Advisory Board Members
Joe DiBenedetto, Sr. - ChairmanJoe is a retired Network Vice President from BellSouth. In his last assignment, Joe managed an organization of 2200 plus employees. Included in his responsibilities was an operating budget in excess of 1 billion dollars, and encompassed the divisions of Engineering, Construction, Switching, Special Services, Installation and Maintenance of Telephone Facilities for the entire South Florida Area. Prior to this assignment, he was the General Manager for Advanced Systems, Inc. which was an unregulated "Start-up Company" formed as a part of the newly created BellSouth Corporation.
His career spanned 42 years starting as a mail boy for New York Telephone Company. He worked his way through the business to progressively more important responsibilities. He is a strategic thinker and an outstanding problem-solver. Known in the business for his capabilities to organize, execute and complete difficult challenges, he demonstrated an outstanding ability to reduce complex tasks to manageable and viable conclusions. Subsequent to his retirement, he formed a consulting company called Network Management Systems in which he provided guidance to Fortune 1000 Companies on new methods and procedures to improve customer service and financial performance.
Joe has previously served as Chairman of the Board of Directors and President for La Società Italiana, Inc. as well as the Board of Directors for the Miami Metro Zoo and numerous other non-profit organizations.
Don ConklinDon Conklin currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for MD&E, Inc. which is a woman-owned professional services business focusing on IT applications.
Working throughout the Southeast, but primarily in Atlanta, Don has held key positions, with P&L responsibility, in Sales, Marketing, Operations and Customer Service—both domestically and abroad—as well as in Finance and Human Resources with Fortune 100 companies. He has led teams both large and small in fulfilling his extensive résumé of responsibilities and projects.
Don takes an active role in the Atlanta-area business community. He is on the Board of Advisors of the Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, belongs to the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce, and is a dedicated member of several local networking groups, including the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) and the Gwinnett Technology Forum.
Don earned a Bachelor’s degree from Oglethorpe University and an MBA, with an emphasis in Finance, from the University of Alabama.
Ernie DiBenedettoErnie is currently the Sales Director of the Small Business Direct group for Radiant Systems, Inc. – an Atlanta based company that is a global provider of innovative technology to the hospitality and retail industries. Currently, Ernie leads a team of sales reps that sell directly to franchisees of national brands including Dunkin Donuts, Baskin Robbins, Del Taco, Cinnabon, Carvel and several others. Ernie is responsible for creating all sales policies and procedures for the Small Business Direct group as well as executing the sales and marketing programs for the customers they serve. Once new programs are on-boarded, Ernie manages the day to day responsibilities of the sales programs and cultivates the account relationships to sustain annual sales growth.
Prior to Radiant Systems eight years ago, Ernie served as the SVP of Account Management for Interactive Planet, Inc. In his role, Ernie was responsible for delivering and maintaining highly-designed, targeted electronic media and web content to support national marketing initiatives for several accounts including Bank of America, Coca Cola, Kodak and The United States Marine Corps.
Ernie began his professional career in 1994 as an Art Director for the Atlanta branch of America’s oldest advertising agency, J. Walter Thompson. Ernie progressed through the ranks to become JWT’s first Director of Digital Media and launched the agency’s operations for digital media. After 6 years with JWT, Ernie was recruited to BBDO South to serve as the VP of Digital Media and was responsible for launching and managing BBDO South’s first venture into digital media.
Gina LaBarreGina LaBarre is Vice President - Brand Delivery, for the Americas division of InterContinental Hotels Group, PLC ("IHG"). In her current role, Gina is responsible for brand marketing and sales, product quality, brand standards, and revenue management across all of IHG’s brands, as well as leading initiatives that drive multi-brand awareness.
Gina most recently served as vice president, Brand Management, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, the Americas. While at Crowne Plaza, she was responsible for brand marketing and sales, brand culture, product quality, brand standards, revenue management and development for the Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts brand. Prior to her role with Crowne Plaza, Gina was vice president, Brand Management, Candlewood Suites, where she led the brand to record-setting growth and performance, with more properties in the Candlewood Suites pipeline than any brand in the midscale extended-stay segment. This position marked her second return to the company, which she originally joined in 1991. While employed at IHG, she has held positions of increasing responsibility in advertising, field marketing and e-commerce.
Gina started her marketing and advertising career in 1989 and has been focused on the hotel industry since 1991.She held prior roles with Pringle Dixon Pringle, Fricks Advertising, InterServ Services, Inc. and Homestead Village Management, LLC.
Gina earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Georgia.
Tad McMichaelTad McMichael is a Director for the Global Health and Safety Group of Georgia-Pacific LLC, a consumer and forest products company headquartered in Atlanta, GA. Georgia-Pacific is a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch industries, a privately held company who purchased them in 2006. Georgia-Pacific has approximately 50,000 employees across 300 manufacturing facilities in North America, South America and Europe.
Georgia-Pacific has a diverse array of businesses, including Consumer Products (Brawny, Quilted Northern, and Angel Soft brands), Dixie, lumber, plywood, containerboard, gypsum, chemical, and corrugated boxes. Tad joined Georgia-Pacific in 2001, with previous experience in concrete, aircraft manufacturing, and petro-chemical businesses.
Tad is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH). A native of South Louisiana, Tad graduated from Louisiana State University and has earned a Masters Degree in Industrial Hygiene from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Chrissy StrohmeyerChrissy retired as full-time business professional in 2001 to spend more time with her family. In her retirement, she continues to provide hands-on consulting in both sales and marketing strategies for multiple start-up and turnaround companies.
Chrissy has held many leadership and management roles during her career, including Managing Director at miniatures.com where she was responsible for all wholesale, retail and internet sales and operations. Prior to this position, she served as Vice President of Business Development at Aegis Communications Group, Inc., increasing client relationships on inbound and outbound call center applications. Within the five years she was with the company, she grew her individual revenue from $100,000 to $18 million working with major telecommunication clients. Her previous experience included various roles of increasing responsibility at Fortune 500 companies such as Holiday Inn, Federated Department Stores, and Delta Airlines.
A former colleague often describes Chrissy as a “visionary who has an unquenchable passion for the customer coupled with the tenacity and determination of an entrepreneur.” Her drive, determination and analytical abilities earned her high recognitions in her field.
Chrissy earned her Bachelors Degree of Business Administration from Oglethorpe University, majoring in both Economics and Business Administration.