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RE:FOCUS Home

"SUCCESS OUTSIDE OF CORPORATE AMERICA"

Description:

Join us on Monday, July 10 when our Panel of Experts talk about Opportunities for SUCCESS OUTSIDE OF CORPORATE AMERICA!

Panel of Experts:

MODERATOR:  Doug Friedman, LabWize, Inc.

Douglas Friedman has a BS in Marketing with over 25 years of experience is Sales, Marketing, and Manufacturing for the Construction Industry and Information Technology Industry.  Doug is President of LabWize, Inc.  He created a non-profit Educational Society, dedicated to the development, growth and strengthening of competitiveness for Owners, Architects, Engineers, and Manufacturers through Designing and Maintaining State-of-the Art Laboratory and Clean Room facilities. Doug has been a strong supporter of the Job Networking Programs in Connecticut and Georgia for the past twenty years and facilitates a JAWS Group every Wednesday, morning at Sunrise Café.

Paula Charles, Business Broker

Paula is the President of Abraxas Business Services, a firm specializing in M&A and business brokerage for privately held businesses. 

Paula has worked in a wide variety of capacities and industries during her career. Between undergraduate and graduate school she worked in the Netherlands for Peat Marwick & Mitchell as an auditor. After receiving her Masters degree from the University of Texas, she joined Deloitte & Touche, where she spent 11 years in management consulting working closely with clients in service, retail, distribution and manufacturing in a wide variety of strategy, operations improvement and systems implementation projects.

When Paula left Deloitte & Touche she went into industry where she held a variety of executive positions. She spent five years as a Vice President at National Data Corporation, first as the VP of Product Management, and later as a VP in the M&A group.  While at NDC, Paula worked in the payment processing industry and the health care industry developing expansion strategies and leading M&A efforts. After NDC she was the SVP of Finance of a publicly traded franchising company, and then worked in a small internet retail startup as the CFO. She also was the SVP of Finance at a national janitorial service company with over 35,000 employees.

Paula launched Abraxas Business Services in March 2003 after researching the capabilities of the business brokerage and M&A intermediary market for small and emerging businesses. The focus of the company is to provide the high quality M&A advisory services and exit strategy planning services offered to large companies to those in the lower middle market.

Paula holds a masters degree in accountancy from the University of Texas , and B.S. in business administration from the University of Washington . She is a CPA (inactive), a Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM). Until recently, she served as the Treasurer and board member of The Board of Directors Network, and the Board Chair of The Samaritan House. She also serves on the Board of the Buckhead Business Association. While at Deloitte & Touche, Ms. Charles co-authored a book entitled "Financing Wholesale-Distribution in the 1990's."

Jamie Parker, Realtor

Jamie is a residential real estate agent with Heritage Real Estate Brokers.  She just received her Association Brokers license after three years in the business.

She started her real estate career with Prudential Georgia Real Estate in their Dunwoody office.  In November of last year she moved to Heritage Real Estate Brokers.

She has been a member of the Atlanta Board of Realtors Million Dollar Club for 2005 and 2006, co-founded several networking groups, and volunteers with RE:FOCUS ON CAREERS.

Before real estate, Jamie worked in the corporate world for 10 years.  She moved to Atlanta in 1984.

She received her bachelor’s of science degree in business administration from Palm Beach Atlantic College in West Palm Beach, and spent 10 years in South Florida enjoying the Tiki bars and beaches immediately after obtaining her degree.

Keith Bowers, Financial Planner

Keith Bowers is a Registered Principal in the Roswell , GA branch of Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., Member NASD/SIPC.  He has provided sound investment and estate planning advice for individuals for over 22 years and holds the Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) designation. 

Keith has two primary areas of expertise:  

1) He assists Retirees and those nearing retirement in Retirement Planning.  He is a frequent instructor on this topic to individuals and to a major corporations.  He has provided a comprehensive range of investment and financial services to hundreds of individual and corporate clients.  

2) He assists Professionals with Financial Strategies during job or career change.  He is a frequent instructor in both government and private venues where attendees are in search of effective financial strategies during a job change.  

Keith, who is originally from Tifton , GA , now resides in Canton , GA with his wife and their five children, Matt, Adam, Lauren, Chase and Megan.  His recreation interests include golf, tennis, boating, fishing and Scuba diving .

Cathey Petkash, Franchise Broker

Cathey Petkash joined FranNet after 18 years in the “corporate world” of Hewlett-Packard.  Her professional consulting career at HP involved building strategic relationships with HP customers by designing IT solutions to meet their business goals and objectives.

Today, Cathey enjoys consulting with corporate professionals and assisting them to achieve their business ownership dreams.  Coming from the corporate world, she understands the challenges and concerns individuals experience when moving “beyond the corporate walls.”   Cathey looks forward each day to meeting with aspiring entrepreneurs to develop their business, financial & personal plan for business ownership.  With Cathey’s guidance, they will achieve their entrepreneurial dreams.

Cathey lives in Atlanta, Georgia, and travels throughout the State of Georgia representing FranNet.  Her relaxing time is reserved for reading & gardening; but her biggest joy is derived from the laughter of children while volunteering at “MY HOUSE,” a home for medically challenged children.

Educational Background:  Cathey obtained her MBA from the University of North Carolina and her BS in Accounting from Central Missouri State University.  

 

  Want to GROW your business?  We are currently accepting sponsorships! 

Questions:  email Debbie Rodkin at debbie@ReFocusOnCareers.com