Skyler Sutton – CEO / Co-Founder —
and serial entrepreneur, has owned and operated companies ranging from retail, to service, to internet based industries. Skyler’s success is fueled by his ability to innovate products and apply new technologies to systematize production. Skyler joined his first chamber at the age of 18.
 
Rick Citron – Co-Founder —
entrepreneur and attorney specializing in business law. With over 38 years of experience, Rick has contributed to the success stories of hundreds of companies, utilizing his experience and a carefully nurtured network of professionals. Among the firm clients over the years have been Broadcom, Scosche Industries, Kistler Aerospace, Spacehab, Adventure Travel Magazine, Pfanner Communications, and Frontiers Magazine. Rick graduated from UC Berkeley with a BS in Statistics, and an MBA in Marketing. His law degree is from UCLA.
 
Peter Gluck – Lead Software Developer – Peter has a long history of technology innovation and development, including team lead for JPL Initiatives.
 
Denise Garbuzov – COO / Co-Founder-
is an entrepreneur who has founded three of her own companies, Oleg’s Music, Oleg’s Product Company and Studio Tae Kwon Do. Denise has been involved in product development, manufacturing and marketing both in the U.S. and overseas.
 
Mia Jamili – Business Development Strategist / Digital Content Manager –
Mia has experience managing projects and communications for various organizations in the Technology, Financial, Media and Entertainment, and Public Service sectors. She holds a BA from the University of California, Berkeley in Interdisciplinary Studies and maintains a passion for innovation.
 
Joel Walker – Strategic Technical Advisor – Joel founded Malibu Research Associates (MRA) in 1976, where he was involved in support of the FIREFINDER program. The company was sold to Commercial Power Industries in 2007 where he currently serves as Vice President of Technology of their Malibu division. Joel served in the U.S. Navy, worked for Norden Technologies, Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Technology Service Corporation before founding MRA. Joel received his BSEE from Rensselaer Polytechnic (1960) and his Master’s in EE from Yale University (1964). IEEE Fellow, IEEE AESS Board of Governors and VP Publications (www.maliburesearch.com)

Wes Hein – Strategic Partnering –
Wes has a long history of technology startups, including Co-Founder at Enigmata Corp, Partner at LifeTwo, LLC, Principal at Enigma2 Consulting, CEO at SportsBuy.com, Co-Founder at Enigma Digital and CEO at LigicTier, Co-Founder at Cinebase, EVP at Hollywood Records, and Co-Founder Enigma Records.


Anissa Freeman Starnes, IOM – Regional Development Director at Constant Contact – Anissa, is a small business expert with 20 years of experience in nonprofit and small business management. She has had an extensive career as an advocate for business interests, including executive positions with several chambers of commerce. She most recently held the position of President and CEO of the Burke County Chamber in Morganton, NC. Her ability to offer expert council to local small businesses and nonprofits is strengthened by her background as the President and CEO of a very successful nonprofit organization, Girls on the Run International. Anissa is passionate about helping small businesses and organizations grow customer, member, and donor relationships through their use of email marketing and she is the local Constant Contact expert for the Carolinas.Anissa is currently a faculty member of the U.S Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management and is a past member of the Board of Regents. She is a 1999 graduate of the Southeast Institute at the University of Georgia.

Scott Juranek – Scott is the CEO of ChamberMaster, the leader in chamber management software with over 850 partners. Scott’s background has revolved around developing software for companies in publishing, energy, finance, and manufacturing. Before joining ChamberMaster he led the architecture and development of software for a smart grid system at Landis+Gyr, now is use throughout the world to manage millions of electric meters. His passion lies in creating software that solves problems and reinvents processes rather than automating the status quo. Scott graduated from Hastings College, in Hastings Nebraska, with bachelor degrees in Computer Science and Business Administration.

Philip Hageman – CEO Target Marketing – Kentucky native Philip Hageman embarked on a career in publishing in 1997, when he served as national sales director at CommunityLink. After four years in that role, he took over as chief executive officer (CEO) and minority owner in 2001. It was under Hageman’s leadership that CommunityLink’s profits saw a 400-percent increase. In 2004, Hageman sold his CommunityLink ownership and joined The Map Group, a custom mapping company based in Crescent Springs, Ky., where he again filled the role of CEO. In January 2009, SouthComm, Inc., acquired The Map Group’s chamber of commerce publishing assets and formed Target Communications, the largest chamber of commerce map production company, over which Hageman currently serves as president and CEO. Hageman served in the United States Army from 1985 to 1987, when he was honorably discharged. He holds a degree in political science from the University of Kentucky. Hageman and wife, Rennae, reside in Florence, Ky.

Patrick H. McGaughey, IOM is an international business consultant to chambers of commerce across the United States and Canada. His outstanding successes during his career as a chamber executive have qualified him to share his expertise and skills with chamber executives and their members coast to coast. As an educator, Pat is a member of the United States Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management faculty at the Universities of Arizona, Wisconsin, Georgia, Villanova and Loyola Marymount. He regularly receives the highest possible classroom evaluations and Pat has been selected to serve as the graduation keynote speaker at many of the Institutes. Pat facilitates annual Chamber planning sessions and he is an excellent Keynote speaker. Pat is acclaimed one of the Top-5 Enter-Trainers in the United States for his ability to help people laugh and learn at his seminars and business workshops. Patrick McGaughey, IOM has received many civic awards and he has served in various leadership capacities including president of the Northwest Chamber Leaders Conference and president of the Idaho Association of Chambers of Commerce. He is an honored recipient of the Rotary International Paul Harris Fellowship Award and he received the mayoral “Key to The City” for his outstanding community service in The Dalles, Oregon. Pat and his wife Gail reside the beautiful resort community of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. They have two children and five grand children.

Chuck Ewart – The Ewart Group is a company dedicated to helping businesses and organizations proactively plan for the future in order to meet the needs of their customers. Chuck Ewart, IOM, CCE, President The Ewart Group, established the company in April 2002 after 23 years experience in organization management in North and South Carolina. During his long career in economic and community development, Ewart thrived as a skilled facilitator and speaker. He is highly sought after as an after-dinner speaker and motivational entertainer. Chuck Ewart has facilitated planning retreats, presented seminars, and addressed over 1000 chambers of commerce, associations, organizations, and businesses throughout the United States and several foreign countries.Having served as President of five chambers of commerce, Chuck Ewart understands the unique challenges facing non-profit organizations in these changing times. The Ewart Group focuses its efforts on facilitating operational and strategic planning retreats and processes, leadership program retreats, Board of Directors orientations, and workshop presentations. In addition, The Ewart Group has worked with numerous chambers of commerce during their executive search process.Since 1991, Ewart has taught and mentored more than 3,000 executives through the Institute for Organization Management, the premier continuing education program for chamber and association executives. The multi-year program is an affiliate of the United States Chamber of Commerce.Courses that Ewart has developed and taught include Strategic Planning; Thriving on Change; Small Group Facilitation; Encouraging the Heart; Effective Boards; Team Building; Applied Membership Strategies; Revving Your Revenue Stream; Building Strategic Alliances and Partnerships; Pitch It, Sell, Close It; Effective Presentations; Programming with a Purpose; and Strong Chambers & Associations of the Future.While the non-profit sector has been Chuck Ewart’s primary focus, he completely understands the needs of business and offers his full expertise in the strategic planning process. Ewart has facilitated planning retreats and presented workshops for numerous businesses over the years. Clients include automobile dealerships, trucking companies, network television affiliates, furniture companies, hospitals, churches, and colleges.Chuck Ewart has facilitated hundreds of planning retreats and written numerous strategic plans for chambers of commerce, associations, and organizations throughout the United States. The 1800 member Greensboro (NC) Chamber of Commerce received an “Award of Merit” from ACCE for the strategic business plan written in collaboration with The Ewart Group. Chuck has written a “how-to” manual entitled Successful Planning Retreats that has been used by organizations throughout the country. He has been a guest motivational speaker for hundreds of after-meal functions and events.

Ken Higdon – Ken serves as consultant to Chambers of Commerce with Your Chamber of Commerce across the nation assisting them with membership and membership programs. Ken has helped Chambers recruit thousands of members and raise millions of dollars. Representative for American Financial and Retirement Services assisting clients with investments and financial planning. Former President/CEO of the Temple Chamber of Commerce for 17 years. He graduated from McMurry College in Abilene with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management. Ken graduated from The US Chamber’s Institute for Organizational Management at SMU. He also served as a Regent for the Institute Board at SMU, Colorado and West Institutes. He was the first Chairman of the West Board of Regents. He serves as an instructor at Institute and facilitates planning retreats for local and State Chambers. Ken is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executive and the Board of Directors of the Texas Association of Business (TAB), Membership Chairman and on the Executive Board of the TAB. He is a member of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives and the U S Chamber.In Temple, Ken serves on the Board of Association of the United State Army and is a member of the Temple Rotary Club. Ken is married to Betty Higdon who teaches AP Biology, Anatomy and Phys, and Health Careers at Belton High School.

Ron Willens – Strategic Financial Planning – Ron has been a “Script Doctor” in the film business for over 40 years. During that period, he has also successfully invested in Start-Up Companies ranging from Internet Security, Rice Bran production, Internet Sports Collectibles, and the current highest-rated Infomercial on television, Your Baby Can Read. (www.yourbabycanread.com)

Eric Nakagawa – Social Networking – Co-founder of a pretty awesome blog. An entrepreneur focused on fun web sites that cultivate passionate fan bases and fosters creative user generated content (www.icanhascheezeburger.com). Eric has had the distinction of being the #5 rated blogger/twitterer in the country.

Bruce Silverman - Strategic Marketing – is one of America’s best known and well respected marketing-communication executives. A broad-view strategist, he is probably the only agency executive who ever served as creative director of a top five agency and went on to head one of the largest media planning and buying companies in the world. A long-time board member of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, his 38-year advertising agency career included senior positions at Ogilvy & Mather (New York, London, Houston and Los Angeles), Bozell, BBDO/West, Asher/Gould and WongDoody, in many cases as President and CEO. (www.pocket-billboards.com)

Kirk Citron – Branding – founded AKQA, an interactive advertising agency which Fast Company has called one of the fifty most innovative companies in the world. He consults for global clients like Hewlett-Packard, Mercedes-Benz, Target, and Mondavi Winery, and for non-profits including The Tides Foundation, The Long Now Foundation, and MoAD (The Museum of the African Diaspora). A five-time Clio winner and a member of the American Advertising Federation Hall of Achievement, Kirk is perhaps best known for writing the theme line for Saturn: “A different kind of company. A different kind of car.” He graduated from Harvard, and lives in San Francisco and New York. (www.kirkcitron.com)

Alan Brown – Database Architecture – since 1992 clients for whom Alan has done systems integration and database architecture, programming and management include APM – Maersk, Nation Image Mapping Agency (NIMA), National Security Administration, Central Intelligence Agency, Warner Bros. Studios, AOL and Time Warner Cable. (www.allinfotools.com)

Neal Schore – Strategic Financial Planning, Neal has over 17 years of media experience as a principal and operating executive and is the founding President and CEO of Triton Media Group. Previously Neal served as Managing Partner and CEO of Midway Marketing Group, LLC, a media advisory firm servicing the private equity community to build, expand, finance and manage media operations throughout the United States. Other endeavors include serving as founding President of Brite Media. (www.tritonmedia.com)

Mike Wojciechowski – Strategic Financial Planning – Mike has been involved in the acquisition, structuring and development of real estate for public and private investment for over 24 years. During that time he has analyzed, or directed the analysis of, structured or co-developed over $8.0 billion in real estate, leading to over $3.0 billion in investor funds being raised. Included in this development is the creation of in excess of 60,000 apartment units, all targeted for families in the affordable range through the Section 42 Low Income Housing Tax Credit program. These projects were built in more than 15 states. Mike received a Masters in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Finance, from the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama in 1981, did graduate work in business at San Diego State University in 1979-80 and received a Bachelor of Science, with a concentration in Marketing, from the University of South Alabama in 1978. Mike is also a serial entrepreneur. (www.ourcastlehomes.com)

Dennis Duitch – Strategic Alliances – Dennis brings over 20 years entertainment and media industry experience in strategic, financial, tax and operations planning & management. As founding partner of Duitch & Franklin LLP, one of Los Angeles largest independent CPA / Business Management firms, Dennis’ clientele included producers, performers, directors, agents and production companies — in film, music, media, infomercial and technology arenas. After his firm was acquired by a public company, Dennis spent two years as president of the Smart Inventions group, involved in consumer product development, import, direct response TV marketing and retail distribution. www.duitchconsulting.com