John Ray, Author at Business RadioX ® Page

Getting IT Done: Turning Strategy into Execution, with Chris McChesney, FranklinCovey, and Maria Walden-Sullivan, Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia

October 25, 2023 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Getting IT Done: Turning Strategy into Execution, with Chris McChesney, FranklinCovey, and Maria Walden-Sullivan, Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia

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North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 711)

Chris McChesney, author of discuss the Foundation’s upcoming workshop, “Getting IT Done: Turning Strategy into Execution,” which Chris will be leading. They talked about the challenges of execution and how to overcome them, particularly in the nonprofit sector. They also touched on the impact of the pandemic on execution and the importance of creating systems and accountability.

Chris provided a high-level overview of the four disciplines of execution, what participants can expect at the workshop, and much more. The workshop will be held on November 1, 2023, at North Point Community Church in Alpharetta. To learn more and to register, follow this link.

North Fulton Business Radio is broadcast from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

Chris McChesney, Author of

Chris is a best-selling author of The 4 Disciplines of Execution®, the world’s most popular book on Strategy Execution.

For over 20 years, Chris’s practice has helped thousands of organizations improve their execution. Chris has a single focus: helping organizations get results through predictable execution.

Chris has been the Global Practice Leader of Execution for Franklin Covey for 20 years. Chris’s team of 4DX consultants has worked with 4,000+ organizations around the world. He has spoken in 22 countries on six continents. He’s personally led many of the most noted implementations of 4DX and is one of the highest-rated speakers for the Global Leadership Summit.

Chris and his wife Constance live in Atlanta, Georgia. They are the proud parents of five daughters, two sons, and one grandson. Chris’s downtime is divided between his passion for waterskiing and windshield talks with his kids.

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

At the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia, everything they do centers around one purpose – improving our world through the power of philanthropy.

On a fundamental level, they do that through managing funds held in trust, donated by individuals, organizations, and businesses. Most funds are donor-advised funds, similar to savings accounts. These funds are pooled for investment purposes and their income is used to make grants for a wide variety of charitable purposes.

But the Foundation’s goals expand far beyond managing funds. They desire to strengthen the communities they serve in Gwinnett, Northeast Georgia, and beyond by providing leadership, addressing community needs, and assisting individuals and organizations with their charitable giving.

Website | Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram

**Maria Walden-Sullivan, Director of Development, Community Foundation of Northeast Georgia**

Caring for her community is at the heart of everything Maria does. She was born in the oldest city in America (St. Augustine) and has been a proud Atlantan for the past 25 years. Maria is passionate about making a difference in her own backyard and inspiring others to do the same.

As our Director of Development, Maria is leading the Community Foundation of Northeast Georgia into a whole new territory. Through her role, we are now able to expand into and impact North Fulton and Forsyth. She has a passion for nonprofits and is highly skilled in donor relations, major gifts, volunteer management, grant writing, and capital campaign management.

Maria is a trainer and facilitator for leadership development, strategic planning, and capacity building. With almost a decade of experience at the world’s most trusted leadership company, Franklin Covey, Maria has been certified in over a dozen leadership courses. She has also served as an ad hoc faculty member for the Georgia Center for Nonprofits since 2019.

Questions and Topics in this Interview:

Introduction to Chris and his book
The event sponsored by the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia and featuring Chris McChesney
The challenges of execution and achieving goals
The impact of the pandemic on execution and dealing with uncertainty
Importance of systems and clarity in goal-setting
Details about the event on November 1st

North Fulton Business Radio is hosted by John Ray and broadcast and produced from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, TuneIn, and others.

Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions with over $13 billion in assets and more than 190 banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services offices in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. All of Renasant’s success stems from each of their banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way of better understanding the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.

Since 2000, Office Angels® has been restoring joy to the life of small business owners, enabling them to focus on what they do best. At the same time, we honor and support at-home experts who wish to continue working on an as-needed basis. Not a temp firm or a placement service, Office Angels matches a business owner’s support needs with Angels who have the talent and experience necessary to handle work that is essential to creating and maintaining a successful small business. Need help with administrative tasks, bookkeeping, marketing, presentations, workshops, speaking engagements, and more? Visit us at https://officeangels.us/.

Eric Pritchett, Terzo Technologies

October 25, 2023 by John Ray

Business Beat

Eric Pritchett, Terzo Technologies

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Frazier & Deeter’s Business Beat: Eric Pritchett, Terzo Technologies

Eric Pritchett, President and COO of Terzo Technologies, an enterprise AI company, joined host Roger Lusby to discuss the company’s technology and how it helps businesses extract valuable data from documents, contracts, and more. Eric talked about their capacity to improve decision-making and operational processes. He shared success stories that highlight the impact of Terzo on increasing productivity and efficiency for businesses, about how the company developed its product, why they moved their operations from California to Metro Atlanta and specifically North Fulton, and more.

Business Beat is presented by Alpharetta CPA firm Frazier & Deeter and is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®

Terzo Technologies

Terzo uses powerful AI technology to extract, analyze, and visualize your contract data.

Terzo’s AI data extraction capabilities also extend beyond contracts and can solve your organization’s document problems, from invoices to POs and more.

Their platform was designed on the foundation of contract intelligence, providing business teams with the necessary data to improve productivity, optimize spend, reduce costs, and manage risk and governance across their entire supplier ecosystem. Terzo has global operations across the United States, Canada, and India.

Terzo is designed to connect teams, breaking silos along the way. At Terzo, strengthening relationships is at the heart of what they do. They unite teams and unlock insights so organizations can make smarter decisions and maximize value from their suppliers, customers, and partners.

Terzo means “third” in Italian. Their founders have Italian heritage and chose it to describe what they set out to build—a platform that brings third parties together.

For the first time, Legal is now a large part of both the buying and selling teams. Terzo is the first solution to provide critical data and terms to both sides, enabling legal and business teams to make decisions together.

Company website | LinkedIn

Eric Pritchett, President and COO, Terzo Technologies

With over 20 years of experience in technology, finance, and strategy, Eric is the President and COO of Terzo Technologies, an enterprise AI platform that extracts valuable data from documents for business operators. He works with the senior team to develop and implement the overall vision, direction, and execution of the company, as well as the development and implementation of strategic customer-facing initiatives.

Prior to joining Terzo, Eric was the Vice President of Corporate Strategy at Asurion, where he evaluated and executed on strategic investment opportunities, including acquisitions. He also co-founded and led Potamus Trading, a technology-driven broker-dealer and market-maker, and PhaseCapital, a quantitative hedge fund.

Eric has a strong background in FinTech, corporate venture capital, and M&A, as well as a passion for innovation and growth. He holds BS and MBA degrees from Boston University and the Boston University Questrom School of Business.

Frazier & Deeter

The Alpharetta office of Frazier & Deeter is home to a thriving CPA tax practice, a growing advisory practice and an Employee Benefit Plan Services group. CPAs and advisors in the Frazier & Deeter Alpharetta office serve clients across North Georgia and around the country with services such as personal tax planning, estate planning, business tax planning, business tax compliance, state and local tax planning, financial statement reviews, financial statement audits, employee benefit plan audits, internal audit outsourcing, cyber security, data privacy, SOX and other regulatory compliance, mergers, and acquisitions, and more. Alpharetta CPAs serve clients ranging from business owners and executives to large corporations.

Roger Lusby, host of Frazier & Deeter’s Business Beat, is an Alpharetta CPA and Alpharetta Office Managing Partner for Frazier & Deeter. He is also a member of the Tax Department in charge of coordinating tax and accounting services for our clientele. His responsibilities include a review of a variety of tax returns with an emphasis on the individual, estate, and corporate areas. Client assistance is also provided in the areas of financial planning, executive compensation and stock option planning, estate and succession planning, international planning (FBAR, SFOP), health care, real estate, manufacturing, technology, and service companies.

You can find Frazier & Deeter on social media:

LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

An episode archive of Frazier & Deeter’s Business Beat can be found here.

Tangible Touch in a Digital World, with Mark Weiss, Renaissance Communications Group, a SendOutCards Affiliate

October 25, 2023 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Tangible Touch in a Digital World, with Mark Weiss, Renaissance Communications Group, a SendOutCards Affiliate

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North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 710)

Mark Weiss, owner of Renaissance Communications Group and a SendOutCards affiliate, joined host John Ray to discuss the importance of appreciation and relationship marketing in staying top of mind with clients. He explained how SendOutCards can help business owners personalize and send cards to their clients and prospects, creating a tangible and thoughtful touch in today’s digital world. Mark shared the story behind the founding of SendOutCards, the concept of promptings, and more.

Follow this link to learn more about SendOutCards and to take advantage of the opportunity to send a free card.

North Fulton Business Radio is broadcast from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

Mark Weiss, Owner, Renaissance Communications Group,

Communication is the common thread that runs through Mark Weiss’ life. It started in high school and continued through his days at Ithaca College, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Television-Radio Communications. Mark worked in television stations in Utica, New York, and St. Petersburg, Florida, directing the local newscasts and producing and directing local programming before he moved to Atlanta in 1976 to work at WTCG, Ted Turner’s Superstation.

Mark left the broadcasting industry to work for Georgia Power in 1977 for almost 20 years in the company’s Media Services organization before leaving to form The Renaissance Communications Group (TRCG) in 1996. He formed TRCG to support small and medium-sized businesses to provide marketing, advertising, public relations, and website services. During that time, he was introduced to Constant Contact and became a business partner. In 2007, he was introduced to SendOutCards, which, over time, has become his passion.

Using SendOutCards, Mark works with businesses to help them keep the clients they worked hard to get. He does this through a process and system that enables his clients, both business and personal users, to go online via their smart phone, tablet, or computer to either use existing greeting cards in SendOutCards’ extensive online catalog or customized cards they can create to express appreciation and show gratitude. By using multiple card campaigns, Mark’s clients can easily stay top of mind with their clients throughout the years by giving tangible appreciation that their clients can touch.

Mark enjoys sharing SendOutCards with business owners and individuals to help them incorporate Relationship marketing into their business. Relationship marketing (or Capital R, small m) symbolically places the emphasis on the Relationship and not marketing. As a result, Mark’s clients create a stronger, deeper, and more loyal bond with their clients because they stay top of mind. This combination creates referrals from their customers along with incremental sales. Please visit Mark’s website for more information and experience SendOutCards by sending a free card including postage to anyone you choose, wherever they may be!

Website | LinkedIn

Questions and Topics in this Interview:

Relationship marketing
How SendOutCards work
The advantages they bring to business owners
How SendOutCards got started
What are promptings?

Colleen Huff, Dental Insurance Coach

October 24, 2023 by John Ray

Dental Business Radio

Colleen Huff, Dental Insurance Coach

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Colleen Huff, Dental Insurance Coach (Dental Business Radio, Episode 48)

Highly regarded dental insurance coach Colleen Huff joined host Patrick O’Rourke to discuss the complexities of dental insurance and the strategies necessary for practices to effectively manage it. They talked about the importance of understanding insurance benefits, the trend of practices going out of network, and the role of outsourcing insurance-related tasks. Colleen noted the need for accurate insurance breakdowns, the importance of having checks and balances in place to prevent errors or embezzlement, and much more.

Dental Business Radio is underwritten and presented by Practice Quotient: PPO Negotiations & Analysis and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

**Colleen Huff, FAADOM, President and Owner, Colleen Huff – Dental Insurance Coach**

Colleen Huff, FAADOM, has been in the dental field for 28+ years. Starting as a dental customer service representative, she has worked in and managed dental offices during this time. Her experiences span managing multi-location practices to growing a practice from the ground up. Colleen began full-time speaking and consulting in 2021.

She helps dental practices around the country improve their Dental Insurance knowledge and administrative systems, as well as traveling the country speaking at national conventions as well as local AADOM Chapters on a variety of Dental Insurance topics. You can find her Insurance Mastery course at Front Office Rock.

She is the founder of the Buffalo/WNY AADOM Chapter, as well as an active Ambassador and Fellow class of 2015. For her leadership, she was named one of the TOP 25 Women in Dentistry, 2017 by Dental Products Reports. Colleen is a proud member of NADP (National Association of Dental Plans), DCC-Dental Consultants Connection, SCN- Speakers Consultant Network, AADOM- American Association of Dental Office Management as well as ASCA- AADOM Speaker/Consultant Alliance and DEW-Dental Entrepreneur Woman along with being licensed to speak on dental codes through the ADA.

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook

**Patrick O’Rourke, Host of “Dental Business Radio”**

Patrick O’Rourke is the host of Dental Business Radio covers the business side of dentistry. O’Rourke and his guests cover industry trends, insights, success stories, and more in this wide-ranging show. The show’s guests include successful doctors across the spectrum of dental practice providers, as well as trusted advisors and noted industry participants.

Dental Business Radio is underwritten and presented by Practice Quotient and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®. The show can be found on all the major podcast apps, and a complete show archive is here.

Practice Quotient

Dental Business Radio is sponsored by Patrick O’Rourke, Founder & CEO, Practice Quotient. Practice Quotient, Inc. serves as a bridge between the payor and provider communities. Their clients include general dentists and dental specialty practices across the nation of all sizes, from completely fee-for-service-only to active network participation with every dental plan possible. They work with independent practices, emerging multi-practice entities, and various large ownership entities in the dental space. Their PPO negotiations and analysis projects evaluate the merits of the various in-network participation contract options specific to your Practice’s patient acquisition strategy. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.

Connect with Patrick O’Rourke and Practice Quotient

Marissa Greider, Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities, and Elizabeth Burdette, SignatureFD

October 24, 2023 by John Ray

Good2Give Podcast

Marissa Greider, Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities, and Elizabeth Burdette, SignatureFD

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Marissa Greider, Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities and Elizabeth Burdette, SignatureFD (Good2Give Podcast, Episode 5)

Marissa Greider, Senior Director of Philanthropy at Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities and Elizabeth Burdette, Director of Giving at Signature FD, joined this episode of the Good2Give Podcast with DePriest Waddy and Maria Walden Sullivan. Marissa shared the mission of Ronald McDonald House in providing support for families with sick children, their partnership in philanthropy, upcoming fundraising events, Handbag Hullabaloo, end-of-year giving, and much more. Elizabeth discussed SignatureFD’s unique strategy of helping families not only grow and manage wealth but also build their “Net Worthwhile” by giving to causes they care about.

The Good2Give Podcast is presented by the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia and is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, TuneIn, and others.

Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities

Since 1979, Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities has been keeping families close when it matters most. ARMHC has hosted thousands of families as they care for a child who is receiving treatment for illness or injury. In a time of anxious uncertainty, ARMHC offers a comfortable place to call home in close proximity to their child’s care facility.

Guided by the belief that all children deserve access to quality pediatric healthcare, AThe mission of Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities is to transform pediatric healthcare access and experiences for families with ill, injured or recovering children through a network of Houses, Family Rooms, Care Mobiles, and community resources. ARMHC ensures equitable access to life-saving medical care. ARMHC’s commitment to family-centered care is validated by research which demonstrates that supporting the family results in better outcomes for the family and their child.

Since its beginning, Atlanta Ronald McDonald Houses have served more than 50,000 families with ill and injured children receiving medical care nearby. Their Houses are built on the simple idea that nothing else should matter when a family is focused on the health of their child.

Learn more about Handbag Hullabaloo 2023 here.

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

Marissa Greider, Senior Director of Philanthropy, Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities

Marissa Greider, MA, FCEP, is a dedicated non-profit executive with more than two decades of connecting passion with purpose to advance the greater good in the Atlanta community through education, the arts, and human services. She currently serves as Senior Director of Philanthropy and Campaign Director for Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities, where she has worked since 2014.

Marissa’s non-profit leadership experience spans development, marketing, communications, and volunteer management, with expertise in strategic planning and developing and implementing successful fundraising initiatives, including three major capital campaigns. Prior to her tenure at Atlanta RMHC, Marissa worked at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History for 14 years.

Marissa received her Bachelor’s degree from Washington and Lee University and her Master’s degree from the University of Georgia, and she is a Fellow in Charitable Estate Planning. She resides in Atlanta with her husband and two daughters.

SignatureFD

At SignatureFD, they believe people want to use their wealth to do something worthwhile—for themselves, those they love, and their community. Through integrated wealth management services, their professionals help clients create a financial design for life that enables them to protect, grow, give, and live their wealth, ultimately transforming their net worth into NET WORTHWHILE™. Our highly capable, collaborative, caring, and coordinated team of investment, financial planning, and tax experts is committed to proactively helping clients take control of their financial lives and achieve their goals. SignatureFD has 80+ passionate professionals who manage over $4 billion and has had a client retention rate of 97% since opening its doors in 1997.

Website | LinkedIn |Facebook

Elizabeth Burdette, Director of Giving, SignatureFD

Believing that everyone has the ability to create meaningful change in their communities, Elizabeth Burdette helps guide individuals and families looking for ways to give back by providing resources and advice to empower their decision-making. She is a dedicated partner in creating personalized strategies to help clients reach their generosity goals and maximize the impact of their gifts.

An award-winning speaker and published author, Elizabeth has a unique skill set in fundraising, donor relations and engagement, program management, strategic communications, grant writing, and event design. Prior to joining SignatureFD in 2019, Elizabeth was the Director of Donor Relations at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta and a Fellow at the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation.

She also practiced law in both Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, specializing in business litigation in state and federal courts. She received her law degree from the University of Texas and a bachelor’s degree in American History and Spanish from Washington and Lee University. Elizabeth serves as the Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Special Olympics of Georgia, and also on the Board of Plywood People.

Additionally, Elizabeth is the Co-Chair of the Impact Committee of ADISA (Alternative and Direct Investment Securities Association). She is a member of the Association of Donor Relations and the State Bars of Georgia and Texas, and holds a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy designation.

The Good2Give Podcast celebrates the work of donors, nonprofits, and the causes they care about. The hosts of the show are DePriest Waddy and Maria Walden-Sullivan, and the show series is presented by the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia.

The Good2Give Podcast is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. You can also find the show on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many others.

At the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia, everything they do centers around one purpose – improving the world through the power of philanthropy.

On a fundamental level, they do that through managing funds held in trust, donated by individuals, organizations, and businesses. Most funds are donor-advised funds, similar to savings accounts. These funds are pooled for investment purposes, and their income is used to make grants for a wide variety of charitable purposes.

Connect with CFNEG:
Website | Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram

Communicating with Poise and Persuasion, with Dr. Bill Lampton, Championship Communication

October 24, 2023 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Communicating with Poise and Persuasion, with Dr. Bill Lampton, Championship Communication

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North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 709)

Dr. Bill Lampton, the “Biz Communication Guy” and President of Championship Communication, joined host John Ray on this episode of North Fulton Business Radio. They discussed various aspects of communication, including the importance of effective listening, overcoming stage fright, and Bill’s untraditional approach to teaching communication. Bill shared his expertise in public speaking, coaching, and video communication. He emphasized the power of genuine and empathetic communication, provided tips for being a successful podcast guest, discussed the significance of video charisma, and much more.

North Fulton Business Radio is broadcast from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

Bill Lampton, Ph.D., The “Biz Communication Guy,” President, Championship Communication

Bill Lampton, Ph.D.—known as the “Biz Communication Guy”—helps current and future executives communicate with poise, persuasion, and profits. After earning his Ph.D. from Ohio University, he taught Speech Communication at the University of Georgia, and then moved into management for two decades. In 1997, he launched his career as a professional speaker, coach, and consultant.

He works with current and future C-Suite executives (CEO, CFO, COO, CIO) in business, healthcare, higher education, and non-profits to help them master leadership communication skills.

As the “Biz Communication Guy,” serving executives has become his mission. Why? Because he knows firsthand the challenges they face. He spent two decades at the vice-presidential level in higher education and health care. “Been there. . .done that.”

His top-tier client list includes the University of Georgia Athletic Association, Georgia Power Company, Oceania Cruises, Ritz-Carlton-Cancun, Missouri Bar, Gillette, and Procter & Gamble.

Website | LinkedIn| YouTube | Facebook | Twitter

Questions and Topics in this Interview:

What initially stimulated your interest in communication, so that you dedicated your career to helping clients communicate more effectively?
You have written a brief book about controlling the fear of stage fright. What are some of your major guidelines?
We often hear about the different communication styles people prefer. What’s that all about?
When you coach current and future executives about their presentations, your methods aren’t traditional. Explain your approach.
You have produced more than 450 instructional videos. Many professionals are reluctant to record videos. What is the “video charisma” you teach?
Tell us about the 5 listening levels that describe our listening habits.

Pete Cousins, Summus Medical Laser and Host of LaserLife Insights

October 23, 2023 by John Ray

LaserLife Insights

Pete Cousins, Summus Medical Laser and Host of LaserLife Insights

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North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 708)

Pete Cousins, Chief Commercial Officer for Summus Medical Laser, joined host John Ray on this episode of North Fulton Business Radio. Pete discussed his company’s technology and applications of Class IV Laser Therapy, the patient experience, success stories, and more. Pete also announced the launch of a new podcast called LaserLife Insights. Summus Medical Laser is the show’s sponsor, and it will include interviews with professionals who are using the technology effectively.

North Fulton Business Radio is broadcast from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

Summus Medical Laser

Summus is a U.S. pioneer in Class IV laser therapy with over 18 years of experience.

Summus Laser was established in 2018 although the Founder and CEO, Dr Richard Albright was a pioneer in the field of Photobiomodulation in 2004 by becoming the 2nd company in the US to receive FDA clearance for this ground-breaking technology.

Their mission is simple- to improve lives through laser therapy.

Their growth comes from a relentless commitment to constantly improve their lasers, provide reliable stateside service, follow science in their product development, supply effective consumer marketing tools, and deliver world-class training. No matter which of their models best fit your practice, you can be assured a Summus Medical Laser will improve your efficiency, broaden the therapy options you offer, and provide safe, rapid relief resulting in satisfied and returning patients.

Franklin, Tennessee, Summus’ hometown, is a historic, yet innovative place with solid values and a community of generous neighbors. No matter where you are in the world, you can count on those same values in the Summus team and the lasers they offer as you generously serve those who need your care.

Company website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

Pete Cousins, Chief Commercial Officer, Summus Medical Laser

With over 20 years’ experience in commercial leadership across multiple healthcare verticals and in industry leaders such as Patterson Dental, Pete has been fortunate to help hundreds of providers with incorporating technology that improves patient care and increases business profitability.

Questions and Topics in this Interview:

Introduction to Summus Medical Laser
Class IV Laser Therapy
It’s development of applications over time
What is the experience like?
Where is this used?
How have practice owners responded to this new technology?
Research and Development
Announcing the launch of LaserLife Insights

D.C. Fly-In Recap, with Jim Teel, Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, and Tim Perry, North American Properties Atlanta

October 19, 2023 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

D.C. Fly-In Recap, with Jim Teel, Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, and Tim Perry, North American Properties Atlanta

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D.C. Fly-In Recap, with Jim Teel, Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, and Tim Perry, North American Properties Atlanta (GNFCC 400 Insider, Episode 89)

Jim Teel, Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood and the 2024 Board Chair for GNFCC, and Tim Perry, North American Properties Atlanta and Chair of the True North 400 CID Board of Directors, were the guests on this episode of the GNFCC 400 Insider. They were two of the attendees of the annual Washington, D.C. fly-in organized by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce.

Jim and Tim talked about the importance of the fly-in, their advocacy efforts, and the meetings they had with elected officials. They also covered various initiatives and priorities discussed during the trip, such as community involvement, workforce development, advocacy for businesses, real estate, and criminal justice reform. They emphasized the significance of the trip in building relationships, advocating for the region’s interests, shaping the Chamber’s future advocacy agenda, and more.

The GNFCC 400 Insider is presented by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood

Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC) is one of the largest architecture and engineering firms in the Southeast. Whether designing schools, parks, hospitals and other commercial developments, or providing clean water, safe streets and restoring resilient environments, GMC takes great pride in serving our communities through the transformative work they do.

Every project is guided by the foundational concept that communities are built by people, not companies, and they strive to serve their communities with quality, integrity, creativity and care. One of the Southeast’s most comprehensive multi-disciplined firms, GMC is equipped to provide all the services associated with architecture, interior design, civil engineering, environmental services, landscape architecture, planning, transportation engineering, geotechnical engineering, electrical engineering, surveying and disaster recovery.

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

Jim Teel, Regional Vice President, Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, and 2024 Chairman of the Board, Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce

**Jim Teel, Regional Vice President, Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood (GMC), and Incoming Chairman of the Board, Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce**

As Regional Vice President for Georgia, Jim leads business development and marketing efforts as well as coordinates employee development initiatives for all of GMC’s Georgia offices. Jim is passionate about encouraging personal leadership and growth and providing opportunities for employees to lead and thrive.

An active member of the community, Jim is engaged in many organizations including being named the Greater North Fulton Chamber Board Member of the Year and a Regional Leadership Institute Class of 2019 graduate. He is also a member of the Junior Achievement of Georgia Board of Directors, Economic Development Association of Georgia, Association of County Commissioners of Georgia, Georgia Municipal Association, Georgia Rural Water Association, Georgia Association of Water Professionals and Association for Learning Environments.

He graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, master’s degree in building construction and a minor in community planning.

North American Properties Atlanta

Since North American Properties’ inception almost 70 years ago, they have developed, managed, and invested in a diverse array of real estate projects so communities can thrive. This is the core of who they are and what they do.

More recently, North American Properties has diversified by investing in and partnering with portfolio companies, often from their inception.

Their real estate expertise, backed by deep operational experience, allows them to dream a little bit bolder through the investment they make in their projects.

They believe in what they do and know they have what it takes to succeed. Though they have many institutional partners, they always lead with capital first.

Courageous visions demand strong execution. They anticipate obstacles and find creative solutions, resulting in positive outcomes for the communities they serve.

Website | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram

Tim Perry, Managing Partner, North American Properties Atlanta and Chairman of the True North 400 CID Board of Directors

Tim Perry is passionate about the power of community building and all the ingredients needed to create a great place: walkability, connectivity, hospitality, street-level energy, events and the right mix of uses. He deeply believes that fixing high-potential-but-challenged mixed-use developments or bringing new experience through additional neighborhood density is the best way North American Properties can give communities the great places they deserve.

As Managing Partner, Tim is responsible for advancing North American Properties’ value-add acquisitions and redevelopment program and adding to the firm’s portfolio of commercial properties.

Tim Perry has driven North American Properties’ acquisition strategy for over a decade ultimately serving as North American Properties’ Vice President of Acquisitions in 2009, Director of Investments in 2012 and Chief Investment Officer in 2015. He previously led the acquisition, due diligence, capitalization and disposition teams for landmark communities Atlantic Station, Colony Square, Newport on the Levee, and Avalon; capitalization of the transformational development of Stadium Centre in Tallahassee; and the debt/venture capitalization of over 35 projects in excess of $2.5 billion of total value.

Tim holds a degree in Business Administration from Rhodes College. He is a licensed real estate Broker in Georgia, a member of Urban Land Institute, and a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers. In addition, Tim is on the Board of Directors for the North Fulton Community Improvement Districts, the Advisory Board for Rehabilitation Enables Dreams (RED), and several committees encouraging smart development and increased public transit. He resides in Johns Creek, Georgia, with his wife and children.

About GNFCC and The GNFCC 400 Insider

**Kali Boatright, President and CEO of GNFCC**

The GNFCC 400 Insider is presented by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC) and is hosted by Kali Boatright, President and CEO of GNFCC. The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit, member-driven organization comprised of over 1400 business enterprises, civic organizations, educational institutions, and individuals. Their service area includes Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Roswell and Sandy Springs. GNFCC is the leading voice on economic development, business growth and quality of life issues in North Fulton County.

The GNFCC promotes the interests of our members by assuming a leadership role in making North Fulton an excellent place to work, live, play and stay. They provide one voice for all local businesses to influence decision-makers, recommend legislation, and protect the valuable resources that make North Fulton a popular place to live.

For more information on GNFCC and its North Fulton County service area, follow this link or call (770) 993-8806. For more information on GNFCC events, follow this link.

For the complete show archive of GNFCC 400 Insider, go to GNFCC400Insider.com. The GNFCC 400 Insider is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

John Sewell, CKS Packaging

October 19, 2023 by John Ray

Executive Perspective

John Sewell, CKS Packaging

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John Sewell, CKS Packaging

John Sewell, CEO of CKS Packaging, a successful and longstanding family business, joined host Danny Vander Maten on this edition of Executive Perspective. They discussed CKS Packaging’s history, their success as a family-owned business, their commitment to relationships, their second chance program for employees, and their philanthropic efforts, Maximum Impact Love. John told several stories highlighting the success he owed to the family’s unwavering faith and dedication to Christian values.

Executive Perspective is broadcast and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

CKS Packaging

CKS Packaging is a privately owned manufacturer and supplier of rigid plastic packaging with 24 locations in the United States, headquartered in Atlanta.

CKS Packaging’s business is the marketing, sales, and manufacturing of quality plastic containers utilizing environmentally friendly raw materials, maintaining high ethical standards honoring the covenant to support Christian-based ministries from the profits generated through the business.

CKS provides containers for a variety of consumer goods and industrial products including: Food Beverage Health and Beauty Personal Care Automotive Medical Chemicals and Solutions With over 50 years of experience in the plastics manufacturing business, CKS Packaging has acquired the product design and technical expertise that has made us the industry leader for innovative and cost-effective solutions for most any packaging and branding solutions.

They have been chosen to provide products for: Beverage Companies, Food Packaging Companies, Dairies, Fast Food Chains, Food Service Industry, Grocery Stores, Home Improvement Stores, Automotive Supply Stores, and Cosmetics Companies.

CKS Packaging, Inc. is a family-owned plastic container manufacturing company with its home office headquartered in Atlanta Georgia. CKS stands for Charles K. Sewell, who has become a legend in the plastic container blow-molding arena. He began in the plastic business in the mid-1960s. He was honored to be named the first recipient of the Society of Plastic Engineers Lifetime Achievement Award. is an industry leader in custom bottle design.

CKS Packaging introduced the Second Chance Program in 2016 with the goal of hiring people who otherwise might struggle to find employment. Specifically, the program focuses on hiring previously incarcerated people, homeless individuals, and people recovering from drug addictions. To recruit candidates to this program, CKS Packaging partners with community organizations for referrals. Since the inception of the program, hundreds of people have been hired successfully. Employees have moved up in the company or found better positions elsewhere. CKS now employs almost 10 % of their workforce as Second Chance employees.

Additionally, many Second Chance employees have escaped the cycles of poverty, crime, and addiction. CKS Packaging has also been positively impacted since they now have a loyal, hard-working group of employees who otherwise would not have been found. Since people who previously were incarcerated or relied on social support programs now have employment and some financial independence, taxpayers also end up paying less to help these individuals.

Company website | LinkedIn

John Sewell, CEO, CKS Packaging

John Sewell is CEO of CKS Packaging, a privately-held family run business based in Atlanta, Georgia. John’s father Charles started CKS Packaging in 1985. But Charles started his first packaging business in the sixties and sold it in the early 80s. It was this company that John went to work for right out of college.

When CKS was founded, John went to work for his father and never left. In 2000 John became President and then CEO. It’s a fourth-generation manufacturing business now doing more than 750 million in business.

About Executive Perspective

Executive Perspective features executives and business leaders from a wide variety of sectors. Host Danny Vander Maten and his guests cover industry trends, insights, challenges, success strategies and lessons learned. Executive Perspective is underwritten and presented by Cresa. The show series is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® and can be found on all the major podcast apps. A complete show archive can be found here.

Executive Perspective

Danny joined Cresa in the Spring of 2016 and brought a diverse background with nearly 10 years of experience in finance, business operations, and strategy to his client’s real estate transactions.

At Cresa, Danny’s primary responsibilities include strategic planning, lease analysis, negotiations, and cost mitigation. As a registered Certified Public Accountant with an active license in the state of Georgia, Danny provides unique financial insight into every critical aspect of the transaction.

Cresa is the world’s most trusted occupier-centric commercial real estate firm. They strategize for the best possible results for occupiers everywhere. Cresa thinks beyond space. Partner without conflict. And apply their integrated expertise to make your business better.

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