VOLUNTEERS BACKGROUNDS
All of our volunteers have real-world business experience. To help you learn more about them, we have collected short biographies from our volunteers that give the highlights of their education, business experience and counseling expertise. Whether you are just starting out or looking for assistance for an existing business, we’re here to help you.
Ruth Achterhof Gene Baldrate Bob Bogart William (Bill) Bramer Pam Brown William Brown Donald R. Gibson Dan Hooker Glenn Laury James Miller Jon Orlando John Phifer Bill Pryor Bill Roy Dan Rubin Charles Schnell David Singleton Ray Smith Ken Swanton Roger Leverton Joseph A. Marotti Lillian Conrad Jay Mills Emily A. Higgins John Higgins
Education:
PhD, Capella University
MA, Western Michigan University
BS, Texas Tech University
Business Experience:
Self Employed contracted university professor
Partner, Sec/Treas, Spectro Oils Distributorship- W Michigan
Partner, Expedited Freight
Owner, Andre’s Eatery (120 seat restaurant)
Real estate investing
Procurement and sales, Gordon Foods and SYSCO Food Systems
Counseling Skills:
Business planning
Organizational development
Communications
Operations
Inventory control
Education:
B.S. Civil Engineering City College of New York
MBA Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn
Business Experience:
EVP Mullin & Associates
EVP, HR Thomas Reuters
Consultant, Right Associates
EVP Mutual of Omaha
President, ATF Associates
Counseling Skills:
Human Resources Management
Organizational Development
Consulting
Strategic Planning
Business Plans
Education:
BA Michigan State University
MBA Florida Atlantic University
Certified Financial Planner ©
Business Experience:
Medical/Dental practice management
Consulting services
Small business ownership & operation
College-level adjunct faculty
Counseling Skills:
Financial and budgeting
Accounting and bookkeeping
General business/office management
How to start a business
Business plans
Education:
MBA, University of Phoenix
BSBA Management, University of Central Florida
Business Experience:
Naval Criminal Investigative Service (physical security policy), 3 years
U. S. Navy Supply Corps Officer, (All Navy business. Includes: Payroll, retail stores, procurement, contracting, financial management, budgeting, mass feeding, sanitation, warehousing, human resources, all facets of management), 21 years
DynCorp manager of quality, warehousing, operations, safety and security
Experience in Sears retail store personnel, A&P grocery, various construction trades.
Counseling Skills:
Strategic planning and detailed planning
Logistics
Brainstorming
Management practices
Organizational development
Procurement of any kind or anything including relationships with bankers, attorneys, accountants, and insurance.
Education:
PhD – University of Virginia
Business Experience:
Project management
Proposal writing
Sub-contract liaison
Served as an officer on several Boards of Directors
Graduate/under-graduate level adjunct faculty
Counseling Skills:
Feasibility analysis
Getting started
Operations
Business Plans
Budgeting
Contracts
Cost estimation
Non-profit organizations
Technical/Computers
Education:
BSC University of Louisville
MBA Webster University
Business Experience:
General Electric – Major Appliance 35 years
Manager of Plant Operations
Manager of Operations
Project Manager
Manager of Shop Operations
Manager Facilities and Tool room
Manager of Material Control
Six Sigma Green Belt
Counseling Skills:
Operations management
Human resource management
Security management
Finance and managerial accounting
Small business start up
Business Management
Education:
BSEE Norwich University Northfield Vermont
Crotonville – General Electric Management
Business Experience:
Outside Professional Sales
Materials Management (MRP)
Distribution Management – GE Supply
President – Tidewater Supply
Wire & Cable Manufacturer
Small Business Owner – Bicycle Sales & Service
Counseling Skills:
Performa Preparation – Large & Small Business
Inventory Control Techniques
Material/distribution direction
On site process reviews for material controls
Varied business models knowledge
How to avoid basic problems
How to approach bankers
Education:
BS United States Naval Academy
MBA Rutgers
Business Experience:
City Bank NA
Menke & Associates
Counseling Skills:
Financial Planning
Business Succession
Education:
B. of Architecture – Pratt Institute
Business Experience:
Created Space Inc. – Design/ Build – Pres. & Founder
Diversified Environments, Inc. – Manufacturer – Pres. & Founder
Michael Lynn & Assoc. – Arch./ Eng./ Planning/ Int. Design – Pres. & Founder
Project Consulting, Inc. – Consulting & Litigation support – – Pres. & Founder
EMG, Inc. – Real Estate Due Diligence – EVP
Real Estate Resources, LLC – Developer – – Pres. & Founder
Counseling Skills:
Organizational Development
Strategic Planning
Real Estate & Development
Mergers & Acquisitions
Starting a Firm
Restructuring
Education:
BME, City College of N.Y
MBA, City University of N.Y
Business Experience:
Owner and President of Electronic Manufacturer’s Agency, marketing and selling
Hi-Tech Electronic Components and Systems in Florida and Puerto Rico
Self Employed since 1963, Sold Business to employees in 1999
Business reached $20,000,000 in Sales, $1,000,000 in commissions. World Wide NASDAQ and NYSE clients, employees include (5) outside salesman+ (4) inside salespeople
Customers included Major OEM Equipment Manufacturers, Commercial and Military
Served as President and Board Member of ERA/Client Industry councils
Counseling Skills:
Can relate to entrepreneurs. Personally never took a paycheck, sold for commissions
Understand Start up and Successful Small Business Models
Experienced with business’s requiring Marketing and Distribution of Mix of products can formulate Cost and NOI contribution to the needs of the client
Can analyze cash flow needs, financing and initial start up challenges
Experienced in dealing with Commercial Real Estate and Brokering Small Business “deals”, up to $5,000,000
Sales and people oriented, taught to ask questions and listen for answers.
Education:
BSIE Lehigh University
MBA New York University
Business Experience:
Chelsea Laboratories President
Marion Merrill International President
Leiner Health Products V.P Operations
Ortho Pharmaceuticals Director Operations
Johnson & Johnson Director Operations
Counseling Skills:
Quality Systems
Cost Accounting
Organizational Development
FDA Compliance
Strategic Planning
Materials Logistics
Education:
BA – University of Nebraska at Omaha
Business Experience:
Federal Government – Mainframe Program Division Management
Federal Government – Mainframe Software Maintenance Division Management
Federal Government – Mainframe Development Division Management
Federal Government – Mainframe Operations Division Management
Corporate – Configuration Management & Qualify Assurance Programs
President/owner – Cabling and low voltage installation company
Customer Service Management
Counseling Skills:
Business Plan Preparation
Business management
Systems management
Business start up
Education:
B.S. Florida Staten University
M.S. University of Illinois
Business Experience:
Moroch Partners Advertising – Managing Director/CMO
Leo Burnett Advertising – SVP/Managing Director
Leo Burnett – VP Account Director, General Motors Account
Leo Burnett – VP Account Director Procter & Gamble Account
Counseling Skills:
Strategic Planning — Retail Marketing
Strategic Planning – Consumer Marketing
Creative and Communication Planning
High Performance Organizations – Planning
Education:
Daytona Beach Community College – Engineering Technology
Business Experience:
Knight’s Armament Co., Contract Administrator
General Dynamics Ordnance & Tactical Systems, Configuration Manager
Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems, Product Support Engineer Sr.
McDonnell Douglas MSC, Principal Engineer, Configuration Management
General Electric Company, Mechanical Designer
Counseling Skills:
Contracts
Cost Estimation
Configuration Management
Communications
Education:
Nassau College – Business Management
Business Experience:
Airline Consultant – Operational, Cost Control and Business Management
United Airlines – Managing Director, System Operations Control
United Airlines – General Manager, Hub Operations-San Francisco
United Airlines – General Manager, Stations Operations – New York / JFK
United Airlines – Customer Service Manager, San Francisco
United Airlines – Miscellaneous Management Positions
Counseling Skills:
Cost Control and Budget Planning
Manpower Planning
Strategic Planning
Operations
Organizational Development
Education:
B.S. Wharton School
J.D. University of Chicago Law School
Business Experience:
Finance and accounting
Corporate Law-formation; M&A; tax; sale
Real Estate- buy, sell and leasing
Hospitality
Arbitration and Mediation
Counseling Skills:
Business start up
Contracting- all types
Tax and accounting matters
Legal problems and questions
Financial work outs
Buying and selling a business
Education:
Ohio University
Harvard Graduate School of Business
Business Experience:
Ernst & Ernst Sr. International Public Accountant
Owner and CEO 3 Metal manufacturing Businesses
Counseling Skills:
General business operations
Buying and selling businesses
Education:
University of Texas
University of Maryland
University of the Americas
Business Experience:
President U S Inter/Com LLC
President New York Payphone Systems, Inc.
Member of IPANY (Independent Payphone Association
of New York) for 9 years. Regulatory seat.
President U S Payphone School
Owner Pony Express Food and Brew, (Medford, OR)
Owner New York Deli (San Diego, CA)
Counseling Skills:
Start up new business
Cost Accounting
Organizational Development
Goal Orientation
Restaurant planning and implementation
Education:
BA UCLA
MBA University of Pittsburgh
Business Experience:
CEO International Chemical Company
Director Mergers and Acquisitions, Westinghouse Materials
Direct Mail Advertising – Owner
Counseling Skills:
Manufacturing
Joint Ventures
Financial analysis and planning
Operations analysis
Business plans
Education:
BSc, Mathematics & Physics
MSc, Operations Research
Business Experience:
Owner John Austin Travel with 18 retail outlets
Executive VP, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, with 1,100 franchised outlets
CEO and part owner, Internet Travel Network
CEO and part owner, Lowestfare.com
Swanton Consulting with emphasis on small businesses
SCORE Client Business Counseling:
retail store, 2 start ups
online travel, start up
nursing home, start up
restaurant, existing business
Education:
BSEE Worcester Polytechnic Institute
MBA California State University
JD Quinnipiac School of Law
Business Experience:
Liberty Consulting Group, Lead Consultant Verizon Financial Audit
Public Utility Commission of Ohio, Technical Consultant to Chairman
Broadwing, Inc. & Cincinnati Bell, VP Regulatory Affairs
SNET Federal Credit Union, Chairman
Southern New England Telephone, Director Federal Regulatory
Military Chief of Maintenance 103d TCS, Lt. Col.
Counseling Skills:
Business Plans
Telecommunications
New Venture Planning
Economics
Media Relations
General Management
Policy/Strategy Development
Regulatory/Legal
Engineering
Stakeholder Management
Roger Leverton Education:
Fellow of Institute of Chartered Accountants in Wales England
Business Experience:
Black & Decker-VP European Operations
MK Electric/RTZ Pillar-Chief Executive
Pilkington Plc-Group Chief Executive
Chairman of 4 UK Public Companies
Industrial Advisor to Permira Venture Capital
European Investment Bank
Counseling Skills:
International Business
Strategic Planning
Business Finance
Marketing of Indusstrial/Consumer Products
Manufacturing
Human Resources
Joseph A. Marotti Education:
University of Pittsburgh
B. S. Human Resources
Employment and Labor law Studies
University of Michigan Executive Management
Business Experience:
Group VP HR Rubbermaid Companies World Wide
Labor Relations (have done many union contracts)
Organizational Development
Recruitment/ interview skills
Departmental budgeting
Leadership training
Strategic planning
Acquisitions and mergers (have been involved in 10)
Counseling Skills:
Labor relations
Leadership training
Mergers and acquisitions
Budgeting
Interview processes
Lillian Conrad Education:
M.S.M. with Functional Concentration in Accounting, Purdue University
Post Graduate Studies. Purdue University
Stonier Graduate School of Banking
Business Experience:
President, Conrad Consulting Corp.
Oscher Consulting, P.A., Litigation, valuation and consulting services
Exec. Assist. & Financial Analyst to Chairman/CEO, Siegle-Robert
RTC/FDIC Assistant Director Investigations
Financial Risk Director/V.P, Hollywood Federal Savings
Senior V.P., Sun Bank South Florida, N.A.
V.P./Senior Audit Manager SunTrust Corporation
V.P./Director of Internal Audit Purdue National Bank
Counseling Skills:
Business Start ups
Cost and Internal Control
Financial Planning for Small Business growth
Small Business Loans
Accounting and Auditiing
Jay Mills Education: Business Experience:
Connecticut Mutual Life Sales/Supervision
J.P. Morgan Chase Treasury Management Sales
Counseling Skills:
Treasury/Cash Management
Sales/Marketing
Emily A. Higgins Education:
Certified Public Accountant
BS in Accounting from Rollins College
Business Experience:
Property and fixed asset accounting for Rollins College, 10 years
Commercial property accounting for Orlando real estate development company, 14 years
10 years public accounting for various firms with responsibility for accounting, auditing and income taxes
Counseling Skills:
Commercial and residential real estate accounting
Accounting systems design
Accounting and bookkeeping
Fixed asset accounting
General business/office management
John Higgins Education:
Columbia College, SC-Degrees in business management and computer science
Continuing courses in financial planning and insurance
Business Experience:
Banking management and loan officer
Financial planning and insurance
Credit card sales and service
Counseling Skills:
Banking
Insurance
Life insurance
Personal credit advice
