TEAMMATES
Laverne Medenblik
Director, Operations
Lora Medenblik
Director, Communications
Director, Operations
Director, Communications
I am a serial producer inspired by imagination, innovation, entrepreneurship, inventors, founders and CEOs that empower everything around humanity, especially entertainment and education.
I recently became a self professed geek who spent over 42 years passionately studying all corners of planet earth around economics, environments, and entertainment connected to the world financial markets.
Why? To connect all the dots I could find that would help me live life by following my heart.
My most treasured times helped shape everything so I could serve back to a wonderful world that has given me 63 years on earth.
My brand for success was formulated by the “stop, look, listen” theory.
Everything about music, and people who are passionate about coming together around music was always my grounding. My belief is that music is one of the greatest healers of life.
My career as a DJ and Entertainment Director From 1978 to 2001 empowered me to serve, protect and promote the biggest Fortune 500 companies in the world from Vancouver, BC, Canada.
This training program had me producing hundreds of promotions, parties, contests, festivals, exhibitions and award ceremonies alongside multitudes of superstars, rockstars, sports, music, entertainment properties and networks.
I started collecting records at the age of 11 and become a professional DJ at 17 years. I ultimately became a music machine landing multiple positions at top stations including CFOX and LG73.
I lived my dreams 365 days a year as a reporter, journalist, host, emcee, music and special events producer and director, orchestrating hundreds of album launches for every label, concert, movie and TV production and Fortune 500 company.
Between 1978 and 2004 a few of my most memorable promotional live event experiences include, Michael Jackson, Huey Lewis, Bryan Adams, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Jeff Healey, Meatloaf, Prince, U2, Madonna, Rolling Stones, Police, David Bowie, Temptations, live concert productions, film releases, World Expo 86 sized special events and promotions.
Ms. Jones has represented some of the highest level sports properties in her career, including 2010 Winter Olympic Games, PGA Tour’s Air Canada Championship, World Taekwondo Junior Games and the America’s Masters Games as well as other notable non-sports properties including Oprah’s Canadian Tour, BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, Canucks Autism Network, RE/MAX Canada, Ellen Degeneres Canadian Tour, City of Richmond and City of New Westminster. Deborah was also Founder and President of Sponsorship Central, a North American marketing and brand sponsorship agency. During the past 18 years Deborah led the successful sponsorship marketing firm to include Fortune 500 clients and major live and broadcast properties from a wide range of sectors including sports, entertainment, cause / non-profit, government and real estate. Prior to launching Sponsorship Central, Deborah held the position of VP Events and Marketing at Canada Place Corporation and produced the largest Canada Day celebrations on the west coast of Canada for six years. Deborah earned her Marketing Degree at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in Vancouver.
As a successful business leader, the past 25 years have seen John responsible for award winning marketing strategies, developing and implementing unique and innovative customer-focused products and services, and thoroughly maximizing business opportunities. Among his achievements, John ran one of the most successful Rock and Roll radio stations in Western Canada. While there he created and hosted a nationally-syndicated artist interview program capturing the insights and inspirations of literally hundreds of musicians including AC/DC, Genesis, Police, Rolling Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Van Halen, and Frank Zappa, to name a few. Highlighting John’s strength in developing experiential marketing opportunities include partnerships with the PGA, Vancouver Canucks, BC Lions, Vancouver Whitecaps, IndyCar, Canadian Football League and many others. In a recent role at one of Canada’s leading transit agencies - serving more than 1.2 million customers daily - John brought together the partnerships for the concept, design and delivery of a ground breaking advertising platform valued at more than $300 million. His education background includes broadcast communications at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, business and communications at Simon Fraser University, and sales and marketing at the University of BC’s Sauder School of Business. As a community-minded individual, John also makes time to support local not-for-profit organizations and currently serves on a number of volunteer boards and committees supporting children, safety, and environmental perspectives.
Randy Koyanagi is the Chief Creative Officer at Accordios and is responsible for developing the company’s creative design strategy and brand visual identity. Randy brings 35 years of experience as an award-winning art director and designer. His diverse creative and technical background spans many disciplines including motion graphics, 3D animation, broadcast design, channel branding, marketing, commercial production, virtual set design, visual effects, production editing, on-set supervision and directing. Randy has produced work for many leading companies including Global Television, Vancouver Canucks, BC Lions, Vancouver Whitecaps, PGA Tour, Shaw Communications, Telus, Cadillac, Corus Entertainment, CFOX, Rock 101, CKNW, RBC, FortisBC, YVR and the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. At Global News Randy designed on-air broadcast graphics packages, and re-branded Global National as well as all local BC news programming. He has also designed, managed and directed numerous industry award-winning marketing campaigns for broadcast, print, and digital. Randy also delivered the first Canadian virtual news set working with Full Mental Jacket. He was responsible for the overall show presentation and devised, implemented, and oversaw an innovative workflow process where a large design team produced dynamic show elements for each daily broadcast.
As Director of Business Development for SCAinteractive (Calgary, Canada), and Director of Interactive at SCA Promotions (Dallas, USA), Adam Ford possess valuable knowledge and experience in the digital marketing space, particularly in consumer motivation and engagement. From fantasy sports games to integrated interactive programs, Adam works closely with all stakeholders, including prospects, clients, third-party vendors, channel partners and the team at SCAinteractive to develop unique interactive programs that attract end-users and encourage action. Adam also manages clients of all sizes, from local mortgage brokerage firms to Fortune 500 companies. Clients he has managed include Conoco Philips, The Marketing Store, 7-11, Husky Energy, EMC, Rogers Communications, Bell Media, The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and Post Media, among others. Adam graduated top of his class from the Haskayne School of Business (University of Calgary), earning the Silver Medallion for highest distinction in the International Business discipline. Adam also holds a certificate in User Experience Design from Southern Methodist University (SMU), as well as in Sales Excellence and Social Marketing.
As the document and diary master James ensures that all of Accordios’s business processes are organized and managed correctly by consolidating information, data and content into white papers, structures and libraries. A senior business consultant and entrepreneur for 40 years, James’s professional history includes being a manager of 13 movie studios, a general manager of sales and marketing, as well as having expertise in accounting, contract creation and relationship management. James is also a professional public speaker.
Prior to joining Accordios, Nora Weber has been principal and founder of TerraCom, a marketing communications company. Her clients have included international environmental organizations and technology companies, tourism bureaus, passenger train companies, resorts and adventure outfitters, museums and universities. Nora is a skilled communicator with a global perspective and a solution orientation. She has worked for a non-governmental organization at the United Nations in New York, consulted with a German environmental technology company, and collaborated with a Dutch urban planning company that wanted to bring their unique talents to Canada, as well as transboundary environmental organizations. She has also worked in television as a researcher for a current affairs program, a production manager for an afternoon talk show and an assistant story editor for a television drama.
Sophie’s diverse professional background informs her role as Director of Project Management with Accordios. For over 25 years Sophie has held private and public sector management positions in operations, administration, marketing communications, change management (Lean), organizational development and leadership, the latter as the Vice President of the Board of Directors for a not-for-profit organization. Her values are grounded in people, culture and human resources, with expertise as a coach, counsellor, facilitator and as an instructor at the University of British Columbia. A design thinker, Sophie's favourite questions "why," "how," and "can we make this better" have been the driving forces in her work in project management, as well as in quantitative and qualitative research that has been published in peer-reviewed journals. Sophie has a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology (Honours) and Criminology from Simon Fraser University, and a Master's Degree in Counselling Psychology from the University of British Columbia.
Prior to her work at Accordios, Kelli made waves in senior-level positions at Fortune 100 entertainment and technology companies including EMI Music, Silicon Graphics (SGI), and Apple Inc., where she launched Apple’s earliest focus on music and entertainment, driving initiatives in that space during her 12 years with the company. Over the course of the last 25 years, Kelli has been fortunate to work and collaborate with many people that have been instrumental in defining their respective fields. Some have even become iconic. Steve Jobs, Mark Cuban, Sheryl Sandberg, Stewart Copeland, Nancy Duarte, Todd Rundgren, and Alan Cohen have been personal mentors, colleagues, or clients.
Geoff Ford graduated from The University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1977. He joined IBM Canada in 1978 and trained as a Systems Analyst. After spending a year with IBM Australia in 1981, he returned to Canada to join a Calgary software firm as a systems consultant. In 1985, Geoff began his own consulting firm, Spectrum Information Systems Inc which grew to 22 employees and became an IBM "Blue Ribbon Business Partner" in 1992. In 1986 Geoff co-founded SportsMark Inc. and is one of the key figures in the invention and spread of large scale fantasy sports programs. Sportsmark designed, developed and introduced the first large scale commercial sports contests to the North American public. After selling his interest in Spectrum Information Systems, Geoff dedicated his efforts full time to expanding the Sportsmark group of companies. Over the next 15 years, Geoff remained in the sports and entertainment industry, working at some time with virtually every major newspaper and major large corporations including Rogers Media, Bell Media, John Deere, Canadian Broadcasting Corp, Gillette and Husky Oil, before selling his interest in Sportsmark in 1998 to ISN networks. In 2001, Geoff co-founded Blast Promotions/SCAinteractive and has served as President from inception until retiring in 2017. Geoff currently lives on Vancouver Island and serves as Corporate Director and Advisor for Blast/SCAinteractive.
Peter has worked in the Interactive Promotions space for over 25 years. His clients include many Fortune 500 companies, and his award-winning work has been experienced by millions of consumers. Peter loves to be involved in all aspects of the sales process including promotional strategy, customer interaction, and return on investment. Peter was a partner in SportsMark Promotions; one of the first companies to realize the database benefits of Fantasy Sports products. SportsMark went on to become the world's largest provider of interactive fantasy sports games. Peter and the SportsMark team joined forces with Dallas-based SCA Promotions, forming SCAinteractive. For the past decade Peter has been living in Dallas, Texas and overseeing SCAi’s growth in the USA.
Rob Moser, VP Operations and Partner of SCAinteractive, has a long history in interactive promotions and invaluable experience in delivering programs for companies and agencies of all sizes. He started with SportsMark Inc., the original provider of large-scale interactive sports promotions. Given his lifelong passion for sports of all kinds, it was an ideal fit. Having joined the company in its infancy, Mr. Moser was heavily involved in virtually every aspect of the company, from marketing and sales to strategic development and operations. Mr. Moser was responsible for overseeing the delivery of services for a client base of 100 of the leading daily newspapers across North America as well as numerous other clients in the corporate marketplace. In 2000, Rob and the partner group formed SCAinteractive with a focus on digital promotions. Rob now oversees the program development, management and operations for SCAinteractive's broad array of clients. Rob Moser is a graduate of The University of Lethbridge (Bachelor of Management).
Rahz Lavon oversees the creation of Accordios business documents, spanning from financial modeling to the communication of the vision. He also serves on the frontlines of our research department, performing analytics, logistics, and development. With a background in computer engineering and technical experience creating web, sales, and administrative infrastructure, Rahz received his BCom specializing in finance from the Sauder School of Business at UBC. He also pursued several other disciplines including operations management, communications, and commercial law.
Damien has been involved with intellectual property since 2000, when he managed a diverse portfolio of patents for a start-up. Over the years he has worked for small and large companies, both local and international, as well as for individual inventors. He helps clients identify and define their inventions, and walks them through the process of filing patent applications. Areas that he is familiar with include lighting, electronics, lasers, physics, engineering, cryogenics, alloys, optics and optical crystals, software-based systems, – and there are probably a few more that could be listed. He is often invited to brainstorming sessions, where he contributes ideas that lead to further patent applications. Damien has a Bachelor's and Doctorate in Physics from the University of Oxford.
Derek is the Managing Partner of The Data Jungle – a boutique insights-driven research and consultancy group focused on providing strategic market intelligence and consulting services to brands, agencies, and rightsholders that supports key business decisions. Derek has over 20 years of experience in the sports, entertainment and media industries. He has successfully managed hundreds of projects including ROI and economic impact assessments, sponsorship valuations, feasibility studies, and consumer & media research projects. Prior to launching The Data Jungle in 2014, Derek was the Senior Vice President in Canada at Repucom, a global leader in sports marketing research, where he worked with such clients as the Royal Bank of Canada, EA Sports, Tim Hortons, Hockey Canada, NFL, CFL, NBA, 2015 Pan American Games, Wasserman Media Group and MetLife Stadium to name a few. Before Repucom, Derek was the Managing Director of IMG’s sponsorship research & consultancy division (Comperio Research) for North America where he provided expertise to the likes of Red Bull, Samsung, Bank of America, New Balance, Scotiabank, NHL, IndyCar, Volkswagen, and the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Ian is a founding Partner of Granville West Group, and had led a distinguished career in the Financial Services Industry over 28 years, servicing the Wealth Management and Financial Planning needs of his clients. Founded in 1982, Granville West is a consulting industry leader that expanded nationally through a series of four mergers, before merging in 2007 with Manulife Financial Corporation, one of the world's largest Insurance Companies. Ian began his working career as a professional athlete with the New York Yankees in 1961, and played four seasons in the Yankee organization (1961-1964) before returning to the University of British Columbia. While at UBC, he captained the Varsity Men's Basketball team and was named the Most Valuable Collegiate Player in Canada in 1967, before graduating with a degree in Economics in 1968. In November 1968, Ian served as Regional and National Sales Manager with Xerox of Canada, overseeing a dynamic period of growth. In 1979 Ian became Vice-President of Macaulay Nicholls & Maitland, a leading Western and International Real Estate full service broker, where he headed up the Residential Sales Division in Alberta and British Columbia, before co-founding the Granville West Group.
Respect and decency are key attributes of Roy White, who played for 15 straight seasons with the New York Yankees and achieved many milestones during his outstanding professional career. His success as a professional ballplayer serves as a testament to the power of dedication. Growing up poor in one of the tougher communities of Los Angeles, his aspiration to one-day play professional baseball was achieved through a rapacious desire to obtain knowledge and education, in order to present his best to the world. The Roy White Foundation provides financial assistance to young adults and children whose desire to further their education is inhibited by financial complications. It is our mission to help these individuals pursue their dreams and aspirations by easing the frustrating burden of monetary obligations.
Inducted on July 24, 2011 into the Hall of Fame, Pat Gillick has had a distinguished 27-year career as a major league baseball general Manager, and the second longest managerial career in the history of the Phillies franchise, where he guided the team to back-to-back NL Eastern Division Champions (2007-08), and the 2008 World Championship. Prior to being named GM of the Phillies on November 2, 2005, Pat held the same position with the Toronto Blue Jays (1978-94), where he guided the team to five AL West titles, and two World Series championships. Between 2000-2003 he managed the Seattle Mariners to the best record in baseball, and a World Series championship, as well. In addition to their championships, his teams have won eleven conference or divisional titles, making him one of the most successful managers in the history of the sport.
Richard was called to the Bar in 1982. He has practiced in Vancouver, British Columbia in the areas of Real Estate, Wills and Estate Planning and Mortgage Law for over 25 years with a brief hiatus of five years in Toronto. During his time in Toronto he partnered with other industry experts to launch a publicly traded mortgage bank and was founding Chairman of one of the largest mortgage broker companies in Canada. Richard has been an active member of numerous community and professional groups and associations. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Arts Club Theatre Company.
Michael is the co-founder and co-president of Stage Ventures Inc. a leading producer of world-wide, live staged productions, including numerous Broadway, Vegas and touring shows. He began his career as a CPA who practiced Entertainment tax then moved on to become the Vice-President of Paragon Entertainment, a North American film and TV production company. In addition to live events, Michael has successfully financed over $750,000,000 of film and television productions.
Frederick Warner Rhines (July 8, 1942 - October 6, 2016) In loving memory.
Fred is a graduate of the University of Michigan, and received his M.B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley. He has over 25 years of advertising agency experience, which includes stints at Young & Rubicam, Marschalk, McCann-Erickson, and Publicis, the third largest international advertising agency in the world, and largest in France. His key clients have included Coca-Cola, Bristol-Myers, Revlon, L’Oreal, Lancome, and Fujitsu. Having worked for both major international advertising agencies and then launched a successful staffing service business in Fairfield County, Connecticut in 1995, Fred provides a unique and in-depth perspective of the advertising industry.
Well established Mexican-Canadian Artist Miriam Aroeste has been working in visual arts for over 25 years; she creates her art in Vancouver Canada, and in several inspiring locations within Mexico. Her wild curiosity and natural sense of adventure got her to travel study and live in many different counties. Always attracted to Art she studied Cinematography in Rome, Italy where she met Fellini, Antonioni, and many other established Visual Artists. Aroeste was initially captivated by sculpture and that is how she started her carrier in visual arts. Her fascination for painting came latter to stay; she graduated in Fine Arts at Emily Carr -Vancouver Canada. Her abstract themes explore a universal understanding that transcends gender, race or subject matter; it is deliberately inclusive and open. Her paintings are ultimately explorations of line, colour and gesture. The meditative quality of Aroeste’s work goes beyond any specific association, her abstract compositions invite to create a spiritual plane for the viewer to reflect and she hopes to achieve an emotional response, which is not conceptual, but something felt on a more instinctive level. Her work is intended to be viewed as one would listen to instrumental music, without feeling a need to attach a meaning or narrative. Miriam has exhibited in Canada, USA, France and Mexico and her work is collected locally and internationally by Corporate and private collectors.
Biagio is an executive leader bringing his passion for people, clients, and organizational development to all facets of business.
Throughout the past 30 years, Biagio has been as a top-level Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) to multiple accredited educational endeavors.
Biagio’s career path has been very diverse, at times traditional and other times non-traditional and breaking the mold on where a human can land to make a difference.
His strategic ability to combine the team, senior leadership, company and his insights in building Vision, Mission and Execution is a testimony to his passion for people power.
A proven people leader with the background, talent, experience, and care to build both the brand of people and organizations.
Douglas J. Wood has practiced law for more than 45 years. In 2004, he and most of his colleagues from Hall Dickler, an entertainment boutique he managed, joined Reed Smith and founded the firm’s Entertainment and Media Law practice group, which today is among the leading entertainment and media law practices in the world. In 2024, he founded his own solo practice. He is listed among the leading global specialists in advertising law in Chambers, the Legal 500, The Best Lawyers in America, and Super Lawyers and is a member of the Legal 500 Advertising Law Hall of Fame.
He received his BA from the University of Rhode Island, Juris Doctor from the Franklin Pierce Law Center, Masters of Law in Trade Regulation from New York University School of Law, and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of New Hampshire. Doug has been adjunct professor of advertising law at the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law and the University College Cork in Ireland. He was on the Board of Trustees of the Franklin Pierce Law Center for more than 20 years and served as its Chair for 15 years, leading it through its merger with the University of New Hampshire. He remains on the Dean’s Council.
He served as General Counsel to the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) for over twenty years and remains counsel to the ANA’s Board of Directors. He is a Management Trustee on the Screen Actors Guild Pension Plan. For more than a decade, he was the advertising industry’s Chief Negotiator for the collective bargaining agreements with SAG-AFTRA, the largest union agreements in the entertainment industry. Doug is the founder and emeritus member of the Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance (GALA), an international network composed of independent law firms that have expertise in advertising and marketing law with members in more than 80 countries. Doug has considerable experience in e-tailing, NFTs, programmatic buying, and more. He is noted for his experience in intellectual property issues that arise in connection with marketing brands, including false and deceptive advertising, copyright and trademark licensing and infringement, and the growing global concerns relating to privacy and data security under U.S. law and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation. He is also an inventor and holds a patent for online trademark maintenance.
Doug is the author of Please Be AdVised - The Legal Reference Guide for the Advertising Executive (7 th edition), considered, as Bob Liodice, CEO of the Association of National Advertisers said, the legal bible for the industry. He is also a novelist with nine other books: 101 Things I Want to Say…the Collection (2014), a book on fatherly advice; Presidential Intentions (2014), Presidential Declarations (2015), and Presidential Conclusions (2017), an award winning political thriller trilogy about the first woman President of the United States, Asshole Attorney: Musings, Memories and Missteps in a 40 Year Career (2018), winner of the 2019 Independent Press Award for Best Humour and Wit, Dark Data: Control, Alt, Delete (2020), a thriller about terrorism’s use of social media and winner of the 2020 Independent Press Award for Best Political Thriller, Dragon on the Far Side of the Moon (2021), a thriller pitting the United States and China against one another in colonizing the moon, Blood on the Bayou (2022), an award winning novel set in New Orleans that pits a serial killer against an FBI profiler, and The Shakespeare Killer (2023), a sequel to Blood on the Bayou that follows his FBI profiler on a global search for a serial killer murdering criminal defense attorneys. His next novel, Deadly Bytes, is scheduled for release in 2024. All of his novels and many blogs can be found at www.douglasjwood.com.
Doug lives in North Carolina with Carol Ann, his wife of fifty years, and is the father of three wonderful children and five fantastic grandchildren. In his spare time, he works on improving his golf game, a never-ending battle.
A successful international instructor and entrepreneur, John has taught university and college courses in Canada and Japan and operated organizations that deliver educational services and products.
After graduating from McMaster University Faculty of Science with a psychology degree, John left for Tokyo, Japan where he taught language skills in Engineering and Technology Seminars & University Courses for over 23 years.
He also started a company in Japan dedicated to providing the model for students, faculty and young professionals to organize research findings for international dissemination, allowing them to expand their reach through participation in academic conferences and, in coordination with the Japanese National Institute of Technology, more effectively conduct international business.
John also long harbored an interest in how international cultures tend to the human spirit and soul, resulting in his attending the M.A./Ph.D. Mythological Studies program at Pacifica Graduate Institute, where he studied Joseph Campbell, CG Jung and other scholars. From this perspective, John began his research in southern Japan on the Japanese nature gods known as the mountain kami, writing several research papers, books and producing a documentary on the subject. He continues to believe that tending to spirit and soul is one of the most critical concerns of our era.
Tolan brings a lifetime of expertise in U.S. National Security, with a distinguished career as a U.S. Marine, Intelligence Professional, and Fortune 500 consultant/advisor. A veteran of 23 years, he led Marines globally, served as a U.S. Diplomat, directed international engagements, and worked at the intersection of geopolitical strategy within the highest levels of the U.S. Government.
Known for his exceptional abilities in complex planning, leadership, team-building, foreign engagement, and political/intelligence analysis, Tolan has specialized experience in cyber-intelligence operations, cybersecurity, and policy development. His diplomatic experience spans Europe, the Middle East, and the Western Hemisphere, providing a global perspective on U.S. and foreign government policy negotiations.
A highly effective decision-maker, problem-solver, and negotiator, Tolan excels in engaging C-Suite executives, cabinet-level officials, and heads of state to drive strategic goals and groundbreaking reforms.
Lora was raised on a small farm in Northwest Illinois. She graduated high school in only three years and achieved her Associate degree in Licenced Practical Nursing. For over 40 years Lora has been a military wife, a family caregiver, and raised and homeschooled her two children.
Professionally, Lora owned and operated a catering business for ten years, was the Director of a Public Housing Authority for five years, and owned and operated a full-service bakery for 15 years. She also worked in partnership with her husband Laverne, renovating and maintaining 56 residential and commercial real estate properties. Lora is the proud grandmother of three grandchildren.
Lora and Laverne lost their son Gary when he was 18 in a motor vehicle accident in 2005. They have since transformed their loss and are continuing Gary’s spirit through their GIFT: Gary's Infinite Fund raising and Treasuries, which benefit children’s lives.
Laverne was raised in a Dutch family on a dairy farm in Northwest Illinois. After graduating from high school, he was a member of the United States Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR) for eight years followed by 18 years of active duty in the US Air Force. Laverne was deployed around the globe in support of various operations including Desert Storm, Operation Provide Hope, and mapping the damage of Hurricane Katrina.
As an Avionic Sensors Maintenance Technician, Laverne supported various aircrafts including the F-4, F-16, F-15, F-111, A-10, and OC-135B, and maintained, troubleshot, and repaired audio/visual, infrared, laser, and radar systems. Laverne also demonstrated financial, supply, and resource management expertise, and worked directly with multiple commanders as a Resource Advisor, creating annual financial plans that allowed commanders to plan deployments, training, and maintenance.
Throughout his career Laverne won several awards including Airman of the Year, Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year, and Maintenance Technician of the Year. As a young Airman, he was recognized for saving the Air Force several thousand dollars and enhancing operational efficiency by innovating a repair method of circuit boards with conformal coating.
Laverne has a Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and an Associate degree of Applied Science in Avionic Systems Technology.
He retired after 27 years of service. During his military career Laverne was also in real estate, and has accumulated 56 rental and commercial units. He also assisted his wife, Lora in operating a popular full-service bakery for 15 years.
Peter Griffin, who, until recently served as Executive Vice President of Global Business Development of Viacom Media Networks at MTV Networks, is a media sales management, marketing, and business leader who is widely respected for developing visionary, award-winning campaigns. He has assembled and mentored multiple top-performing sales teams across television, digital, print, mobile, and experiential platforms—driving between $10M to $850M annually in net sales. Highly connected with key players across a vast network of prominent contacts, Peter brings a unique breadth and depth of knowledge to his strategies. He continually cultivates and upholds corporate mission and branding objectives on a national and global basis, which in turn enables aggressive revenue and growth goals.
Joining the MTV family in 1999, Peter was singled out for his potential and rapidly promoted to sales and marketing positions of increasing responsibility. In his present role, he captures clientele around the world, customizing solutions that grasp tangible results. Peter led The Generator Group as Executive Vice President from 2006 to 2011, which modernized Viacom sales processes through an emphasis on identifying new business opportunities and developing new marketing partners. A gifted relationship builder, Peter brought in $90M annually through corporate partnerships with corporations like Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Samsung, Diageo, Kohl’s, PepsiCo, Hershey, and Sony Electronics.
Peter is a trailblazer who accurately predicts upcoming trends and anticipates changes in consumer behavior. He studied on-air and online consumption activity among the millennial generation, which led to the co-creation of MTV 360. Subsequently, Peter was named Senior Vice President of MTV 360 Sales (2001 – 2003) and Senior Vice President of New Business Development, MTV 360 (2004 – 2006). Within only two years of its implementation, MTV 360 became a vital component of the organization, bringing a $100M annual growth increase. His fearless approach has garnered numerous awards throughout his career, recently earning recognition for 2011’s Global Launch of the Volkswagen Beetle, 2010’s “Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange,” the PMA Silver for the Xbox 360 global launch, Innovation Awards, and the Creativity Award for his team’s work with The Hersey Company. Peter was also instrumental in earning the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) Diversity Award for the MTV Census 2010 campaign.
Before being recruited by MTV, Peter contributed his strong leadership to the print industry. With a specialization in sports, he served in executive-level roles with the New York Times Magazine Group for 11 years, revitalizing and increasing circulation of Golf Digest, Snow Country, Tennis, and Golf World magazines. One of the highlights of his career was achieved at Golf World, where he transformed a money-losing venture into a fiscally-healthy organization in just one years’ time—reaching $4M in profitability. This grabbed the attention of Adweek Magazine, who selected his magazine as a “Top 10 Up-and-Comer.” Prior to these positions, Peter launched his career as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Host Communications and National Sales Manager with Sport Magazine.
Peter is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received his Bachelor of Arts and co-captained the Varsity Soccer team. A lifelong learner, he is passionate about staying abreast of the latest emerging trends and technology that the dynamic media industry utilizes to reach audiences. He is a current member of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4 A’s) NAMIC, and the International Advertising Association (IAA).
