1988-current: President, TonerCom International.

Since 2001 he has performed in the following capacities for key clients of TonerCom International: Executive Director, Florida Council of International Development (FCID), and as President/COO for World Trade Center Tampa Bay (WTC/TB).  For these statewide (FCID) and regional international (WTC/TB) organizations he conducts marketing/public relations and international economic development programs.

    For FCID, he leads a statewide organization of senior executives advocating and lobbying for Florida global trade and investment; Events have included statewide functions with the senior diplomats of  Florida’s Consular Corps of 70 countries, Secretary of State, US Congress Representatives and other dignitaries.   

    For WTC/TB, he creates, produces and acts as MC for the monthly international/economic development programs, World Trade Center/Tampa Bay Seminar Series, for the international business community. Programs include seminars on trade and investment opportunities, cultural issues and conducting business in targeted countries around the world; as well as effective use of global e-commerce, secure electronic operations, and other state of the art programs.  

    He initiated and runs World Trade Center/Tampa Bay On-Line, a global program utilizing the resources of the World Trade Center Association in New York. He works directly with the World Trade Center University (WTCU) and Harvard Business School publishing group to market on-line courses of Harvard Business School in Florida as a beta test site for a WTCU global operation.

      Ten trade missions produced by TonerCom for World Trade Center/Tampa Bay and other EDO’s include highly successful operations he planned and produced to Europe and Canada, involving the US Department of Commerce in Montreal, Enterprise Florida, local economic development organizations, state and local universities, and scores of Florida businesses that generated millions of dollars in sales and substantial investments in Florida. The ten missions have included advanced seminars, trade shows, including a Florida pavilion in the Montreal international trade show, arrival briefings, high-level introductions/receptions for mission delegates at US embassies and the home of the US Consul General, and presentations with the Caisse de Depot, the $110 billion privatized pension fund of the Province of Quebec.

      TonerCom also produced the SCO Program (Senior Commercial Officers of Europe, and Latin America on another occasion) for WTC/TB to introduce regional businesses to opportunities in the represented countries of Europe and Latin America. Companies learned of the cultures, industry trends and how to do business there from presentations and individual appointments.      

      Ongoing WTC/TB programs capitalize upon membership in WTCA (New York) with 300 centers in 90 countries, while partnering with universities and government agencies (DOC, FBI, EFI, OSAC) to assist clients with secure trade and investment.

  For TonerCom’s corporate clientele, he provides strategic marketing and public relations services for clientele, including B2B, local and international, start-ups and publicly traded corporations. Services include market research, strategic planning, media relations, marketing surveys, issues management, events management, all maximizing the utility of the internet. He has led publicly traded companies into new international markets and industries via market research and facilitating strategic planning sessions, culminating in the writing of plans and implementation with management. Early work involved real estate development when he earned his real estate broker license in Florida, and listed over $100 million in property marketed through Sotheby’s International Realty.

§      1981-1988: Seven years as Director, Marketing and Public Relations for nation's leading professional services firms.  As Director of Business Development (marketing, public relations, sales) for Belcan Corporation (Cincinnati, Ohio), a high tech engineering firm, rated 19^th in “Engineering News Review 500” 1985, that provided automation engineering design/build, project management and training services. He created and produced marketing/public relations programs, initially with a staff of one, building to and leading a staff of 10 - working with a team of engineers, in highly successful business development programs targeting Fortune 500 corporations and government agencies; resulting in a revenue increase from $4 million to $32 million.

§      1975-1981: Six years as Director of Alumni Affairs/Northern Kentucky University Public Relations Department and University Foundation Board Member.  Created a comprehensive alumni association with programs including: planning and conducting international tours of Europe and Latin America; managing and editing newsletter and other publications; initiated and developed the original university fund raising programs; promoted continuing education programs; planned, organized and produced themed annual events for thousands of the university community that have become university traditions; for which the University created and presented to him “The University Service Award.”

Education

 §   MBA - Master of Business Administration (Marketing); Northern Kentucky University, 1985

§   MPA - Master of Public Affairs (Political Science); University of Cincinnati, 1975

§   BS - Business Administration; BA- Political Science (International Studies); Northern Kentucky University, 1973

§              - University of Kentucky, 1968-1971

§   Elearning Implementation, Harvard Business School publishing, Boston Campus, 2003

§   Global General Assembly, World Trade Center Association, Washington, DC, 2003

§   The Negotiation Project, Harvard Business School, OnLine,  2003

§   Economic Development Programs, Annual Assembly of Florida Council of Economic Development, 2003

§   World Trade Center Management, World Trade Center Association, New York, 2002

§   Counselors Academy, Public Relations Society of America, New York, 1996-1998

§   Certified Toastmaster, Toastmasters International, Tampa, 1995-1998

§   Management Disney Style, Disney University/ Professional Development Program, Orlando, 1996

Professional and Civic Service

§   Board of Directors, CAC Chair, Florida Association of Voluntary Agencies for Caribbean Action (FAVACA), 2002-current

o        As Chairman of the Community Affairs Committee of FAVACA, Florida’s Peace Corps, he works with committee members and staff to plan and implement the marketing and public relations program for FAVACA in Washington, Florida, Central America and the Caribbean.   

§   Founding Chairman of the Board of Canadian American Business Council (CABC), 1995- 2002

o        Founded non-profit organization for promotion of trade and investment between Florida and Canada; conducted monthly economic development programs and annual trade missions to/from Canada for 7 years; award recognized by CABC.

§   Member, Florida Council of Economic Development, 2000, 2003

o        Develop leadership for the economic development of Florida.

§   Member/Lecturer, University of South Florida, International Business Board (IBB), 2002-current

o        Lecture at University IBB student program regarding trade missions and other international marketing.

§   Board Member, French American Business Council, 2000-current

o         Created and produced trade missions to and from Paris and LeHavre, France.

§   Member, Committee on Foreign Relations, Tampa Bay Area, 2002-current

o        Attend monthly presentations by internationally known speakers on global affairs.

§   Member, Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), 2000-current

o        Conducted seminars with FBI and OSAC for international business community on international security issues. 

§   National Public Relations Committee, Public Relations Society of America, 1992

o         Developed, as member of committee, a national public relations program for the national association.

§   Founding National Chair, Professional Services Section of  Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), 1991

o        Founded and chaired new section of PRSA (16,000 members) wrote bylaws and created national program.

§   Mayor and Councilman, City of Crestview, Kentucky, 1974-1978

o         Secured and managed federal matching funds to build city ballpark and restoration of city properties working with the US Army Corp of Engineers.

§    Founding Chairman and first President, Northern Kentucky University Alumni Association, 1973-1975

o        Led group of alumni to create bylaws and form organization to support university.

Honors and Awards

§   Significant Board Member Award, Canadian American Business Council, 1996

§   Community Service Award, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Tampa Bay, 1996

§   Presidential Citation for Distinguished Service &  Leadership, as Founding Chair of Professional Section, PRSA National, 1991

§   University Service Award as Foundation Board Member, Founding President and Director of NKU Alumni Association, 1982

§   Kentucky Colonel Certification, for civic service building park and city property renovation as Mayor and Councilman, 1975

Languages

·   English (Limited Spanish and French)

Interests