COUNSELOR BACKGROUNDS

Following you will find background information on some of the counselors who serve in the Volusia/Flagler Chapter branches.  In the interest of brevity and simplicity it is presented in a bullet point format but it will give you some idea of the breadth of experience and skills that our counselors have to make available to our clients.

Some of our counselors are still active in business and others are in semi or full retirement but everyone is devoting a significant amount of time to  SCORE clients.  Many of us have owned or still own our own small  businesses.  On a regular basis our counselors are involved with counseling small businesses of virtually every type.  On our web site you will find a section, “Success Stories” which will give you an indication of the types of organizations that have benefited from their relationship with SCORE. 

In addition to these companies we are involved with others that are involved in accounting, bookkeeping,  legal services, nursing homes, home health care, restaurants and delis, lawn care and landscaping, nurseries,  machine shops, web site marketing, retail stores, roofing, siding,  construction,  manufacturing, garages and auto body shops, computer services, bed and breakfasts, golf courses, pre schools, counseling and consulting, delivery services, advertising services, publishing, printing, window cleaning, convenience stores, gasoline outlets, real estate, importing and exporting, etc., etc.  There is a good chance that at least one of our counselors has helped someone else that in your area of business interest.

Ruth Achterhof
Gene Baldrate
Bob Bogart
William (Bill) Bramer
Pam Brown
William Brown
Donald R. Gibson
Dan Hooker
Glenn Laury
Michael Lynn
Frederick Lawrence
James Miller
Jon Orlando
John Phifer
Bill Pryor
Bill Roy
Dan Rubin
Charles Schnell
David Singleton
Ray Smith
Ken Swanton
Gene Baldrate

Ruth Achterhof

Education:

• PhD, Capella University
• MA, Western Michigan University
• BS, Texas Tech University

Business Experience:

• Self Employed contracted university professor
• Partner, Sec/Treas, Spectro Oils Distributorship- W Michigan
• Partner, Expedited Freight
• Owner, Andre’s Eatery (120 seat restaurant)
• Real estate investing
• Procurement and sales, Gordon Foods and SYSCO Food Systems

Counseling Skills:

• Business planning
• Organizational development
• Communications
• Operations
• Inventory control

Bob Bogart

• B.S. Civil Engineering City College of New York
• MBA Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn

Business Experience:

• EVP Mullin & Associates
• EVP, HR Thomas Reuters
• Consultant, Right Associates
• EVP Mutual of Omaha
• President, ATF Associates

Counseling Skills:

• Human Resources Management
• Organizational Development
• Consulting
• Strategic Planning
• Business Plans

Pam Brown

Education:

• BA Michigan State University
• MBA Florida Atlantic University
• Certified Financial Planner ©

Business Experience:

• Medical/Dental practice management
• Consulting services
• Small business ownership & operation
• College-level adjunct faculty

Counseling Skills:

• Financial and budgeting
• Accounting and bookkeeping
• General business/office management
• How to start a business
• Business plans

William (Bill) Bramer

Education:

• MBA, University of Phoenix
• BSBA Management, University of Central Florida

Business Experience:

• Naval Criminal Investigative Service (physical security policy), 3 years
• U. S. Navy Supply Corps Officer, (All Navy business.  Includes:  Payroll, retail stores, procurement, contracting, financial management, budgeting, mass feeding, sanitation, warehousing, human resources, all facets of management), 21 years
• DynCorp manager of quality, warehousing, operations, safety and security
• Experience in Sears retail store personnel, A&P grocery, various construction trades.

Counseling Skills:

• Strategic planning and detailed planning
• Logistics
• Brainstorming
• Management practices
• Organizational development
• Procurement of any kind or anything including relationships with bankers, attorneys, accountants, and insurance.

William Brown

Education:

• PhD – University of Virginia

Business Experience:

• Project management
• Proposal writing
• Sub-contract liaison
• Served as an officer on several Boards of Directors
• Graduate/under-graduate level adjunct faculty

Counseling Skills:

• Feasibility analysis
• Getting started
• Operations
• Business Plans
• Budgeting
• Contracts
• Cost estimation
• Non-profit organizations
• Technical/Computers

Donald R. Gibson

Education:

• BSC University of Louisville
• MBA Webster University

Business Experience:

• General Electric – Major Appliance 35 years
• Manager of Plant Operations
• Manager of Operations
• Project Manager
• Manager of Shop Operations
• Manager Facilities and Tool room
• Manager of Material Control
• Six Sigma Green Belt

Counseling Skills:

• Operations management
• Human resource management
• Security management
• Finance and managerial accounting
• Small business start up
• Business Management

Dan Hooker

Education:

• BSEE  Norwich University Northfield Vermont
• Crotonville – General Electric Management

Business Experience:

• Outside Professional Sales
• Materials Management (MRP)
• Distribution Management – GE Supply
• President – Tidewater Supply
• Wire & Cable Manufacturer
• Small Business Owner – Bicycle Sales & Service

Counseling Skills:

• Performa Preparation – Large & Small Business
• Inventory Control Techniques
• Material/distribution direction
• On site process reviews for material controls
• Varied business models knowledge
• How to avoid basic problems
• How to approach bankers

Glenn Laury

Education:

• BS United States Naval Academy
• MBA Rutgers

Business Experience:

• City Bank NA
• Menke & Associates

Counseling Skills:

• Financial Planning
• Business Succession

Michael Lynn, AIA

Education:

• B. of Architecture – Pratt Institute

Business Experience:

• Created Space Inc. – Design/ Build – Pres. & Founder
• Diversified Environments, Inc. - Manufacturer -  Pres. & Founder
• Michael Lynn & Assoc. – Arch./ Eng./ Planning/ Int. Design – Pres. & Founder
• Project Consulting, Inc. – Consulting & Litigation support - – Pres. & Founder
• EMG, Inc. – Real Estate Due Diligence – EVP
• Real Estate Resources, LLC – Developer - – Pres. & Founder

Counseling Skills:

• Organizational Development
• Strategic Planning
• Real Estate & Development
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Starting a Firm
• Restructuring

Frederick Lawrence

Education:

• BME, City College of N.Y
• MBA, City University of N.Y

Business Experience:

• Owner and President of Electronic Manufacturer's Agency, marketing and selling
• Hi-Tech Electronic Components and Systems in Florida and Puerto Rico
• Self Employed since 1963, Sold Business to employees in 1999
• Business reached $20,000,000 in Sales, $1,000,000 in commissions. World Wide NASDAQ and NYSE clients, employees include (5) outside salesman+ (4) inside salespeople
• Customers included Major OEM Equipment Manufacturers, Commercial and Military
• Served as President and Board Member of ERA/Client Industry councils

Counseling Skills:

• Can relate to entrepreneurs. Personally never took a paycheck, sold for commissions
• Understand Start up and Successful Small Business Models
• Experienced with business's requiring Marketing and Distribution of Mix of products can formulate Cost and NOI contribution to the needs of the client
• Can analyze cash flow needs, financing and initial start up challenges
• Experienced in dealing with Commercial Real Estate and Brokering Small Business "deals", up to $5,000,000
• Sales and people oriented, taught to ask questions and listen for answers.

James Miller

Education:

• BSIE Lehigh University
• MBA New York University

Business Experience:

• Chelsea Laboratories President
• Marion Merrill International President
• Leiner Health Products V.P Operations
• Ortho Pharmaceuticals Director Operations
• Johnson & Johnson Director Operations

Counseling Skills:

• Quality Systems
• Cost Accounting
• Organizational Development
• FDA Compliance
• Strategic Planning
• Materials Logistics

John Orlando

• BA – University of Nebraska at Omaha

Business Experience:

• Federal Government – Mainframe Program Division Management
• Federal Government – Mainframe Software Maintenance Division Management
• Federal Government – Mainframe Development Division Management
• Federal Government – Mainframe Operations Division Management
• Corporate – Configuration Management & Qualify Assurance Programs
• President/owner – Cabling and low voltage installation company
• Customer Service Management  

Counseling Skills:

• Business Plan Preparation
• Business management
• Systems management
• Business start up

John Phifer

Education:

• B.S. Florida Staten University
• M.S. University of Illinois

Business Experience:

• Moroch Partners Advertising - Managing Director/CMO
• Leo Burnett Advertising - SVP/Managing Director
• Leo Burnett - VP Account Director, General Motors Account
• Leo Burnett - VP Account Director Procter & Gamble Account

Counseling Skills:

• Strategic Planning -- Retail Marketing
• Strategic Planning - Consumer Marketing
• Creative and Communication Planning
• High Performance Organizations - Planning

Bill Pryor

Education:

• Daytona Beach Community College – Engineering Technology

Business Experience:

• Knight's Armament Co., Contract Administrator
• General Dynamics Ordnance & Tactical Systems, Configuration Manager
• Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems, Product Support Engineer Sr.
• McDonnell Douglas MSC, Principal Engineer, Configuration Management
• General Electric Company, Mechanical Designer

Counseling Skills:

• Contracts
• Cost Estimation
• Configuration Management
• Communications

Bill Roy

Education:

• Nassau College – Business Management

Business Experience:  

• Airline Consultant – Operational, Cost Control and Business Management       
• United Airlines – Managing Director, System Operations Control
• United Airlines -  General Manager, Hub Operations-San Francisco
• United Airlines -  General Manager, Stations Operations – New York / JFK
• United Airlines – Customer Service Manager, San Francisco
• United Airlines – Miscellaneous Management Positions

Counseling Skills:

• Cost Control and Budget Planning 
• Manpower Planning
• Strategic Planning
• Operations
• Organizational Development

Dan Rubin

Education:

• B.S. Wharton School  
• J.D. University of Chicago Law School

Business Experience:

• Finance and accounting
• Corporate Law-formation; M&A; tax; sale
• Real Estate- buy, sell and leasing
• Hospitality
• Arbitration and Mediation

Counseling Skills:

• Business start up
• Contracting- all types
• Tax and accounting matters
• Legal problems and questions
• Financial work outs
• Buying and selling a business

Charles Schnell

• Ohio University
• Harvard Graduate School of Business

Business Experience:

• Ernst & Ernst Sr. International Public Accountant
• Owner and CEO 3 Metal manufacturing Businesses

Counseling Skills:

• General business operations
• Buying and selling businesses

David Singleton

• University of Texas
• University of Maryland
• University of the Americas

Business Experience:

• President U S Inter/Com LLC
• President New York Payphone Systems, Inc.
• Member of IPANY (Independent Payphone Association of New York) for 9 years. Regulatory seat.
• President U S Payphone School
• Owner Pony Express Food and Brew, (Medford, OR)
• Owner New York Deli (San Diego, CA)

Counseling Skills:

• Start up new business
• Cost Accounting
• Organizational Development
• Goal Orientation
• Restaurant planning and implementation

Ray Smith

Education:

• BA UCLA
• MBA University of Pittsburgh

Business Experience:

• CEO International Chemical Company
• Director Mergers and Acquisitions, Westinghouse Materials
• Direct Mail Advertising - Owner

Counseling Skills:

• Manufacturing
• Joint Ventures
• Financial analysis and planning
• Operations analysis
• Business plans

Ken Swanton

Education:

• BSc, Mathematics & Physics
• MSc, Operations Research

Business Experience:

• Owner John Austin Travel with 18 retail outlets
• Executive VP, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, with 1,100 franchised outlets
• CEO and part owner, Internet Travel Network
• CEO and part owner, Lowestfare.com
• Swanton Consulting with emphasis on small businesses

SCORE Client Business Counseling:

• retail store, 2 start ups
• online travel, start up
• nursing home, start up
• restaurant, existing business

Gene Baldrate

• BSEE Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• MBA California State University
• JD Quinnipiac School of Law

Business Experience:

• Liberty Consulting Group, Lead Consultant Verizon Financial Audit
• Public Utility Commission of Ohio, Technical Consultant to Chairman
• Broadwing, Inc. & Cincinnati Bell, VP Regulatory Affairs
• SNET Federal Credit Union, Chairman
• Southern New England Telephone, Director Federal Regulatory
• Military Chief of Maintenance 103d TCS, Lt. Col.

Counseling Skills:

• Business Plans
• Telecommunications
• New Venture Planning
• Economics
• Media Relations
• General Management
• Policy/Strategy Development
• Regulatory/Legal
• Engineering
• Stakeholder Management