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Veterans Connect Radio Episode 021

Veterans Connect Radio

A spotlight episode of Atlanta Business Radio and powered by Business RadioX. Co-Hosted by Ryan “Redhawk” McPherson and Brandon Skolnick with Gathering Of Angels. Featuring veteran entrepreneurs, support organizations, outreach groups and more in the Atlanta area continuing to serve our families, our communities and our country. 

#VetsConnect
@VetConnectRadio

VCR Ep.021

Vonetta Daniels and Carl Gebo

 

Carl Gebo / Government Contractors Assistance & Resource Line, LLC  (G-CARL)
Founder & President

Carl received his Commission as a US. Army 2nd Lieutenant when he graduated from University of Notre Dame in 1986. His 1st Active Duty Assignment was at Ft. Rucker, Alabama — the Home of Army Aviation. For the next 6 years he was a Combat Helicopter Pilot stationed in Korea during the 1988 Olympics; Panama During Operation Just Cause; and Saudi Arabia & Iraq during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Based out of Ft. Bragg for the remainder of his active duty service, he left the Army as a Captain in 1992 after receiving Army Expeditionary Force and Commendation Medals as as the Army Air Medal for his service in Desert Storm. Carl went  to Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago. Graduated in 1995 and came to Atlanta. Since then he has practiced Government Contracts Law as a partner at one Atlanta’s oldest and most respected law firms and then joined another nationally recognized firm before launching the Government Contractors Assistance & Resource Line or GCARL in 2010 to help companies Win, Keep, and Profit From Government Contracts through Direct and Strategic Assistance

LinkedIn     Facebook     Twitter

 

 

Vonetta Daniels / VYD and Associates
President and CEO

Vonetta Daniels is an Air Force Veteran and President & CEO of VYD and Associates. VYD and Associates provides Management & Strategy Consulting services to a diversity of government, commercial and non-profit clients to include the Small Business Association (SBA), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and the East Lake Foundation. Vonetta has more than 20 years of professional experience which includes Management Consulting experience with BearingPoint, PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), internal consultant for SunTrust Banks, and industry experience in Public Health, Research, Higher Education, Government, Non-Profits, Education and Community Partners and Financial Services.

In 2015 Vonetta was nominated for Department of Labor Advisory Committee on Veterans & Employment, Training, and Employer Outreach (ACVETEO) and Awarded 2016 Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year by the DeKalb County Veterans’ Affairs Advisory Board. Vonetta is an alumna of the University of Virginia and Emory University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science, and an AmeriCorps National Service Alumna.

LinkedIn     Facebook     Twitter

 

 

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Toby Bloomberg with Diva Foodies, Theresa Lina Stevens with Lina Group, Inc. and Terri Denison with U.S. Small Business Administration

US Small Business Administration

 

Toby Bloomberg / Diva Foodies
Co-Founder

Toby Bloomberg is the co-founder of Diva Foodies which serves the culinary industry including food entrepreneurs, chefs and cookbook authors by growing business through digital and social media strategies. Diva Foodies hosts the popular Tweet Chat #FoodTVChat, the only Twitter chat bringing TV Chefs and audience together in digital conversations. DivaFoodies.com is a digital destination that offers interviews with chefs and others in the food world along with the occasional obligatory food review post.

Toby is no stranger to the world of social media. With the launch of her award winning blog Diva Marketing, in 2004, she is considered one of the pioneers of blogging and social marketing. She is recognized for her expertise in combining digital media with traditional marketing values (strategy, consumer insights/research, and segmentation) while maintaining conversation authenticity. Her last ‘corporate gig’ was heading social media for a national media company where she supported a portfolio of over 70 newspaper, TV and radio properties in using social media as a catalyst to build stronger brand-to-audience relationships.

Toby is a Yankee from Boston living in the South learning to appreciate grits!

LinkedIn   Twitter   Facebook

 

Theresa Lina Stevens / Lina Group, Inc.
President

Theresa Lina Stevens is the founder and president of Lina Group, Inc., a strategic marketing consulting firm that specializes in market dominance strategy, working primarily with technology companies on differentiation, positioning, market selection, marketing strategy and product marketing. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley, she is also involved with Stanford University in the Department of Management Science & Engineering and the Stanford Technology Ventures Program.

She has served as Chief Marketing Officer for two Internet-related startups and began her career at Accenture. After several years there as a management consultant, Theresa helped found the firm’s Communications Industry Group. She served as its Director of Worldwide Marketing and helped lay the foundation for what has become a multi-billion dollar business.

LinkedIn   Twitter

 

Terri Denison / U.S. Small Business Administration
District Director

Terri Denison is the Georgia District Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). In this role since May 2002, she is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the SBA’s financial, counseling/training and business development programs for small businesses throughout Georgia.

Terri began her SBA career in 1987 as a Presidential Management Fellow at the Agency’s Washington, D. C. District and Headquarter Offices. Other positions included working with the Agency’s Minority Enterprise Development and One Stop Capital Shop programs and Office of Field Operations. In 1994, she served as the SBA representative on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community Interagency Task Force. In the fall of 2000, she was one of seven individuals nationwide selected to participate in the SBA’s District Director Candidate Development Program. Assignments included Acting Deputy District Director of the SBA’s Los Angeles District Office and Acting District Director of the Wisconsin District Office.

As Georgia District Director, Terri has been recognized by the Atlanta Business League, Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Microenterprise Network, Greater Atlanta Economic Alliance, Atlanta Business Chronicle and Who’s Who in Black Atlanta.

A native of Corpus Christi, Texas, Terri holds a B.A. Degree in American Government from Cornell University and an M.A. Degree in Urban Studies from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She is also a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Virginia. Personal interests include ballroom dancing and travel.

LinkedIn   Twitter

 

KSU Entrepreneurship Center The Shrimp Tank Featuring Parish Kohanim

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KSUEntrepreneurship

Where can a young entrepreneur figure out how to turn their dreams into reality? Just take a step into the Shrimp Tank. The Shrimp Tank brings you interviews with some of the most successful business owners in the United States to learn the do’s and don’ts of starting and running a successful business. Then, the fun really starts when we bring in high school and college students to pitch their business ideas to the Shrimp Tank. We don’t fund any business, but we do teach kids how to turn their business ideas into a successful business.

Hosts of The Shrimp Tank Chris Hanks, Ted Jenkin and Lee Heisman

 

Parish Kohanim / Parish Kohanim Photography
Photographer

 

parish-kohanimParish Kohanim has been intimately involved with professional photography for over 25 years. Parish, who is a renowned commercial photographer, is now devoting his efforts towards his first love, fine art photography. Parish’s passion for the subtle beauty of life is apparent in his photographs. He has focused on many exquisite subjects, and is able to bring them out of the frame and into the live imagination of the viewer.

After working in San Francisco and New York, he decided to open his professional photography studio in Atlanta. He has been very successful in his commercial endeavors for many years in Atlanta. Advertising agencies, design firms, and Fortune 500 companies have been his primary clients, some of which include IBM, AT&T, Coca-Cola, DeBeers Diamonds, Hanes, Fossil, and Kimberly Clark. His work has repeatedly appeared on pages of such publications as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Forbes, Time and Newsweek.

Women in Technology (WIT) Special Edition

The work of Women in Technology has an incredible impact.

Since 1992, Women in Technology has had a mission dedicated to promoting the advancement of women in Georgia’s technology community. Through the WIT COMMUNITY, WIT Also educates and encourages girls and young women to pursue careers in STEM.

WIT Special Edition

 

Sandy Welfare /  WIT 

Sandy D. Welfare is the Executive Director of Women In Technology (WIT). Prior to that, she was the Executive Director of Cool Girls Inc, an award-winning early intervention after-school program dedicated to the empowerment of girls (2009-2015).

Sandy’s career began in 1989 in Greenwich, Connecticut where she joined Rand Insurance as the Controller. Six years later, she accepted a position with Lucent Technologies, an international telecommunications leader, holding a number of positions including serving as Accounting and Treasury Manager in Singapore (1999-2000) and then as Senior Manager in Australia and New Zealand (2000-2002). Sandy returned to Atlanta in 2002 as Senior Manager of Global Financial Services.

In 2003, Sandy accepted a position as Director of Operations for Xchanging, a business processing outsourcing company. In 2006, her career took her to London, England as Managing Director for professional services, where she managed global business processing services for bank financial transactions, insurance and retail.

Sandy received her undergraduate degree from St. John’s University in New York, and a Master of Business Administration from Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. She serves on the board of several non-profits, including Kiwanis Club of Atlanta. Sandy resides in Marietta, Georgia with her husband, Cliff and son, Soloman.

Twitter     Twitter(Sandy)      LinkedIn

 

Jill Gostin (medium category) has an MS in Applied Mathematics from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and is a Principal Research Scientist and the Deputy Director of the Information and Communications Laboratory at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). She has served on multiple GTRI and Georgia Tech committees and is currently the chair of the GTRI Awards Council. She has worked at GTRI since 1985, where her work has focused on algorithm assessment and software testing and evaluation, specifically related to sensor systems. She has authored and co-authored over thirty technical papers, won multiple techni-cal and service awards, managed large technical programs, was instrumental in creating an acoustic environment simulation, and has successfully developed fractal geometry applications. See her full bio at http://jgostin.wordpress.com. As a volunteer, Ms. Gostin currently serves as a member of the IEEE Computer Society (CS) Board of Governors and as the CS Member and Geographic Activities Board (MGAB) Vice Chair for Outreach and Geographic Activities. She also serves as the Secretary/Treasurer of the IEEE Sensors Council, as the IEEE Region 3 Leadership Training Chair, and on the IEEE Technical Activities Board Awards committee and the IEEE MGAB Awards committee. She recently began serving as the Volunteer/Team Development Chair for the IEEE humanitarian disaster relief program, MOVE. She is a member of the CS, the Aero-space and Electronic Systems Society, and Women in Engineering.

Her other volunteer work has included multiple activities at her church, serving as a Girl Scout troop leader, and participating in IEEE and GTRI STEM activities, including being featured on a YouTube STEM careers video and at trycomputing.org.

 

Errika Mallett (non-profit category) is an executive with sales, marketing and professional development experience. She is currently the Vice President of Member Services and External Affairs for IT Senior Management Forum (ITSMF). Errika has been an Account Executive for IBM in the oil & gas industry, a BMC Software Marketing Director impacting over 1,100 customers and 3,000 employees and an HR Strategist for Southwire reporting to the VP of HR working with business unit presidents.  Errika is committed to serving the community as the co-lead for the state of Georgia for the National Million Women Mentors initiative and as President of the Georgia Tech Business Network.  She also serves on the boards of the American Diabetes Association Regional Leadership Board, the PremierCIO Advisory Council, Leading Women @ Tech, and the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy.  Previously she’s served on several boards such as Georgia Tech Alumni Association’s Board of Trustees, the Arbor Montessori Board of Trustees, Georgia Tech’s Industrial Engineering Advisory Board, Georgia Tech’s Women Alumnae Network Executive Board, the National Society of Black Engineers and as the national President for the Georgia Tech Black Alumni Organization. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and the Atlanta Diversity Managers Affinity Group (ADMAG). She is also a former track coach. Errika is an effective communicator and student champion who has served as a presenter for national organizations, youth groups, women empowerment organizations, engineering programs and most recently U.S. News STEM Solutions on topics such as strategic planning, succession planning, leadership development, career development, strategic volunteerism and solutions for creating a sustainable STEM pipeline. Errika has been honored as a Young Alumna of the Year and a Mentor of the Year at Georgia Tech, a Volunteer of the Year Honoree by the Midtown Rotary Club and the Alumni Trailblazer Award by GTSBE.  In 2011 she was selected for the Diversity Leadership Academy and in 2014, InSpire Magazine’s honored her as one of the Top 40 Inspirers in America.  But her greatest honor is being a mother of two boys Jaylen & Jordan.

 

Tracy L. Garner (large category) began her career in 1983 in Jacksonville, Florida working as an Outside Plant Engineer in the Southeast Jacksonville District. Over the last 33 years, Tracy has held positions of increasing responsibility in Outside Plant Engineering, Infrastructure Planning, Consumer Services, Strategic Relationship Development, Strategic Marketing, and Network Operations. Tracy currently serves as Vice President – Internet and Entertainment Field Services for the Southeast Mountain Shores region. Additionally, she serves as AT&T’s ACE Executive for the Southern Company, one of the largest generators of electricity in the United States. Prior to joining BellSouth/AT&T, Tracy attended Georgia Tech and graduated first in her class from Southern Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelors Degree in Industrial Engineering Technology. Tracy is a member of the Women of AT&T, HACEMOS, OxyGEN, Community Network, 50 and Forward, The AT&T Veterans, The AT&T Telecom Pioneer, and is a graduate of Georgia 100 and the Turknett Leadership Group Executive Development Program. Additionally, she serves as Executive Advisor to the Atlanta Chapter and the National Chapter of the Women of AT&T. She currently serves as Capital Campaign Chair and President Elect – Alpha Delta Pi Foundation, Inc. Tracy was recognized in 2012 with the Turknett Leadership Group Leadership Character Award. She was recognized by Women of AT&T in 2013 as the Leadership Award recipient and in 2014 as the RAVE (Recognition Award for Value and Excellence) Executive of the Year. In 2015, she was named the Distinguished Alumna in Career Achievement from Stratford Academy. She has been recognized as a Patriotic Employer by the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. Tracy has been recognized with the President’s Volunteer Service Award every year since 2011 and as one of the Top 40 Women Who Inspire in AT&T.

Veterans Connect Radio Episode 020

Veterans Connect Radio Episode 020

Mike Hilliard and Dan Charron

Veterans Connect Radio

A spotlight episode of Atlanta Business Radio and powered by Business RadioX. Co-Hosted by Ryan “Redhawk” McPherson and Brandon Skolnick with Gathering Of Angels. Featuring veteran entrepreneurs, support organizations, outreach groups and more in the Atlanta area continuing to serve our families, our communities and our country. 

#VetsConnect
@VetConnectRadio

 

Dan Charron / First Data Salutes
Executive Vice President, Head of Global Business Solutions

Dan Charron serves as Executive Vice President, Head of Global Business Solutions, with operations in North America, EMEA, APAC and LatAm. It provides First Data’s 6 million clients across the world with the products, services and solutions they need to grow their business. Dan is responsible for First Data’s client and partner relationships worldwide and will target strategic expansion of the firm’s footprint, both in terms of geographic reach and the depth and breadth of solution offerings for clients all around the globe.

Prior to his arrival at First Data, Dan spent 14 years at Chase Paymentech, the global payment processing business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. He joined that company in 2000, taking on roles of increasing responsibility, culminating in his appointment as president in 2013. Prior to Paymentech, Dan was a managing partner at US Web-CKS, a global internet consultancy, and served in multiple executive roles at Total System Services (TSYS), a credit card processor, merchant acquirer and bank credit card issuer.

As an industry leader, Dan serves on the Board of Directors of the Electronic Transactions Association (ETA), an international trade association that influences, monitors and helps shape the payments industry. He also has served as Chairman of the Board of Merchantlink, a company that offers cloud-based payment gateway and data security solutions to hotels, restaurants and retailers.

Dan is one of 5 kids; his father spent his career in the Air Force, and Dan grew up around the world as a military brat. Dan and all his siblings served in the military; 3 Air Force, 2 Army. Dan is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, and served in the Gulf War Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield as a combat engineer. After his military service, Dan received a master’s degree in business administration from the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University.

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Mike Hilliard / Georgia Aquarium

Michael Hilliard joined the Army in the summer of 2004. He graduated basic training and Infantry school at Ft. Benning, Ga later that fall. He was stationed at Ft. Campbell, Ky with 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. This is where he would deploy to Iraq in 2005. On a dark spring morning April, 7th 2006 he prepared to go on a mission to interrupt Improvised Explosive Device cells in South Baghdad. After his Platoon discovered a cache of bomb making material they detained the owner and headed to the next objective. Shortly after walking through an open fence Michael hit the ground. When he awoke he was informed that he just received a gunshot wound to the left side of his head. Due to the outstanding leadership and training of his platoon. He was medvac to Baghdad E.R. in around 17 minutes. He was later flown to Walter Reed Army Medical hospital where underwent rehabilitation. Michael joined his unit when they returned where he reenlisted and prepared for his next deployment to Afghanistan. After his deployment, the Army found that he was no longer fit for duty and medically retired him in 2013. While in the Army Michael discovered SCUBA diving and fell in love with it as soon as his head submerged he knew that he needed to share it. Michael now lives in the greater Atlanta area with his wife and two children working as a Senior Divemaster with the Georgia Aquarium introducing his love of the water to the Veterans every Wednesday.

Veterans Immersion Program (VIP)     Twitter     Facebook

 

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Atlanta’s Most Trusted Advisors Features Alicyn McLeod and Emma Foulkes

Amy Williams

Atlanta’s Most Trusted Advisors interviews industry experts from in and around the Metro Atlanta Area. Our goal is to provide valuable information that all business owners and managers can use in their day-to-day work to help them succeed.

 

Alicyn McLeod / FinLogic, LLC
Tax Partner

Alicyn McLeod specializes in tax planning and compliance for closely-held businesses and not-for-profits. She also offers fiduciary services, including serving as trustee, administrator, financial power of attorney, and conservator. She previously ran her own solo practice and brings the same drive and dedication to her clients at FinLogic, along with 15 + years of accounting & tax experience.

Alicyn, a Georgia native, is a graduate of Augusta University where she earned both her Bachelors in Business Administration in Accounting and her Masters of Business Administration. She is an animal-lover who wanted to be a veterinarian as a child and accidentally stumbled into accounting while working her way through school. She quickly appreciated that each day holds its own unique professional challenges and learning opportunities.  She enjoys applying her specialized knowledge to her clients’ business and tax situations to help them understand and navigate confusing issues that have a large impact on their finances.

Alicyn resides in Buckhead and is an active member of the Atlanta business community. She contributes her professional skills by volunteering with several organizations including serving as President-Elect of the American Woman’s Society of CPAs – Georgia Chapter, Goethe-Zentrum Atlanta (a German cultural center) as treasurer, Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s finance committee, and Georgia Lawyers for the Arts’ advisory board.

 

Emma Foulkes / Foulkes Steele Wealth Management
Certified Financial Planner, Managing Partner, Branch Manager

Emma Foulkes is a Certified Financial Planner, Managing Partner and Branch manager of Foulkes Steele Wealth Management.  Emma Has been guiding clients to financial freedom for over 15 years.  She is a board member & the Past President of the Atlanta Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and Past board member of the Financial planning association.  She is a disabled veteran of the U.S. Army – Operation Desert Storm.

 

Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk (Host) / bbr Marketing
President

Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk has been a member of the creative and marketing services community for over 20 years and does not appear to be leaving it anytime soon. As president of bbr marketing, she has relished the challenges of entrepreneurship as she worked to grow and nurture a new business. Since the firm’s inception in 2009, Bonnie has led the young company to become widely recognized and respected within the professional services marketing niche, with award-winning client websites and an outstanding history of business success having worked with clients in 23 states and 2 Canadian provinces.

Rob Consoli with Liaison Technologies, Ria Story with Top Story Leadership and Sean Hardy with CarMax, Inc.

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Rob Consoli / Liaison Technologies
Chief Revenue Officer

Rob Consoli is responsible for Liaison’s overall revenue strategy which includes overseeing U.S. Sales and Global Marketing. Since joining the company in 2010, Rob has held various leadership roles in sales and marketing and has been instrumental in establishing Liaison as market leader. Prior to joining Liaison, Rob held key sales leadership roles at I.D. Systems, Visiprise (acquired by SAP), Jacada, Forte Software, and Programming Research. Rob has Master of Engineering Management degree from SMU and a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Auburn University.

LinkedIn   Twitter   Facebook

 

Ria Story / Top Story Leadership
Leadership and Motivational Speaker

Ria is a motivational speaker, author, and professional coach with a passion to help others make the right choices today to reach their goals tomorrow. She triumphed over being sexually abused from age 12 – 19 by her father, and escaped by leaving home at 19 without a job, car, or even a high school diploma.

Ria successfully applied leadership principles throughout her career in the healthcare industry, learning to lead at all levels with increasing responsibilities, before resigning from corporate life to pursue her passion for coaching, motivational speaking, and leadership development. Ria holds degrees in Office Administration, Human Resource Management, and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. She is a certified leadership coach, speaker and trainer with The John Maxwell Team.

A published author, Ria is also a fierce health and wellness advocate. She is a certified fitness instructor, teaches group fitness classes several times a week, runs marathons and is an avid mountain biker – winning the 2011 and 2012 State Mountain Biking Championships in both Alabama and Georgia.

Ria is an accomplished speaker, sharing her inspirational victim-to-victor story of overcoming adversity with humor and a down-to-earth style that connects with audiences. Ria speaks on leadership and personal growth topics including:

  • Making the Right Choices Today to Achieve Your Goals Tomorrow
  • Overcome Adversity and Setbacks with Resilience
  • Finding Your Purpose
  • Dealing with Change
  • Time Management/Effective Planning
  • Communication Skills
  • Leadership for Women

Ria lives near Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, Mack Story.

LinkedIn   Facebook

 

Sean Hardy / CarMax, Inc.
Location General Manager

Sean is the Location General Manager for the Norcross CarMax location, and has been with CarMax for 12 years. Prior to coming to CarMax, Sean managed stores for Circuit City.

LinkedIn   Twitter   Facebook

 

KSU Entrepreneurship Center The Shrimp Tank Featuring Terry “Doc” Dockery, Ph.D

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KSUEntrepreneurship

 Where can a young entrepreneur figure out how to turn their dreams into reality? Just take a step into the Shrimp Tank. The Shrimp Tank brings you interviews with some of the most successful business owners in the United States to learn the do’s and don’ts of starting and running a successful business. Then, the fun really starts when we bring in high school and college students to pitch their business ideas to the Shrimp Tank. We don’t fund any business, but we do teach kids how to turn their business ideas into a successful business.

Hosts of The Shrimp Tank Chris Hanks, Ted Jenkin and Lee Heisman

 

Terry “Doc” Dockery, PH.D. / The Business Psychology Company
President

T. Dockery - small fileTerry “Doc” Dockery, Ph.D. is a licensed Business Psychologist, speaker, and writer who is Founder and President of The Business Psychology Company. Since 1993 he has helped leaders in small to Fortune 500 companies to be happier and more successful.

He specializes in Business Transformation, and has a track record of doubling revenue and happiness at a minimum 10:1 Return On Investment with a money-back guarantee. His clients have won numerous national “Best Place to Work” awards.

He holds a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, and he has been interviewed as an expert on leadership and organizational high performance by USA Today, Forbes.com, CFO Magazine, and the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

He has served on the faculty of the U.S Chamber of Commerce executive training program and the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards committee of the Georgia Psychological Association. He has also served on numerous Boards of Advisers, and is currently most active with the Kennesaw State University Entrepreneurship Center.

In his spare time Terry is widely known as a man who puts the “harm” in harmonica. He plays and sings in a classic rock/rocking blues band that often performs free for nonprofit fundraisers and other worthy causes. He is a former professional musician who received the Lucille Award from B.B. King himself.

His proudest achievement, however, is his happy family.

 

 

Carol O’Kelley with Salesfusion and Jerry Stone with Big Green Egg

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Carol O’Kelley / Salesfusion
CEO

Carol joined Salesfusion as Chief Executive Officer in 2015. Carol has more than 20 years of technology marketing and operations experience, ranging from startups to multi-hundred million dollar global businesses.

Previously, Carol was Chief Marketing Officer of RedPrairie, now operated as JDA . She led global strategy and marketing during a time of rapid growth for the company. Before RedPrairie, Carol was Vice President and Chief of Staff of Oracle’s global business unit for retail, which acquired and successfully integrated numerous leading retail technology companies. Prior to that Carol was Director of Corporate and Americas Marketing at Manhattan Associates, the world’s leading provider of supply chain management solutions. Carol graduated from Washington and Lee University with a Bachelor of Arts in English, where she serves on the university’s board for the Connolly Center for Entrepreneurship.

LinkedIn   Twitter   Facebook

 

Jerry Stone / Big Green Egg

Life is short. Let’s EAT. Jerry Stone is the business development manager for the world largest producer and distributor of ceramic grills, the Big Green Egg.

Jerry grew up with a love of food passed along by his grandfather and uncle who were the kings of the grill. The flavors produced, and taste of the food, always drove him to enjoy grilling himself. He has over 30 years in the retail and grill business and has found the Ultimate place to match up both passions.

Today Jerry is helping grow the dealer/distributor network and supports the development of new products for the Ultimate Cooking Experience, The Big Green Egg.

LinkedIn   Twitter   Facebook

 

Veterans Connect Radio Episode 019

Veterans Connect Radio Episode 019

Warren Taninbaum, Andrew Harazin, Brandon Skolnick, Todd Ervin,

Veterans Connect Radio

A spotlight episode of Atlanta Business Radio and powered by Business RadioX. Co-Hosted by Ryan “Redhawk” McPherson and Brandon Skolnick with Gathering Of Angels. Featuring veteran entrepreneurs, support organizations, outreach groups and more in the Atlanta area continuing to serve our families, our communities and our country. 

#VetsConnect
@VetConnectRadio

Veterans Connect Radio “Fire Your Guns”
Dec. 02 6-8pm

 

 

Warren Taninbaum / Ballistic Armor Defense and Equipment, LLC
Owner

Warren Taninbaum earned a Bachelors degree of Commerce from Concordia University, Montreal, Canada in June 1976.  He received a commission in the Canadian Navy in February 1978 and served several years before attending graduate school, earning a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Victoria in June 1984. While working for IBM in Calgary, Canada, Warren served with the Kings Own Calgary Regiment, a Reserve Armored Corps Unit.  

After moving to Atlanta in 1984 he also joined the U.S. Navy Reserve as a Direct Commission Officer in June 1986. He served in numerous supply billets throughout his 28 year Navy career, including two overseas mobilizations for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Warren retired as a Commander in 2014 and is authorized to wear the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal with 5 gold stars, and the Navy Achievement Medals with 2 gold stars.  He also earned the Seabee Warfare Qualification Pin.

In his civilian life, Warren worked for a number of software companies until he joined First Choice Armor in 2005, selling body armor to the military and federal government. That experience eventually led to the formation of his own company, Ballistic Armor Defense and Equipment, which sells body armor and related tactical gear to law enforcement, security companies, and law-abiding citizens. He resides in Cobb County with his wife and two daughters.  In his spare time, Warren enjoys playing hockey, biking, shooting, and boating.

Warren Taninbaum

Ballistic Armor Defense and Equipment, LLC

warren@ballisticarmordefense.com

w: 770-456-5612

c: 678-828-1326

 

 

Todd Ervin / Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business
Director of Marketing and Communications

Todd Ervin serves as Director of Marketing and Communications for the Georgia Tech, Scheller College of Business.  Prior to that he served as Sr. Vice President Cultur8.  He brings over 20 years of leadership and marketing experience to the higher education world.  His extensive knowledge in strategy, market research, brand and multicultural marketing are all called upon in the development and implementation of a 360 degree marketing and communications program for Scheller College.

Prior to joining Cultur8, Ervin served as Director of Marketing at Turner Broadcasting System, INC., where he oversaw marketing for all of Turner’s NBA properties (NBA on TNT, NBA TV, NBA League Pass, and NBA.com).

He also spent over five years as Sr. Director of Brand Strategy and Market Insights for International Speedway Corporation, a motorsports and entertainment company based in Daytona Beach, FL.  Honored by African Americans OnWheels as among the 70 Most Influential Men in 2007, Ervin oversaw ISC brand marketing, marketing research, and emerging markets.

His civilian career started at Sprint Nextel Corporation where he served as Sr. Manager of Market Research and Sponsorship Diversity Initiatives.  His main responsibilities included building and implementing the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series research plan and ROI model, and developing a diversity program to support all Sprint Nextel sponsorship properties.

From 1995 through 2000, Ervin was an AH-64A (Apache) Attack Helicopter Pilot in the U.S. Army.  During his tenure, he served as a Platoon leader, Company Executive Officer, and Assistant Regiment Operations Officer.  Ervin concluded his military service in February 2000 as a Captain, having completed tours in Ft. Rucker, AL, Fort Bragg, NC, and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

During his spare time, Ervin also serves as a member of the National Advisory Committee for the American Stroke Association.  Ervin holds a Masters of Business Administration from Webster University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from East Carolina University.

 

 

Andrew Harazin, MBA Candidate  / Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech
Class of 2017

I grew up in Central Florida, joined the Navy in 2005 and served for just under 10 years as a Nuclear Electronics Technician.  I was an E-6 when I separated in 2014.  I spent about 2 years in the various nuclear training schools, then was stationed on a Virginia Class fast attack submarine that was being built at the time.  I spent 4.5 years on her, with a few home port changes from Norfolk, VA to Groton, CT to Pearl Harbor, HI, before going to recruiting duty for 3 years out of New Orleans, LA and then separating.  I took a few months to relax before starting the full time MBA program using the Post 9/11 GI Bill.  I interned at Bank of America over this last summer and accepted a full time offer, so I’ll be working for BoA in Charlotte after I graduate in May.

 

 

Thank You!

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