Mark Hanson Ph.D.
Hanson earned his doctorate from Claremont Graduate University, MAs from UCSD and Alliant University, and his BA from Luther College in the areas of Education, Literature, Psychology, and History. He has worked as a high school and college English teacher and administrator and has won awards from the National Council of Teachers of English and the California School Boards Association. Mark has published books for Prentice Hall, Interact, and D.C. Heath. He is also a securities broker, and president/CEO of the Heartland Foundation. Hanson served as the District Director of Resource Development for the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District and the Director of Training and Development San Diego – Imperial Counties Labor Council. He also served as a member of the San Diego Youth Council, the State Youth Council, the State Veterans Work Group, and the Targeting Resources as well as the Business and Industry Committees of the California Workforce Investment Board.
Patrick J. Hurley
After working in the factories, retail stores and on the railroads of Iowa and Nebraska as a teenager, Hurley moved to San Diego and quickly established an ability to turn around fledgling departments and small businesses in the relatively new mobile electronics industry from the late 1970’s into the 1980’s. Mr. Hurley turned losses into profits for finance and sales departments. He has also been active in politics, working as a surrogate speaker for First Lady Hillary Clinton’s National Health Care Campaign and served as Media Director for the Democratic Action Network. He has been elected or appointed to serve as a County and State Central Committee member. He was elected as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Denver Colorado and served as Volunteer Coordinator for a congressional campaign increasing turnout for his candidate by over 20,000 votes in a district where no previous Democrat had earned more than 88,000 votes. Mr. Hurley is now sharing this experience and success as a business and political consultant.
Walter G. Meyer
Walter Meyer has taught over 1500 traffic school classes to over 50,000 students. He has presented fun, informational seminars to drivers of company fleets. His experience in traffic law and traffic safety have made him a valuable resource on these topics and he has served as a resource for Edmunds.com and AOL including articles about beating a ticket and avoiding traffic tickets. He has also consulted for companies about traffic issues.
Mr. Meyer has used his 20 years of traffic safety experience to develop a fun, funny and educational game about driving. The game, Roadsmartz will be coming soon to a store and video game console or computer near you. Mr. Meyer also teaches other business classes including ones in communication (both written and oral presentation skills) and time management.
The author of two published books, including a business book, Going for the Green: selling in the 21st Century, Mr. Meyer has also written for dozens of newspapers and magazines including Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, the Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register and Westways (the AAA’s magazine) on topics ranging from endangered sea turtles to how to buy a man’s suit. He has also taken course in Grant Writing and written grants for the Heartland Foundation.
He has served as a guest speaker at such diverse functions as the City of Irvine’s Earth Day celebration and a black-tie event at the Friars’ Club of Beverly Hills. He has also spoken to numerous Alzheimer’s groups about that disease following the release of his book on the subject.
In addition to speaking at Earth Day, Mr. Meyer’s interest in the environment led him to write numerous articles about endangered species and he has volunteered for Heal the Bay and I Love a Clean San Diego. Mr. Meyer’s community involvement has also included volunteering for Gay Pride, AIDS Walk and several mentoring organizations.
Mr. Meyer’s interest in bettering the world prompted him to work on several political campaigns and led to him writing, directing and producing a video for a California State Senate campaign.
Mr. Meyer has a degree in Communications from Penn State.
Joseph M. Rowland
Joseph Rowland has been extensively involved in real estate development, acquisitions, project financing and consulting since 1969 when he graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in Real Estate Appraisal and Investment Analysis. As a general partner or joint-venturer he has been engaged in commercial real estate investments, business development and general real estate development including development, ownership and management of a chain of 15 motels in six midwestern states. He has served as director for implementation of the strategic plan to develop and manage Native American casinos and hotels. President, Rowland Holstein Genetics, General and Managing Partner of private and public offerings involved in land development, apartments, condominiums and other commercial ventures. Mr. Rowland was the organizer and President of the Wisconsin Real Estate Securities and Syndication Institute and has held the professional designations CCIM -Certified Commercial Investment Member and SRS -Specialist in Real Estate Securities, National Association of Realtors. He is a licensed California Broker; and the broker of record for RA Mortgage and Financial ,Inc., specializing in commercial real estate finance for the past thirty years. Mr. Rowland is the Principal for Rowland Associates, contracted Business Development Advisors, specializing in taking an existing situation, identifying the optimal course of action required, and coordinating in a cost effective way the action plan to achieve the client objective.
Alana Sills
Alana Sills is an art gallery owner/curator as well as web designer and marketer. For the past twenty years she has had a entrepreneurial spirit, owning a tile contracting company as well as a structural design consulting business, all the while expressing herself creative side through catering and party planning. Her four-story art gallery resides in the now trendy Barrio Logan community of San Diego. Since its inception Sanctuary Gallery has been the safe haven for all things avant garde. Alana is now in a joint venture of designing and producing creative events throughout San Diego. Her projects have received extensive media coverage which include 944 Magazine, Riviera Magazine, San Diego CityBeat, KGTV Channel 10 News and Art Rocks! Radio.
Mark A. Smith
Mark Smith has over 40 years or experience in the construction trades and is certified as an instrucot or the OSHA 10-hour and 30-hour courses, Save-A-Life Adult CPR and First-Aid Instructor, and Caterpillar Safety Forklift Truck Instructor. He has served as a Sheet Metal Apprenticeship Instructor, has taught at Palomar College and is certified by the Ohio State University as an Instructor of Apprentices and Journeymen. He is a Nuclear Training Instructor, having completed 81 hours of instruction from the Southern California Edison Nuclear Training Department for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station; he was the New Hire Indoctrination Safety Trainer. Mr. Smith has a degree in Labor Studies & Labor Education and has an MA in progress in Labor Law and Ethics. He is currently training job applicants in welding and safety for the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council.
Daniel Ortiz
Daniel Ortiz has wide range of experience including: Political campaigning/organizing, Law Enforcement, and Community Outreach Programs. He has worked as a campaign organizer for several state senate campaigns where he organized and implemented voter outreach programs, lawn sign campaigns, get out the vote programs, and polling surveys. Ortiz is a graduate and current student of San Diego State University. He has a B.A. degree in Political Science with a Minor in Psychology, and is currently finishing a Masters degree in Political Science. Ortiz has served as Corrections Deputy Probation Officer assigned to Juvenile Hall where he implemented programs that addressed illiteracy, recidivism, drug addiction, and anger management. Ortiz has utilized his outreach and public relations skills to develop a wide network of community contacts. He also holds the elected office of Assembly District Delegate to the California Democratic Party and was appointed by Chairman Art Torres to the Platform Committee of the California Democratic Party. Ortiz has worked on a presidential campaign and a county supervisor campaign.