty-five years of experience in architecture
including planning, design and management on a wide range of both
private and public sector projects. A strong academic background and a talent lot drawing helped him
land a full scholarship at the Indian Institute of Technology, a school
that selects only 1 percent of its applicants. Later, he studied in the
United States on a Rockefeller Foundation scholarship. Kulkarni started GKK Corporation in 1991, backed by two investors whom he
bought out within five years. Besides expanding throughout California,
he wanted to establish operations in India--both to secure work in that
country as well as tap into less expensive labor for its projects in
the U.S. Kulkarni
is a registered architect in the state of California and holds a
Masters of Architecture degree from the Illinois Institute of
Technology and a Masters of Business Administration degree from
Pepperdine University. Mr. Kulkarni provides distinct vision to the
firms philosophy, responsibility and dedication to clients needs and
goals. His experience includes commercial, institutional, academic and
healthcare projects.
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Horizon Technology
Kurt Johnson, Founder & CEO
As Chief Executive Officer of Horizon Technology, Kurt Johnson is responsible for establishing and implementing the company vision, advancing the practice and acceptance of the company's core values and managing the execution of strategic plans created to identify key new market segments and supplier business opportunities. Johnson founded Horizon Technology in 1996 and successfully guided the company to ten years of consistent growth and profitability. He has been instrumental in building Horizon Technology into one of the industry's leading independent distributors of storage and LCD products. With over 16 years in the electronics distribution industry, Johnson transformed Horizon from a narrowly-focused service organization dedicated to refurbishing PCs into a globally-recognized independent distributor representing some of the world's largest OEMs. Under his leadership, Horizon Technology established a new U.S. headquarters, achieved ISO 9001:2000 certification, and opened four new offices in Asia and the U.S. to support key customers and give the company a strong presence in some of the industry's top markets. For the past two years Horizon has been named to the Top 10 Global Independent Distributors list for both Electronics Supply & Manufacturing and Purchasing magazines. Johnson was awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2005.
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Bright Now!
Steven C. Bilt, President & CEO
Bright Now! Dental, Inc. was formed to help dentists focus on patient care by assuming responsibility for business functions such as administrative, financial, marketing and information services. Affiliated dental offices benefit from business expertise and economies of scale that help them operate efficiently and control costs. As a result, our affiliated dentists can deliver care to under-served markets and care for thousands of patients who might otherwise not receive treatment. Established in 1998 with the merger of three existing group dental practices on the West Coast, Bright Now! Dental, Inc. has expanded nationwide to provide services to almost 300 affiliated offices. Bright Now! has developed substantial expertise in providing business support services to dentists, who have likewise enjoyed growth and success in their practices. As a member of the Bright Now! founding management team, President and CEO Steven C. Bilt has served as the company's Chief Financial Officer from its inception in May 1998 through March 2000. His career prior to Bright Now! Dental Inc was with Vivra Inc, the second-largest provider of outpatient kidney dialysis services in the United States and early on in his career with Ernst & Young. He received a bachelor of arts degree in business economics from the University of California at Santa Barbara and a master of business administration degree from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University and in 2006, Steve completed the Harvard Business School Presidents Program. He is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of California.
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Christie Digital Systems
Jack Kline, CEO
Christie is a leader in visual solutions for world-class organizations, offering diverse applications for business, entertainment, and industry. A leading innovator in film projection since 1929 and a pioneer in projection systems since 1979, Christie has established a global reputation as a total service provider and the world's single source manufacturer of a variety of display technologies and solutions. Christie offers comprehensive solutions for cinema, large audience venues, control rooms, business presentations, training facilities, 3D and Virtual Reality, simulation and education as well as industrial and government environments. Christie solutions are used in over 75,000 locations worldwide, including more than 10,000 projectors and displays networked with ChristieNET™ networking devices. Christie, a privately held company, has manufacturing and assembly facilities located in California and Canada (a certified ISO9001:2000 facility). Full sales and service offices are located in China (Shanghai and Beijing), France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Christie also has sales offices in Korea, Chile, Hungary, Italy and Spain.
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Toshiba America Business Solutions (TABS)
Dennis Eversole, President & CEO (ret.)
Mr. Eversole has over 30 years of experience as a financial officer in
some of the leading companies in the U.S. and the world. He served as
President and CEO of Toshiba
America Business Solutions (TABS) from 1999 to 2005, overseeing the
strategic direction and operations of this world-leading company in
imaging technology and output devices. Prior
to being named President of TABS in 1999, Mr. Eversole served for
fifteen years as Toshiba America Information Systems' (TAIS) Executive
Vice President for Finance and Administration where he led the
strategic development of the finance and administration operations that
provided the financial, logistics, information technology, strategic
planning and human resources infrastructure for the nine divisions that
comprised TAIS. TABS and TAIS are wholly owned by Toshiba Corporation;
during his entire tenure at Toshiba, Mr. Eversole managed the
successful growth of that subsidiary from a $500 million, 400-employee
company to a $3 billion company with 3,000 employees. Before
joining Toshiba, Mr. Eversole was Corporate Controller for the
Citicorp/Financial Services where he was responsible for finances in
one of Citicorp's major divisions. Mr. Eversole earned his Master's in
Business Administration from California State University at Northridge.
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Takenaka Partners
Yukuo Takenaka, CEO
Mr. Takenaka is recognized for his expertise in cross-border M&A and joint venture transactions. On both sides of the Pacific, he serves as a senior advisor to companies in a wide range of industries including information technology, electronics, manufacturing, financial services and real estate. He is the author of the Japanese best seller, Merger and Acquisition Strategy. Prior to forming The Takenaka Partners Group in 1989, he was a senior partner and National Director of KPMG Peat Marwick's Japanese practice. He also served as Chairman of Project Japan for the parent company, KPMG. Mr. Takenaka was born in Japan and is fluent in both Japanese and English. Mr. Takenaka received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Utah. Mr. Takenaka is a Certified Public Accountant.
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AskMeNow
Darryl Cohen, CEO
Founded in 2004 and based in Irvine, CA, AskMeNow is a public company traded on the NASDAQ dedicated to optimizing information access on all mobile platforms. AskMeNow is a pioneer in natural language semantic mobile search. Customers can get accurate answers and information by asking questions in the way they naturally express themselves, instead of having to figure out the right keywords. The service allows users to search every corner of the Web for answers and information. Darryl Cohen has been chairman, chief executive officer and a Director of AskMeNow since June 2005 and of IBP since September 2004. Darryl Cohen served as chairman and chief executive officer of Ramp Corp., a company providing Internet-based communication, data integration, and transaction processing technologies designed to provide access to safer and better healthcare from September 2002 through April 2004. Cohen has invested in public and private companies, frequently working with management in the areas of marketing strategy and financing. He has also owned businesses in the food-services and gift industries, and holds a BA in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley.
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PureOlogy
Jim Markham, Founder
Founder of PureOlogy Serious Colour Care®, Jim Markham, began his career as a barber. During his professional career, Jim Markham worked with many celebrities, including Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Joanne Woodward, Johnny Carson and Frank Sinatra. It was in 2001 that Jim Markham developed PureOlogy, one of the fastest growing haircare brands in the US. The luxury American hair brand for color-treated hair sold through hairdressers in the professional haircare market is notable for its range of highly concentrated sulfate free shampoos with Anti Fade Complex ˙. In 2003 he was recognized as the Independent Cosmetic Manufactures And Distributors Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2007, L'Oréal, the world's largest beauty company, acquired PureOlogy, through its subsidiary L'Oréal USA. As stated in L'Oréal's press release after its acquisition, PureOlogy's sales from June 2006 - June 2007 were $57 million, achieved after only after six years after its founding. After leaving PureOlogy shortly after its sale to L'Oréal, Jim Markham is now in the initial stages of starting his fifth hair care products company.
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Zappos
Tony Hsieh, CEO and Alfred Lin, CFO & COO
Tony Hsieh
Tony joined Zappos.com in 2000, and under his leadership, Zappos has grown gross merchandise sales from $1.6M in 2000 to $597M in 2006. Tony focuses on continuing to grow the business at a rapid pace while maintaining the culture and feel of a small company. Prior to joining Zappos, Tony co-founded Venture Frogs with Alfred Lin. Venture Frogs is an incubator and investment firm that invested in Internet startups. Prior to Venture Frogs, Tony co-founded and grew LinkExchange from a side business from his apartment to a cooperative advertising network that reached over half of Internet enabled households, according to Media Metrix. LinkExchange was successfully sold to Microsoft for $265M in 1998. Tony also served on a small tour of duty at Oracle as a software engineer before delving into his entrepreneurial destiny. Tony graduated from Harvard University with a BA in Computer Science.
Alfred Lin
Alfred joined Zappos.com in 2005 and is responsible for all financial, administrative and warehouse operations. Alfred focuses on bringing focus, strategy and financial discipline in order to grow the business efficiently and profitably. Prior to joining Zappos, Alfred served as VP of Finance and Business Development at Tellme Networks, helping grow that business from no revenue to over $120M in recurring revenue per year, 30% cash margins and a $0.5B estimated contracted revenue backlog. Prior to joining Tellme Networks, Alfred co-founded Venture Frogs with Tony Hsieh. Venture Frogs is an incubator and investment firm that invested in Internet startups. Prior to Venture Frogs, Alfred served as VP of Finance and Administration at LinkExchange, where he managed the sale of the Company to Microsoft for $265M and his tight financial management allowed the company to raise very little equity and the founders and employees to keep 80% of the value created.
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Solari Enterprises
Johrita Solari, President and Co-Founder
As President and Co-Founder of Solari
Enterprises, Inc., Mrs. Solari oversees all major facets relating to the management
of the firm's entire portfolio. Mrs. Solari has extensive experience in
the oversight of the day-to-day operations to maintain financial,
physical and agency compliance on the entire portfolio. Johrita has more than 30 years experience in property management
with a portfolio consisting of approximately 3,500 affordable
multifamily housing units in 53 locations, a business park and
commercial properties throughout the United States.
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Guy's experience in the business planning and estate planning field is extensive. In 1986 Guy formed BTA Advisory Group, a multi-disciplinary organization serving the needs of wealthy families and owners of closely held businesses. Each of BTA's sister organizations are managed by an experienced professional and partner. The services include an estate and legacy planning consulting firm; a national management consulting firm specializing in the succession and compensation issues and problems facing closely-held businesses; a compensation and benefits consulting firm; and a registered investment advisor. BTA Advisory Group remains primarily an insurance and financial products marketing company. Guy holds a BS/Economics in 1967 from Claremont McKenna College and an MBA/Finance in 1968 from the University of Southern California. Guy earned his Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) in 1972 and became a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) in 1981. He also holds a Master's degree in Financial Services (MSFS) and Master's in Management (MSM). In addition, Guy is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), and a Registered Health Underwriter (RHU). Guy has earned his Certified Family Wealth Counselor designation and is a Registered Investment Advisor. Guy serves on the Board of the Mission Hospital Foundation, and is Chairman of American Family Living. He is a Founding Trustee for Grace Classical Academy, a private school for families seeking a classical education. Guy served as a major gifts fund-raiser for the Orange County Center for Performing Arts and on the fund raising committee for South Coast Repertory; an Advisory Board member for the South Coast YMCA, a Board member of Orange County Teen Challenge. Guy is a past President of the Claremont McKenna Alumni Association and a member of CMC's Board of Trustees. He recently accepted an invitation to serve on the Advisory Board of the Torrey Institute at BIOLA University.
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IW Group Founder
Bill Imada, Chairman & CEO
Founded in 1990, IW Group, Inc. is a public relations and communications firm that specializes in reaching the growing Asian-American community in the United States. The IW Group was ranked the seventh fastest growing public relations agency in the U.S. by PR Week (2002) and is among the top Asian American advertising firms in this country according to Advertising Age (2005). With offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York, IW Group is one of the fastest growing agencies in the country. IW Group has been instrumental in positioning clients such as: AT&T; Blue Cross of California; California Department of Health Services - Tobacco Control Section; Comcast; Gilead Sciences; McDonalds; Merrill Lynch; Pacific Gas and Electric; Wal-Mart; Washington Mutual; and, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy; in addition to many other leading corporations and government entities.
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Broughton Hospitality Group Founder
Larry Broughton, CEO
In January 2001, Larry Broughton founded Newport Beach, CA-based Broughton Hospitality Group, Inc., a comprehensive management, representation, and development group, specializing in the hospitality industry. During the worst two and-a-half years the hospitality industry had experienced since before World War II, Larry led Broughton through the acquisition of four hotel properties. The Broughton portfolio currently includes nearly twenty hospitality projects throughout California. Larry is an experienced, upbeat leader skilled in building companies and organizations.
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Kimco Staffing Services Founder
Kim Megonigal, CEO
Kim Megonigal founded Kimco Staffing Services in 1986 at the age of 33, after a successful 10-year career in the staffing industry. In just twelve years' time, he grew Kimco from a one-man operation to a $75 million corporation with three specialty practices, an affiliate Professional Employer Organization, 231 employees and 25 branch offices. In 1999, the company reached a landmark $100 million in sales. Prior to starting his own company, Mr. Megonigal worked for Thomas Temporaries, learning the staffing business from the ground-up. He performed sales and management functions in branch offices throughout Northern California and Denver, and was instrumental in Thomas' eventual expansion to 40 offices in 15 states. At the age of 28, he was made President of Thomas Temporaries. A graduate of Claremont Men's College, Mr. Megonigal was nominated for Ernst & Young's prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Award for two consecutive years, and was recognized as an Orange County finalist in 1999.
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Feature This!
Jay May, Founder & President
Jay May, the founder of Feature This!, comes from a diverse background in the entertainment industry. Considered one of the most progressive product placement companies emerging from the 1990's, Feature This! has had the distinctive advantage of Mr. May's unique prospective of the entertainment industry. Studying as an actor at the prestigious Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York (1976) under the guidance and direction of Lee Strasberg (1977), Mr. May (Jay, as he prefers to be called) started his entertainment career as "EJ" the D.J. at Luke's Discotheque on the soap opera "General Hospital" in 1978. He has appeared in numerous movies and television shows over the years, with his last role in "Disappearance of Nora", starring Veronica Hammell (1994). An actor's strike in 1980 caused him to work behind the camera full-time. In 1981 Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley proclaimed "Nu Mooveez Day", honoring Jay for helping young independent artists in the film business. During his time in production, Jay was introduced to his true forte, working as a special effects man and property master for motion pictures. It was in this capacity that Jay labored for fifteen years. As a property master, Jay worked actively in product placement, prominently displaying products in front of the camera. Having the foresight to see beyond his industry and realizing the potential of product placement, Jay realized that it was time to shift gears. Dedicating himself to product placement, "Feature This!" was soon born. Jay is presently working with all the major studios on over 80 television shows and on the biggest blockbusters. Jay's hands have been in over 2,500 films in the last ten years.
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Zeacom Limited
Miles Valentine, Founder & CEO
Miles Valentine started computer telephony integration software company Zeacom in 1994 and within a year had expanded into 24 countries. In January 2000, he relocated to Southern California to manage the company's growth in the United States before returning to New Zealand in 2007. Valentine was no stranger to the telephone business he launched Zeacom; in 1988 he founded TelephoneTechnology Ltd, an independent telephone reseller. He built this into a $12-million company before selling to Ubix in 1993. Zeacom's aim is to improve the way businesses communicate within the contact centre and throughout the entire enterprise. The mission is to provide cost-effective Unified Communications that make high-end functions, such as Presence, Mobility and Microsoft Outlook integration accessible to small and medium-sized organisations - not just large corporates.
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Dyna-Search Founder
Shinobu Ishizuka, President & CEO
Founded in 1982 by CEO Shinobu Ishizuka in Los Angeles, California, Dyna-Search, Inc. has successfully executed numerous business projects designed to bridge the gap between Japanese and American companies by developing and executing new business projects. A graduate of the University of Southern California (USC) with a Masters degree of Operations Research with professional experience working with NASA through his role at Konigsberg Instruments, Mr. Ishizuka and Dyna-Search identify key events in a company's industry, coordinate participation and provide reporting services. Dyna-Search Reports by industry professionals provide companies with insights into emerging trends and winning business practices through in-depth research and analysis, and their field tour and seminar programs are developed for participants to gain insights into constantly evolving U.S. business environment and industries, including current trends in U.S. industries and consumer lifestyles, and field studies of U.S. leading retailers.
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Fortune Market Media
Ryan Tomlinson, Executive V.P./Director of Media
Mr.
Tomlinson is the executive vice president and director of media at
Fortune Market Media, Inc., a diversified media and communications
company providing businesses with a variety of financial-, consumer-
and investor-related communications services. Tomlinson is one of three
co-founders of the media company and has been at the forefront of its
development and success since its inception. Tomlinson’s daily focus is
media development. He has also played a key role in the over all
company structuring and growth. Mr. Tomlinson is the host of Fortune
Market Media's weekly radio show "Your Money's Worth" which airs on
97.1 KLSX CBS Free FM Saturdays 8-10 am in Los Angeles. Tomlinson's
daily tasks include media development, sales training and management
and structuring media campaigns. He is a key liaison between clients.
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Access Smart Founder
Dovell Bonnett, CEO
Founded in 2005, and headquartered in Ladera Ranch, California, Access Smart develops Smart card products and services designed to provide online protection while protecting company information and an individual's identity. Access Smart Founder Dovell Bonnett's professional experience spans 21 years in engineering, product development, sales and marketing, with more than 13 years focused specifically on smartcard technology, systems and applications. He has held positions at National Semiconductor, Siemens (Infineon), Certicom, Motorola and HID. He is the author of smartcard articles, regularly presents at conferences, and helps companies successfully implement smartcard projects. Mr. Bonnett has been an active member of the Smart Card Alliance contributing to the development of physical access security white papers. He holds dual bachelor's degrees in industrial and electrical engineering from San Jose State University.
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Toujours Founder
Chien Wang, CEO
Chien J. Wang launched Toujours Products, Inc. at the age of 22 with $4,000 he had saved in college. The company distributes awards and personalized gifts to hundreds of retail outlets in the U.S. Chien launched his second venture Award Elements, LLC and is again building it from the ground up to properly meet his clients' needs. His goal is to bring more professionalism to the promotional products industry. Chien J. Wang was born in Taipei, Taiwan. Chien immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of 11, and did not speak a word of English. He attended University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and graduated with a degree in business administration and entrepreneurship. Chien is the author of "It's Who Knows YOU - Network Your Way To Success", and founded Chien's World Premier Networking Community in 2006. In addition to being an entrepreneur, Chien Wang is a historian, philosopher, world traveler, philanthropist and a photo journalist.
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New Age Electronics Co-Founder
Lee Perlman, Chairman & CEO
New Age Electronics, Inc. is a specialty service provider for consumer technology (CT) manufacturers with a broad offering of logistics, remanufacturing, and distribution services. Extensive experience in the CT industry and a customer-focused approach has made New Age the provider of choice for manufacturers such as Hewlett-Packard, Panasonic, Sharp, and resellers such as Nebraska Furniture Mart, Conn's, and Brandsmart. With over 18 years of success stemming from the entrepreneurial drive of founders Lee Perlman and Adam Carroll, New Age has achieved a number of milestones. Open-book philosophies have kept employees focused, dedicated, and ambitious to achieve new challenges. New Age distinguishes itself with extremely efficient operations and relentless focus on customer satisfaction. New Age has perfected supply chain solutions and remanufacturing strategies offering customers cost savings they were unable to achieve on their own.
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Interview Two
Body Glove International Co-Founder
Bob Meistrell, CEO
Founded in 1953, Body Glove is a leading, worldwide action sports brand specializing in wetsuits, swimwear, clothing, footwear, accessories and technology accessories. Its contributions to action sports include the Body Glove Surfbout (4 Star WQS event), continued support of the NSSA National Scholastic Surfing Championships and sponsorhip of one of the most respected surf and wakeboard teams in the industry. Through Reef Check, SIMAs environmental fund, and the Surfrider Foundation, Body Glove works to preserve the purity of the waters it loves. Body Glove products are sold in the U.S. by a network of independent retailers and in approximately 50 countries internationally through distributors, sales agents and licensees.
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Interview One
Body Glove International Co-Founder
Bob Meistrell, CEO
Founded in 1953, Body Glove is a leading, worldwide action sports brand specializing in wetsuits, swimwear, clothing, footwear, accessories and technology accessories. Its contributions to action sports include the Body Glove Surfbout (4 Star WQS event), continued support of the NSSA National Scholastic Surfing Championships and sponsorhip of one of the most respected surf and wakeboard teams in the industry. Through Reef Check, SIMAs environmental fund, and the Surfrider Foundation, Body Glove works to preserve the purity of the waters it loves. Body Glove products are sold in the U.S. by a network of independent retailers and in approximately 50 countries internationally through distributors, sales agents and licensees.
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