City of Kennesaw Mayor Derek Easterling

November 8, 2016 by Danny

Derek Easterling

City of Kennesaw Mayor Derek Easterling

I had the opportunity to meet City of Kennesaw Mayor, Derek Easterling, at the 2016 Cobb County Library Foundation Gala. The mayor began his current term in January of 2016. And it was immediately clear he brings an authentic, obvious passion about his city, and the growth it is experiencing both economically and in population.

Kennesaw has been recognized for numerous awards including:

Personal finance website WalletHub which produces research reports and surveys ranking “best” and “worst” on varying topics, ranked the nation’s best small cities (the 1,268 cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000) across five key dimensions: 1) Affordability, 2) Economic Health, 3) Education & Health, 4) Quality of Life and 5) Safety. Then overall scores were calculated based on the weighted average of 30 relevant metrics. Cities were grouped in percentiles, so a 90th percentile represents the top 10% percent of small cities in America. Kennesaw ranked in the 91st percentile and was the highest ranked small city in Georgia!

Derek talked about the variety of developments and improvements around the city that make it such a desirable place to locate a business and to live, as well as partnerships they are looking to forge to continue and indeed, accelerate the city’s progress.

Monty Hamilton and Ingrid Miller of Rural Sourcing, Inc.

November 8, 2016 by Danny

Monty Hamilton / Rural Sourcing, Inc.

Monty Hamilton is CEO of Rural Sourcing Inc. (RSI) and is responsible for the company’s strategic direction and growth, including the launch of 10 new development centers with 2,000 colleagues across low cost of living, high quality of life locations in the United States. This is his second entrepreneurial startup venture after leaving Accenture in 1995.

Monty is on the advisory boards for the Mobile Chamber of Commerce and The Bond Group; and he chairs the IAOP’s Domestic Sourcing Chapter. He holds an M.B.A. from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University and a B.B.A. in business from Millsaps College.

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Ingrid Miller / Rural Sourcing, Inc.

As Chief Operating Officer for Rural Sourcing Inc. (RSI), Ingrid is responsible for realizing RSI’s vision to provide US-based high quality IT outsourcing solutions through her management and oversight of all RSI development centers. Her responsibilities include leading and developing RSI talent, client relationship management, ensuring the scalability and reliability of RSI’s process and systems and strategically determining the next set of solutions for our clients. She is also responsible for establishing and ensuring consistency across the organization with respect to RSI’s processes, values, and methodologies. Ingrid brings an expansive knowledge of underlying computer systems and technologies, allowing her to contribute to all aspects of our application development and maintenance projects.

Ingrid is a graduate of Babson College, where she earned a B.S. in Business Management.

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Veterans Connect Radio Episode 018

November 7, 2016 by Danny

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

Veterans Rally in the Woods
Dec. 09-11 2016

Charlie Whitfield / Whitty IT Solutions
CEO

Charlie Whitfield is the CEO of Whitty Apps LLC, a SBA certified 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WBE, MBE, Woman Owned and Operated Company.

Whitty IT Solutions, LLC is a Software Engineering & Technology Integration company. We deliver next generation innovative solutions that address our client’s needs. Our expertise centers around Technology Strategies including the following: Information Technology, Risk Management and Software Engineering.

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David Rowell

I am currently working for a Large IT company in Alpharetta. I grew up an Air Force brat, and I finished Middle and High School in Metro Atlanta. I attending Georgia Southern University and upon graduation I enlisted in the Marine Corps. I served 5 years in the Marine Corps as an Infantryman in Panama, Kosovo, and Iraq (03). After my time in the Marines, I got into government contracting and worked in Iraq and Afghanistan. Eventually, starting my own government contracting company that focussed on providing services and support in the frontier regions of North Africa, Afghanistan, and the Middle East. I was able to move back to Atlanta and pivot into IT where I am a customer success manager supporting Fortune 500 company’s IT Divisions.

I have recently completed my MBA from Georgia Tech with a concentration in Management of Technology. I am a “hang around” in the startup scene around Atlanta. I am interested in technologies like AI that give SMB’s a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Thank you

Bob Bartels with Siemens and Samuel Katz with Boxer Property

November 7, 2016 by Danny

Bob Bartels / Siemens
Director of Communications

Creative and results-oriented corporate communications professional with the demonstrated ability to manage projects and programs, budgets, staff, vendors and processes with an entrepreneurial spirit.

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Samuel A. Katz / Boxer Property
Workstyle Product Manager

As the Workstyle Product Manager, Samuel Katz oversees the end-to-end delivery and management of Boxer Property’s proprietary collaborative spaces, Boxer Workstyle. These duties include involvement in all aspects of the business’ development; from concept, design, and planning, to construction and delivery, through leasing and operations of the workspaces. Since taking the Product Manager role in 2015, Samuel has overseen the rapid expansion and development of the Workstyle product, growing to over 650,000 square feet across 70 locations nationwide.

In addition to managing the Workstyle product, Samuel also sits on the A.C.E. (Analytic Center of Excellence) and Data Governance committees, both dedicated to integrating and maintaining high quality data and analytics within the organization. Before joining Boxer, Samuel had extensive experience in service-based sales, business development, entrepreneurship, and residential real estate. He holds a B.A. from the University of New Orleans.

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KSU Entrepreneurship Center The Shrimp Tank with Shawn Vernimo

November 3, 2016 by Danny

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 and Ted Jenkin.

Shawn Vernimo / Greystone Consulting Group
Owner
Shawn Vernimo is the expert in solving roofing problems and applying an investment approach to all roofing portfolios. An engineer by training and roofer by choice, Mr. Vernimo’s clients have included 3 of the top 5 property management firms and the largest pension fund in the United States. Additionally, he has consulted on numerous multimillion dollar projects including a $6.6 million roofing project in Dallas, Texas and $4 million project in St. Louis, Missouri. Throughout his 27+ years of roof consulting and contracting experience, Mr. Vernimo has saved business owners and property managers alike hundreds of thousands of dollars by providing clients with his roofing expertise, insight into industry realities and investment approach solutions. Leading efforts to elevate roofing industry standards, Mr. Vernimo makes it easy for clients to make cost-effective decisions for all investments surrounding the roof.

The Best Tactic for Long-Term Revenue Growth

November 3, 2016 by Danny

Soyini Coke / Annona Enterprises

Soyini Coke is Managing Principal at Annona Enterprises, a strategic advisory firm that works with business under $100M in annual revenues. The company’s experience and exclusive framework helps its clients plan for success. Annona’s project management skills ensure that its clients assemble the funds, business processes and people to run their businesses more profitably.

She served on the founding board of two non-profit organizations in Atlanta. As the Sponsorship Chairperson for the South African American Chamber of Commerce, Soyini was responsible for creating the organization’s database of potential sponsors, developing the Chamber’s sponsorship packages, and securing companies to support the organization’s ongoing operations. As President of Team Ivy’s Networking Breakfast, Soyini assumed leadership of an informal group designed to foster meaningful relationships in the Ivy League business community. Under her stewardship, the breakfast more than tripled its attendance, secured marquis speakers for its programs, and has established a board to ensure proper oversight and continued growth.

Prior to founding Annona Enterprises, in 2004, Soyini served as an interim executive for start-up companies—structuring financing transactions, establishing a pipeline of potential investors, conducting presentations to raise capital, creating business plan and investor documents, creating the companies’ organizational structures, and designing business processes for management of company operations and revenue generation. She served as Business Manager for Atlanta-based FIERCE Magazine, an edgy, multi-cultural publication for women. Soyini was also the founder of Twenty Houses, Inc., a real estate investing company that wholesales property to other investors and controls a portfolio of residential real estate.

She began her career as a business analyst at McKinsey after graduating cum laude from Harvard University in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Mathematics and Economics. Her personal interests include travel, salsa, and the spiritual quest for enlightenment.

You can find out more about Soyini, CEO Exclusive Radio, and Annona Enterprises, by contacting her here. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter.

ATD Atlanta Employee Learning Week 2016 Celebration

November 2, 2016 by Danny

David Adelman, Jeanette Wheatley and Robb Bingham

Champions of Learning

ATD Atlanta Employee Learning Week 2016 Celebration

Jeanette Wheatley / Skillsoft
Regional Account Executive

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Robb Bingham / Converging Solutions
Learning Strategist / 2017 President, ATD Atlanta

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Atlanta’s Most Trusted Advisors

November 1, 2016 by Danny

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.

Sanford (Sandy) Wallack / Wallack Law
I have been practicing criminal defense for over 20 years. I have experience handling criminal matters in state and federal court, at the trial and appellate levels. I received my law degree from Emory University School of Law in 1994.

Amy Brown Williams / The Fritz Farm

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.

Jay Ferro with Earthlink and Matthew May with Acuity

October 31, 2016 by Danny

Jay Ferro / Earthlink
EVP, Chief Information and Product Officer

Mr. Ferro has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer and Products since July 2016. From January 2012 to July 2016, Mr. Ferro served as the Chief Information Officer for the American Cancer Society, a volunteer health organization. From August 2011 to January 2012, he served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for AdCare Health Systems, a health care facility management company. Prior to joining AdCare Health Systems, Mr. Ferro spent seven years at American International Group (AIG), including as Vice President and Chief Information Officer for AIG Aerospace, an aerospace insurer. Prior to that, he served as Chief Financial Officer for Operations and Systems for AIG Aerospace.

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Matthew May / Acuity
Managing Partner

I have experience adding value to companies by helping navigate tax and accounting rules. Prior to coming to Atlanta, I was a part of the Austin technology community both as an advisor and as a part of a start-up that had a successful $100 million exit in November 2000.

I am an active leader in the Georgia technology community and serve on the selection committees for Venture Atlanta, the Technology Association of Georgia’s Top 40 Innovators, and the Association for Corporate Growth’s Georgia FAST 40. I have also taken community leadership roles with Georgia Aquarium’s Next Wave Society, New American Pathways, and Venture Atlanta.

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