Officers and Directors for Fiscal Year 2007-2008
SMEI Officers and Directors
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Nathalie Roemer, B.A. CME
Chair of the Board
President, Globalview Holdings Ltd.
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Nathalie’s passion for sales and marketing has encompassed various industries from retail to travel and transportation. Her approach to sales and marketing through innovative customer service has led to her success as a strategist in these areas. After graduating from Simon Fraser University with a degree in Communications, Nathalie polished her skills in customer service through the ranks of management at Henry Birks & Sons, a leading Canadian jewelry retailer.
Nathalie later joined Asia 1 Travel Co. as managing director to promote tourism for Indo China in North America. As the exclusive representative for SaigonTourist, the largest government owned hotel and tour operator in Vietnam, Nathalie was instrumental in the design and implementation of strategies for market introduction and penetration throughout North America. Her expertise in travel and the business climate in Vietnam at the time led to clients such as Nike and CBS.
Her combined experience in customer service and travel eventually led to a new opportunity at the Vancouver International Airport. Gateway Valet & Concierge was launched as the premium valet service at the airport. Nathalie was responsible for developing a turnkey operation along with the marketing for this service. Her portfolio expanded to encompass all sales and marketing for parking at the Vancouver International Airport. Nathalie’s parking marketing program is the industry leader and her innovative techniques have been shared with many airports worldwide.
Currently, Nathalie serves as Chair on the Board of SMEI (Sales & Marketing Executives International). Other board positions include the Douglas College Marketing Advisory Board and YVR Golf for Kids.
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Debra Wayt CME
Chair Elect
Debra Wayt has been an active member since 1995. Debra has served her local SMEI Affiliate as Committee Chairman and President. Internationally, she has served as a Regional Vice President on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee, chairing committees overseeing student relations and affiliate relations, and serving as secretary/treasurer. She is currently the SMEI Chair-elect and will begin her term as Chairman of the worldwide organization in July 2008.
Debra Wayt CME is the Senior Vice President of Marketing for the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce in Shreveport, Louisiana. She creates effective sales, marketing and communications programs resulting in sustaining revenues, organizational growth, and staunch support from the northwest Louisiana business community for the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce. In addition to oversight of the Chamber’s programs, she assists the Northwest Louisiana Economic Development Foundation in the area of marketing and customer relations.
Her marketing efforts have earned the Chamber numerous awards, including three Awards of Excellence from the American Chamber of Commerce Executives for organization identity campaigns and helped the Chamber to meet the standards for Accreditation from the U. S. Chamber of Commerce.
Debra is a native of Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, with a bachelor’s degree in business from Northwestern State University. Debra is a graduate of Kim Dawson Studios Commercial Film Acting School in Dallas, Texas and the U. S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management where she received a Certificate in Organization Management from the University of San Diego, California. In 1996, Debra earned the status of a CME, Certified Marketing Executive, from Sales and Marketing Executives International. She is currently pursuing her Certification in Sales Management.
During her 12 years in hospitality sales and marketing, Debra worked in countries such as the Bahamas, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, St. Kitts, and Mexico.
Debra is active in civic and professional organizations, including Past President of the North Louisiana Chapter of the American Society for Training & Development. She serves on the Board of Directors for ReVitalize Philanthropic Foundation founded by neurosurgeon Dr. Ravish Patwardhan. She is the co-chairman of the Shreveport-Bossier Community Renewal WE CARE program and March for Meals campaign for the Caddo Council on Aging and she was recently appointed by the Mayor of Shreveport to serve on the Shreveport Downtown Development Authority.
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Willis Turner CAE CSE
President & Chief Executive Officer
Willis Turner serves as the President & CEO of Sales & Marketing Executives International. Willis is also Executive Director of the SME Foundation for Marketing Education, and President of Old Clayburn Marketing & Management Services Inc.
Willis also volunteers in many capacities and spent 5 years as a director of SMEI Vancouver including 2 years as President. He is a member of the Kaplan University Advisory Board and serves on the National Advisory Board for Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA). Willis received his accreditation as a Certified Sales Executive (CSE®) in September 1999 and Certified Association Executive (CAE) in May 2005. He resides near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada with his wife of 23 years and their 3 children.
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Jim Bruhn CSE
Senior Vice Chair - Membership Development
Regional Director Branch Operations TN/GA
AAA Auto Club South
Nashville Tennessee USA
Jim Bruhn’s current responsibilities include sales & service oversight for 10 offices in his 2-state region stretching from Memphis, TN to Savannah, GA. Each office has sales responsibilities in multiple areas including Membership, Travel, Insurance & Financial Services. AAA Auto Club South is the 4th largest AAA affiliate Club with over 4 million members and AAA has over 50 million members in North America.
Jim started his career with AAA in 1977 prior to graduating from both Linsly Military Institute and West Virginia University. During the past 30-years Jim has advanced his career with AAA through positive sales and sales management results. Jim is a Certified Sales Executive through SMEI and Past President of SMEI NashvilleCurrently, Jim serves as a member on 2 additional boards with Tennessee Operation Lifesaver (TNOL) and SMEI Nashville.
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Gregg Frederick CSE
Senior Vice Chair - Student Liaison
Windermere, FL
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Jeffery Jackson CSE
Senior Vice Chair - e-Chapter
Corporate Accounts Manager
Tonnage Gases Equipment & Energy
Air Products & Chemicals, Inc
Trexlertown, PA
Mr. Jackson was named corporate account manager within Air Products’ Tonnage Gases, Equipment and Energy division in January 2006. In this position, he is principally responsible for corporate account relationships with key customers in North America, as well as for supporting account team activity globally.
Mr. Jackson joined Air Products in 1979 as a project engineer in the company’s Chemicals Group. In 1981 he joined the corporate purchasing department where he served as operations, research and custom chemical services manager. Mr. Jackson subsequently held various product, account and marketing management positions within the company’s Industrial Chemicals Division before being named regional sales manager, Gulf Coast for the Division. In 2000 Mr. Jackson relocated to the company’s industrial gas office in Houston where he was named merchant business and sales manager for Energy and Process Industries.
Mr. Jackson has been recognized numerous times for distinguished performance at Air Products, including three-time Salesman of the Year, the Chairman’s Sales Achievement Award, and three Product Management Quality Awards. He is a member of the Air Products President’s Circle.
In addition, Jeff has received client recognition as Sales Person of the Year and Supplier of The Year. Jeff received his Certified Sales Executive (CSE) designation from SMEI in September 2007.
Mr. Jackson was born in Phenix City, Ala. He received a degree in mechanical engineering from Tulane University in 1976. He serves on the board for Sales & Marketing Executives International as a Senior Vice Chair for the e-Chapter.
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Peter Pollak CME
Senior Vice Chair - Affiliate/Chapter Relations
Schenectady New York
USA
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Rick McLaughlin CME CSE
Senior Vice Chair - Certification
Grand Prairie Texas
USA 37 years of enjoying the building material supply business. From unloading box cars of lumber to leading a $40 million dollar roofing distribution business my life has been blessed. My motto is “Work Hard, Play Hard and Most of all Make a Profit! I am a certification advocate and believe that learning is a continuum that we must help foster for today and our future leaders.
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Kristie Fairley
Director at Large
Hattiesburg, MS
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Colleen Francis
Director at Large
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
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Wayne Richie
Director at Large
Little Rock, AR
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Mary Tricaso CSE
Director at Large
Director of Sales
Akron/Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau
Akron, OH, USA
Mary Tricaso, CSE is Director of Sales for the Akron/Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau. Mary has been a member of Sales & Marketing Executives of Akron since 2001, the Ohio Society of Association Executives since June of 2001, and a member of the Society of Government Meeting Professionals since July of 2005; Tricaso began her career working in sales at the Holiday Inn in 1986 and has spent the last twenty years in hospitality sales in Stark, Medina and Summit County.
A University of Akron graduate in Sales and Marketing, Tricaso has spent her entire career in her chosen field: sales. It was in September of 2005 when Tricaso received her Certified Sales Executive Certificate through SMEI (Sales & Marketing Executives International.) As an extension of her interest in this field, she served as the president of SMEI/Akron Affiliate January 2005 -December 2006. She also serves on the Executive Advisory Board for The University of Akron Fisher Institute for Professional Selling, October 2006 – to present. Tricaso travels to Columbus monthly calling on trade associations and government meeting planners to encourage them to bring their conventions, conferences and meetings to the Akron/Summit County area. In addition, she travels to other locations throughout the U.S. to promote Akron/Summit County as a convention destination. Mary was born and raised in the Greater Akron area so; she is not only strongly committed to her profession, but very enthusiastic in promoting the Summit County area for conventions and tourism.
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Jack Criswell CSE
Chairman Emeritus
Brecksville Ohio
USA
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Don Covington, Jr. CSE
Director Emeritus
Sudlersville Maryland USA
Don K. Covington, Jr. CSE has attended every SMEI Annual Conference since 1948 with the exception of 1951, when he was in the hospital recovering from an airplane crash. In 1948 he joined the Sales Executives Council of Baltimore, affiliated with SMEI, where he served as President 1958-59 and was elected Honorary Member in 1968. Don has been a continuous member of SMEI Board of Directors since 1960 and currently serves as Director Emeritus. Don is Chairman Emeritus of The Harbor Sales Company, Sudlersville, MD, USA.
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Melissa Medley CME
Chair, Certified Marketing and Sales Professionals
Madison, MS
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