Middletown Merchants Association

Looking back, my greatest thrill during my college years was being given the opportunity to represent Florida Technological University (what is now the University of Central Florida) as a photojournalist for the grand opening of Walt Disney World.  For me, this was the kind of memory-maker that almost eclipsed the Bi-centennial of the United States in 1976.

I was a retail copywriter for the Sears South Florida Advertising Group in Miami, FL following my graduation from college.  However, I left Miami after less than a year to pursue better opportunities in advertising in Atlanta, GA.  While attending night school classes at Emory University,  the lure of Wall Street got my attention.  When an opportunity to go to work for Bear Stearns arose, I took it.  I spent nearly 16 years of my life with the Wall Street firm of Bear Stearns.   During that time I worked in the Retail, Institutional Equity and Fixed Income Institutional Departments providing administrative support - including the pricing of securities.

In my spare time during my tenure with Bear Stearns, I became the president of a local computer user group, Amiga Atlanta, Inc.  In 1996,  I wrote a proclamation for the club which was signed and stamped with the Georgia State Seal by then-Governor Zell Miller.  CNN and PBS actually co-hosted a banquet I organized honoring this club.  A representative from Gov. Zell Miller's office attended and read that proclamation to an enthusiastic crowd, many of whom had actually flown into Atlanta for the banquet. The banquet was amazing.  It lasted five hours.
 
In the summer of 2001, I moved from Atlanta, GA to Middletown, CA to address specific health issues.  I became a contractor to The Geysers - the world's largest geothermal operation. I also became more involved in business networking - both online and offline.  I joined the Middletown Merchants Association (now the Middletown Area Business Association) and became the business mixer and promotions coordinator.  My involvement in "the Merchants" led to my active involvement in two other organizations - Mt. Konocti Facilitation and the Middletown Central Park Association. (The park association is in charge of the annual parade and festival known as "Middletown Days.")

In January of 2004, I formed a small marketing company.  While this company was designed to assist professional speakers in acquiring keynote speaking engagements, I have also assisted small retail businesses - and even my own local community - in garnering media attention.

In 2006, I put together a marketing campaign utilizing local high school students, a county marketing association and a worldwide online business network.  The result? The Fox News Channel made a 10-hour trip from Los Angeles to Middletown for "Middletown Days."  Fox News correspondent Adam Housley addressed the parade crowd and got the town mentioned on the network.  This was a first in the 45-year history of the event!  Since nothing succeeds like success, both local students and teachers took note.  Whereas last year's campaign involved only 30 students, this year's campaign garnered around 100.  Unlike the previous year's effort, this time every student participating received community service credit toward graduation.   Next year, school superintendent, Dr. Korby Olsen, states he wants to get another campaign led by students going as early as January.  And, this time it looks like we may be working with KRON 4 TV's "Bay Area Backroads" and San Francisco's Foundation Center, one of the best-known philanthropic library systems in the country.

My hope is that through grants and other funds, the local senior center can be rebuilt.  I am a firm believer that the right  passionate people can make wonderful things happen...if only they properly connect. And, that means "netweave."

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• Ting's Thai Kitchen, Thai Food, Restaurant, Hidden Valley Lake, CA
• Wi-Fi Your World
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• Pokenize Your Business
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