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Special Edition: Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce

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Debbie Fuse/Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce

Debbie Fuse is the Executive Director of the Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce. Debbie’s background was in sales management, and sales to the construction industry. Prior to that, she held positions in management in the hotel and restaurant industry. She led highly successful sales teams in the Southeast – from 11-28 sales reps with each position – and requirements of traveling up to 80% of her time. After two downsizings, she decided to redirect her focus locally and work within the community where she lives. She’s been in Dunwoody for 14 years after moving from the Baltimore area.

Katie Bishop/Convention and Visitors Bureau of Dunwoody

Katie Bishop is the Executive Director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Dunwoody (CVBD) in Dunwoody, Georgia. She was hired by the board of directors in November 2009 as the organization’s first employee, following the incorporation of the City of Dunwoody in December 2008 and the establishment of the CVBD in August 2009. Prior to joining the CVBD, Katie served as Tourism Coordinator for Destination Thomasville Tourism Authority in Thomasville, Georgia. A native of Marietta, she holds a Bachelors Degree in Public Relations from the University of Georgia. Katie serves on the Boards of Directors for the Atlanta Metro Travel Association, the DeKalb Police Alliance, and the Spruill Center for the Arts. A young leader in the tourism industry, she was recently named a “Forty for the Future” by Southeast Tourism Society, recognizing tourism professionals under age 40.

Michael Starling/City of Dunwoody

Michael Starling is the Director of Economic Development for the City of Dunwoody. Michael is responsible for leading the City’s efforts to expand the local economy through business development efforts. Priorities for the City include retention of existing businesses, recruitment of new firms, and the redevelopment of existing commercial areas.

Gillen Joachim with Neel and Robinson Attorneys at Law LLC and Katrina Stroup with Medieval Times

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Gillen Joachim/Neel and Robinson Attorneys at Law LLC

Gillen Joachim is a Partner with the law firm of Neel and Robinson.  He has been practicing real estate law for over ten years.  As the managing attorney of the Marietta office, Gillen works with dozens of lenders, over 100 real estate agents and hundreds of buyers and sellers every year.  Gillen lives in Marietta with his wife and three children.

Katrina Stroup/Medieval Times

Katrina Stroup, Marketing & Sales Manager for Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, is an award-winning marketing and sales professional with over 9 years of proven success in increasing market share via the development and implementation of innovative marketing campaigns. She has served in her current role at Medieval Times for over 4 years, consistently proving herself as a leader on the national Medieval Times team and in the marketing field, at large. Katrina has been honored with awards from Direct Marketing Association of Atlanta, as well as internal titles, including Marketing Manager of the Year and Social Media Campaign of the Year.

 

Georgia Bulldog 100 Winners for 2012

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The Georgia Bulldog 100 is a program that determines and awards the 100 fastest growing businesses that are owned or operated by University of Georgia Alumni each year.

Honorable Steve Jones/UGA Alumni President

On January 5, 2011, Judge Jones was nominated by President Barack Obama to become a United States District Judge. Judge Jones was sworn in as a district judge on March 4, 2011. In this role, Judge Jones presides over cases that involve the United States government, the United States Constitution, federal laws, controversies between citizens of different states, and other matters.

Prior to his nomination to the district court, Judge Jones served as a Superior Court Judge in the Western Judicial Circuit (Athens-Clarke and Oconee Counties, Georgia). Judge Jones was appointed to the Superior Court in 1995. In this role, Judge Jones presided over civil and criminal cases. In addition to his regular caseload, Judge Jones also presided over the Western Judicial Circuit Felony Drug Court Program, a program that integrates alcohol and substance abuse treatment with court supervision. Prior to his 1995 Superior Court judicial appointment, Judge Jones served as a Municipal Court Judge (1992-1995), as an Assistant District Attorney (1987-1991), and as the Director of the Child Support Recovery Unit (1978-1985).

Judge Jones is a “Double Dawg” and earned his Bachelors degree in Management in 1978 and his Juris Doctor in 1987.

In addition to all of his accomplishments, Judges Jones  also serves on the Board of Directors for the UGA Alumni Association as President. Judge Jones is married to Lillian Kincey.

Anthony Moore/jobTopia

Anthony Moore is with jobTopia, a recruiting, executive search and contract staffing firm.  Anthony graduated from the University of Georgia in 1993 with a degree in Marketing.  He is an Atlanta native who grew up in Gwinnett County and went to Riverwood High School in Fulton County.  Anthony is politically active in the GOP.

John Shurley/GH&I

John Shurley is an Audit Partner and leader of the fraud, forensic and litigation support service team with GH&I, Gifford, Hillegass & Ingwersen,LLP. John has conducted numerous fraud and forensic examinations. He provides clients extensive experience in the review and preparation of audited financial statements and the development of accounting systems for various business concerns.

John began his working career with Ernst & Young in Atlanta, where he was a member of the audit department for five years. While at Ernst & Young, he was responsible for audit engagements of nonprofits and public and privately-held companies in the manufacturing, construction, distribution, healthcare, textile and soft drink industries.

John received his B.B.A. in accounting from the University of Georgia. While attending college, he received several honors and held various elected offices in student organizations.

Stacey Anderson/Queen of Hearts Antiques & Interiors

Stacey Anderson is the owner of Queen of Hearts Antiques & Interiors, along with her husband Jim.  Stacey is a 1980 graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in Journalism.  While a student at UGA, she was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority, serving as Treasurer & Standards President.  Stacey and Jim have been married for 26 years and have two grown sons, Tyler and Keaton.  Stacey was born and raised in Atlanta.

Meredith Carr/UGA Alumni Association

Meredith Carr serves as the Associate Director of Alumni Relations at the University of Georgia.

Special Edition: Georgia Bulldog 100 2012 Winners

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High Velocity Radio welcomes Darrick Wilkins and Bob Pinckney, Georgia Bulldog 100 2012 Winners.  The Bulldog 100 is a program that determines and awards the 100 fastest growing businesses that are owned or operated by University of Georgia Alumni each year.  Also appearing on today’s program is Joe Harper and Chris Goodwin.

Darrick Wilkins/LTC Tree

LTC Tree is a national Long Term Care Insurance agency founded by Darrick Wilkins. Darrick grew up in Stone Mountain, GA and then attended The University of Georgia. He graduated from UGA after majoring in Economics and then joined John Hancock Financial for two years before leaving and founding LTC Tree. LTC Tree has grown over the past 13 years to be the nation’s number one virtual Long Term Care Insurance agency. Darrick currently lives in Sandy Springs, GA with his wife Natalie and daughter Ella.

Bob Pinckney/EvoShield

Robert H. “Bob” Pinckney, IV, is the CEO of EvoShield, an emerging Georgia based company with a new kind of athletic protective gear – gear that actually custom molds to the athlete. EvoShield is one of the fasted growing sports brands in the country, doubling sales every 9 months. Following graduation from the University of Georgia with a Business Degree in Economics, Bob attended the prestigious Harvard Business School earning his MBA. After Harvard, he returned to Georgia as Director of Development with Portman Properties in Atlanta and San Francisco. Bob went on to a career with Probursa Investment Bank in New York and Mexico City as the President and CEO of their International Broker-Dealer. He eventually left Probursa to create and build several global high-technology Telecommunications companies with a client base spanning Asia, Latin America, and the US. With his passion for creating global companies and recognizing the potential for impacting the lives of many with EvoShield’s unique protective apparel, Bob led a group of investors in 2010 in providing EvoShield with growth capital and became the CEO. He currently serves on the Alumni Board of the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia and is a guest lecturer for the Terry College.

Joe Harper/Harper, Inc.

Joe Harper is a sales and marketing professional working in the Atlanta area. Over the past eight years, Joe has led several companies’ efforts to conceptualize, build and implement complete sales and marketing programs. His latest venture, Harper Inc., is the evolution of a traditional business founded two decades ago by his father Steve Harper. Before joining Harper Inc., Joe served as the Director of Marketing for Milner/Comsquared, a technology company based in Norcross, GA, where he implemented both CRM and marketing automation for the entire sales organization. With a passion for business process automation, he enjoys tackling difficult problems with a mix of business knowledge and the right tools for the job. Joe is also an avid photographer, world traveler and adventurer and added “Dad” to his list earlier this month.

Chris Goodwin/Qsource Networks

Chris Goodwin is the Director of Sales at Qsource Networks and has been serving businesses with their technology support needs for about 5 years, with a focus on the SMB space. In addition to maintaining current technical certifications, Chris applies his experience from being a business owner in understanding his clients’ technology and budgetary needs.

 

200 OfficeJoin 200 Peachtree for an evening of live entertainment, complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres, and networking with some of the brightest stars in Atlanta’s small business community!  September’s event happens on Thursday the 20th from 6pm-8pm.  See 200 Office to register!

Dara Albright with NowStreet, Fred Rich with Cooper Global, Bob Sleppy with Nuci’s Space, and Andrea Borden with National Association of Women Business Owners

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Dara Albright/NowStreet

Dara Albright is the Founder of NowStreet Media, a leader in financial markets’ reform. Dara is a thought provoker and frequent speaker on topics relating to the private markets and crowdfunding. She is the author of the NowStreet Journal, a primary provider of analysis and insight into the private company marketplace as well as the legislation and innovation currently fueling it. Based on her original hypothesis that directly correlates advancements in mass communications with stock market growth, NowStreet highlights the dynamic economic impact of a purely growth marketplace rising during the most ground-breaking period of mass media and regulatory reform. Prior to founding NowStreet, Dara has held a distinguished 20 year career in investment banking, investor relations and institutional sales. She has organized and managed hundreds of road shows and conferences for Wall Street’s elite. She has worked closely with a number of institutional and accredited investors providing investment and trading strategies as well as restricted transaction services. Dara has helped raise financing for companies across the globe in a variety of industries at various phases and rollouts.  She is a graduate of the George Washington University and holds securities industry Series 7, 24, and 63 licenses.

Fred Rich/Cooper-Global Chauffeured Transportation

Fred Rich is the President of Cooper-Global Chauffeured Transportation.  Cooper-Global has been in existence since 2005 and in a very short amount of time has been ranked by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as the number one limousine company in Atlanta.  Fred is a native of Atlanta and graduated from the University of Georgia in 1975.  In his “first life” Fred owned an advertising agency in Atlanta called Rich/Gardner Advertising which he sold to monster.com in 2001.  He is an avid sports fan and has been a high school football referee for 14 years.  He has been married for 34 years to Dianne and has two daughters, Jessica and Andrea and grandson Micah.

Bob Sleppy/Nuçi’s Space

Bob Sleppy is a 2010 graduate of the Master of Business Administration Program at the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. In addition to MBA coursework, Bob completed the requirements for a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the Institute for Nonprofit Organizations. The certificate included a directed study with a focus on Social Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise. Prior to graduate studies, he completed a B.S. in Psychology (with a concentration in Organizational & Industrial Psychology) from the University of Georgia.

Bob has been the Executive Director of Nuçi’s Space in Athens, GA since 1999. Nuçi’s Space is a non-profit health and music resource center in Athens, GA. The aim of the organization is to prevent suicide by providing obstacle free treatment for musicians suffering from depression and other such disorders as well as to assist in the emotional, physical and professional well-being of musicians. The organization employs a diverse range of funding, including earned income, to meet financial goals. Nuçi’s Space is in the beginning stages of expanding the organization’s mission to include the Atlanta-area creative community.

In addition to his work with Nuçi’s Space, Bob is a part-time lecturer at the University of Georgia, teaching “Social Entrepreneurship” to graduate students in the Masters of Nonprofit Management Program. He is also a co- owner of a small manufacturing company, Pretty Road Cases LLC, which produces high-quality road cases for a variety of applications including sports equipment, medical equipment and professional music gear.

Bob Sleppy resides in Athens, GA with his wife Rachel and daughter Finley.

Andrea Borden/NAWBO

Andrea Borden is the President of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), as well as Partner with Borden Schmidt Consulting.  Andrea has twenty years of sales management and business development experience with technology, media and consulting companies. Her diverse experience makes her uniquely qualified to provide sales consulting and sales coaching services.  Andrea has a proven track record of increasing sales rapidly within a wide range of companies such as Robert Half International, Spherion Staffing, Compaq Computer/HP and Ziff-Davis Media.

Founded in 1975, the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is the voice of America’s 10.6 million women-owned businesses and is the only dues-based national organization representing the interests of all women entrepreneurs across all industries.

Andrea holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from University of West Florida. She is an active member of Buckhead Church and enjoys mentoring at-risk children in Atlanta.


200 Office

Join 200 Peachtree for an evening of live entertainment, complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres, and networking with some of the brightest stars in Atlanta’s small business community!  September’s event happens on Thursday the 20th from 6pm-8pm.  CLICK HERE to register!

Ronco Johnson with LR Johnson and Associates, Inc. and Joey Sommerville with Jay Vox, Inc.

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L. Ronco Johnson/LR Johnson and Associates, Inc.

L. Ronco Johnson, LUTCF is the President/CEO of LR Johnson and Associates, Inc., an independently owned insurance and financial service consulting firm located in Marietta, Georgia that specializes in using the tax advantages of life insurance products to assist in minimizing possible tax issues for affluent individuals, athletes, entertainers, and business owners.

Ronco is a Kennesaw State University Alumni (former NCAA Basketball collegiate athlete) and former Atlanta Jazz radio personality who has built a strong professional practice in the field of insurance and financial services.  For nearly fifteen years his firm has been dedicated to helping its clients build wealth and protect their hard-earned assets by introducing a variety of concepts and strategies to their clientele.

Ronco was most recently named in the upcoming September/October 2012 edition of NAIFA’s Advisor Today Magazine “Four Under Forty” Award winner, TOP 100 Magazine September 2012 edition, “Business Person of Week” by The American Chronicle and recognized amongst “Who’s Who of Professionals and Executives” for 2011-2012.

Joey Sommerville/Jay Vox, Inc.

Trumpeteer and producer Joey Sommerville has performed and recorded with artists from mega-rock group Phish to hip-hop producer, Jazze Pha. He was featured on The Cirque de Soleil’s Grammy-nominated album, “Alegria”, has 4 solo albums and appears on Hidden Beach Recordings “Unwrapped Volume 4”. Joey produced Rhonda Smith’s “RS2” featuring Prince, Sheila E. and Fred Hammond which was selected for “10 Best Albums of the Year” by Music Magazine (Japan). He is also the producer of violinist Ken Ford’s album, “Right Now”. In 2007, Joey started the Thursday night jazz series at Atlanta’s Sambuca Jazz Cafe, performing with the a host of musical guests including Wayman Tisdale, Alex Bugnon, Peabo Bryson, Ann Nesby, Ronnie Laws and more. His latest release entitled “The Get Down Club” is currently receiving rave reviews and international airplay. The album features guest performances from Najee, Jeff Lorber, Marion Meadows, Bob Baldwin and more. Joey is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades including The 2009 American Society of Young Musicians All That Jazz Award.

Lanelle Henderson with Constant Contact, Susie Brown with NeuroScience Foundation, Dr. Marshall Nash with NeuroStudies.net, and Randy Gold with AGH

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Lanelle Henderson/Constant Contact

Lanelle Henderson, Regional Development Director at Constant Contact, is a marketing expert and passionate entrepreneur with more than 18 years of experience helping small businesses, non-profits and associations apply the power of relationship marketing to grow their organization. She has worked with hundreds of Georgia entrepreneurs – ranging from novice to seasoned marketers – on how to grow their customer or member base through sharp business practices and smart online marketing programs, including email marketing, event marketing and social media marketing. An active member of the Georgia business community, Lanelle is a popular speaker and trainer on marketing and business topics with a special interest in hospitality, community and education, and a focus on empowering women.

Susie W. Brown/NeuroScience Foundation

Susie W. Brown, the first Executive Director for NeuroScience Foundation, has over 25 years experience working with non-profit organizations. Susie obtained her Masters of Health Science from Wichita State University and began her 20 year career with United Way in 1985. Most recently , she held positions with the New York Urban League and the Center for Children’s Initiatives. Susie joined NeuroScience Foundation in June 2011.

Marshall L. Nash, MD/NeuroStudies.net

Marshall L. Nash, MD is a Certified Physician Investigator, CEO of NeuroStudies.net and Director of Stroke and Neuroscience Research at Gwinnett Medical Center. Dr. Nash is involved in some of the most promising and exciting research trials in Neurology.  Dr. Nash has been a Certified Physician Investigator (CPI) since 2002 and is one of only a few private practice neurologists worldwide who devote 100% of their clinical practice time to clinical research. He began private practice in 1993 and founded Dekalb Neurology Associates, LLC in 1999 where he devotes his time exclusively to clinical research. As an expert consultant for many academic and pharmaceutical research projects, Dr. Nash has participated in over 100 major research trials focused on discovering new treatments for neurological diseases and conditions including the original NINDS t-PA trials, an investigative thrombolytic which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of stroke. He has successfully been one of the leading enrollers in studies for stroke prevention, acute stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and neuropathy. NSFoundation was created September 2010 and received its 501(c)3 designation in June 2011.

Randy Gold/AGH

Randy Gold brings talent and experience to the firm’s real estate and construction practice in his role as Principal and Chief Operating Officer of AGH.  Randy has an extensive background representing commercial and multifamily real estate developers and investors through purchase/sale transactions, deal structuring, consulting and reporting.  With more than 14 years of experience representing pension funds, private investment groups, insurance companies and builders with portfolio assets ranging from $25 million to $5 billion, Randy’s clients rely on his practical expertise to help them meet their goals.

In his role as Chief Operating Officer of one of the leading accounting firms in the Southeast, Randy is responsible for helping to create the strategy and tactics to support AGH’s long term vision of developing expert team members who provide the foremost client communication and service.  Focused on business development, Randy helps the firm continue its history of significant growth in each of its practice areas.

Penny Morriss and Ellen Roberson with Watson Penland, Gary Kneller with CareMinders Home Care, Andy Macke with Comcast Cable Communications, and Bill Jones and Steve Bachman with CollectorDash

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Penny Morriss/Watson Penland

Penny Morriss, Co-Founder of Watson Penland, is the Owner of Concierge Services of Atlanta, a company she founded in 1997 that provides specialized services to Class A office buildings, private clubs, luxury condominiums, and private individuals. Penny began working for Prentiss Properties in 1988 as Atlanta’s first corporate concierge for One Atlantic Center in Midtown. From 1994 to 1997, Morriss worked for the Washington, DC-based Intercontinental Concierge Corporation as the General Manager of their Atlanta office. Penny spearheaded the founding of Watson Penland when she saw the need for an Atlanta company to cater to the city’s thriving cosmopolitan lifestyle and burgeoning film and television industry.

Ellen Roberson/Watson Penland

Ellen Watson Roberson,  Co-Founder of Watson Penland, founded Pace Travel of Atlanta in 1985 and over the span of twenty-five years has led a global travel agency catering to both corporate and leisure travelers as well as Atlanta’s entertainment industry including Lionsgate and Tyler Perry Studios. Pace Travel was consistently recognized for over a decade as one of Atlanta’s top twenty travel agencies and top female-owned firms. Ellen is a member of the International Airline Travel Agent Network. Ellen collaborated with Penny Morriss to form Watson Penland in an effort to merge their vast expertise in the travel and service industries. She now divides her time between the Atlanta and Los Angeles Watson Penland offices.

Gary Kneller/CareMinders Home Care

A few years ago Gary, in his mid-50s today, received some shocking news — he had stage three Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The diagnosis initially was overwhelming — he had a hard time handling the uncertainty of cancer. But, as Gary has done in his life many, many times personally and professionally, he saw opportunity where many would see doom. Gary witnessed firsthand how the level of care in a lot of facilities didn’t meet the needs of patients. It was a motivating factor for him to launch CareMinders Home Care. In fact, he designed CareMinders to deliver care at home at a quality level that goes beyond what he ever received at a healthcare facility — by a landslide. He’s actually said that CareMinders honors those like him that have survived the rigors of cancer treatment.

Now Gary is taking his mission beyond the Atlanta market – into all U.S. markets. He’s already led CareMinders into franchising, opening in 15 states. Gary’s personal experience has resulted in a home care concept that offers more medical and non-medical services than any other franchise out there — his personal experience is a big reason why. A serial entrepreneur in every sense, Gary had previously owned a television station, a financial planning business and has other endeavors under his belt as well. But, the launch of CareMinders just a few years ago served as a practice in patience, persistence and perseverance. His successful triumph over cancer has given Gary a new lease on life — personally he’s now getting married and he is pouring all the energy he can into CareMinders.

Andy Macke/Comcast Cable Communications

As Vice President of Government and Community Affairs for Comcast’s Big South Region, Andy Macke develops strategic relationships with government officials and community leaders to support Comcast’s business goals and strengthen the community. He is directly responsible for Comcast’s regulatory compliance, operations support and community investment in the 32 counties around the city of Atlanta. Andy is also responsible for overseeing Comcast’s community investment strategy including Comcast Cares Day and United Way, among others.

Andy currently serves on the executive committee of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce as Immediate Past Chairman. He also serves as a board member of the Cable Television Association of Georgia (CTAG) and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta. In the past, Andy has been recognized by the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce with the “Chet Wells Award” for his outstanding leadership, and he was honored as the “Board Member of the Year” by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce for his work with the Education Committee.

Andy began his career in cable with AT&T Broadband and has worked for the Georgia Municipal Association as a Franchise Coordinator advising cities and counties on franchise related matters. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Georgia and a Master of Science degree in Telecommunications Policy from Georgia Tech.

Bill Jones/CollectorDash

Bill, Founder and CEO of CollectorDash, has a twenty-plus year track record of value creation. He has built two businesses from a very early stage through maturity. Bill was most recently President of Air2Web, Inc., a leading mobile marketing software-as-service business. With top enterprise and network operators as customers, Air2Web delivered over a billion text messages to consumers each year.

Prior to Air2Web, Bill was Director of Product Management for all of Nokia’s enterprise software. Bill was one of the top two executives leading Intellisync’s sale to Nokia. At Intellisync, he was the VP of Products running a varied portfolio of mobile software products sold to enterprise, carrier and consumer segments.

Prior to Synchrologic/Intellisync/Nokia, Bill ran global product management and user interface design for Lotus/IBM’s suite of desktop applications. He was a pioneer in Windows applications at Samna.

Steve Bachman/CollectorDash

Steve Bachman, Vice President of Strategy at CollectorDash, is a proven executive with more than 30 years of experience building and growing startup and fast growth software and tech companies while creating shareholder value. His experience spans software, cloud based solutions, financial technology, e-commerce, mobile solutions, and information security.

Bachman was Founder & CEO of Automated Design Systems (sold to McAfee), President of Marshal Software Americas (sold to NetIQ), Founder & Director of Glue Communications (sold to Xcelerate), and Advisor & VP of Sales to c360 (sold to CDC Software). Steve is currently a Founder & Director of UK-based Image Analyzer and Director of AuditMyBooks.

Bachman is also the past President and Director of the Southeast Software Association, Founder and past Director of the Technology Association of Georgia, and currently a Founder and Director of both the Wireless Technology Forum and the Executive Sales & Marketing Association.

The Georgia Society of CPAs and Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk’s Panel of Tax Experts Including: Carlye W. Buchanan, Marc Schwartz, Colin E. Blalock, and Denise W. Grove

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Today’s High Velocity Radio featured a panel of Tax Experts assembled by Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk and the Georgia Society of CPAs. Bonnie co-hosted the show today with regular host Stone Payton.

Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk is the president and founder of BBR Marketing, a firm that provides marketing strategy and services to professional services firms.

Check Out The GSCPA’s Upcoming Event Here:

Southeastern Accounting Show (8/29 & 8/30)

 

And Here’s A Little Background Info On Our Panel Members . . .

 

Carlye W. Buchanan/ Windham Brannon, PC

Carlye W. Buchanan is a principal with Windham Brannon’s tax division. Carlye specializes in complex multi-state service businesses, large not for profit organizations, and high net worth individual income tax planning and preparation. She performs and enjoys extensive projects on various accounting topics that require significant interpretation of tax law.

Carlye’s specializations include Large Not-for-Profit Organizations, Complex Multi-State Tax Services, and High Net Worth Individuals with Multi-State Returns.

 

Marc Schwartz/Schwartz International

Marc Schwartz is a partner with Schwartz International, a firm that takes pride in providing an alternative for companies and individuals looking for top-tier international tax consulting expertise with the flexibility, responsiveness and personal touch only a smaller firm can provide. Marc has lived and worked in the US and abroad in both governmental and private sector roles. His diversified experience has allowed him to bring a global perspective to the business. He holds a B.A. from Colgate University, a Master’s in International Affairs from Columbia University, and a law degree from Emory University. He is also a CPA.

 

Colin E. Blalock/Jones and Kolb, CPA

Colin E. Blalock, CPA, PFS, CFP, was admitted to the firm Jones and Kolb as a shareholder in 1986. Prior to joining Jones and Kolb, he was with the Internal Revenue Service in Atlanta and later became a partner with a regional CPA firm. Since 1971, Colin’s practice has been concentrated in the areas of nonprofit organizations, corporate and individual taxation, and representation in IRS tax controversies.

Colin received the Personal Financial Specialist designation from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Certified Financial Planner designation from the College for Financial Planning. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants (GSCPA), The Georgia Society of Association Executives, the Financial Planning Association and the Atlanta Alumni of Revenue Agents.

Colin is the Immediate Past Chair of the Georgia Society of CPAs. He is the past President and a Trustee of Georgia Federal Tax Conference. Colin is a member and past Chair of the Gulf Coast Tax Exempt/Governmental Entities IRS Advisory Council. He is a member and past chair of the Taxation Forum Conference task force, Nonprofit Conference and the Taxation Section of the GSCPA. Colin is a prolific speaker on tax topics and facilitates several discussion groups. In 2002, he received the “Distinguished Service Award” from the GSCPA Continuing Education Committee. Colin was selected the 2006-2007 “Executive-in-Residence” for the School of Accountancy of Georgia Southern University. Colin was recognized by Atlanta Business Chronicle in its selection of Who’s Who In Accounting 2011.

*** Colin talked about this site during the show — Fantastic Resource ! ***

TotalTaxInsights.org

Total Tax Insights is the first tax calculator to offer a comprehensive view of how taxes affect us. It’s brought to you by the American Institute of CPAs, a longtime advocate for sound tax policy, tax simplification and taxpayer education.

 

Denise W. Grove/CFO Support, Inc. – CEO & Founder/ Georgia Society of CPAs – State Treasurer and Board of Directors Member

Denise W. Grove, a CPA with over 30 years of experience, founded CFO Support, Inc. in 1998 to provide customized finance and accounting consulting services to organizations requiring in-house expertise on a part-time basis or with needs beyond their staff resources. Denise’s vast experience in public, private and start-up organizations assists owners and management in developing key performance measures to grow their companies and establishing cost-effective finance and accounting models to achieve overall entity improved financial performance. Her background is an outstanding combination of experience in large to small and public or privately held companies to offer broad based accounting and business advice.

Denise is active in her profession serving in national, state and local volunteer positions with the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and the Georgia Society of CPAs (GSCPA). On a national level, Denise served for seven years on the editorial board for the Journal of Accountancy.

 

Debbie Fuse: Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce, Danny Rinaldi and Dr. Russell Rosenberg: Harmonix, Al Loise: Vayu Media

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Podcast: Download

Debbie Fuse/ Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce

Debbie Fuse is the Executive Director of the Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce. Debbie’s background was in sales management, and sales to the construction industry. Prior to that, she held positions in management in the hotel and restaurant industry. She led highly successful sales teams in the Southeast – from 11-28 sales reps with each position – and requirements of traveling up to 80% of her time. After two downsizings, she decided to redirect her focus locally and work within the community where she lives. She’s been in Dunwoody for 14 years after moving from the Baltimore area.

Danny Rinaldi/ Harmonix

A multi-million dollar sales executive and entrepreneur, Danny Rinaldi, Founder and CEO of Harmonix, had been traveling back and forth to China for business and his body clock was struggling with the constant change.  It was tough and it took time to make the adjustment to changing time zones. Add to that the burden that most Americans feel every day – stress from work.  In Danny’s case, his anxiety came from the pressure of selling the toys he made to some of the biggest retail chains in the world.

It was the search for his own natural sleep solution that led Danny to develop Sleep Formula 39™  and launch Harmonix, LLC in 2011.

Throughout his career Danny has developed brands and managed fast-paced, high-growth, public and private businesses.  He has generated revenues of more than $100 million in technology and consumer-packaged goods for Texas Instruments, Atari and Telxon Corporation.  As the founder and partner of his own companies, he has established a network of 18 sales representatives who call on all major retailers including Costco, Wal-Mart, Target, CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale Club.

Russell Rosenberg,Ph.D./ NeuroTrials and Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine

Dr. Rosenberg is a Scientific Advisor to Harmonix, LLC. He assists the company with the design, implementation and interpretation of clinical research.

Dr. Rosenberg has 25 years experience in clinical sleep medicine and research. He is a Board Certified Sleep Specialist and Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. He has made presentations on sleep disorders around the United States as well as in Asia and Europe. He has authored several book chapters and numerous peer-reviewed journal articles on sleep disorders. His current research interests include treatments for insomnia and circadian rhythm disorders as well as treatments for disorders that cause excessive sleepiness.

Dr. Rosenberg is Chairman of the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). He obtained his Doctorate in Clinical and Research Psychology from Ohio State University and received specialized training in sleep disorders medicine and research at Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago. Dr. Rosenberg also serves as CEO of NeuroTrials Research and the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and Technology.

Al Loise/ Vayu Media

Al Loise is the Director of Market Development for Vayu Media, an Atlanta-based search engine optimization and online marketing firm. Vayu Media caters to the marketing needs of all size companies by strategizing, developing and implementing interactive marketing strategies that fit the unique needs and budget of each client. Vayu Media leverages their extensive experience in different facets of marketing to develop a measurable return on investment for their clients.

Al consults with businesses of all sizes on developing a successful marketing strategy that delivers a positive ROI. His client base consists of both B2B and B2C businesses, as well as both e-Commerce companies and traditional brick and mortar-type businesses. He has been a featured speaker and presented on SEO and online marketing strategies at the Small Business Technology Tour, the Georgian Club, as well as the upcoming ICE Ecommerce Summit this October here in Atlanta.

Prior to joining Vayu Media, Al had gained extensive experience in marketing and business development in a variety of different organizations, where he was responsible for managing and developing employees and implementing different initiatives to help increase revenue and market share. Al also has extensive experience in managing operations and profit and loss responsibility.