Bennett Hoffman

Bennett attended the School of Hotel & Restaurant Management at the University of Denver and holds a BS in Business Administration from New York University. Bennett is extensively experienced in food service and hospitality management; entrepreneurial operation of fast food and full service table cloth restaurants; multi-unit table cloth service; fast food; sports and recreation concessions; and contract feeding. He has negotiated major food service contracts in purchasing, construction and design. He has been a food service executive and consultant to several major food service companies.Bennett has developed computer/software program applications for business plans, budgets, cash flows, pro-forma P & L's and other financial  tools for operations analysis. He has developed and written operations manuals and procedures and has developed and implemented detailed cost controls for food and beverage. He has originated and implemented computerized scheduling and labor cost containment systems and controls. He has specific experience in computer/software application and in demographic analysis, ROI pro-forma's, menu creation, recipe development, and food and beverage purchasing and inventory control.

Industry knowledge: Food service; hospitality; computer software applicationCounseling expertise: Business management; negotiations; consulting; computer software development; operations analysis; cost control; purchasing and inventory control

Member since: 1996; Membership Committee and Cyber Counseling Committee  Chair

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Herb Collins

Education:  BA - Davidson College, MBA - University of North CarolinaHerb spent forty impressive years in the Financial Services Industry.  He held various management positions in Operations.  Herb’s forte was creating expertise in management, administration, business planning, human resources, mergers & acquisitions, accounting and cash flow management. 

Industry knowledge: Financial servicesCounseling expertise: Management; administration; business planning; human resources; mergers & acquisitions; accounting; cash flow management.

Member since: 2005

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Janet Shellenberger

Janet has an MBA with an emphasis in accounting from Florida Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Missouri at Rolla.  In addition she has several other IT, project management, and accounting certifications.Janet Shellenberger worked with multinational corporations in the information and telecom technology fields for over twenty-five years.  Much of this time was spent developing, managing and leading information technology, project management, and technical sales organizations.  Throughout her career, she also managed many large IT projects.   As an AVP for a large corporation with over 2,500 direct sales people and 1,250 outside sales agents, she was responsible for leading the sales finance and budgeting department, the sales agents organization, and the sales projects department.In 2001, the company she was working with was purchased.  Since that time, she has started and run her own accounting and IT business, working with small businesses and individuals. 

Industry knowledge: IT; accounting; computer science, telecomCounseling expertise: IT; business management; sales; accounting; finance; budgets; project management; process development; telecommunications

Member since: 2007. Janet was elected 2008-2009 Secretary of the Executive Board.

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Juan Fret

Juan has over 40 years aggregate experience in credit, industrial, and operations management. He is a BBA/MBA, Accounting Major, and held a 7-year tenure as Professor  of Managerial Accounting at a graduate school of business.Juan has extensive business administration, mentoring, coaching, counseling as well as training and organizational development experience. He offers advice with a perspective on essential business disciplines such as Money, Management and Marketing.Juan is fluent in Spanish.Industry knowledge: Credit; various industriesCounseling expertise: Credit, industrial, and operations management; business administration; mentoring; coaching; training and organizational development

Member since: 1999; SCORE Workshop presenter; previous Chapter Chair in New Jersey and Florida.

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Valerie Kharzouz

Valerie holds a BS Degree. She majored in Accounting and minored in Economics.Valerie started a ‘Public Accounting Practice’ in 2005. Now a CPA Resource for SCORE Chapter 115, Valerie works primarily with other Score Counselors advising on accounting and tax matters. She also teaches two workshops on QuickBooks Software to business owners.Before retiring to Florida, Valerie worked in Washington DC as a bank examiner, naval auditor, and consultant.

Industry knowledge: Accounting; taxes; bankingCounseling expertise: Accounting

Member since: 2006.  Valerie came to SCORE  Chapter 115 for help on how to market her business and ended up staying as on as an Advisory member.

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Mark Yegge

Mark Yegge received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the Universityof Florida. Yegge is experienced in starting and growing a wide spectrum of businesses.  From 1995 until 2005 he founded, and was the Chief Executive Officer of, NexTrade Holdings, Inc. - a holding company that operated one of nine SEC-approved Electronic Communications Networks (ECN) on Wall Street.  He has owned and operated businesses in import/export, financial software, motivational speaking and investment planning.  He also has experience in negotiation, mergers & acquisitions, and strategic planning. At NexTrade, Mark Yegge was twice recognized as an Entrepreneur of The Year finalist by Ernst & Young and was cited as one of the Top 25 People to Watch by the Tampa Tribune.  His companies have been awarded the FAST 500 designation by Deloitte and Touche and the FLORIDA 100 designation by the University of Florida and Florida Governer Jeb Bush - recognizing companies displaying growth and excellence.  One of his companies also received the Small Business of The Year award from the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce.Mark is the co-author of The Secrets of Business - a book about starting and operating businesses.  He is currently CEO of NextWave Solar, Inc. - working on technology to lessen our dependence on foreign oil.  Mark is the founder of Destiny Creation, LLC - a motivational speaking company.  He is a certified trainer with the Dale Carnegie organization. Mark is fluent in Greek. 

Industry knowledge: Import/export; financial software; investment planning.Counseling expertise: Negotiation; mergers & acquisitions; strategic planning; motivational speaking

Member since: 2007; Vice Chairman of the Chapter for 2009

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Mats Bengtson

Mats Bengtson has an MBA from University of Gothenburg, Sweden and several certifications from the American Productions and Inventory Control Society (APICS). Mats has extended international exposure, covering Sweden, Spain, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Florida.   He started in a large retail business specializing in supermarket management.  He then moved into cosmetics brand marketing and production planning. In the 1980’s, he was hired by a multinational consulting company to work with productivity improvement in Fortune 500 companies.Mats then became involved in sales and management training for the banking industry, which lead to involvement in the IT environment, selling and installing software solutions in the manufacturing and distribution environments. He ended up managing his own IT service company.  Arriving in Florida in 2001, he started an auto parts distribution company based in Florida, which was converted into an Internet business.He is fluent in Spanish and Scandinavian.

Industry knowledge: IT; computer software; auto parts distribution; retail grocery; manufacturing; distribution Counseling expertise: sales and management training; supermarket management; brand marketing and production planning; productivity improvement; software solutions sales and installation; service management; e-commerce.

Member since: 2006; SCORE Executive Committee since 2007; Chapter Chair for 2009.

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Ron Caffrey

Ron has dual degrees from Yale University in Business Administration and Engineering.After sales and sales management positions, Ron retired as VP Marketing for a$20 billion, world-wide company in the commercial building optimization and management business, including air conditioning, energy use, air quality, and fire and security systems.  Ron’s experience includes holding office of President of a successful advertising agency, with varied clients in automobile manufacturing, paperless office systems, furniture manufacturer, lawn mower manufacturing, machine shops and law offices.  He handled acquisitions, due diligence, and board of directors service.“As owner with my wife of an unsuccessful family retail liquor business, I can relate to small business owners and all their problems.”

Industry knowledge: Commercial building optimization and management; advertising; board of directors’ service Counseling expertise: Sales; sales management; advertising; marketing; acquisitions; due diligence

Member since: 2001; served as Chapter Chair

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Ed Savage

Ed Savage holds a degree in Business Administration from Boston University.  He served three years in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.Ed has held executive positions with several subsidiaries of New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) companies.  He was president and CEO of three major building material companies, spanning thirty-two years, and farm supply companies, comprising five years.He joined a fastener company, which sold its products to The Home Depot, nationwide, and became a partner, senior vice president, and board of directors’ member over a period of ten years.  Ed’s tenure in the building materials and farm supply industries totals forty-seven years.

Industry knowledge: Building materials; farm supplies; retailing; distribution; construction; business plans and strategies; and sales (retail). Counseling expertise: Marketing; management; buying/selling businesses; retail; business turn-around.

Member since: November 2003

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Cliff Sullivan

Cliff is a graduate of Northern Essex Community College with an AA in Business Management, with Honors, and a BA in Business Studies from New Hampshire College. Cliff owned and operated a retail fuel distributorship, which included plumbing, heating and air conditioning contracting.  He has been licensed as a Master Plumber, Master Electrician, Real Estate and Insurance Broker, and served as Chairman of the Planning Board in his community for eight years, overseeing many commercial site plans, a four anchor mall, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, and has reviewed many residential sub-division plans.  He sold his business in 1994.  Cliff recently retired from the Internal Revenue Service, and is a real estate investor here in Florida.Cliff has had featured articles in several national magazines: Plumbing and Mechanical  (Granite State Expert Knows How to Crack Sales); PHC Profit Report (Consorting With the Enemy); How one contractor benefits from working with Home Depot; and The Burnham Reporter, “This Dealer Promotes...and Promotes”, Fuel Oil and Oil Heat, and New England Wholesalers News focusing on his marketing techniques and networking. Cliff is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, participating in Operation Deep Freeze '61 and '62 Antarctic Expeditions as an Electricians Mate 2nd Class aboard the U.S.S. Glacier AGB-4.  Cliff served aboard the U.S.S. Allagash AO-98 during the Cuban Missle Crisis. A graduate of the First Naval District Instructor School, Cliff served as an instructor at the U.S. Naval Reserve Center, Lawrence, MA.  He was selected to represent the center for a six week tour aboard the U.S.S. Franklin D. Roosevelt CVA.  He received an Honorable Discharge, and serves as the Treasurer of the Lake Tarpon Village Veterans Organization, in Palm Harbor, FL.

Industry knowledge: Real estate;  Federal taxes; insurance; commercial site planning; residential sub-division development; plumbing; electrical; contracting
Counseling expertise: Contracting; business management

Member since: February 2008

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Brian Wiltshire

Brian holds a degree in Economics from London University.Brian joined Comverse Technology, Inc. as COO and founder member in October 1984.  Comverse designs and manufactures computer systems for telecommunications companies. He held various senior executive positions with Comverse, including President and Chief Executive Officer of Comverse International, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Comverse Technology, Inc., where he planned and achieved Comverse’s world-wide market dominance in the Telecommunications Service Provider markets.Comverse grew from zero to $1.2 billion in revenue in 18 years and achieved 28 consecutive record quarters in revenue and profit during his tenure.Mr. Wiltshire retired in 2001 from Comverse Technology, Inc.From 1980 to 1984, he was President and General Manager of the Systems Division of Applied Digital Data Systems (a subsidiary of NCR Corporation) formed in 1980 to manufacture and market multi-user database management systems.Prior to this, Brian spent 20 years in the computer and communications industry in technical, sales, marketing, strategic planning, financial management and senior management roles. Brian was born and educated in London, England. He served for eight years in the Royal Air Force in flying duties. He was born in London, England in 1936 and relocated to the USA in 1972. He is a United States citizen.

Industry knowledge: Computer systems; communications; telecommunications; database management systems.Counseling expertise: technical; sales; marketing; strategic planning; financial management; and senior management.

Member since: 2002; Chapter 115 Marketing Committee member

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Grant Fashbaugh

Grant is a highly motivated Executive with an extensively strong business operations and management background.  A Life-Long Seasoned Entrepreneur with the insight and ability to implement vision through to success.  Successful experiences include Start-Up Companies and Going-Concerns. He possesses a broad understanding and working knowledge of Payroll, Human Resources, Business Insurances, Operations, Accounting, Benefits, Banking and Business Services with extensive Outside-Sales experience and success in B2B environments. Grant has strong written, communication, organizational and interpersonal skills with C-Level Executives.  In addition, he is an exceptional negotiator, motivator and team leader experienced with companies from one employee to over two-thousand.

Education: Central Michigan University (1970-1973).  Graduated Eastern Michigan University - BBA (Management & Finance) 1975.

SCORE is a Resource Partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration