Spotlight Members
Every industry has its leaders & exceptional people. They lead because they hold themselves to a higher standard. They also have a passion to be the best of the best.
They’re considered exceptional because they go above & beyond where others are not so eager to tread. They’re exceptional because they lead all facets of their lives in an honest & ethical approach.
Below are some of the Spotlight Members that you will find in this group.
| Lee Hagen | ||
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Lee Hagen is a sales professional who has been in the industry for almost 30 years. He excelled as a salesperson for Burroughs and MAI Basic Four and has been in sales management for the last 15 years.Lee is probably best known for his sales training abilities and making it simple to understand what we as salespeople are trying to accomplish at each step of the sales cycle. He has been instrumental in helping a number of Sage partners review their sales practices and made a real difference in teaching partners how to sell.Lee is currently the Executive Vice President of Sales for the MIS Group, the largest Sage partner, based out of Dallas, TX.He is still teaching salespeople how to win.
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| Ed Kless | ||
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Ed joined Sage in July of 2003 and is the senior director of partner development and strategy for North America. He developed and delivers the curriculum for the Sage Consulting Academy, a five-day course designed to educate Sage partners on the art and practice of small business consulting. He also facilitates the Sage Leadership Academy, a yearlong program designed to assist Sage partners develop a continuous process of improvement in their organizations and serves as liaison to the Sage Leadership Academy Alumni Association.Prior to joining Sage, Ed worked with Tipping Point Advisors, an organization dedicated to the growth and development of software implementation partners. Before that, he co-founded Third Wave Business Systems, a Microsoft Dynamics Partner, in 1996, which grew to 20 team members and 5 million in revenue. At Third Wave, Ed developed the implementation, methodology and managed the CRM and ERP consulting teams.Ed is a frequent contributor to industry publication and has spoken at many conferences worldwide on project management, pricing and knowledge workers. He is also active in the Information Technology Alliance (ITA), Toastmasters and is a Senior Fellow at the VeraSage Institute.ed.kless@sage.com / http://sage.com |
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| Joseph Paris Jr. | ||
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Joseph F. Paris Jr. founded XONITEK Corporation as a management and technologies consultancy firm. In his twenty-plus years as President of XONITEK, Paris has set the tempo of success on a global level through his tenacious pursuit of extensive experience and instruction in; Operational Excellence (Lean / Six-Sigma and Leadership), Operations Management Consulting, Supply Chain Management, Operational Due Diligence and Turnarounds, and “Blue Ocean Strategy”.With a drive for enhancing shareholder value and EBITDA, Paris is regularly sought by companies to help analyze and formulate their strategic vision, to design the tactics necessary to achieve their goals, to identify and organize the logistics necessary to support the plan, and to lead the execution phase.Paris is a routine lecturer for professionals and graduate students. In addition to being an Adjunct Professor at the Johnson School of Management at Cornell University – select Graduate level speaking engagements on the application of Operational Excellence include lectures at: the Lally School of Management at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI); the Watson School of Engineering at Binghamton University; and the School of Management at the University at Albany.He has also delivered keynote addresses to the Industrial Congress in Monterrey and in Puebla, Mexico; the University of Spoleto in Umbria, Italy; and the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE). He is also a speaker for Vistage and TEC-Canada and regularly addresses CEO’s on a variety of strategic issues facing corporate leadership today.Paris currently serves on the Board of the Systems Science and Industrial Engineering (SSIE) Department at the Watson School of Engineering at Binghamton University – and also on the Board of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) Process Industries Division (PID). He is an active member of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and the Turnaround Management Association (TMA). http://www.xonitek.com / ParisJF@xonitek.com |
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| Stephen Blythe | ||
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CEO and founder of Blytheco, LLC. OVer 30 years of business software and system design and implementation experience has provided him the insight and experience to help business leaders obtain their business goals. Blythe received his Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Accountancy and Computer Science from Ohio State University.While working for the accounting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers, he focused on small business development, including financial forecasting and modeling. He was recruited to Ernst & Young to lead their small business computer consulting division.While at Ernst & Young, he began working with State of the Art, Inc., an accounting software company that later became Sage, Inc. Blythe started Blytheco in 1980 and developed it into the leading provider and implementer of Sage business management solutions. spb@blytheco.com / http://www.blytheco.com |
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| Karen Smart | ||
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In the Sage community, I am well known for bringing people together and imparting knowledge. I achieve this by hosting the annual pre-conference Sage Insights dinner and through my activities of being an instructor for Sage Software. With an accounting degree from Washburn University of Topeka, KS and dedication to Sage Software with certifications in Sage Accpac, Sage Pro and SageCRM I have been featured as a seminar speaker and have been honored with the Sage’s Presidents Circle and Chairman’s Club emblems since 2006. As a woman of business, I listen, ask questions, listen again and then deliver and accomplish. I am structured for larger projects and like to ensure accuracy and consistency in the process. My goal is to offer the best services to those that need THE BEST.Visit my business website for great success stories from colleagues and my own customers. www.smarte-solutions.com. In February 2009, I received a call from Sage indicating I had one of the highest loyalty ratings out of all partners that participated in the BMD Sage Customer Loyalty project for 2008. I think that tells a story in and of itself.My business is founded with the best interests of our customers and the Sage partners we work with. I truly love to watch our business and the people that work with me evolve and embrace change like no others. I like setting a precedent in our industry with offers like 100% satisfaction or your money back and especially using OPTIONS when creating quotes.We specialize in creating turnkey solutions in the areas of accounting, manufacturing and job cost type industries. Our employees recognize that information is vital for management, and presenting that information in an efficient and easily understood framework is crucial. Not every business manager requires similar tools; what works for a service-based company might be useless for a manufacturer. That’s why we market proven software which we can customize to the client’s individual needs. Our structured protocol for project management, ensure accuracy and consistency in the process and the result. Above all, we are professional people. We’re proud of the work we do, and of the support we have provided to partners and customers alike. Did I mention that we have fun while working too? I know, it’s difficult to think that accountants could have fun. What is also cool, is that our customers are really proud of us too (Don’t forget to read those success stories on our website!). Our goal, is to offer the best possible products and services to enhance your overall business success! If we concentrate on your success, ours will follow. We are here because of the customers we serve, and we never forget that. Without them, we just wouldn’t be there, or here! We are committed to working with other partners on all levels of their business. Please call me today and we can get started on your next project 785-832-0007. “Our mission is your success.” And we stand behind it with…you know what!!!karen@smarte-solutions.com 785.832.0007 / 866.400.0922 x 2666 President, Smart e-Solutions Inc / A Partner of WAC Consulting Group, LLC |
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| John Conkle | ||
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John is the President & CEO of Boardwalk Collaboration, located in San Diego, CA. Boardwalk Collaboration is a web based collaboration tool that consists of Four Applications/One Interface; Manage projects, search for documents, conduct project-driven discussions and revise documents, all from one screen. Boardwalk requires minimal setup and expense, and little or no training, you can start reaping all the benefits of this revolutionary tool instantly!Try out Boardwalk risk-free and discover for yourself how efficient and profitable your collaboration efforts can be. We believe you’ll find Boardwalk one of the best business investment decisions you’ll ever make. info@boardwalkcorp.com / www.boardwalkcollaboration.com |
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| Lauren Foote | ||
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Business Development Director of Scanco LLC works hand-in-hand with the Sage Software Partner channel to cultivate warehouse management opportunities within the partner’s customer and prospect base. Scanco’s cutting edge handheld solutions automate all warehouse processes and give distribution companies the ability to manage the flow of inventory accurately and efficiently. Scanco’s solutions integrate completely with MAS 90/MAS 200 ERP and MAS 500 ERP and are certified by Sage Software as their solution of choice. http://www.scanco.com / lauren@scanco.com |
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| Andrene Dziubinski | ||
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In life I am driven by the joy gained through serving others. From Personal Fitness Training in San Diego, to youth boot camps in the Rocky Mountains, my primary aspiration has always been to positivly impact the well being of as many individuals as possible. Along the way I was also swept into the world of high end fashion, perfecting the art of dressing each unique person to best suit their body & lifestyle. Now I present “Fitness by dZign” an exceptional combination of fitness, nutrition, spirit & style, all coming together to wonderfully transform & create healthy bodies & lives!Andrene operates 3 studios, The Fitness Studio in Solana Beach, Pure Motion Studio in Carmel Ranch & The Sports Center in Rancho Santa Fe.(P) 858.205.3307 / (F) 760.440.9397 fitnessbydzign@yahoo.com / www.fitnessbydZign.com |
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| Mindy Shanes | ||
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Since 1992, Integrant Inc. has served mid-market companies in many industries by building perfect fit software solutions. We have strong expertise in evaluating current workflows and begin down the path to help a company increase their overall efficiency by working together to see where they want to be and then move backwards to find the steps to get there and see what areas there is a gap and how that gap can be filled.Our goal is to bring the many benefits and cost savings of outsourcing to small and medium sized businesses. Our services enable our clients to operate like a large company at a fraction of the cost.I have been employed with Integrant as their National Sales Director for almost two years. I came to the table with almost 20 years of sales experience and an MBA in Information and Decision Systems from San Diego State University.I would love to talk to you about your companies needs, please feel free to contact me at: mindy@integrantinc.com or 858-457-3200 ext. 103. / www.integrantinc.com |
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| Wayne Schulz | ||
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I founded the company in the late 1990′s after spending several years managing the consulting department at two of the top CPA firms.My area of expertise has developed to be Fixed Assets, Practice Management, Time & Billing and Non- Profit Accounting Software.First, we don’t do onesies and twosies. Our firm cannot become an expert in a specific program if we only do one off implementations of that program.Second, stick with market leaders. While there may be more money for consultants to make representing different accounting products – chasing a higher profit on a sale of software is a bad move for most people.Third, there is safety in numbers. It’s not how big your consulting firm is – but how many smart consultants they network with who can help them work through particularly tough problems. We have a tight alliance with over 20 firms across the country. We’ve been supporting all versions of Sage MAS 90 and 200 since 1986 and have been honored by Source Media as one of only 100 Pacesetters for the years 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. The Pacesetter award is presented to a select few consulting firms who have set themselves apart with innovation, leadership and client satisfaction.Located in Glastonbury Connecticut, we provide on-site consulting to all of CT, MA, RI and the NY City and Long Island area. We also have a day rate for travel outside our geographic area. We have clients throughout America including Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon, Texas, Alaska and Rhode Island.We work with both new and existing implementations as well as all add-ons such as Crystal Report Writer, F9, FRX, Starship, etc. Support is provided for all versions of Sage MAS 90 and 200.Our goal is to form partnerships with our clients that last a minimum of 5 years. Therefore we spend time up-front analyzing the needs to make sure that Sage MAS 90 or 200 is an appropriate recommendation and that Schulz Consulting is the appropriate resource.While we work exclusively with Sage MAS 90 and 200, we are familiar with the features and capabilities of QuickBooks, Peachtree, One-Write Plus, Macola, Platinum, Solomon, Real World, Great Plains and Accpac – so we’re able to provide you with information on the pros and cons of each as they compare to MAS90.
Feel free to look around @ http://s-consult.com |
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| Laura Richardson (Hunter) | ||
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One thing that has held true in my life is my enjoyment of all things electronic, particularly software. So I decided to turn a hobby into a paying job (always a wise move) and started work at Sage Construction and Real Estate (CRE), which then was known as Timberline Software. After working there for several years as a top-rated Customer Support Representative, I was able to move into the Marketing department and become a product manager and see how exciting new products are developed.Now I’m enjoying learning about the tactical and strategic decisions involved in building a product from start to finish. I’m working on my MBA to help give me more insight into the strategic part of the business, and to learn more about international business in general. My ultimate goal is to be a good role model for my daughter and to show her how she can earn a good living just by doing the things she loves to do. I also want her to be aware that we live and participate in a global world, and while there’s plenty to do and see in Portland, there’s a huge exciting world out there for her to explore and learn about.If anyone would like to contact me or has questions about Sage CRE, send me an InMail, or e-mail me at oregonian5@comcast.net |
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| Steve Birdwell | ||
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Steve started IncorTech after having spent 10 years in public practice as a CPA, several years as a Corporate controller where he began to master Sage MAS 90 and ultimately transitioned into the world of accounting software implementation and support. Steve is an active Board member of the Inland Empire Small Business Development Center, Sage Software Leadership Academy Alumni and member of the Information Technology Alliance.IncorTech is a leading Sage Software Partner, Intuit QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions Provider and Deltek Vision Partner with a proven track record. Since 1998, we’ve committed to helping businesses succeed by incorporating technology. IncorTech is proud to serve organizations throughout Southern California, The United States and beyond. steveb@incortech.com / www.incortech.com |
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| The Fantastic Crew @ Hall Web Services | ||
| Tom Hall, President & CEO
Tom’s experience in business marketing and management includes the development and sale of the FD Manager line of public safety software as Managing Partner of ACK, Inc. and as current Managing Partner of Global Soundings, LLC, creators of innovative search marketing software. Amanda O’Brien, Vice President of Marketing
Kasi Gajtkowski, Organic Search Manager
Jenika Scott, Manager of Channel Markets
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| Ragava Prasad; Senior Manager – Sales CI.COM (P) Ltd | ||
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“Ragava Prasad, with Masters Degree in Business Administration, is a sales professional having over 14 years of experience in International software sales, Business Development, Brand Building, Devising successful Sales Strategies & in new market identification. He is currently heading the Sales and Business Consulting division in CI.COM, Sage Gold development partner from India. He has built unique models for servicing over 225 clients worldwide by addressing their pain points, by working from his central office in India. He participates in most of the tradeshows organized by Sage worldwide & he loves travelling and meeting clients. His agenda in CI.COM is to make it “The Outsourcing company of Choice from India”. He is a strong supporter of Sage products and loves to work with its Business Partners. He actively participates in many of the Sage forums by offering technical support. One of his client SBI Distribution in Barbados says ” Prasad understands your business enough to carry SME’s to the next-level of operational efficiency in mobilizing the sales-team with the tools needed in the field. Prasad is a very capable individual at what he sells and can be trusted.” (posted in LinkedIn). He can be reached in prasad@ciglobalsolutions.com“If you are calling from US & Canada, you can reach me at: 201-256-6534 Or if you are calling from other countries, you can reach me at: +91-442-446-7048skype: ci_prasad MSN ID: ragpras1@hotmail.come-mail: prasad@ciglobalsolutions.com I work for a cool company: www.ciglobalsolutions.com |
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| Steve Bond – TAG | ||
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TAG OverviewTAG, an employee-owned company, provides a proprietary and unparalleled array of customized, effective and trusted accounting services, business resources and counsel to help entrepreneurial companies and high-net worth individuals with complex needs achieve their business and financial goals.
Based in San Diego and serving clients throughout Southern California, TAG has assembled some of the most skilled talent in the region to serve companies at every stage in their growth and evolution. Its staff includes industry experts and professionals – from staff accountants to CFO’s – who specialize in providing experienced counsel and services to even the most complex situations. Through its proprietary system, the firm becomes a highly-productive and responsive extension of the internal operation of every client it serves, ensuring timely, dependable and cost-effective results. It is also a certified value-added reseller of SAGE software. The firm has a track record of excellent staff retention and client longevity. It has enjoyed long-term and valued relationships with some of the top companies in Southern California, particularly those in the financial services, trust accounting, technology, professional services, manufacturing and the building industries. Some relationships go back to the founding of the company in 1996. TAG Practice Areas:Outsourced Accounting and Financial Consulting Software Consulting and Implementation Services TAG understands that in today’s technology driven business world, accounting and software are intrinsically intertwined. From consulting, to implementation, to training, TAG’s team of experienced advisors work to improve the efficiency and reporting capabilities for our clients through technology. With more than 75 years of combined experience, TAG’s consultants excel in everything from Quickbooks to complex multi-user enterprise systems. TAG is also a Sage Authorized Business Partner. Family CFO By applying a controller-level’s financial insight to managing personal wealth, TAG excels at high-net-worth accounting and financial consulting. The firm aims to simplify its client’s lives through a personalized program that offers a comprehensive platform of services including: vendor management, timely bill payment, banking and credit management, overseeing charitable investments and performance measurement. With the goal of ensuring each client’s peace of mind, TAG is organized to be a responsive resource, providing dependable and consistent results. Steve Bond is the Executive Vice President & one of the Employee Owners of Tag which is located in the heart of San Diego. |
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Tom founded Hall in 1999 and is currently the President and CEO. His responsibilities include business management, strategy and product development.
Originally from Peaks Island, Maine, Amanda headed to the University of New Hampshire to complete a BA in Communications before returning to Maine. Prior to Hall, she maintained the websites of local radio stations and managed e-newsletters for Citadel Broadcasting. Today she manages Hall’s marketing department and is responsible for marketing services including marketing strategy, implementation, fulfillment, training and validation for corporate clients. When she is not speaking at conferences and to business groups about social networking and conversation marketing, she contributes to the company blog, 
Born in Waterville, Maine Kasi Gajtkowski went on to graduate magna cum laude from the University of Southern Maine with a B.A. in Communication in 2001. Upon joining Hall in 2009, she brought her professional experience in market research, customer support, project management and website marketing to Hall’s internet marketing team. Kasi is the leading force behind Hall’s ongoing assessment and adjustment of client websites, and spends her time performing qualitative analysis on search and web analytics data and advising clients on ongoing improvements to their websites. In her free time she spends time with her husband and their two dogs.
After completing a BA in Communications from the University of Maine in 2006, Jenika headed to Walt Disney World Resorts for a seven-month internship. Living and working at Disney provided her with the opportunity to interact with people from around the world, take classes from Disney University, and learn world-class business practices. She has spent the last three years working in the customer service and marketing fields. Jenika manages Hall’s parent channel relationships as well as assists with Hall’s inbound marketing efforts. In her free time she enjoys watching the Sea Dogs, playing with her two Golden Retrievers, and discovering her new found love of sushi.
