Chuck Wolf/Chuck Wolf’s Photo Design Bar
Wolf first worked at a Washington DC Ritz Camera store owned by his uncle Ed Ritz. In 1974, he traded in stock in the company for nine stores. That chain grew until in 1997, Wolf opened its 300th store. In 1998, Wolf acquired the 449 Fox Photo Stores from Eastman Kodak, making Wolf Camera the second largest specialty retail camera chain in the country, he says, next to Wolf’s Uncle’s Ritz Camera, which was then led by his first cousin, David Ritz. In 2001, he sold to Ritz Camera.
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Mike Blake/Habif, Arogeti & Wynne, LLP
Michael Blake is Director of Valuation Services at Habif, Arogeti & Wynne, LLP. He has fifteen years of valuation experience, with particular expertise in mergers & acquisitions, dispute resolution, intellectual property matters, and exotic securities and derivatives valuation. Michael’s professional background is transaction focused, with long tenures in the venture capital and investment banking industries. Michael has considerable experience working with companies in the U.S. and abroad, most notably Russia, Israel, Belarus, and Ukraine. Michael has performed and managed hundreds of valuations for transactions, and audit and tax compliance and served as expert witness in intellectual property, securities, and other financial matters. Michael has expertise working with professional services, financial institutions, alternative energy, aerospace, information technology, biotechnology, restaurants, paper and timber, and real estate management companies. Michael received his Bachelor’s Degree, Cum Laude, in Economics and French from Franklin & Marshall College and his Masters of Business Administration Degree from Georgetown University. Michael is the co-founder and president of StartupLounge.com, a not-for-profit organization that supports the venture community in Georgia. He was a Nominee Finalist for the 2009 Turknett Foundation Leadership Character Award and a Nominee Finalist for the 2009 TechAmerica Spirit of Endeavor Award. Michael was named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2009 Up and Comers List for the top 40 executives under the age of 40 and is a graduate of the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2014. Michael’s professional and academic affiliations include: Chartered Financial Analyst Institute Atlanta CPA Society American Finance Association Phi Beta Kappa American Society of Appraisers Institute of Business Appraisers Georgia Tech/Emory TI:GER Advisory Board Ukrainian-American Chamber of Commerce Mike Lives with his wife and 2 sons in Chamblee and plays keyboards and vocals for a rock cover band, Kickin Off the Coverz.
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Justin Owen/Owen Security Solutions
Second generation owner of Owen Security Solutions. Rose up in the company with a stint in outside sales in 2001. In 2003 became sales manager started building his own sales team. In 2008 became President and partner with Gary Owen and has been running all day to day operations since that time.
Owen Security was founded in 1973 on principles of honesty, integrity and servicing others.
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Reo Oravec/Pilot House Advisors
Reo Oravec comes with 32 years as a trusted advisor to clients. He started his career with Anderson Consulting in Europe where he attended the University of Oxford for an MBA. He returned to the US to run the West coast branch of Anderson and was hired as a CIO for a DOT COM client, which he took public. Reo has spent over a decade in various VP roles for a global consulting company helping a broad range of businesses from startups to F100 companies. As CEO of Pilothouse Advisors, he currently leads the business strategy efforts that focus on customer’s high growth and innovation execution. Reo has a vast experience with SMEs from all aspects of business operations, and, today, he will uncover their origins and usefulness in today’s challenging environment. Optional: Reo holds certifications in project management from Stanford University, business intelligence from TDWI, and is a certified outsourcing executive from IAOP. He’s the author of an upcoming book on effective business processes and revenue generation titled “Sales Best Practices.” In Atlanta, he is involved in TAG, ASP, AICPA, IIBA, the AQAA, and is a fund raiser for SOGA, the Salvation Army Bed and Bread program, Feed America, and the Wounded Warrior Project.
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Holland “Dutch” Earle/Executive Strategies Inc
Dutch Earle is the Founder and Managing Director of Executive Strategies, Inc. Established in 1994, ESI provides search, coaching, and other talent management services to help organizations find and develop top talent. Dutch held executive roles within large and Fortune 500 organizations. He started his career with NCR Corporation in human resources and then joined RCA Corporation, where he progressed through a series of management positions in labor relations, compensation, employment and organizational development. Next, for Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, he led corporate staffing and organizational development and established a temporary services business. Preceding ESI, he was the Vice President, Human Resources for ADP National Accounts where he developed and led human resources strategy for the organization. His broad business expertise and client centric consultative approach has positioned Dutch as a value added resource for his clients. He leverages his management skills across multiple service offerings – search, coaching and talent management. Dutch has managed hundreds of searches throughout the country across numerous disciplines and has delivered a customized range of corporate leadership and executive coaching programs. Additionally, he is a partner in a career coaching and resume services business that serves companies and individuals. Dutch earned his undergraduate degree from Pennsylvania State University and holds a Masters in Industrial Relations from Saint Francis University. Dutch leverages his time and talents with outdoor oriented organizations and other community philanthropic organizations. He is a member of Roswell Rotary, on the Board of the Chattahoochee Nature Center and is past president of a local chapter of Trout Unlimited. Dutch frequently speaks to executive and civic gatherings on business strategy, executive management, life management principles and entrepreneurship. Dutch and his wife Kathy reside in Roswell, Georgia.