Speaker Information
Yesinne Alvarez
Dina Amadril
Paul Beretz, CICE
Paul is the founder of Pacific Business Solutions, a Q2C partner, and brings over 30 years of global experience in credit, finance and management with industries such as telecommunications, semi-conductors, forest products, chemicals, plastics and consumer products.
He is on the faculty of St. Mary's College, teaching in undergraduate and graduate degreed programs and has helped create and instruct in on-line certificate programs for FCIB and CMA.
Paul received his BBA from the University of Notre Dame, an MBA from Golden Gate University, the Executive Award from the Graduate School of Credit and Financial Management at Stanford University and a CICE designation from the FCIB association.
Scott Blakeley, Esq.
Scott Blakeley is a partner in the law firm of Blakeley & Blakeley LLP, where he advises companies around the country regarding creditors’ rights, commercial law, e-commerce and bankruptcy law. He was selected as one of the 50 most influential people in commercial credit by Credit Today. He is contributing editor for American Bankruptcy Institute’s Manual of Reclamation Laws, and author of A History of Bankruptcy Preference Law, published by ABI. Credit Research Foundation has published his manuals entitled The Credit Professional’s Guide to Bankruptcy, Serving On A Creditors’ Committee and Commencing An Involuntary Bankruptcy Petition.
Scott has published dozens of articles and manuals in the area of creditors’ rights, commercial law, e-commerce and bankruptcy in such publications as Business Credit, Managing Credit, Receivables & Collections, Norton’s Bankruptcy Review and the Practicing Law Institute, and speaks frequently to credit industry groups regarding these topics throughout the country.
Scott holds an B.S. from Pepperdine University, an M.B.A. from Loyola University and a law degree from Southwestern University. He served as law clerk to Bankruptcy Judge John J. Wilson.
Richard Dreitzer, Esq.
Nicole Friel, CEO
Nicole Friel is Founder and CEO of Elite Development Group, Inc. an I.T Security, Services, Investigations and Intelligence consortium headquartered in Irvine, CA. Ms. Friel has been an Information Technology Security expert since 1996 and a Private Investigator since 2006.
Prior to founding her firm she served as Chief Information Officer of Components Direct, LLC and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the FBI sponsored organization Infragard and is the Master of Security for the Bannon Institute, and Chief Security Scientist for Access-Smart, LLC. Ms. Friel has been involved in the resolution and investigation of multiple cases regarding network intrusion, zero day virus outbreaks, securities fraud, extortion, espionage, network operations sabotage, Federal Agent impersonation and many more.
In addition Ms. Friel is a member of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), Electronic Crimes Task Force (ECTF), Orange County Private Sector Terrorism Response Group (OCPSTRG), CalTech/MIT Technology Symposium, Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA), Irvine Police Business Partnership (2008 committee member) FBI Citizen’s Academy Alumni, CyberCop, and a candidate in consideration for the ATF’s Citizen’s Academy and Disney’s Counter Intelligence Symposium. She is also certified by the Extension Disaster Network in Pandemic Planning and Business Continuity Planning.
Ms. Friel is also an accomplished speaker and writer having co-written Identity Theft for Dummies hand book one and published multiple research papers internationally. She has been an invited guest speaker by the National Electronics Distribution Group, Credit Management Association and Loyola Marymount University.
Steven Fulmer
Steven Fulmer is a HUMAN STRATEGIST, PUBLISHED AUTHOR, SPEAKER AND THE CREATOR OF LIFEQUEST MAPPING™, A dynamic exploration of life, purpose and direction. He started his first successful business in photography at the age of 16 and by 35 was Vice President of an 85 person, $10million software company he helped grow from 3 people and $300,000/yr.
Steven is a graduate of St. Andrews Presbyterian College with a degree in Political Science/US-Soviet Relations, as well as The Coaches Training Institute. He currently teaches the Mission & Visioning workshop for the George Fox University MBA programs and serves as the executive coach for their Executive MBA program.
Steven appears regularly on KATU's AM Northwest, Portland, Oregon’s ABC affiliate morning show, and is the co-author of “Speaking of Success” alongside such notable thinkers as Jack Canfield, Stephen Covey and Ken Blanchard.
Warren Gubler, Esq.
Mr. Gubler is a native of Tulare County, California. He received both his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Law Degree from Brigham Young University. He has practiced law throughout California since 1983. Mr. Gubler is a member and past-President of the Tulare County Bar Association. He is also a member of the California Bar Association, Tulare County Trial Lawyers Association, National Association of Retail Collection Attorneys (NARCA), the California Creditors Bar Association (Board of Directors 2004 - 2006), and the J. Reuben Clark Law Society (Fresno Chapter Chairman 2005-2007).
In civic affairs, Mr. Gubler is on the board of the Visalia Chamber of Commerce, is a director of The Creative Center Foundation (President 2003-2005), serves as a scout leader with the Boy Scouts of America (Sequoia Council Executive Board Member), has been an instructor at College of the Sequoias, and served on city and school board committees.
Over the years, Mr. Gubler has participated as a speaker and panel member in a number of educational seminars and programs relating to debt collection. Mr. Gubler’s areas of practice include creditor’s rights and collections, commercial law and litigation, insurance subrogation, as well as construction, contract, landlord-tenant and real property law.
Joseph Hanna, Esq.
Joseph M. Hanna is an attorney with Lanak & Hanna, P.C., a law firm in Santa Ana, California, specializing in construction disputes, commercial collection and business litigation representing material suppliers and subcontractors. He is a frequent speaker and lecturer for trade groups and associations, including the Credit Management Association (CMA), Lorman Educational Services, National Business Institute, Building Industry Credit Association, Asphalt Pavement Association and the California Continuing Education of the Bar.
He has authored several articles that have been published in newsletters and trade publications throughout the state. Mr. Hanna is a member of the Orange County Bar Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association and the State Bar of California.
Michael L. Joncich
Michael L. Joncich currently holds the position of Manager of the Adjustment Bureau of Credit Management Association with offices in Burbank and San Leandro, California and Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada, and Charlotte, North Carolina. CMA’s Adjustment Bureau provides fiduciary services to creditors of insolvent businesses in its capacity as an Assignee for the Benefit of Creditors, Disbursing Agent, Plan Agent, Liquidating Agent and Trustee. Founded in 1883 as the Los Angeles Board of Trade,
CMA has administered business insolvency proceedings for more than 100 years and continues to set the standards for administration of general assignment estates. Prior to that he was the Chief Administrator for Donald W. Henry, Trustee, where he supervised administration of bankruptcy estates and state and Federal court receiverships assigned to panel trustee for the Central District of California. Duties included communication with creditors, attorneys, and other professionals; preparation of quarterly reports; and review of bankruptcy petitions and legal documents.
Susan Lujan, CCE
Susan Lujan, CCE, is the Corporate Credit Director of Kenworth Sales Company. She started as a credit clerk and grew up in the credit profession while obtaining her degree and her professional designations. Susan holds a Bachelor of Science Degree – cum laude, in Business Management and Marketing, is an instructor at Salt Lake Community College in Economics and Finance, co-teaches the CCE Exam Review sessions locally and nationally, is a CFDD Past President, past Chairman NACM Business Credit Services and serves as a West Region Director on the NACM National Board.
Her awards from her affiliate include Mentor of the Year, Instructor of the Year, Credit Executive of the Year, CCE of Excellence. In 2008 she was awarded the Robert Half Instructor of the Year at Credit Congress. Her credit passions are mentoring and stopping credit card fraud in her industry. She is a successful and popular speaker at her affiliate, and has been a presenter at the Western Regional Conference and at National Credit Congress. Susan has been associated with NACM Business Credit Services since 1989. During this time, she has achieved education goals and accreditation that have increased her value personally and professionally.
Richard Macias, Esq.
Richard Macias is a partner with the law firm of Creim Macias Koenig & Frey. The firm specializes in creditors’ rights. Mr. Macias represents trade suppliers, manufacturers and financial institutions in litigation involving contract enforcement actions, bankruptcy, business transactions, bad faith claims, and collections.
Mr. Macias received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1975. He has written numerous articles on topics of interest to secured and unsecured creditors.
Gyan Maharaj, CCE
Gyan Maharaj, CCE, has been in the credit field since 1977. He is a graduate of the University of South Africa and Pacific Western University and recipient of the Executive Award from the Graduate School of Credit and Financial Management, Stanford University (1985).
He is an active member of CMA having served on numerous boards and committees. Gyan is an Instructor for the California Institute of Credit, a speaker at seminars and conferences and a contributor of numerous articles to Business Credit Magazine. He was voted Credit Executive of the Year 2000 by CMA. He is formerly the Regional Credit Manager for Daltile Corp.
Jim Menard, CCE
Over the last thirty years, Jim has held Credit Management positions with International Video Corporation, Litton Industries Credit Corporation, Clossco (Adidas), Verbatim Corporation, Digital Equipment, Wyse Technology and Adaptec, he recently retired as the Treasury Manager at Boyd Corporation in Modesto, CA.
Previous to his credit management experience he was in banking for 10 years with First National Bank of San Jose (Bank of the West) and Bank of America. He obtained his B.A. degree from St. Mary's College in Moraga and his MBA in Finance from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. Jim also earned his Certified Credit Executive designation from the National Association of Credit Managers in 1993. In 1993, Jim, was awarded Credit Executive of the Year by the Credit Managers Association of California.
David Osburn, MBA
David is the founder and managing member of David L. Osburn & Associates LLC, a Las Vegas-based business training and contract CFO firm that provides seminar/keynote speeches for various groups including CPAs, bankers, attorneys, credit union employees, credit managers, trade groups, and business owners. He also serves as a contract CFO for several clients including construction companies, medical practitioners, and real estate developers, co-manages a bank educational program with the University of Nevada Las Vegas, and is a board member of North Star Business Services, a commercial lending company (commercial real estate and equipment financing).
His extensive professional background encompasses over 24 years in banking, finance, and marketing. His bank commercial lending credentials include comprehensive loan underwriting, management, customer development, and loan work-out experience.
In addition, David is an Adjunct Professor for Regis University, an accredited MBA program and the College of Southern Nevada, a community college. He has taught college courses for over 22 years, covering Finance, Accounting, Economics, Marketing, Banking, Business Law, and Management. He earned an MBA in Finance/Marketing from Utah State University and a BS in Finance from Brigham Young University. He is also a graduate of the University of Oklahoma National Commercial Lending School.
Mike Puccinelli, CCE
Michael Puccinelli, CCE has been in credit for 30+ years. He's been in the hi-tech industry for the past twenty. He currently works for Verisign as the Director, Global Credit & Collection and AR. He graduated from UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business, and The Graduate School of Credit and Financial Management at Dartmouth. Mike earned his CCE Designation in 2006 He has worked in the Northern California Area for the past 18 years and prior to that was in Chicago and New York. He has been a member of NACM since 1976 and has been active in CMA since moving back to California in 1991. Prior to that, he was a member of CMCMA (Chicago), NACM Tampa and NACM SW (Dallas). In addition he was a member of the Board of Trade before it merged with NACM Northern & Central California. Mike has been a member of FCIB and the Credit Research Foundation for many years. He has served on numerous advisory boards for D&B over the course of his career. In addition, Mr. Puccinelli is an instructor for CMA, CMCMA in Chicago and UC Extension. He has been a panel member at FCIB functions and has made presentations about Credit and Collection at Oracle World and Oracle Collaborative. Over his career in credit, he's managed over 23 people that have received some level of professional designation. Over the past few years, Mike has had over 15 Verisign employees receive their NACM Designation. Mike currently serves on the Board of Directors of CMA since 2007
John Samberg, Esq.
John Samberg is an AV rated trial attorney, admitted to the Bars of California, England and Wales. John is a member of SulmeyerKupetz, APC. Prior to joining SulmeyerKupetz, John served as Vice President of Contracts and Compliance with national construction staffing company CLP Resources, where he was responsible for major customer contracts, regulatory and license compliance, as well as the prosecution and management of credit litigation.
In nearly twenty-fives of practice John has handled a broad variety of matters, including commercial and construction litigation, real estate litigation, creditor's rights, and major injury/wrongful death cases in State, Federal and Bankruptcy Courts in California and other jurisdictions across the country.
John obtained his undergraduate degree from UCLA, and is a magna cum laude graduate of Southwestern University School of Law, where as a Dean's Scholar he earned numerous American Jurisprudence Awards, two national moot court championships, and the ABOTA Award for Excellence in Preparation for the Trial Practice of Law.
Before attending law school, John worked as a private detective, a license he still holds. John has lectured for NACM, CMA and Lorman Education Services, and has also served the Los Angeles County Courts as a Judge Pro Tem, Arbitrator and Mediator. John can be reached at jsamberg@sulmeyerlaw.com.
Sheryl Sookman Schelter, CMP
Sheryl Sookman Schelter, CMP, started the MeetingConnection in 1996, after co-managing a similar placement service for three years. Sheryl has been involved in the meeting industries for over twenty-five years, including eighteen years as president of SOOKMAN and ASSOCIATES, a meeting management company based in Northern California.
Her experience includes working on programs and events such as sales meetings, distributor and user conferences, annual meetings, trade show coordination, exhibit management, and incentive travel programs. Sheryl writes a Career Forum column for Meetings Media Magazines (Meetings West, Meetings Mid-America, Meetings East, and Meetings South). She also speaks at industry conferences on career and employment related issues.
Sheryl has presented at HSMAI's Affordable Meetings and MPI Annual Conferences and Institute. In addition, she does webinars for Meetings Media and PCMA. Sheryl has also published a book called Who's In Charge of Your Career? Creating A Strategy For Success.
Randy Tabor
Randy Tabor, Manager of Strategic Relationships, works with many of Experian’s largest Business Information Solutions reseller partners. He is responsible for effectively expanding these relationships, including management of business issues, market strategy, sales training, and coaching support. Randy works with individuals, leaders, and teams who want to accelerate their professional and personal success. His approach centers on establishing, developing, and maintaining relationships as the foundation for personal performance management that leads to success. He guides his clients to take action on building the results they desire, inspiring them to overcome barriers, and motivating them to achieve their business and personal goals.
With more than twenty years of corporate experience, ten of which have been with Experian, Randy has held a variety of roles that include training, consulting, and coaching. “People” have been the common thread throughout his career, providing him with the unique opportunity to master the dynamics of relationships.
Randy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from the University of Southern California. He received his coach training from Coach U Inc., and holds a Career Transition Coach Certification from Chapman University. He is the current President of the International Coach Federation – Orange County Chapter.
Kurt Weiland
Kurt Weiland is president of Jefferson Smith Training and Consulting, an international corporate-training company in Bountiful, Utah (about six miles north of Salt Lake City). He served for twenty-three years in the United States Army. He was an infantryman and a paratroop commander. He was an Assistant Professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He has a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University, a master’s degree from the University of Southern California, and a second master’s degree from UCLA. He’s written four books on leadership and communication skills.
Fun Facts about Kurt: He’s a former astronaut. He walked on the moon with Apollo 21. He won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1958 for his research on dairy businesses in third-world countries. He frequently gives counsel to the president and the pope. Forty-one years ago, he married his college sweetheart, Kathy Lynne Waite. They have six children and thirteen grandchildren.