Dr. Michael Canic, Ph.D.

Michael Canic is co-founder and principal of Edge Consulting Services, a Denver-based executive consulting firm. Edge's focus: "Making strategy happen!"

Michael has delivered hundreds of invited presentations to business audiences in the U.S., Canada, and overseas. He has published numerous articles and is currently writing a book, "Ruthless Consistency: Aligning your organization to win … or else!"

Michael received a doctorate in the psychology of human performance from the University of British Columbia (UBC). While at UBC he helped coach their football team to three Western finals and a National Championship.

An adventure traveler who has been to more than 30 countries, Michael has canoed in the Amazon, journeyed by camel in the Sahara, trekked the mountains of Northern Pakistan, gone on photo-safari in Southern Africa, and summited at 21,000 feet in the Ecuadorian Andes. He is also a self-described "bookaholic".

Ms. Linda Fareed

Linda attended UCLA and, in 1969 graduated with a degree in history. In 1997, she returned to UCLA’s Anderson School of Business and received her MDE in 1998.

From 1970 through 1974, Linda worked as a Legal Analyst for Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in the field of Antitrust Litigation. From late 1974 through 1978 she worked for Greenberg, Glusker, Fields, Claman, Machtinger & Kinsella LLP in General Litigation.

In 1992, she and Donald Fareed founded Pro Band Sports Industries, Inc. for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing sports medical products designed to treat and prevent repetitive stress injuries of the forearm and knee. Today these devices are sold worldwide.

Dr. Don Fareed, M. D.

Dr. Fareed is an internationally known practicing orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist. In 1992, Pro Band Industries, Inc. was created for purposes of manufacturing and distributing innovative preventative and treatment remedies for Repetitive Stress Injuries associated with the forearm and knee. These unique medically based devices enable the consumer to efficiently and effectively treat oneself. He designed the Band-It and Kneed-It based on over 23 years of clinical observation and treatment of Repetitive Stress Injuries.

Donald is a long time consultant to professional sports teams, members of the Davis Cup and Olympic athletes.

He is currently in practice--Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Specializing in Shoulder, Elbow, and Knee; Santa Barbara, CA 1977-Present

Ms. Maria Fee

Maria is a regular guest speaker at a variety of local, regional, and international professional forums. Her topics are professional and motivational in nature. She is currently co-authoring a book on business leadership styles, which is scheduled for release in 2004.

A serial entrepreneur, she also owns and operates two businesses:

• REMI Properties, L.P. - a company that buys, sells, manages, and invests in real estate.
• Facilitating Strategy - a consulting firm that helps management teams and business owners to articulate, plan, measure, and accomplish their goals.

• Inc500 Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies (listed as #260)
• Ernst & Young Communications Entrepreneur of the Year for Houston
• Top 100 Small Companies of Houston
• Top 50 Woman-Owned Companies of Houston
• Top 50 Woman-Owned Companies of Texas
• Top 10 Fastest-Growing Woman-Owned Companies in Houston
• FastTech 50 (two years)
• Best Places to Work in Houston (nominated)
• YEO Entrepreneur of the Year (Young Entrepreneur’s Organization) (nominated)
• Who’s Who in Executives and Professionals
• Global Top 100 Women in Energy (2004)
• Top 5 Outstanding Young Houstonians (2004)

Ms. Fee is a high-energy, active participant in the community. She is an advisor to eight Boards of Directors such as the University of Houston - Downtown Center for Entrepreneurship and Women's Energy Network. She is also involved in several professional organizations such as World Entrepreneur's Organization (WEO), Technology Executives Club of Houston (TECH), and The Executive Committee (TEC).

Ms. Fee was appointed to the Department of Commerce’s Houston District Export Council (DEC), a community service organization that makes a positive impact on economic development by increasing U.S. exports.

She has also received acknowledgement for her efforts is assisting with the development of The U.N. World Food Programme and the Development of Food Aid.

Michael Frank

Michael has over 25 years of executive management experience. He is the former founding executive and senior vice president for Level (3) Communications (NASDAQ:LVLT). Level (3) operates the world’s first international network optimized end-to-end for IP packet switching technology. Prior to the founding of Level (3), Mr. Frank was the senior vice president of human resources for MFS Communications Company until its sale to WorldCom. He also held senior human resources positions at Disney, the Taco Bell Corporation (a subsidiary of Pepsi Co.) and the Izod Division of General Mills, Inc. Michael holds a BA for Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. He serves on the board of several non-profit organizations (The Hope Center, All Our Kids, and Omaha Rapid Response). He, his wife Robbie and their son live in Leawood, Kansas.

Andrew J. Guinosso

Andrew recently retired in October 2003 after living and working for almost 25 years in Saudi Arabia for the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco). His last position in the company was Director, Management Development; in that role he was responsible for helping to develop the senior leadership team for Saudi Aramco.

Andrew has worked as a management consultant and he served as a Naval Officer in the Civil Engineer Corps with tours of duty in Taiwan and the Republic of Vietnam. He also worked in the Republic of Philippines for three years for the Navy Resale System. He has a BE in Civil Engineering from Villanova University and an MBA in Finance from Santa Clara University.

Andrew’s interests include international travel, dining out with friends, dancing, hiking and jogging, weight-training, Bikram yoga, and Pilates. Andrew is also an avid reader and is proud of his personal library of more than 2,000 books. He is also a collector of carpets, oriental antiques, and other collectibles from the Far East. Andrew has traveled around the world more than 20 times and has visited 40 countries. One of his most memorable trips was a pilgrimage to Santiago de Campostella in northern Spain with two close friends—it was a time to reflect, ponder, and wonder.

After retirement, Andrew has been doing business consulting and personal coaching for the last 10 months. He recently helped start an on-line personal coaching company with a friend and just returned from working with the Bellingham Festival of Music on a strategic review.

Andrew’s guiding principles in life include the following: It is okay to wake up laughing; when the heart speaks take good notes; life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards (Soren Kierkgaard); and, probably of greatest import—life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away. His most immediate life goal is to learn to speak Italian, the language of his heritage. He has a little knowledge of Arabic, Tagalog, and Mandarin Chinese.

Barbie Gummin

Barbie is President and Chief Executive Officer of Promote It International, the twelfth largest promotions agency in Denver, Colorado. Promote It targets active consumers in health clubs and fitness venues nationwide. The company assists consumer packaged goods companies (mostly fortune 100) to achieve incremental sales through well developed and executed fitness promotions while encouraging health conscious consumers to purchase and use products and services that complement their healthy lifestyles. Promote It has been featured in Promo Magazine's top 100 and partners with Fitness Magazine, Shape Magazine, Prevention Magazine and The American Heart Association.

Barbie and her husband Glenn buy, build, lease and sell luxury real estate throughout the country. They enjoy visiting their investments and traveling whenever time allows. Barbie, Glenn and their two children; Molly, sixteen and Skylar, eight live in the majestic sandstone foothills of Morrison Colorado.

Ron Hoefer

Ron is founder and CEO of Milestone Risk Management & Insurance Services.

One might assume we sell insurance. Although we do sell insurance, what we really focus on is helping business owners transform the corporate culture of their companies.

This is accomplished in a consultative manner that enlightens CEOs on the advantages of embracing safety, implementing sound HR practices and providing benefits that support the dreams and aspirations of their employees and families. When a business owner supports the safety and welfare of their employees it is amazing how productivity and profits increase.

Our Company Promise is: We Protect the Promises You Make and the business owners we align with understand the importance of fulfilling the promises they make to their partners, their employees and their family.

The work we do in helping business owners transform their businesses is gratifying work. Insurance is just insurance.

I am married to Karen, who has recently retired from being a HR Director of a large nursery & landscape company and is looking to re-invent the second half of her life. Karen also manages the $$$ at Milestone but is looking to retire from this as well! We reside in Southern California. I have two sons, Eric 29 and John 26. Eric is married to Sarah and they have just made Karen and I grandparents! Karen has one son, Brandon 25. Theatre, music and wine collecting occupy our spare time.

Lewis “Spike” Humer

Lewis “Spike” Humer is a seasoned business executive and consultant with more than twenty-five years of real world, hands-on experience. After working with the Susquehanna Pfaltzagraff Company for almost twenty years in a variety of front-line and executive leadership positions, Mr. Humer has served as a corporate CEO, business and organizational consultant, professional trainer, keynote speaker, seminar leader, and program facilitator.

Spike has recently launched Maximum Performance International, a consulting and training firm that specializes in all aspects of organizational development, performance assessment, corporate restructuring, and training design. Specific applications include strategic planning, management assessment and leadership training, mergers and acquisitions, team building, cash flow consulting, and corporate turnarounds.

Previously, as President and CEO of a public company located in Sacramento, California, Spike designed and implemented a highly successful corporate turnaround and organizational restructuring. During his eighteen-month appointment, Spike built a company team that reinvigorated the image, reputation, and performance of the corporation with a “strategy of significance” and by creating a top-to-bottom culture of service and accountability.

Spike is a Certified Cash Flow Consultant, a new TEC Chair in the Sacramento area, and serves as an executive consultant and advisor to several small-to-midsize enterprises throughout the United States. In addition, he has participated in various other business initiatives including corporate re-engineering, company start-ups, mergers and acquisitions, and raising capital and restructuring cash flows for various business enterprises.

In addition to attending Penn State University and York College of Pennsylvania, Spike is a certified trainer of NLP and a student and teacher of various personal, professional, and organizational development technologies.

Spike met his soul mate, Michele, five years ago and they married in 2000. He has five children ranging between ten and twenty-four years old, and a one year-old granddaughter. He enjoys reading, writing, traveling, cooking, music, attending workshops and seminars, and all forms of exercise. He is passionate about helping others—companies, groups, and individuals. He is committed to life learning, personal growth, and realizing his potential as a husband, father, son, business person, consultant, professional speaker, author, and spiritual being having a human experience.

Cheryl Karpen

To touch a million hearts. This is the spirit of every venture Cheryl Karpen undertakes. It sets the tone for her lively shop in historic downtown Anoka, MN. It energizes her motivational speaking. And it’s present in every book she authors.

Ten years ago Cheryl launched her first store, Something Different, dedicated to inspiring and celebrating women, with a dream and a $1000.00 on hand. Today, about 75,000 guests a year pass through the door of Something Different. Most of them Cheryl knows by name.

Cheryl’s publishing company, Gently Spoken Communications, ships nearly 100,000 copies each year of the wildly successful, Eat Your Peas Collection to stores throughout the United States. Along with related stationary products, there are now nine titles and counting.

A mentor at heart, Cheryl is known as a whole-hearted champion of ideas and dreams others are exploring. The letters and e-mails that follow her from speaking engagement to the next will someday be a book about the power - and imperative - of authentic affirmation. Still following dreams, she currently lives within the hugs-reach of family in Anoka, Minnesota during the summer months and within sight of the ocean each winter.

Dr. Ken Majer
www.majerstrategies.com

Ken's new book, Values-Based Leadership: A Revolutionary Approach to Business Success and Personal Prosperity has just become available and it is already causing a revolutionary stir about recovering America's values (see www.majervalues.com). Perhaps Tom Hill's endorsement on the book jacket says it best: "There is a revolution about to happen in corporate America--a movement to recover business ethics. Dr. Majer may well lead this revolution with this practical book about how to become a values-based leader. Read this book and join the revolution!"

With this book and his planned 12-book Values-Based Leadership series, Ken is focusing on writing and speaking. He is also a TEC Chair and a successful strategic change consultant. He has worked with national and international companies and government agencies designing, facilitating and implementing change initiatives in key strategic and operational areas: strategy, culture, corporate identity and branding, communications and public relations, organization structure, process redesign, technology, eCommerce, education and training, and performance management. His clients have included AT&T, Citibank, GTE, Motorola, Moore Corporation, Navigational Technologies, Pacific Gas & Electric, Sharp HealthCare, State Farm Insurance, Netscape, Intel, the U.S. Government, and many other large and small companies and government agencies.

Ken has several accomplishments some of which are: Invited speaker including two addresses at White House Conferences on the Consumer and the Financial Services Industry—Design and development of a worldwide implementation of strategy for a process redesign/culture change initiative for Navigation Technologies, the premier global developer of electronic information for establishing geographic locations—Strategic communications design and development for Motorola during the turnaround of this $30+ billion company from a product-based, engineering-driven company to a customer-facing, solutions orientation—Executive coaching, vision/mission development, distance learning program design and development, and knowledge management program design and development for implementing an automated sales process for 70,000 agents and staff at State Farm, the world's largest insurance agent workforce.

The Majers live in San Diego, California with the family pets. Ken enjoys tennis, novels, sailing and wine tasting in the Napa, Sonoma, Russian River and Mendocino regions.

Jo Ellen Nash
www.JoellenNash.com

Jo Ellen, “Rainmaker”, President and team leader for Jo Ellen Nash & Company, specializes in luxury real estate sales in the Rocky Mountain resorts of Vail and Beaver Creek Colorado. Her firm is well known for their boutique-style operation, which emphasizes personal service and her team of real estate specialists collectively serves their clients. Jo Ellen has been a Realtor since 1982 and earned her CRS designation in 1989. With more than 1,500 successfully closed transactions and a property sold, on average, every four days, her group does a lot of business and 80% is attributed to repeat and referral clients!

Selected to be a real estate “Star” from over one million agents across North America, Jo Ellen frequently contributes to her profession through speaking, instructing and contributing to articles in many local and national real estate publications. Her award-winning marketing materials are well known in her marketplace and beyond.

Dr. Larry Ohlhauser, MD
www.ohlhauserassociates.com

Whether he is flying jets, consulting large government institutions, speaking publicly to hundreds of people, or hitting a golf ball out of the sand, Larry’s passion for life and adventure is contagious.

Larry is the President and CEO of Ohlhauser & Associates, a consulting firm specializing in healthcare strategy and management consulting. His firm works with large multinationals, corporations and government institutions and his recognized expertise is extensive - from Policy Development to Healthcare Provision, Strategic Planning and Governance.
Larry offers clients a 35,000 foot perspective. His background is extensive and diverse. He began his career with a successful medical practice in Alberta, Canada, before spending 20 years with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, the last 12 years as Registrar/CEO of the College.

Larry sits on the Boards of APEGGA, several Biotechnology Companies, and Canada Health Infoway, a $1.1Billion organization established to accelerate the development of a Pan Canadian Electronic Health Record. He is a "sought after" speaker both nationally and internationally. Larry has a personal passion for helping individuals take responsibility for their own health, by applying proven concepts of goal setting and outcome measurement. Whether it's a quick round of golf, or an intense strategic discussion, you can guarantee that time with Larry is time well spent.

Mary Lu Sanders-Zinser
www.iplawcenter.net

In March, 2003, Mary Lu Sanders-Zinser, attorney, founded the law firm, Intellectual Property Law Center, LLC to help clients avoid problems with intellectual property assets, including international and U.S. trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, website protection, software agreements, licensing and domain names. Previously, as the intellectual property attorney at an eighty attorney firm in St Louis, she counseled the firm’s clients in intellectual property matters.

Mary Lu is a cum laude graduate of St. Louis University School of Law, holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics and formerly developed software.

Mary Lu serves in various capacities in the Missouri Venture Forum; the Lake Saint Louis Ambassadors, the Corporate Counsel Institute, the Missouri Bar, and the Patent, Trademark and Copyright Section of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis. She is also an active member of the Executive Forum, the St. Charles County Bar Association and the St. Louis Publishing Association.

Shortly after dawn on summer mornings, Mary Lu is most likely sking the slalom course at Lake Saint Louis or driving a competition ski boat to pull one of the other skiers through the slalom course.

Whether shooting in Paris or rural Missouri, developing photographs or framinng them, Mary Lu tends to lose herself in her photography. Early one morning on the St. Louis river front she was shooting the St. Louis Arch from “yet another angle”. Engrossed in the shoot, she suddenly noticed she was about to step on a rather large man sleeping on the ground. He did not wake, so she kept shooting.

The very thought of her precious family makes Mary Lu smile. She is abundantly blessed with a large and loving extended family, two terrific daughers and darling sons-in-law.

Mr. Mitch Thrower

Mitch Thrower is a serial entrepreneur and an age group triathlete. Thrower is the author of the upcoming Lyons Press book, “The Attention Deficit Workplace, Winning Strategies for Success in Our Attention-Deficit World.”

Author of the popular monthly “Starting Lines” column in “Triathlete Magazine,” Mitch also was one of the three founders of the software and registration powerhouse -- The Active Network, Inc, (www.active.com) and also of The Active Europe Network, Ltd, (www.activeeurope.com) which operates in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Thrower is currently the CEO of Active Europe, and his company is doing business in 6 languages, in 6 currencies in 27 countries. His initiative and efforts to rapidly consolidate participatory sports registration software companies worldwide, has without any doubt, created the “ticketmaster” of participatory sports -- with his entrepreneurial ideas and initiative attracting over $60 million dollars in Venture investment into the multisport industry.

Thrower is also the Chairman and Founder of The La Jolla Foundation, a foundation whose first initiative is Project Active, (www.projectactive.org) a non-profit program that provides money, mentoring, encouragement and education to areas of world tension, most recently providing soccer balls and jerseys to the children of Iraq.

Thrower is a 13 time Ironman, and recent top ten finisher at the Keohoe Kona Half Ironman. Thrower holds a BA from Saint Lawrence University and an MBA from the University of San Diego. He became a triathlete while cross-training to recover from four complicated knee surgeries in the 90’s - two on each leg.

Thrower’s father was the President of WPIX, (Channel 11 in the NYC tri-state area) Vice President of Sales for NBC, and is known for his creation of New York City’s famous “Yule Log,” a Holiday presentation of a fireplace and music on television. Thrower’s mother was Jacqueline Kennedy’s executive assistant.

Mark A. Zorko

Mark’s background includes international public and private company experience as both a CFO and a CIO for manufacturing, distribution, and high-tech firms. His CFO experience is primarily with growth-oriented businesses, but also includes being recruited into turnaround positions by Boards of Directors of $550 million and $180 million businesses. His experience with a variety of businesses has prepared him to lead a Board’s Audit Committee. He would welcome your suggestions to obtain a Board position

Mark is a Partner with Tatum CFO Partners, LLP, a national firm with 350 CFOs. At Tatum, Mark has been the CFO for a $550 million energy firm and a $75 million equipment leasing firm. He also assisted an $800 million manufacturing firm with a $360 million financing and an operational assessment of a $180 million business in Germany. In addition, Mark assisted a $3.7 billion community bank during its CFO transition and led its Audit Committee through a self-assessment process.

Prior to joining Tatum, Mark gained a broad financial management and information systems background at several companies including as the CFO and CIO for Network Services Co., a $275 million firm, where he developed a financial roll-up structure and plan to initiate the acquisition of regional distribution companies. Before that, Mark was the CFO for Comptronix Corporation, a $180 million NASDAQ firm in a turnaround situation. His responsibilities also included MIS, refinancing the company, and Board of Director recruitment. During a period of growth, from $700 million to $1.4 billion, Mark was the Corp. Controller for Zenith Data Systems, responsible for 240 people in accounting, credit, MIS, and order processing. He also had P & L responsibility for a $125 million distribution operation. While at Honeywell, Inc., Mark developed the base for his international experience while living in Brussels, Belgium, for three years.

Mark began his career with Arthur Andersen. He received his MBA from the University of Minnesota and his BS in Accounting from The Ohio State University. He is a CPA, an advisor to Medspeed, Inc., and the past President of the Financial Executives International, Chicago Chapter, with 740 members. Mark is also a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors and has completed its Director Professionalism program. Mark has also published financial and IT articles and has been a frequent speaker.

Mark is married to Sue, a technical writer, and they have two children. Jennifer graduated from Georgetown and Michigan and works for an int’l aid organization in Wash. DC. Andy is a senior at Purdue. Mark recently joined Opportunity International’s Board of Governors. He also is active with the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation. He enjoys staying active with triathlons, sailing and world travel. Mark completed an Ironman in 2002.