Featuring Business Radio Interviews with Executives and Entrepreneurs from our Sandy Springs Studio
Atlanta Business Radio
Ashish Thakur with TiE Atlanta
Special Edition: Georgia Society of CPAs
Meeting Pros Radio
The Doctors Roundtable
Featuring Business Radio Interviews with Executives and Entrepreneurs from our Sandy Springs Studio
Atlanta Business Radio
Ashish Thakur with TiE Atlanta
Special Edition: Georgia Society of CPAs
Meeting Pros Radio
The Doctors Roundtable
Jim Hart/Lightfoot Group LLC 
James “Jim” Hart provides business valuation services for use in business purchases and sales, estate and gift tax purposes, and litigation, such as stockholder disputes and divorce. Jim and Lightfoot Group also perform financial investigations, fraud examinations and internal investigations. Additionally, they prepare commercial damages and lost profits analyses, and provide bankruptcy / insolvency services. Jim regularly serves as a court-appointed receiver, auditor, and special master.
Jim is a past Chair of the Georgia Society of CPAs Forensic and Valuation Services Section and a past Chair of the Georgia Society of CPAs Litigation Advisory Services Committee. He is also a past President, Treasurer and Emeritus Board Member of the Atlanta Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. He has received the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners 20-year pin. His American Institute of CPA affiliations include: CFF Champion, 2013 CFF Champion of the Year, CPA Ambassador, former ABV Mentor, and member of the CFF Credential Exam Development Task Force.
Jim has taught business valuation, fraud and bankruptcy courses for national and local conferences sponsored by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors (AIRA), the Georgia Society of CPAs and the Georgia Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE).
Joel Pascaner/Stephen M. Berman & Associates
Joel L. Pascaner is a tax partner specializing in high net worth individuals, privately held entities, partnerships, S corporations, estates and trusts, not-for-profit organizations, and state and local tax matters. He also has extensive experience representing taxpayers before the IRS as well as numerous other taxing jurisdictions.
Joel is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, and The Leaderhship Team of the Tax Section of the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants. He has been an at-large member of the GSCPA Council. In addition, he has served as the Chairman of the Tax Section of the GSCPA as well as both the Federal Tax Legislation and the Georgia Tax Legislation Subcommittees of the GSCPA Tax Section, where he was involved in the drafting and introduction of proposed legislation. He is also a Past Chairman of the Depreciation Committee and the Tax Accounting Problems Committee of the NYSSCPA. Mr. Pascaner was a member of the GSCPA 2006 Tax Forum Planning Committee and served as Moderator at the Forum’s Luncheons with Georgia Tax Commissioner Bart Graham. He was awarded “2006 Distinguished Section Leader” by the GSCPA and served on their Task Force on Employment. Joel is a member of the Atlanta Tax Forum and the Atlanta Estate Planning Council. He is a graduate of the Philanthropic Advisor Leadership Institute and was awarded the “Best in Client Satisfaction Wealth Manager” by Atlanta Magazine for years 2009, 2010, and 2011.
Joel has authored numerous articles in professional and industry publications including the CPA Journal and the Taxation for Accountants.
He has served on the Board of Directors of the Interfaith Disabilities Network and is currently on the Board of Trustees of Georgia Shakespeare.
Prior to joining Stephen M. Berman & Associates, L.L.C., Joel practiced as a tax professional with Laventhol & Horwath and Peat Marwick.
Joel is a CPA and received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania as well as his Masters of Science in Taxation at the Long Island University.
John Masters, CPA, PC 
John Masters earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1969, followed by his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business in 1975, and finally his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1979. During this period he was employed eight years in the Computer, Aerospace, and Electronics industries. During 1979 he was admitted to the Georgia Bar and received his certificate to practice as a Certified Public Accountant in Georgia and Alabama.
John has been active in professional, civic, and political activities throughout his career. He presently serves on the Georgia Society of Certified Pubic Accountants Professional Ethics Committee, and recently completed his term as Chairman of the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants Tax Section. He has served as a SBA Score/Ace Volunteer Consultant, taught in the Junior Achievement Program and been a Future Business Leaders of America sponsor. He administered the “Call the Expert” on taxation program for 21 years at WGST News Radio where he also appeared as Tax Series Guest/Host. He has participated in various other radio and television tax related programs, testified at administrative hearings including the Georgia Special Council on Taxation, and held positions in other organizations.
John has taught courses at Oglethorpe University, Clayton Junior College (now Clayton State College) and the Becker CPA Review Course. For the last several years he has been an active member of the Dekalb Peachtree Squadron, Georgia Wing, of the Civil Air Patrol where he currently holds the rank of Major, and has been an active member of the Northside Atlanta Jaycees and the Decatur Dekalb Kiwanis Club. His is currently a member of the American Bar Association, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Georgia Bar Association, Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants.
John practices in Atlanta, Georgia principally in the areas of taxation and accounting, taxpayer representation before administrative bodies and tax tribunals, and related fields.
Wilmington Business Radio had a chance to speak with Bob Dorf recently during the CED Tech Venture Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Bob Dorf is likely the second most knowledgeable Customer Development expert on the planet, second only to its developer and Godfather, Steve Blank. Together the two spent nearly two years conceiving, outlining, drafting, rewriting, and revising the global bestseller, The Startup Owner’s Manual, now a business bestseller in the U.S. and many countries around the world.
A serial entrepreneur, Bob left a lucrative broadcasting job at the age of 22 because he had a passion to start his own company, which he did seven times over three decades. Bob’s track record as a founder, as he says: “two home runs, two base hits, and three great tax losses.”
Bob invested in and coached or advised more than two dozen startups over more than a decade. Seven of them IPO’ed, while six went “straight into the toilet.” In all, he says, “an incredible 42 year entrepreneurial education!”
In March, 2012, Bob published The Startup Owner’s Manual: A Step–By–Step Guide to Building a Great Company, along with Steve Blank. Two years of virtually fulltime research and development yielded his magnum opus: 608 page, painstakingly detailed guide is the most comprehensive, rigorous step–by–step roadmap that is guiding startup founders throughout the world. The Owner’s Manual offers parallel Customer Development pathways for companies in the web and mobile channels, as well as traditional physical goods and enterprise software startups; it also includes indepth web marketing tutorials.
Bob travels the world, helping startups, incubators, governments, and established corporations learn how to effectively deploy Customer Development process through speaking, workshops, and in intensive 8-10 week hands-on Startup Boot Camps. His training takes many forms, including speeches, workshops, and hands — on consulting.
He teaches Customer Development and Business Modeling in full-semester and week-long classes at Columbia Business School, where he is an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship, and has led training sessions at Tech de Monterrey, Mexico, Skolkovo Business School in Moscow, and many other places around the world. He’s counseled dozens of nonprofits probono as well, including the legendary Acumen Fund, a sustainable venture fund.
Bob lives in Stamford, Connecticut with his wife, Fran, a writer, therapist and thrice–published novelist. When he’s not speaking, teaching or writing, Bob is often found on his bicycle or his skis. But Bob’s proudest startup of all is daughter Rachel Dorf Gotler a PhD Psychologist who recently made him a grandpa.
Larry Greene/Greene Worldwide Transportation 
Greene Worldwide Transportation has been in business for 25 years. We are a 24/7 transportation company with someone in our office 24 hours a day to help you with your every need. Whether you need leisure, corporate or group transportation, we have a large, late model fleet of sedans,5 passenger suvs, vans, 6,10,14 passenger stretch limousines, 31 passenger minibuses and 56 passenger motor coaches to fit all of your needs.
Candice Crossfield/Meeting Professionals International Georgia Chapter
Candice Crossfield proudly serves as the Manager, Member Services at GEDA. Candice was previously with Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG) and has been instrumental in event coordination and member services while at ECG. Prior to ECG, Candice worked in hospitality sales for the Ritz-Carlton, Monte Carlo Productions and Disney Regional Entertainment.
Candice holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management from Georgia State University. She is the President of Georgia Meeting Professionals International (GaMPI).
A native of Georgia, Candice interests include traveling, music and reading. She has a wonderful little boy, Brantley.
Sharon Lynne Baldwin/Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association 
The Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association is the leading not-for-profit global organization committed to helping women in healthcare, across all areas of functional expertise, achieve their leadership goals at every stage of their career. Its mission is to further the advancement and impact of women in healthcare wordwide.
The first HBA chapter was launched in Atlanta. Today, the HBA serves its expanding membership in a variety of roles and diverse areas while remaining true to its roots to further the advancement and impact of women in healthcare worldwide.
Chris Schroder/Schroder Public Relations 
Schroder Public Relations’ Founder and President Chris Schroder opened his firm’s doors in 2002 coming from the “other side” of the media as a newspaper reporter, editor and publisher for more than 25 years.
Located in the heart of Midtown Atlanta, Schroder PR is a full service communications firm offering a wide range of capabilities designed to help clients achieve their corporate public relations and marketing objectives. We believe the best way to clearly communicate and break through the daily information clutter is through the preservation and telling of compelling stories that are delivered through traditional media and in websites, blogs, videos, eNewsletters and social media.
Today he has built a strong team of experts that include former reporters, veteran public relations executive legends, media relations connoisseurs and social media buffs. Our clients range from multi-million dollar companies to small startup firms. We have clients in a wide range of industries including commercial real estate, law, finance, health care and more.
Gabriela Gonzalez-Lamberson/Latin American Chamber of Commerce 
Brian Easter/Nebo Agency 
Brian is a co-founder and CEO of Nebo, a human-centered digital marketing firm founded in 2004. Under his leadership, Nebo has enjoyed nine straight years of growth, has never laid a single employee off and has won over 100 digital awards in 2012/2013.
Brian is known for being a fierce advocate for the end user, a vocal and avid supporter of animal welfare, and writing and speaking about weighty and controversial subjects. He is an Appalachian State University alumnus and has 15 years of experience in the digital marketing industry. In the beginning stages of his career (or about a millennium in internet time), he even helped organizations optimize for archaic and dinosaur-like platforms such as Alta Vista and Lycos.
An energetic and passionate speaker, Brian has presented at SES, SEMPO, AMA, the INC 5000 Speaker Series and many other industry events. He has also been published in publications such as Ad Age, iMedia, Mobile Marketer and Social Media Today.
Betsy Pickren/Exceleration Partners 
Betsy Pickren is Co-Founder and Executive Coach of Exceleration Partners, a boutique leadership development and executive coaching organization.
Jen Renshaw/KSU Coles College of Business 
Jen has over 20 years of experience in operations, program design, curriculum and training plan development, product development, marketing and launch. She has worked in a variety of industries including education, health & human services, advertising, and consumer products in the U.S. and abroad and has worked in both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. In addition to her work in Executive Education at Coles College, Jen is a freelance business development and marketing consultant for entrepreneurs and start-ups and is actively involved with several promising new ventures. Jen has spent a good part of her career working in higher education. Prior to coming to the Kennesaw State University, Jen served for 8 years as the Associate Director at the Lang Center for Entrepreneurship at Columbia Business School in New York City. Jen holds an MBA with concentrations in Entrepreneurship and Marketing from Kennesaw State University and a BFA in Theater Performance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. A Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native, Jen now lives in Roswell, Georgia with husband and two children.
Sean Cook/ShopVisible 
Sean’s career spans 30 years of innovation, leadership, and providing extraordinary value to businesses, employees, and his local community. In early 2006, Sean co-founded ShopVisible, an award winning SaaS commerce platform. In his role as CEO of ShopVisible, Sean provides the strategic leadership and vision that has propelled the growth and success of both ShopVisible and ShopVisible’s clients. Prior to ShopVisible, Sean held several leadership positions in companies such as Earthlink, BellSouth and iXL.
As the author of Evolving Commerce and as a recognized industry thought leader, Sean has been published in publications such as Forbes, 1to1 Magazine, Internet Retailer and CMO.com. He is also a frequent presenter at events such as IRCE, Shop.org and Online Digital Summit. He takes pride in the recognition that the ShopVisible commerce platform has received through awards such as the SIIA CODiE award for Best Electronic Commerce Solution and takes even greater pride in the recognition of ShopVisible as an organization through awards such as Atlanta’s Best Places to Work. Sean’s entrepreneurial spirit was recently recognized with a top 10 placement as one of Atlanta’s Top Entrepreneurs.
Sean earned his M.B.A. from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School and a Bachelor of Arts from Emory University.
Ashish Thakur/TiE Atlanta 
Ashish Narayan Thakur is a recovering banker, had a failed startup and successful non-profit entrepreneur. Ashish is currently Executive Director at TiE Atlanta, a global non-profit that fosters entrepreneurship through mentoring, networking & education. Ashish has raised over $750k and rose to a chapter rank of #4 from #40 for TiE Atlanta in the past 4 years. Previously, he spent over 12 years in sales and management roles with the globe’s largest financial institutions: Deutshce Bank, Merrill Lynch, Invesco & Bank of America.
Ashish is a board observer on 5 privately held companies and a non-profit, equity investor in the public markets & volunteers his time mentoring at risk youth at Usher’s New Look Foundation, The Nicholas House, Raksha and GA Pacific’s Young Entrepreneurs Atlanta program. He is a past Oglethorpe University Young Alumni Award winner & VP of Career Services on the OU Alumni Board for the past 4 years where he has assisted over 300 OU students in career related mentoring. His hobbies include running, yoga, public speaking, juggling and mentoring youth around the world.
There are more than 12,700 bridges in North Carolina, connecting people and work. Bridges-to-Business (BtoB) features interviews with fascinating people who are helping North Carolina grow and prosper – no matter which bridge they crossed to get here.
Bridges to Business is hosted by Business RadioX® North Carolina’s Ann Revell-Pechar and will air each Friday at 3:30pm EST.
