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Simply Buckhead Radio

Month: January 2015

Jon Vandegrift with Shake Shack, Reina Bermudez with Spa Sydell, Lee Killian with Jambanz, Steph Dietz with Cyc Fitness

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Jon Vandegrift/Shake Shack
Senior Director of Operations

Jon Vandegrift is a graduate of Cornell University’s Hospitality school, and has been working in various roles with the Union Square Hospitality Group and Shake Shack organization for 12
years. He has seen Shake Shack grow from one location in Madison Square Park to the 60+ locations worldwide today.
www.ShakeShack.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

 

Reina Bermudez/Spa Sydell
CEO
www.SpaSydell.com


Lee Killian/Jambanz
Founder

Lee Killian, Owner and founder of Jambanz™, comes from an accomplished career in Radio advertising and is no stranger to hard work, dedication, accomplishment and growing a brand.

After 24 years in radio Killian, who always dreamed of being an Entrepreneur, decided to step away from the radio world after finding a need for his music loving young daughter. He wanted her to be able to listen to her favorite music while still playing with friends, all without the wires, without headphones. He quickly realized there was no Bluetooth on the market for a kids lifestyle. His marketing background (and fatherly love) kicked into overdrive where he has since built a team of partners and experts in design, manufacturing and production. Killian now looks forward to growing Jambanz™ as the worlds first Bluetooth slap-band wearable speaker company.

www.JamBanz.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram


Steph Dietz/Cyc Fitness
Assistant Studio Director & Lead Cycologist

Steph lives and breathes health and fitness, whether she’s out for a run around campus, studying Anatomy and Physiology, or whipping up a nutritious snack. Her motivating personality and energetic style will have you hooked from your first pedal stroke at Cyc! Steph welcomes all fitness levels and guarantees to take you on a challenging and fun ride choreographed to a dynamic playlist.

www.CycFitness.com|  Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

 

John Meadow and David Abes with LDV Hospitality, Robert Lowe with Mandarin Oriental, Sarah Kathryn Smith with One on One Matchmaking

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John Meadow/LDV Hospitality
Founder

John is the founder of LDV Hospitality, which includes Corso Coffee, now open in Buckhead Atlanta, plus two additional restaurants opening  this Spring. Focused on concept business development, John drives the creative process for the company, envisioning restaurants and bringing them to life.

www.LDVHospitality.com |  Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

 

David Abes/LDV Hospitality
Regional Director of Operations

Regional Director of operations for LDV Hospitality in Atlanta.  Corso, American Cut and an Italian restaurant. Previous director of operations for 14 years for here to serve restaurants.

www.LDVHospitality.com |  Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (David)

 

Robert Lowe/Mandarin Oriental, Atlanta
General Manager

Robert Lowe is General Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Atlanta. He is responsible for the executive management and operations for the 127-room hotel situated in the prestigious Buckhead
neighborhood, which opened on May 1, 2012.

Mr. Lowe is a veteran hotelier with over 25 years of hospitality industry experience including 13 years with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. He joined Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco in
1999 as Director of Sales and Marketing and later moved into Operations as Resident Manager in 2005. In 2007, he moved to Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC in the capacity of Resident
Manager. Since 2010, Robert has held the position of Hotel Manager at Mandarin Oriental, New York. Prior to joining Mandarin Oriental, Mr. Lowe held various management positions with
Hyatt Hotels.

A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mr. Lowe is bilingual in English and Spanish. He studied Hotel and Restaurant Management in the U.K. and holds a Bachelors Degree from Slough
Polytechnic in Berks, England.

www.MandarinOriental.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

 

Sarah Kathryn Smith/One on One Matchmaking
Founder

Sarah Kathryn Smith, a 16 year veteran of the dating industry, is one of the most respected names in matchmaking. Sarah Kathryn has been profiled as an authority on relationships and
singles issues by The Wall Street Journal, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, Cosmopolitan, Men’s Health, and many others. And, her expertise has led to more than 200 marriages and serious
relationships. A stickler for excellence member service, Sarah Kathryn is personally involved with every One on One Matchmaking client.

www.1on1Matchmaking.com | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

 

Ashley Biondich and Julia Peters with Phase 3 Marketing and Communications, Linda Silber with Woo Skincare and Cosmetics, Lynn Lilly with Craft Box Girls, Cassandra Connors with Bella Bag

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Linda Silber/Woo Skincare and Cosmetics
Founder

www.WooSkincareAndCosmetics.com

 

Ashley Biondich/Phase 3 Marketing and Communications
Public Relations Manager

Ashley Biondich, public relations manager at Phase 3 Marketing and Communications, is driven to deliver value to the agency and its clients. With three years years of agency experience, she has a diverse background working with B2C and B2B clients across a variety of industries.

As an active member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Georgia chapter, Ashley serves as the co-chair for the Young Professionals Special Interest Group and is a member of the organization’s membership committee.

Ashley is a skilled communicator with a strong knowledge of public relations and marketing, including branding, content marketing, media relations, social media, strategic planning and writing. She is effective at organization and time management, consistently delivering high-quality work with attention to detail. She is adept at prioritizing responsibilities to ensure that all expected deadlines are met.

Additionally, Ashley excels in group environments, bringing energy and a positive attitude to team situations. As a young professional, she eagerly seeks new opportunities that will contribute to her professional growth.

www.Phase3MC.com | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (Ashley)

 

Julia Peters/Phase 3 Marketing and Communications
Public Relations Manager

www.Phase3MC.com | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (Julia)


Lynn Lilly/Craft Box Girls
Founder

Everyone that meets Lynn Lilly instantly knows she is full of life and packs the ambition of a pint-sized powerhouse. Lynn has been making, creating and designing since youth. This combined with her talents in marketing, events and social media inspired her to co-found Craft Box Girls. Lynn and her co-founder Courtney Covault launched Craft Box Girls in February 2014 and have not looked back!

www.CraftBoxGirls.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

 

Cassandra Connors/Bella Bag
Founder and CEO

As the Founder and CEO, Cassandra Connors began Bella Bag as an EBay-based business out of her bedroom when she was in her early twenties. Today, she has successfully grown the operations into a multi-million dollar business with the largest privately held collection of authentic luxury handbags and accessories in the United States. Under Connors guidance, Bella Bag has doubled revenues every year since 2010 and has grown an exceptional base of loyal customers and brand ambassadors internationally. In 2012, Connors launched Bella Bag retail with a pilot store in Atlantas Miami Circle. The store, without marketing or advertising, sold nearly $1 million in authentic luxury in year one alone. This year, Bella Bag’s Atlanta flagship opened in the brand new Buckhead Atlanta shopping complex alongside some of the world’s most prestigious retail brands. Cassandra was nicknamed the Purse Purist by MSN.com and has been listed on the Power 30 under 30. She attended NYU and currently resides in Atlanta with her family.

www.BellaBag.com | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook

 

LeeAnn Maxwell with Vixen Vodka and Christian Ross with Village Realty

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LeeAnn Maxwell/Vixen Vodka
CEO

Vixen Vodka was conceived after a girls’ trip to St. Simons Island in Georgia. It was an idea that came to fruition after a few slightly dirty martinis and several sun-soaked hours lying by the pool. An idea that took root and took hold of friends who wanted to make a difference in their lives; it was their why not moment. After all, women like to hang out, chill out and drink vodka just like the boys. But research and focus groups showed that no vodka brand currently on the market tapped into targeting women. In fact, it was a boys’ club waiting for a revolution. So they decided to raise their glasses to toast an idea that eventually became Vixen Vodka. This award winning company is poised for national expansion and is the perfect marriage of a sexy flirty brand and the smoothest gluten-free vodka youll ever taste.

LeeAnn spent over 28 years in the financial industry and about as long in a marriage. Once both those chapters were over, she realized she wanted more out of life; to rediscover the woman she used to be and the one she wanted to become. Her varied experiences have contributed to an extremely detail-oriented work ethic along with a very savvy business acumen.

Move Over Gentlemen, this is the Year of the Vixen. When LeeAnn sat down with a business consultant to review her initial business plan, he closed the document, told her how well written it was and then said, Youll never make it. When asked why, he replied, Because its the liquor industry, its all men, and they will eat you up and spit you out. LeeAnn looked right back at him and said in her sweet Southern syrupy way, Sugar, this could be a pair of pantyhose or a tube of lipstick, were creating a brand and we know what women want. Intrigued? Learn how she took a brand from beach to shelf and disrupted a male dominated category along the way.

www.VixenVodka.com | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

 

Christian Ross/Village Realty
VP/ Managing Broker

Christian Ross is the Managing Broker for Village Realty, a full service real estate firm housed in Atlanta Tech Village. She has previously served as the 2014 President of Womens Council of Realtors Atlanta as
the youngest president in the chapters 54 year history and sat on the Board of Directors for the Atlanta Board of Realtors.

Her team specializes in intown Atlanta real estate and global property ownership with a client base that includes Atlantans as well as people across the globe investing in Atlanta and purchasing abroad.

Christian has been featured on HGTVs House Hunters and has provided her real estate expertise for many media outlets including The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Realtor.com and Philly.com.

www.ChristianSoldIt.com | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram