Don Sando
San Diego, California
Don brought a wealth of relevant experience and leadership to Inner Circle when he joined us in 2007. He has had responsibility for all aspects of marketing - sales training, channel development, future product planning, forecasting, production planning, and strategic planning - with a Fortune 100 company. He also worked as Director of Marketing and Sales with a $60 million international technology company, which he helped grow to $115 million through core product development and two acquisitions.

In addition to facilitating Inner Circle groups, Don owns Strategic Results Group, a company he founded to help clients develop and execute their strategic growth plans to create a sustainable competitive advantage. "In working with various organizations, I've always used peer group interaction to create best thinking, regardless of the level in the organization with which I'm working," says Don."There's nothing more powerful than having a group of respected peers offer advice and solutions to your specific business challenges, usually from a perspective that you haven't considered. Being able to do this at the CEO and business owner level is a great thrill for me. Business owners grow and develop more rapidly, more sure-footedly when they are willing and able to leverage the lessons others have already learned on their behalf."

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www.innercircleofsandiego.com

David Mischler
Chicago, Illinois
Dave Mischler is Managing Director and Facilitator for Inner Circle Chicago. Dave started his career as an accountant on the audit staff of Deloitte, Haskins & Sells, now known as Deloitte, a global public accounting firm. In this role, he led audit engagements including the financial consolidation of two merging hospitals.

After leaving Deloitte, Dave moved his career into marketing. He spent almost nine years in advertising, working for industry giants Leo Burnett and Foote, Cone & Belding, as well as a small local firm. During this time, he focused on a number of well-regarded brands, launched new products and helped turn around sales for several lines. Later, Dave joined Aon Corporation and served as director of marketing for the worldwide organization. While there, he led a marketing campaign launch and helped to drive business development for a new unit. After several years with Aon, he moved to LaSalle Bank as the senior vice president for commercial and wealth management marketing where he met and exceeded business line goals while driving cost savings.

Dave’s unique background has enabled him to gain both a broad and deep perspective on business challenges. He has worked in and with large, medium and small companies. His industry experience includes financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, government agencies, not-for-profits, consumer goods and professional services. This cross-section of industries enables Dave to understand the issues, opportunities and best practices for a wide variety of business owners. The breadth of his functional knowledge combined with his strategic approach provides a solid foundation for advising leaders and facilitating discussions.

Dave has a B.S.B.A in Accounting from The Ohio State University and an M.B.A. with a concentration in Marketing from Indiana University. He earned both the CPA and CMA designations. He is active in his community and has served on boards of both for-profit and not-for-profit entities.

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Dr. Donald N. Sweet
York Harbor, Maine
After 25 years of domestic and international business experience in various industries and several business degrees, Don opened his first business, Performance Consulting LLC. The following year he bought into a mid market family owned manufacturing firm where he was President for six years before selling it to a public company in early 2007. Earlier in his career he held positions as Plant Manager, VP Finance, CFO, VP Operations and Acting President and he learned many lessons – most of them the hard way.

Don knows first hand there are some things you just can’t share with anyone, board, employees or family. Business owners are concerned about meeting payroll, about losing or landing a large customer, hiring the wrong person or firing the right person. They need a safe haven to bring issues and ideas and get open honest feedback from people who are business owners or managers like themselves.

“When I first heard about Inner Circle I remember asking, where were you guys when I needed you?” I’m thrilled that Inner Circle is available to help people avoid some of the mistakes that I’ve made. At the end of the day we’re all in this together and on the balance we collectively make much better decisions than we do individually.

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Baltimore, Maryland
Paul has been operating Inner Circle groups since 1988. Earlier in his career he organized and managed three profitable bank subsidiaries, managed a 500 person operations division and designed, implemented and marketed the world's first integrated, full-service/self-service consumer banking delivery system. For Paul, Inner Circle franchise ownership is all about connections. "I have many interests and contacts in many industries, therefore I am able to connect my members to the ideas and people they need to solve problems."

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www.InnerCircleMidAtlantic.com

Norm Stoehr
Minneapolis, Minnesota
As the original founder of Inner Circle, International, Ltd., Norm finds that maintaining his own franchise and continuing to facilitate Inner Circle keeps him close to the heart of the business. And he is good at what he does. Some individuals in his meetings were charter members in 1985. Norm ran a dozen businesses before starting Inner Circle, Inc. and continues to be excited by the energy of this business.

"To me, doing well in life means having the freedom to spend my time as I choose. Fulfillment comes from doing the work I was put on earth to do. The Inner Circle process can be cathartic for facilitators and members alike. It is during those intense three hours every month that fresh ideas and breakthrough insights, if nurtured, take seed."

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Floyd Adelman
Twin Cities, Minnesota
Floyd became an Inner Circle member in 1992, and was so impressed, he decided to become a franchisee. Floyd has rolled up his sleeves and built companies from the ground up as well as worn the hat of CEO in a mature business. In addition to growing up in a family business that ultimately became a public company, he owned a chain of franchise stores, sold companies and has developed numerous complex marketing campaigns.

"I was a business owner who loved being in business. After selling my company, I still needed to be involved. Inner Circle was the clear answer for me. Inner Circle allows me to be involved in 30 or 40 businesses all at the same time. It really keeps my juices going. I enjoy the process of meeting new people and learning about their businesses - whether they choose to become members or not."

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www.innercircletwincities.com

Cindi Korpela
Duluth, Minnesota
Cindi Korpela came to Inner Circle after a long career in the public health sector, which included holding the position of Public Health Nursing Director. In that role she worked side-by-side with business owners, government officials and service organizations to tackle diverse and large-scale community projects including everything from poverty studies to city planning to changing social norms about smoking.

She saw Inner Circle as an opportunity to capitalize on her years of experience in developing cooperative relationships, establishing priorities and shared visions, managing budgets and resources, and leading teams. The model of bringing together business owners to tap into the collective experience and synergy of the group resonated with her.

"When I began learning about disease management I studied it from a traditional perspective and from an alternative, holistic viewpoint. I know that I’m better at my craft when I have a broader range of approaches and resources at my disposal. In the same way, entrepreneurs gain a tremendous advantage when they have access to other great business minds that can help them see all of the choices and options — some that they never would have come up with on their own — that are available."
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Linda Laitala
St. Cloud, Minnesota
Linda has a long and rich history with Inner Circle. Prior to purchasing her own Inner Circle franchise in St. Cloud in 2005, Linda played an instrumental role in developing and growing Inner Circle International’s corporate organization as the Sales and Marketing Director. She immersed herself in the business as she recruited, trained and supported our franchisee team.

But her history goes even deeper than that. Her passionate endorsement of Inner Circle and its positive impact on business owners is born out of real life experience: she was a charter member in one of the first Inner Circles over 20 years ago when she was running her own manufacturing business. As owner of Raven Machine and Tool for 23 years, she acquired the kind of business savvy — along with some bumps and bruises — that enables her to relate credibly and authentically with other entrepreneurs.

“It can be very frustrating when you’re facing a tough challenge and you don’t feel that you have options from which to choose,” says Laitala. “I think that feeling of being backed into a corner is one of the greatest sources of stress out there for business owners. When you’re mired in a situation, it’s very difficult to see your choices. A peer group provides a fresh perspective and alternatives you would never come up with on your own. And when you have more alternatives available to you, not only will you make a better choice, you’ll also feel better — have a greater sense of control — about the final outcome.”

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Gerry Lalonde
Ontario, Canada

Gerry Lalonde, President for Inner Circle of Kingston/Bay of Quinte, has had a distinguished career that spans over 30 years of international work and which has taken him and his family as far afield as Auckland New Zealand and London England.

He has held several senior roles including CFO for a Fortune 500 multinational, CEO for human resources software company and COO for a NASDAQ listed technology company. He is also an accomplished entrepreneur and business owner.

Gerry’s diverse career enabled him to gain direct functional experience in sales, operations, finance, marketing, product development, human resources, management consulting and business ownership.

“Having been a CEO and business owner myself, I could immediately see the value that Inner Circle brings to the table. CEO's, Presidents, and owners of small and mid-size companies often don't have a formalized board of directors to act as advisors to their business. At Inner Circle we help them bridge that gap.”

Gerry has a B.Adm. from the University of Ottawa and he is also a Certified General Accountant.

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Greg Kells

Greg Kells, Certified Business Intermediary, Life Member of the Institute of Business Appraisers, Certified Machinery and Equipment Appraiser, Certified Senior Business Analyst, Licensed Business/Real Estate Broker, is President of Sunbelt Business Brokers Inc. (Canada), Business Valuation Canada Inc. and of Inner Circle Canada Inc.

His focus on Sunbelt's development has made Sunbelt the premiere Canadian Business Brokerage, dominating its local markets through superior services delivered by professional brokers using effective marketing programs and supported by appropriate technology, training, large national and international networks, and proven methodology. Greg Kells is an international entrepreneur with extensive business development, marketing, and management experience.

Mr. Kells started the Canadian operations of Sunbelt Business Brokers in 2002 and in addition to having opened 34 offices in Canada he is developing business brokerage in 13 other countries. Mr. Kells has served as president/chairman of companies in various industries including the hi-tech industry, manufacturing, business consulting, training, tourism, real estate development, business appraisal, television production and environmental laboratories.

Greg is very much a hands on CEO and his skills and experience are a significant asset to clients. He has been a guest lecturer at Harvard, Yale, and Duke Universities as well as at numerous Canadian Colleges. He enjoys mentoring and is involved in teaching for Sunbelt, for the International Business Brokers Association and for The Society of Business Analysts. Greg is the supportive husband to contemporary artist Gayle Kells, is the proud father of three children and of two grandchildren. He is involved in his community on various levels including being the Chair of the Canadian Institute of Nature and the founding Chair of the Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution. He has been a candidate for leadership of Ontario and is active in numerous community organizations. Launching the Inner Circle in Canada, Greg believes, will improve the business success and the quality of life for small and medium sized business owners and will, when combined with the services of Sunbelt, make a significant contribution to enabling entrepreneurial success in the business life cycle – acquisition, development and management, and exit.

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Peter Lawrence

Locations:
Born in London, UK.
Also lived in Essex, Yorkshire and Oxfordshire.
Presently living in Ottawa, Canada.

Family:
Married to Shirley (ne Chapman) July 1958 and now have four adult children and eight grandchildren.

Education and Work:
Attended Braintree County High School.
Studied Engineering at Marconi’s Wireless and Telegraph Co during a 6 year Apprenticeship. Masters Degree at Imperial College London University, UK, in Auto Control Systems.
C.Eng in the UK and P.Eng in Ontario, Canada plus professional member of both the IEEE and the IREE Brought to Ottawa for R&D in Radar and Telecoms.

Business Experiences:
Joined the Commercial world after 5 years in Canada, in order to be nearer to the business environment. Subsequently founded and built 10 companies over a 25 years period by moving more to financing and business development. Smallest start up founded was $15,000 and the largest was $25 million. Have worked in 22 countries financing and developing projects including Hydro Projects, Radio Frequency Allocations, Defense Electronics at National Security level, Inland Bonded Container Terminals, Distributorship of 15 Companies in ‘Computer,Telecomms, Digital Voice and IT Equipment & Systems’, Consulting in Financing and Corporation Development.

Attended the “National Defense College” course 86/87 Course XL as the only businessman/industrialist that year. Developed an enthusiasm and understanding of Network Marketing in various industries.

Pastimes and Hobbies:
Sailing (own a 16 ft Hobie Cat), Swimming (played a ‘lot’ of Water Polo and still swim 3 times per week), Reading ‘history’, ‘biographies’, philosophy, and about Mankind, the Earth the Solar System and the Universe.

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Arnold Campbell

Arnold Campbell, an Associate of Inner Circle, is someone who has a general curiosity and fascination for people and organizations.

He has held leadership positions in both technology development and service delivery organizations. He is an accomplished researcher and a student of human behaviour.

Arnold’s career has enabled him to gain experience in sales, operations, marketing, product development, human resource management, human computer interaction, user needs assessment and consumer behaviour.

“Having been a President and CEO, a Director responsible for leadership development, and a researcher, I could immediately see the value that Inner Circle brings to a people with aspirations to grow both as individuals and as business leaders. Owners and Presidents of both small and mid sized companies are unique and often face challenges that are not met by a formal Board of Directors or advisors and counsellors. The Inner Circle allows these individuals to interact with people in similar circumstances and benefit from each others experiences.”

Arnold received his B.S. from the University of Washington. He received an MSc from Memorial University of Newfoundland and a PhD from Queen’s University.

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Tim Malarkey
Cleveland, Ohio
Tim Malarkey, Managing Director and Facilitator for Inner Circle of Cleveland, began his career in the financial area as a member of the audit practice with PricewaterhouseCoopers, an international accounting and consulting firm.

He subsequently joined Cleveland-based American Greetings, a $2 billion publicly traded provider of greeting cards and other related products. Tim held several senior executive-level roles at American Greetings, including Vice President - General Manager, Vice President - Sales, Vice President - Product Management, Vice President – Merchandising, and several financial management positions.

Tim’s diverse career enabled him to gain direct functional experience in acquisitions, acquisition integrations, divestitures, sales, marketing, finance, product development, operations and general management.

“Having had day to day responsibility for operating both small and mid-size businesses at American Greetings, I know first-hand the issues that CEO’s, Presidents and Business Owners face. My experience gives me in a unique perspective that I can bring to the Inner Circle.”

Tim has a B.A. in Economics from Allegheny College and attended Graduate School at Kent State University. He is also a CPA.

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Michael Synk
Memphis, Tennessee
Teacher, salesman, senior executive, recruiter, consultant, speaker, author: Michael Synk has worn a lot of hats and covered a lot of ground. With 25 years in the temporary help industry, healthcare, and consulting, Synk draws on a depth and breadth of experience to advise and coach his clients.

After a start in teaching, Synk began as a sales rep with Kelly Temporary Services, and worked his way up to vice president of sales and operations with a regional franchise group, winning performance awards along the way. A move to Memphis to be closer to family facilitated a jump to the health care industry as a recruiter and internal business coach a for national ophthalmology practice management firm. Taking inventory of all of these experiences, a common theme of “Creating Success in Others” came to the surface, encouraging Synk to get out on his own and become a business coach.

Synk now leads Inner Circle of the Mid-South, facilitating groups of business owners, helping them get much-needed feedback from their peers on how to build on their success.

“Business owners and entrepreneurs appreciate the hard hitting feedback they receive from their Inner Circle Peers. Members help each other see the big picture while delivering creative and practical ways of dealing with the here and now. Helping this happen is very rewarding.”

In addition to Inner Circle, Synk is certified by Gazelles International to coach executive teams in strategic planning, hiring, and a host of other disciplines that create fast growth. Along the way Michael wrote a book on Target/Relationship Marketing titled, How to Create Customers as Loyal as Norm Peterson: The Cheers Model of Marketing.

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www.InnerCircleMidSouth.com

Jeff Redmon
Hudson, Wisconsin
Jeff had been an Inner Circle member for two years when he decided he enjoyed the experience so much he wanted to purchase a franchise and start his own circles.

With over twenty years of experience as a business lawyer, and having recently opened his own law firm, Jeff is well acquainted with the tough issues entrepreneurs face in defining, growing, and protecting their businesses. While he had no desire to stop practicing law, he was interested in an adjunct business that would be a source of recurring revenue.

Inner Circle proved to be the perfect fit. As he explains, “I’m able to keep everything I love about practicing law — the intellectual challenge, the variety, the focus on problem solving, the chance to influence major decisions in several different businesses, and the meaningful relationships — while I step away from some of the pressures of the billable hour. It’s been invigorating for my career, and the experience as a facilitator, especially the concentrated focus on listening is making me a much better lawyer.”

One other thing from the past that Jeff holds on to is his original Inner Circle membership. He now gets sage advice from his peers on growing both his law firm and his Inner Circle franchise.

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