Previous Speakers - 2012

As a seasoned sales professional and consultant, Rochelle Carrington works with companies to adopt new selling strategies that help close more business, more quickly and more profitably. Her company, Sandler Training, helps businesses reach critical goals to drive increased revenue. As an accomplished speaker with expertise in all areas of sales, management and customer service, Rochelle has trained and coached countless sales professionals, sales managers and business owners of both large and small enterprises. She possesses over 20 years of experience having spent much of her career at some of the most highly regarded magazines including Glamour, marie claire and Teen. By motivating the behaviors, attitudes and beliefs of individuals, Rochelle believes that proper training can breathe a “second wind” into any organization.

Richard W. Russo is CEO and founding partner of The Quantum Group/Quantum Solutions. Before this, he was the Quality and Organizational Learning, Global Process and Information Management Officer for Xerox Corporation, Stamford Connecticut. He was responsible for Quality strategy integration, the facilitation of the IM 2000 business process initiatives and the development of an architecture that supported the Learning Organization worldwide within the Global Process and Information Management organization.

Rich has been a quality instructor for Carnegie Mellon University and has had numerous speaking engagements at universities throughout the U.S. He was a faculty member at The Leadership Center at Fairfield University in Fairfield Connecticut and an internal examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige Award assisting in the certification of various organizations throughout Xerox. In addition, he is Chairman of the Board of the Soundview Business Club, Board member of the Friends of the Norwalk Islands, a Senior Member of the American Society for Quality, a member of the American Society for Training and Development, and Past President of the Society for Human Resource Management, Greater New Haven Chapter. He is Chairman of the Board for the Soundview Business Club in Stamford and on the board of directors for the Friends of the Norwalk Islands.

He holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering majoring in Nuclear Physics and Quantum Theory from the Polytechnic Institute of New York and a Masters of Science Degree in Management, Human Resources & Organizational Development also from the Polytechnic Institute of New York.

In addition, Rich is a veteran of the U.S Army - Long Range Recon Patrol (LRRP).

Rich is the CEO of the Rich Gee Group, one of the nationʼs leading advisory and coaching practices. Over the past 10 years, Rich has influenced thousands of executives from all over the world. With 20+ years in corporate & retail management, Rich has led many major transformations for Waldenbooks, ADVO/Valassis, GartnerGroup and other Fortune 500 corporations. He has enabled acquisitions, closed key clients, and developed innovative product lines which still deliver millions today. He has managed scores of personalities, managed multi-million dollar projects, met with investor teams with his CEO, and worked with some of the best professionals in the business. Rich has done it all.

With offices based in Stamford, Rich has the experience, knowledge and tools to help you and your company succeed in todayʼs ever-changing landscape. In addition, Richʼs goal is to help as many people as possible. He regularly provides pro-bono services to various charities, schools, and religious institutions. A dynamic and provocative speaker, Rich is regularly tapped by the The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Today Show for interviews on key business topics. In addition, Rich frequently keynotes and serves on panels throughout the U.S., speaking on critical leadership and management topics.

Attorney, author, syndicated columnist, speaker, television personality and humorist, Cliff Ennico is considered one of North America's foremost small business experts, and has helped more than 15,000 small businesses get off the ground over the past 32 years. A former Wall Street lawyer and business consultant, Cliff is the author of ten books on entrepreneurship and small business success, including The eBay Business Answer Book, The eBay Seller’s Tax and Legal Answer Book, Small Business Survival Guide, Money Hunt: 27 New Ways to Create and Build a Breakaway Business and The eBay Marketing Bible. To learn more about Cliff's books and other information products, go to www.succeedinginyourbusiness.com.

Linda Kuppersmith is an accomplished technologist and business owner who has grown her company to become Fairfield County Connecticut’s premier small business provider of technology solutions and services. She has built the company’s services, solutions and team to be a one-stop contact for ALL things technology. With over 20 years of technology experience that spans many industries, company sizes, and company maturities, she and the team are well equipped to provide technology services and planning, tailored to companies and their budgets.

She has been recognized by her national headquarters each year for her business’s growth and her contributions to growth of the business model. She leads an internal mastermind group, is a contributor to a national blog, and co-authored a book “I Just Want My Computer to Work”. She is a self-proclaimed helper personality and has a passion for helping people do things faster, better, and smarter with technology.

Marc Lotti has worked in information technology and management consulting for over 15 years and presently provides guidance to business executives and operations management through Mandragore, a boutique consultancy firm he founded in 1996. From 1996 to 2002, through Mandragore, Marc was a technology consultant for Goldman Sachs Asset Management, followed by the Investment Management Division, where he was employed in multiple capacities across many projects.

In addition to Marc's leadership role at Mandragore, he was the acting Chief Technology Officer of Trilogy Global Advisors between 2004 and 2009, where he managed technology operations and led all technology integration during their 2005 merger with BPI Global Funds. In 2003, he developed a notable strategic computing roadmap for the Corporate Travel division of American Express.

Prior to founding Mandragore, Marc was the Infrastructure Manager for International Emerging Markets worldwide at Merrill Lynch and later, an Assistant Vice-President at Fuji Securities, where he led firm-wide technology infrastructure.

Marc earned a BA in Economics from Stony Brook University, holds an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management, and is a Project Management Professional (PMP), with more than 15,000 hours of project, program, and portfolio management experience.

Carol has directed marketing, marketing research and marketing communications programs for a variety of well-known professional services firms both in-house and as a consultant. She was in-house at Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan LLP [now Winston & Strawn], Haight, Gardner, Poor & Havens [now Holland & Knight], the health care division of Kurt Salmon Associates, Richard A. Eisner & Company, LLP [now EisnerAmper], KPMG Peat Marwick, BDO Seidman [now BDO], and Grant Thornton. She was also a consultant with the MarketForce division of Hildebrandt International [now Hildebrandt Baker Robbins].

She lectures frequently on marketing topics for professional firms and associations. Carol is Past-President of the Legal Marketing Association, Metropolitan New York Chapter, and teaches marketing in the Workshop in Business Development program. For five years, Carol was an editor of Strategies, the Legal Marketing Association’s national publication.

She graduated cum laude from Smith College, Northampton, MA, received an M.A. in international relations from Hunter College, City University of New York [CUNY] and a PhD in comparative constitutional and legal systems from The Graduate Center, CUNY. Her post-doctoral research on public policy and the federal court system was as an Eli Lilly Fellow at the Bunting Institute of Radcliffe College.

Joe Grushkin has 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur, sales professional and business coach. While still in college, Joe began selling Cutco Cutlery and within years was setting and breaking records in sales volume, sales rep productivity and profitability. As his career progressed, Joe became the New England Division Manager, mentoring a sales force of 18 reps, which together generated $3.5 million in one year and set the company’s record for productivity.

Joe’s achievements with Vector/Cutco continued in both the US and Canada, and were aptly rewarded with his 1991 induction into the Vector/Cutco Hall of Fame. His efforts and mentoring generated over $60 million in sales, the promotion of 150 sales managers and recruitment of over 10,000 sales reps in 14 years.

Joe became a co-owner of 5 successful Unishippers franchises, serving all of Connecticut and the Springfield, MA area. He sold his 5 active Unishippers franchises in 2005, and turned his attentions to internet entrepreneurship in 2006. Since that time, his interests and roles have expanded to include (among others) consulting on streaming video solutions for business, internet advertising, recruiting, blogging, and live online broadcasting, as well as Business Coach and mentor.

In 2010, seeing the need to assist small businesses in rebounding from economic challenges, Joe launched InLineAdz, Inc. which places large screen monitors in high traffic business locations and sells inexpensive advertising to local businesses to increase their brand awareness and customer acquisition. Joe intends to make InLineAdz the National Leader of Local Market Digital Sign Advertising.

Joe lives in Westport Connecticut, with his wife Pam, three teenaged daughters and 2 dogs. His hobbies include golf, personal development programs and community service.

A dynamic public speaker, Neerja has an unwavering belief in human greatness. Known for providing simplified and experiential approach to problem dissolving, she thrives on expanding human perception. Neerja has worked with many organizations in the world, including:

• General Electric,
• Schering Plough,
• Philips,
• Altria,
• UBS Investment Banking,
• Association of Occupational Health Nurses,
• Covidien,
• Boehringer Ingelheim,
• Eileen Fischer.

She has authored two thought provoking books: Art of Resilience and Bliss is in Knowing The Self.

You can learn more about Neerja by visiting her website at: www.rhythmofsuccess.com.

Life Vision Strategies (LVS) is a unique experience for business leaders and entrepreneurs though which they work to achieve their ultimate success. LVS partners with sole proprietors, heads of companies and executives on the rise. LVS focuses on specific tools exclusive to the individual, tools which allows LVS’ clients to meet, realign and surpass previous business goals in a way that also provides personal fulfillment. For those with the focus, vision and honesty to pursue their careers in this way, the rewards can be extraordinary. Belinda believes that by living at the intersection of your values and your passion, enjoying success is inevitable.

As founder and CEO of Life Vision Strategies, an elite coaching firm for businesses, executives and entrepreneurs, Belinda brings more than twenty years experience to the table. This experience includes guiding global corporate executives as well as visionary entrepreneurs to their professional successes.

Belinda has worked her particular brand of magic at advertising giants like BBDO, Geers Gross, Margeotes Fertitta & Weiss and, most recently, Grey Worldwide, where she served as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Creative Management. There she was the executive coach for the North American creative departments as well as global Executive Creative Directors. She also managed the Production, Casting, Music and Creative Technologies departments.

A graduate of New York University, Belinda has been a Program Director for Harlem’s “I Have a Dream” program and on the Board of SEED NY (Solutions for Economic Empowerment and Dignity). She is a Class A Coach and volunteer for the Connecticut Special Olympics.