Hilary Laney is the President of Evia, Inc (formerly Tri-Digital). She has been at Evia for over 12 years, and she has held the position of president for nearly three years. During her time as President, she has been responsible for the growth of the company from 11 employees to over 35 today, and revenue growth 71%. Hilary has achieved this by anticipating clients needs and expectations for the future and working closely with her team to develop innovative solutions. Most recently, she has overseen the launch of Evia’s first product, a self-managed virtual events platform, as well as the first-ever rebranding of the 23-year-old company.
Hilary knows that every organization has a story to tell to their employees, partners, and customers. In a virtual world, these stories can be told through videos, social posts, blogs, infographics, and on and on. The problem most companies are faced with today, is there are TOO MANY options for releasing content to their audience, so it often feels disconnected. This is where Hilary and her team at Evia have made an impact. They are experts in sharing the stories of their customers, and she embodies the company’s mission: to unify people through access to relevant content.
Hilary has applied her talents to philanthropic efforts as well. She is always keeping her eyes and ears open to the community around her so she can work with them to help achieve their goals rather than simply donating checks. A few of the organizations she is most committed to are: Friends of Youth, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, TEDxSeattle, and the Museum of History And Industry (MOHAI), where she is a candidate to join the Board of Trustees.
Larry Ransom is founder and president of The Synergy Network and Brain on Future. He earned his master’s degree in applied behavioral science from Bastyr University. Larry worked for over 10 years with Jim Bergquist, founder, and president of bizFuture’s Consulting Company, coaches to the world-famous Pike Place Fish Market.
Larry has worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies, including Microsoft, Starbucks, Hallmark, and more, providing his expertise as a trainer and coach in building high-performance cultures and teams. His clients also include a number of high-profile individuals such as a Platinum Recording Artist, an Emmy Award Winning Director, and a National Best Selling Author.
Larry’s passion is to empower individuals to take responsibility for their passionate purpose and creativity, so they can produce results beyond what they might normally imagine. Larry believes in the concept of ownership mindset where each team member not only takes ownership for his/her individual role within the team but also takes ownership of the overall success of the organization.
Once team members have been given the tools and strategies to tap into their power and passion, Larry gives them the opportunity to invest and commit themselves as a member of the team and to take a stand for the overall objectives and vision of the organization.
Larry’s focus is to produce results you can measure. Larry’s technology for aligning, engaging and inspiring your team equates to results that you can see.
Jonathan Martin was born in California but raised in Auburn, Washington. He graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and started coolblueweb from his basement in 2009. He loves getting to see the impact of his work in the community and enjoys the hard-working, fun-loving culture at the company office. When he isn’t at the office, Jonathan can be found rock climbing or spending time with his wife, two daughters, and son. His favorite Seattle landmark is Alki Beach.
Michael Hauge works with people who want to change more lives and make more money, by telling better stories. He is one of Hollywood’s top story experts, script consultants, and authors. He now uses the principles of blockbuster storytelling to help entrepreneurs, consultants, and business leaders with their speeches, articles, and marketing emails. Michael has presented seminars, lectures, and keynotes in person and online to more than 70,000 participants worldwide. According to Will Smith, No one is better than Michael Hauge at finding what is most authentic in every moment of a story.
Randy is a Principal at The Spur Group and a leader in executive communications and staffing practices. He has over 20 years of experience in the consulting industry.
He has written internal & external communications, developed presentations & speeches and created communication plans for many executives at clients including Microsoft, Cisco, Nokia and Juniper Networks. In addition to the communications experience, he has led large team projects for the clients I just named as well. Excellent training and management of his teams have led to the development of a practice line of placing highly talented, highly skilled people in fast-paced environments with great results.
The Spur Group has been recognized for its culture and investment in people in magazines such as Seattle Business Magazine for the last three years.
Valerie McMurray, President/CEO of NorthStar Consulting Group, has 25 plus years of human capital management experience with leadership roles in human resources, organizational and leadership development, coaching, and training. She has held strategic HR positions in the financial industries, professional services, manufacturing, and distribution. Valerie has an extensive background in the development of innovative human capital management programs and leading cultural change emphasizing collaboration and effective employee engagement initiatives. As President/CEO of NorthStar Consulting Group, Valerie works with individuals and organizations to expand capability and capacity with innovative human capital management initiatives building on the strengths of clients to move toward their greatest potential. As a board certified executive coach she works with profit and nonprofit leaders and managers to coach them in leadership, professional development, and career transformation.
Ryan Neal is a seasoned investor, director, and advisor with more than ten years of experience in collaborating with the owners and managers of private companies to increase their value. Ryan is the President and co-founder of Blueprint Consulting Services, LLC. He also is an active member of the Seattle chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization.
Blueprint Consulting Services is Washington State’s fastest-growing private company for 2015 and 2016 by Puget Sound Business Journal. They’ve also won Best Company to Work For by Puget Sound Business Journal and Seattle Business Magazine.
Kelly Hatfield is co-founder of Enginuity Advantage, Advantage Staffing Group, Enginuity Virtual Recruiter and Impact Real Estate Real Estate Group based in Everett, Washington. She has been in the recruiting and HR field for over 20-years and loves serving others. Kelly and her business partner have built three successful companies with the purpose of helping others succeed and delivering remarkable results. Kelly and her team strategically align themselves as “The Partner of Choice” with clients and strive to be the first place clients call when they are looking for extraordinary service, quality, and reliability. The resulting outcome has been an outstanding referral network that has built and continues to build their companies.
As Co-Founder and Owner of Enginuity Advantage, Advantage Staffing Group and Enginuity Virtual Recruiter, April (together with her amazing partner) has created and developed three successful businesses aimed at matching exceptional talent with the top organizations. With 17 years in the human resources and staffing realm, April has experience, knowledge and a love for people and aims to offer solutions to all who are served. Being a natural problem solver, she prides herself on developing and leading a team of recruiting professionals whose mission is focused on connecting people to opportunity. Through creative and exhaustive methods, the Enginuity Group successfully matches the right talent with the right businesses each and every day.
Ray is the Managing Principal and leader of The Spur Group, Inc, a business consulting firm. He brings over 30 years of experience to Spur’s consulting business. As the leader of Spur’s communications and operations practices, Ray is responsible for developing and delivering offerings that drive organizational impact and business attainment. Prior to founding The Spur Group, Ray was the Managing Principal of Touch Business Consulting where he grew the business to a nationally recognized consulting firm.
The Spur Group won several awards in 2016 from the likes of Inc Magazine, Consulting Magazine, and Seattle Business Magazine.
Kelly Hatfield is co-founder of Enginuity Advantage, Advantage Staffing Group, Enginuity Virtual Recruiter and Impact Real Estate Real Estate Group based in Everett, Washington. She has been in the recruiting and HR field for over 20-years and loves serving others. Kelly and her business partner have built three successful companies with the purpose of helping others succeed and delivering remarkable results. Kelly and her team strategically align themselves as “The Partner of Choice” with clients and strive to be the first place clients call when they are looking for extraordinary service, quality, and reliability. The resulting outcome has been an outstanding referral network that has built and continues to build their companies.
As Co-Founder and Owner of Enginuity Advantage, Advantage Staffing Group and Enginuity Virtual Recruiter, April (together with her amazing partner) has created and developed three successful businesses aimed at matching exceptional talent with the top organizations. With 17 years in the human resources and staffing realm, April has experience, knowledge and a love for people and aims to offer solutions to all who are served. Being a natural problem solver, she prides herself on developing and leading a team of recruiting professionals whose mission is focused on connecting people to opportunity. Through creative and exhaustive methods, the Enginuity Group successfully matches the right talent with the right businesses each and every day.
Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert and the Chief Amazement Officer of Shepard Presentations. He is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and has been inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame for lifetime achievement in the speaking profession. Shep works with companies and organizations who want to build loyal relationships with their customers and employees. His articles have been read in hundreds of publications, and he is the author of Moments of Magic®, The Loyal Customer, The Cult of the Customer, The Amazement Revolution and Amaze Every Customer Every Time. He is also the creator of The Customer Focus™, a customer service training program which helps clients develop a customer service culture and loyalty mindset.
In 1983 Shep founded Shepard Presentations and since then has worked with hundreds of clients ranging from Fortune 100 size organizations to companies with less than 50 employees. Shep Hyken’s most requested programs focus on customer service, customer loyalty, internal service, customer relations and the customer experience. He is known for his high-energy presentations, which combine important information with entertainment (humor and magic) to create exciting programs for his audiences.
Menlo Innovations CEO Rich Sheridan had the all-consuming thought during a difficult mid-career in the chaotic technology industry that things can be better. Much better. He had to find a way. His search led him to books, authors, and history, including recalling childhood visits to Greenfield Village every summer. The excitement of the Edison Menlo Park New Jersey Lab served as his siren call to create a workplace filled with camaraderie, human energy, creativity, and productivity.
Ultimately, Rich and his co-founder James Goebel invented their own company in 2001 to “end human suffering in the world as it relates to technology” by returning joy to one of the most unique endeavors mankind has ever undertaken: the invention of software.
Their unique approach to custom software design, they named it High-tech Anthropology® has produced custom software that delights users rather than frustrating them. The programming team creates the software that works every day without the emergencies that are all too common in the tech industry. The process itself is so interesting that almost 4,000 people a year travel from around the world just to see how they do it. Many spend a week or more studying “The Menlo Way” being taught by the Menlonians who love to share their experience and knowledge.
Craig Cody is a Certified Tax Coach, Certified Public Accountant, Business Owner and Former New York City Police Officer with 17 years experience on the Force. In addition to being a Certified Public Accountant for the past 15 years, he is also a Certified Tax Coach. As a Certified Tax Coach, Craig belongs to a select group of tax practitioners throughout the country who undergo extensive training and continued education on various tax planning techniques and strategies to become, as well as remain, certified. With this organization, Craig has co-authored an Amazon best seller book, Secrets of a Tax-Free Life.
Michele Stuart graduated with a Masters in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (IEOR) from Va. Tech. She has performed improvement projects using Lean/6 Sigma tools, advanced analytics and simulation for 40 years concentrating on Healthcare organizations over the past nine. Since 1994, as President and founder of Efficiency Engineers, she and her staff have been bringing together the expertise and experience of internal teams utilizing the Lean/6 Sigma tools for sustained meaningful change. Whether the organization is a single hospital/physician office or a network of over 20 hospitals, Lean/6 Sigma teams under Michele’s facilitation have not only made the patient experience better, but better the clinical outcomes and the organization work more effectively.
As a Project Management Professional, PMP, Michele also provides expertise in keeping her projects on time and on budget. To ensure that her expertise remains fresh, she also has and continues to teach PM, Lean/6Sigma, and IEOR courses through various universities including Lehigh, Penn State, and DeSales University. Mentorship and expansion of learning are a cornerstone to her management style as well. Customers enjoy the empowerment of expanding their staffs capabilities whenever Efficiency Engineers joins them as a partner in projects.
Involved in the financial planning profession since 1979, Lynn Evans was the first person in Northeast Pennsylvania to earn the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation. She is a graduate of Cedar Crest College, Allentown, PA and has over three decades of experience in financial planning. She is the founder and president of Northeastern Financial Consultants, Inc., a fee-only financial life planning firm in Clarks Summit, PA.
Named by the Governor of PA as one of the Top 50 Best Women in Business, Lynn maintains memberships in the Financial Planning Association, the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, and is one of the founders of the Northeast PA Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners.
Lynn is a Founder and former Board Member of the Women’s Resource Center, Inc., a domestic violence shelter, a member of the President’s Advisory Board of Keystone College, and served as a volunteer with the United Way of Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties.
Lynn is also the author of a recently published book, Power of the Purse, Fear-Free Finances for Baby Boomer Women, available on amazon.com, and is the host of Power of the Purse Podcast, on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play.
Amy Anderson is the creator of Transformative Writing for Non-Writers, founder of Anderson Content Consulting LLC, and former senior editor of SUCCESS magazine. She’s an Emmy Award-winning writer, writing coach, and speaker who has worked with clients like John Addison, Todd Duncan, John Assaraf, and Darren Hardy, as well as companies like Advisors Excel, Ryan, and Dell. Today, Amy has turned her years of experience toward helping experts, coaches, and consultants discover their authentic voice and write with confidence so they can build connection, inspire action, and change lives.
Summer Tannhauser teaches small business owners and bloggers how to build an email list, increase website traffic, and make sales through the power of Pinterest. She matches Pinterest with content creation and conversion strategies, to create a powerful marketing “machine” for any online business.
Marketing professional, speaker, and writer Don Osmond focuses on authentic marketing to help businesses develop sound branding strategies. Widely regarded as a marketing and communications thought leader, he works with clients to develop the genuine narrative of their companies, which becomes the foundation for their branding and messaging. Son to international entertainment icon Donny Osmond, his approach to marketing incorporates lessons from the entertainment industry. After years of education and experience, he knows firsthand that good marketing requires truth-telling and invitation, not spin. Don believes that authenticity is the only true value proposition that a company can offer, so he serves his clients by developing genuine story-based marketing and authentic marketing strategies. Don lives in Austin, Texas with his wife Jessica and two tiny storytellers-in-training, Truman and Leo. He loves hiking, biking, and camping, all of which are easily accomplished in this city full of green spaces.
Kate is the co-author of the award-winning book “Reinvention: Accelerating Results in the Age of Disruption” and is also co-author of the best-seller “The Leadership Code: Five Rules to Lead By.” She was named by the London Times as one of the world’s Top Emerging Management Gurus for her career work in the leadership development space. She specializes in leadership, culture, high performing teams and the inner work of developing oneself as a leader.
Kate has advised, trained, coached, and consulted with leaders and organizations in 26 different countries over the past 20 years. She and her family also lived in Asia for 3 years. A former editor at Harvard Business Review, she worked closely with renowned thought leaders like Jim Collins and helped them articulate their groundbreaking theories and models into material that could lead to publication. Kate has written over fifty business cases for clients.
Kate is a visiting lecturer and coach at MIT’s Legatum Center for Entrepreneurship. She has authored and published more than 30 articles on leadership-management in respected journals, magazines, and newspapers worldwide, such as Forbes, Sloan Management, the Boston Globe, and the Asian Economic Times. She has blogged for Fast Company and Harvard Business Review.
Elise Mitchell, the CEO of Dentsu Aegis Public Relations Network, is a smart, successful, female entrepreneur and new author that is inspiring leaders with her latest book, Leading Through the Turn: How a Journey Mindset Can Help Leaders Find Success and Significance (McGraw Hill, January 6, 2017).
Elise Mitchell started her public relations firm, Mitchell, from scratch and quickly turned it into one of the Top 10 Fastest-Growing Firms included in the Holmes Report global ranking and a two-time Small Agency of the Year winner honored by both PRWeek and The Holmes Report. She attracted major brands including Walmart, Procter & Gamble, Hilton Worldwide, Kraft, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and Restaurant and Southwestern Energy.
Under Elise’s leadership, Mitchell grew more than 500% in five years and became one of the top 35 PR firms in the U.S. and made Inc. 500/5000 Fastest Growing Companies, Women Presidents Organization/ American Express OPENs 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies in North America and PRWeek’s Top 50 Power Player and Global Power List.
At the end of 2012, Mitchell sold to one of the world’s largest communications networks, Dentsu Aegis Public Relations Network. Today, Mitchell is the leading PR agency brand at Dentsu. In addition to her role as CEO, Elise is working to build a global PR brand for the network.
Prior to founding Mitchell, Elise worked on both the agency and corporate sides of the business serving as the top public relations executive for Promus Hotel Corporation, vice president at Sossaman, Bateman, McCuddy and assistant director of public relations at Walker & Associates.
Elise has been awarded Agency Professional of the Year from PRWeek, Outstanding Entrepreneur of the Year from the National Association for Female Executives and Enterprising Woman of the Year from Enterprising Women.
Elise is a wife, mom, runner, motorcyclist and author. She is a mentor, a passionate advocate for women entrepreneurs, and a frequent writer and keynote speaker on leadership, the public relations industry and the secret to enjoying the journey while reaching the destination.
Jim Cathcart is one of the most award-winning professional speakers in the world. He’s been inducted into the Sales & Marketing Hall of Fame, Speaker Hall of Fame, received the Cavett Award, the Golden Gavel award and much more. As the author of 17 books he has delivered over 3,000 speeches worldwide and tours China each year delivering lectures to 1,000+ people for 6 hours at a time. He’s a mountain trail runner, life member of the American Motorcyclist Association, a professional guitarist and singer, and past president of the National Speakers Association.
When your message must be memorable, your presentation powerful, and your sales successful you need to know Patricia Fripp. She is a Hall of Fame keynote speaker, executive speech coach, sales presentation skills expert, and online learning expert. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine wrote that the sixth best way to invest in your success is to learn presentation skills from Patricia Fripp. Patricia is now virtually everywhere with her interactive virtual training, FrippVT.com Powerful, Persuasive Presentations.
Kelly Hatfield is co-founder of Enginuity Advantage, Advantage Staffing Group, Enginuity Virtual Recruiter and Impact Real Estate Real Estate Group based in Everett, Washington. She has been in the recruiting and HR field for over 20-years and loves serving others. Kelly and her business partner have built three successful companies with the purpose of helping others succeed and delivering remarkable results. Kelly and her team strategically align themselves as “The Partner of Choice” with clients and strive to be the first place clients call when they are looking for extraordinary service, quality, and reliability. The resulting outcome has been an outstanding referral network that has built and continues to build their companies.
As Co-Founder and Owner of Enginuity Advantage, Advantage Staffing Group and Enginuity Virtual Recruiter, April (together with her amazing partner) has created and developed three successful businesses aimed at matching exceptional talent with the top organizations. With 17 years in the human resources and staffing realm, April has experience, knowledge and a love for people and aims to offer solutions to all who are served. Being a natural problem solver, she prides herself on developing and leading a team of recruiting professionals whose mission is focused on connecting people to opportunity. Through creative and exhaustive methods, the Enginuity Group successfully matches the right talent with the right businesses each and every day.
Brian Duncan has over 12 years in the restaurant industry beginning his career in college working every job from dishwasher to server. After graduating from Purdue University, Brian went on to work in food and beverage consulting focusing on international chains and consumer products manufacturing for such companies as Hilton and Revolution Foods. During his time consulting Brain focused on creating efficiencies by utilizing technology. Brian’s background paved the way to multiple tech startups including Chowly. Brian now serves as co-founder and board member for Chowly Inc. and is primarily focused on business development, sales and marketing.
Dean Marchese is the President and CEO of Empower Media, which is a business growth consulting firm. As a matter of fact, Dean has been President and CEO of many organizations from high-tech companies to Non-Profits. Throughout his career he has successfully started and/or turned around nearly 30 organizations, purchased and grew over 20 separate companies, and helped run a billion dollar public company. Dean has been written about in magazines and interviewed on TV and is an in-demand speaker all over the world.