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Exclusive Interview with Dana Oliver from Medtronic and Author of Mantra Design

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Mantra Design – Innovate, Buy or Die!, by Dana A. Oliver, is the definitive innovation leadership guide book.

 

Dana A. Oliver has helped grow Medtronic’s Surgical Technologies ENT / NT division from $100 million to approximately $2 billion in annual revenues over fourteen years. With 30 years of experience and an impressive track record of revenue generation, Dana’s latest book Mantra Design is a must-read for every new product development professional aspiring to introduce premium priced, patent protected, market share leading products. 

 

In Mantra Design, Dana reveals the secrets for profitable and lasting innovation, including how to identify your customer’s unmet needs and how to expedite new product development. He provides an easy to understand methodology in the form of 14 quick, digestible mantras that highlight the power of true innovation.

 

“Innovation is the lifeblood of any company’s continued growth and future survival,” says Dana A. Oliver. “To this day, I continue to read, learn, and evolve my leadership and innovation philosophies; and I hope that this book is beneficial to the next generation of innovation professionals.”

 

Mantra Design emphasizes the importance of continued innovation to keep sales teams and customers excited about the products and loyal to the business where they invest their time and money, creating the cash flow vital to a company’s success.

 

Mantra Design was published in October 2015 and is available for sale on Amazon.

 

To learn more, please visit MantraLeadership.com  

 

About the Author:

 

Dana A. Oliver lives in Jacksonville, FL with his wife Linda and daughter “Lexi” Alexandra. He is the Senior Director of Research & Development at Medtronic’s Surgical Technologies ENT / NT division and has helped grow this business unit from $100 million to approximately $2 billion in annual revenues over fourteen years. He has approximately 30 years of experience in the field of medical devices, working for such companies as Medtronic, Genzyme, SIMS Level 1, Kirwan Surgical, and Strichman Medical. He has applied for over 30 patent applications and has been granted over 20 US patents to date.

 

Dana is a graduate of Northeastern University and ITT Technical Institute.

 

He published his first business guide book “Mantra Leadership – Don’t Become the Emperor with No Clothes!” in January 2015. His second book Mantra Design – Innovate, Buy or Die! was published in October 2015.

 

Dana plans to become an independent Consultant and Educator in calendar year 2016 offering expertise in Innovation Leadership.  

 

To learn more about the author or inquire about his services, please visit http://www.mantraleadership.com/
Readers can connect with Dana on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

 

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Tracey Grace with IBEX IT, Tim Fulton with Small Business Matters and Phillip Blume with Blume Photography

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Seated L to R – Tim Fulton, Phillip Blum, Tracey Grace and Ryan Redhawk

 

Tracey Grace / IBEX IT Business Experts
President & CEO

Tracey Grace is President and CEO of IBEX IT Business Experts, a National IT Best Practice, Recruiting and Training Firm. Tracey founded IBEX after seizing the opportunity to work on an Electronic Healthcare Record integration project.
After earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics & Spanish at the University of Pittsburgh, Tracey was awarded a Graduate Fellowship to attend the Katz Graduate School of Business where she earned her MBA in less than a year. Tracey went on to hold various management and executive positions at companies such as the FedEx Corporation, Learning Tree International and Quint Wellington Redwood, a Dutch IT Consulting firm where she received numerous awards.

Tracey and IBEX IT Business Experts are the recipients of the 2015 On the Rise Government Contractor of the Year award from American Express OPEN.

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Tim Fulton / Small Business Matters
President

Tim Fulton is a nationally recognized small business consultant and advocate. He has been involved in the field of Entrepreneurship for the past thirty-five years as a successful business owner, a small business coach, and as an adjunct university professor. In 1994, he started TCF Business Development, an independent management consulting and training practice. During this time he has worked with companies such as Lucent Technologies, Carlson Companies, Insignia ESG, and Georgia Power.
Tims past work experience also includes serving as the assistant director of the Small Business Development Center at Clayton State University and the Director of the Family Business Institute at Florida International University. He has worked with thousands of business start-ups and existing business entities as a catalyst for starting and growing their business enterprise.

Tim currently is a Vistage Group Chair in Atlanta, Georgia. Vistage is an international membership organization for company CEOs and Presidents started in 1957. Over the past twelve years, Tim has facilitated over 600 executive group meetings, participated in over 4000 face-to face discussions with chief executives, and trained over 2000 small business owners.

Tim Fulton is the author of a very popular award-winning book on small business titled Small Business Matters. He has also been published and featured in numerous magazines and newspapers including the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Catalyst Magazine. Tim also publishes his own award-winning electronic monthly newsletter, SMALL BUSINESS MATTERS, for small business owners.

In 2013, Tim Fulton hosted his first Small Business Matters Conference in Atlanta. The event features twelve different speakers and over 200 small business owners and key executives in attendance.

A popular public speaker to both private and public audiences Tim has spoken to groups from the Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC), the Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA), and the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD). He has also appeared on television and radio programs as an advocate for small business and entrepreneurship. Tim earned both his MBA and BA in Economics at Tulane University.

www.smallbusinessmattersonline.com

 

 

 

Phillip Blume / Blume Photography 
Founder

Phillip Blume is an award-winning, socially conscious photographer just crazy enough to believe art can change the world. Together he and his wife, Eileen, transformed their small home studio in Athens, GA, into a top brand. Blume Photography was named a Bulldog 100 fastest-growing company, and Phillip and Eileen now work with wedding and portrait clients worldwide.

Charitable projects are a top priority for the Blumes, including their 2011 documentary film “Lost Boys of Paradise,” which screened in 30 U.S. states to benefit children surviving in third-world slums. They speak at many of the photo industry’s leading conventions, including WPPI in Las Vegas, ShutterFest in St. Louis, and have been featured on CreativeLIVE worldwide. Phillip is a writer for Shutter Magazine, the top photo magazine available at Barnes & Noble. He and Eileen are founders of Come-Unity Workshops for photographers, and live with their children near Athens, Georgia.

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Dr. Alvin S. Perry with PV designs, Inc. and Brent Leary with ExCom 2016

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Dr. Alvin Perry, Ryan Redhawk and Brent Leary

 

 

 

Dr. Alvin S. Perry/PV designs, Inc.
Founder

Alvin S. Perry, DBA is a proven leader with over 20 years of experience in the consumer products and consulting industries. His corporate experience consists of management positions with IRI, Colgate-Palmolive, NCR Corporation, the Pepsi-Cola Company, M&M/Mars and Wal-Mart. Dr. Perry has Higher Education faculty experience with Saint Leo University, William Paterson University, Montclair State University, Pillar College, and Essex County College. Dr. Perry also has over 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur launching six startup companies. Dr. Perry is also an inventor, professional speaker, songwriter, author (7 Publications), filmmaker, and fashion designer (PV designs, Inc.). Dr. Perry possesses a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Degree in Entrepreneurship from Walden University, a MBA from Centenary College and dual Bachelors of Business Administration Degrees in both Marketing and Management, from Valdosta State University.

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Brent Leary/EXcom 2016
Event Co-organizer

Brent Leary is a CRM industry analyst, advisor, author, speaker and award winning blogger. He is co-founder and Partner of CRM Essentials LLC, an Atlanta based CRM advisory firm covering tools and strategies for improving business relationships. Current and past clients include Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce.com, SAP and other major technology companies. Leary sits on the advisory board of Social Media Today, and the editorial advisory board of The Atlanta Tribune Magazine, and writes regularly for CRM magazine.

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Exclusive Interview with Ryan “Redhawk” McPherson

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Ryan “Redhawk” McPherson/Producer & Host

Ryan is a graduate of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting and also a United States Army Veteran 11845207_10153136074381317_5228302723730490606_owhere he served as a Combat Infantryman and is a Purple Heart recipient from Operation Iraqi Freedom 09/06/08.

When Ryan retired from the Army in 2010 he ventured into the entrepreneurial world and became a small business leader and franchise owner/operator of a home dog training business from 2010-2015.

Ryan has been with Business RadioX since September of 2014. He began as a producer and engineer and now he has conducted HUNDREDS of interviews with business leaders from different types of industries and from all levels of success. Both on the road at Trade Shows, expos, conference rooms, on the street and in the studio. His interviewing style and technique is engaging and is very conversational. He is widely known on the streets of Atlanta and he is involved with many outreach and volunteer programs.

Ryan also adds to his skill set; canine behavioral consultant, promoting safety and responsible pet ownership. He has also earned certificates from the National Personal Training Institute, Crossfit Level 1 Trainer, Crossfit Defense, CPR/First Aid, North American Sports Medicine CPT, American Home Inspector Institute, National Outdoor Leadership School.

Currently Ryan is also on staff at Sharp Shooters USA in Roswell, GA where his responsibilities include firearm instructions, sales, and he is a a certified NRA range safety officer and Instructor.

 

LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook

 

 

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On Air

Atlanta’s Most Trusted Advisors: Avoiding Costly ERISA Legal Non-Compliance Issues

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Stephanie Hodge, Anne Tyler Hall and Bonnie Boul Ruszczyk

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.

 

 

Stephanie Hodge/Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta

Stephanie is the Chief Human Resources Officer for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta. She is responsible for managing all aspects of human resources and supporting the organization’s strategic initiatives.

Stephanie has over 18 years of progressive HR experience in both the not-for-profit industry, and the for-profit financial services industry. Her most recent experience was as HR Director, North & South America, for PRGX, Inc., a global business analytics and information services firm.

Stephanie is a certified professional in human resources (PHR) and holds a Master’s degree in Organization and Management from Capella University. She is a board member of the Atlanta Chapter of the National Association of African Americans in HR (NAAAHR), serving as their VP Operational Effectiveness & Administration; and is a member of the Society for HR Management (SHRM) Atlanta and National Chapters. Stephanie is an active member of Turner Chapel AME, and currently serves on the usher board. Stephanie and her husband Kenneth are proud parents of a blended family of four kids: Zariyah, Malik, Zoe & Xavier.

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Anne Tyler Hall/Hall Benefits Law

Anne Tyler Hall is an ERISA Legal Compliance Problem Solver and a Benefits Program Designer and Drafter. She is Attorney and Principal of Hall Benefits Law, a law firm focused on helping businesses attract and retain top employees and avoiding costly non-compliance errors.

 

HBL provides counsel to employers in the following primary areas:
Customizing Solutions to Complex ERISA Issues. HBL provides counsel focused on solving complex ERISA (executive compensation, health and welfare benefits and retirement plans).

Leading Negotiations of DOL/IRS ERISA Audit Penalty Abatement. For businesses in an audit, HBL counsels clients with the primary focus of obtaining a reduction in costly Department of Labor (DOL) or Internal Revenue Service (IRS) excise taxes and penalties.
Strategic ERISA Counsel for Businesses in Merger and Acquisition. HBL counsels clients to maximize legally-compliant transitional Benefit offerings to new and transitioning employees.

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Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk (Host)/ bbr Marketing 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.

 

 

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Leslie Hale with Books For Keeps, Chef Christophe Le Metayer and Jessica Park with Christophe’s To Go

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Leslie Hale, Chef Christophe Le Metayer and Jessica Park

 

 

Leslie Hale/Books for Keeps
Executive Director

Leslie Hale began work in June 2013 as the first-ever executive director of Books for Keeps, after completing a Master of Public Administration from The University of Georgia. While earning her masters degree, Leslie focused on public policy and nonprofit management, while working with the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities and Watkinsville-based Extra Special People.

Leslie spent the first part of her working life as a newspaper reporter in Naples, Florida, covering K-12 and higher education as well as state political races. Watching the policy process first-hand, in the context of an early introduction to volunteerism in her hometown of Asheville, North Carolina, pointed her toward nonprofit work. A long-standing interest in working with under-served and at-risk populations were critical factors in her journey toward taking the reins at Books for Keeps.

Leslie is now proud to call Athens, Georgia, home, along with her husband, Aaron; daughter, Evelyn (born August 2014); and their two cats, Ocho and G.W. When she gets a weekend off, youll find her hiking in the North Georgia mountains, trying out new recipes in the kitchen, running at the UGA Botanical Garden, and, of course, reading in her hammock.

 

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Chef Christophe Le Metayer/Christophe’s To Go
Chef/Owner

 

French-born Chef Christophe Le Metayer has been pursuing his passion for good food and elegant cuisine for three decades.

-Trained at Lycée d’État de St. Quentin en Yvelines, a formal French culinary school, though he enjoys offering a truly international menu.

-Chef at several Michelin-star rated restaurants.

– Owner and chef at Saint Martin, critically acclaimed by the Michelin Guide (Bib Gourmand), The Pudlowski Guide, and Bottin Gourmand.

-Chef at The Café and sous-chef of The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton in Buckhead.

Now Chef Christophe is bringing his worldly experience and passion for delicious food to Christophe’s To Go!

 

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Jessica Park/Christophe’s To Go
Catering Sales Director
Jessica Park is an Event Planner and Entrepreneur here in Atlanta, as well, she is a native Atlantan. Jessica’s near 25 year tenure in the restaurant and events industry has given her the skills to organize peers and charges to get things done in a high volume environment. Providing food & beverage, as well as, event consulting. A demeanor perfectly suited for event planning, proving to be unusually skilled in multitasking and troubleshooting. Jessica has catered an afternoon tea and dessert for the Dalai Lama, has been featured by Martha Stewart on Martha’s Circle, Style Me Pretty, and Ruffled Blog. Her work has also been seen in Occasions Magazine, The Atlantan Brides, and Pretty Pear Bride featuring her custom made dessert tables. Voted best caterer in Atlanta by Wedding Industry Experts in 2012 & 2013. Hosted a weekly radio show called Meeting Pro’s on Business RadioX. Interviewing event industry professionals on their event businesses and innovation. Jessica has quickly established herself as a valuable asset to the events industry and is an excellent resource.

 

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The Shrimp Tank Featuring Mike Blake with Arpeggio Advisors

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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.

 

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img_0004Mike Blake is President of Arpeggio Advisors, a business appraisal and strategic advisory firm headquartered in Atlanta.  Mike appraises businesses, securities, and intellectual property to help clients maximize their returns on transactions and painlessly comply with tax and financial reporting requirements.  Mike has specialized expertise in appraising and advising emerging technology companies; patents, copyrights and trademarks; professional services firms; alternative energy companies; and aerospace companies.  Prior to starting his career as a business appraiser and strategic advisor, Mike raised capital and created international strategic partnerships for Israeli companies, and helped convert Russian companies convert part of their weapons of mass destruction design and production capabilities into civilian applications and privatized businesses.

 

Mike founded co-founded StartupLounge in 2007, a nonprofit that helps technology entrepreneurs on the journey from idea to venture to business, and helped technology entrepreneurs in Atlanta raise over $10 million (all pro bono).  Mike has also coached 6 companies to victory in various business plan competitions, helping them win a combined $300K in cash and over $2 million in services.  One of Mike’s teams went on to secure funding on ABC’s Shark Tank.  
Mike is a member of the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Top 40 Under 40 Class of 2009 and is a member of the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2014.  He plays keyboards and vocals for a classic rock band, Kickin Off the Coverz, and lives in Chamblee with his wife, Cordelia (a fellow entrepreneur) and two sons, Alex and Max.

 

 

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Pat’s Run ATL and Hire Heroes USA

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Pat’s Run is the signature fundraising event of the Pat Tillman Foundation. It is being held on April 23rd at Newtown Park in Johns Creek to commemorate the day Pat Tillman lost his life in Afghanistan serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment.   To find out more about Pat’s story and the Pat Tillman Foundation please go to: http://pattillmanfoundation.org/our-story/

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Ryan “Redhawk” McPherson, Seth Deitchman, Jason Dodge, Marsha Dickerson

 

 

 

 

Seth Deitchman: Race Director, Pat Tillman Run

Seth has been serving a global clientele which includes business owners, corporate executives, retirees, non-profit organizations, captive insurance companies & professional associations. Prior to being at Morgan Stanley and in the financial services industry, Seth was a small business owner and held leadership positions within several global corporations. Seth earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University’s WP Carey School of Business and his MBA in Global Management from the University of Phoenix.

Seth & his family have a focus on giving back to the communities they care for with their time, passion and funding when available. He is involved with a variety of organizations, such as the Jewish Family & Career Services, Pat Tillman Foundation, BlueHair Technology Group, Homestead Hope Foundation, St. Baldrick’s Foundation, Dana G. Smith Foundation & serves as President Emeritus for the Arizona State University Alumni Association Georgia chapter where he previously served as President for eight years.

Seth and his wife, Denise, are family oriented and raising two beautiful children, Jolie and Benjamin. He enjoys playing golf and tennis and exploring the world through travel. Seth has lived in various states across the nation, and, as a result, he relishes meeting new people and sharing life experiences.

 

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Marsha Dickerson: Veteran Transition Specialist, Hire Heroes USA

Marsha is from Dahlonega, GA and is currently a Veteran Transition Specialist with Hire Heroes USA (HHUSA) in Alpharetta, GA. Prior to HHUSA, she was with Human Technologies, Inc. as a Recruiter / Operations Coordinator. Marsha maintained new hire paperwork, direct deposits, background checks, drug screens, separation data, workers compensation, and unemployment records. She also managed the recruitment and placement for multiple clients and companies in Gainesville, GA.

 

Marsha joined the Army Reserves after graduating high school with her best friend, they were able to be by each other’s side throughout their military career. She was deployed to Iraq in 2008, where she spent 12 months operating as a Human Intelligence Collector. Marsha was then stationed at Fort Gordon as a Training / Operations Manager where she managed 30-40 personnel in training and leadership development programs. She also attended Arabic language training while stationed at Fort Gordon.

 

Marsha grew up playing the piano and cheering throughout my school years; she obtained a cheerleading scholarship when she attended Cumberland University in Lebanon, TN. Marsha enjoys outdoor activities such as hunting, riding four wheelers, running and horseback riding. She spends most of my time with my 18 month old daughter, Autumn. Her passion is helping veterans and making a difference in their lives and careers.

 

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Stanley Vergilis with HUX.com, Michael Robertson with Underdog Marketing Solutions, Joseph Guerrisi with Perk-N-Pooch

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Stanley Vergilis/HUX.com
Co-Founder

Stanley is a co-founder of Hux.com, an online marketplace where you can book a local house cleaner with more services on the horizon. Hux makes it easy to choose a service provider, get your total price upfront and instantly schedule and pay without ever picking up the phone. Stanley was a student at Georgia Tech, playing in a band and running a bustling tutoring business when he and partners James Loper and A.J. Alix launched Hux.com

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Michael Robertson/Underdog Marketing Solutions
Owner/Operator

A Graduate of Reinhardt University, Underdog Marketing CEO Mike Robertson has a vision of helping small business owners get the business online and increase customer engagement. Mike is a self admitted internet geek and loves seeing his clients reach the top of the search results.

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Joseph Guerrisi/Perk-n-Pooch
Owner

 

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Stanley

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Joseph and Michael

 

 

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Bill Jones with TechOperators

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Bill Jones is a Vice President at TechOperators. In his 25-year career, Bill has gained extensive experience in executive, product and marketing leadership roles with both start-ups and large technology companies. Prior to joining TechOperators, Bill was the founder and CEO of CollectorDASH, an affinity marketing software company. As Air2Web’s President and CMO, he led the company through a series of successful operational improvements, preparing it for its eventual sale. Bill was the senior product management and marketing executive at Synchrologic, and he continued to run product management for Intellisync and Nokia’s enterprise software operations following a series of successful acquisitions. At Nokia, he was one of two people tasked with leading a cross-continent, cross-divisional innovation team which was recognized internally for its innovation and contributions. Prior to his career in mobile software, Bill was the lead designer and product manager for Samna, creating the first word processor for Windows, Ami Pro. Through the successful acquisitions by Lotus and IBM, Bill continued to run worldwide enterprise product management, eventually managing a product portfolio with annual revenues of $700M.

He is an active member of the Technology Association of Georgia’s High Growth task force, and he was the winner of the 2012 TAG Business Launch Competition. Bill holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Georgia and an M.B.A. from the Jones School at Rice University.