Certified Partners

Certified Partners represent The Whale Hunters and provide Whale Hunters programs in metropolitan areas.  Having completed rigorous training in The Whale Hunters Process(tm) and methodology, they provide local chapters, an accelerator program, public workshops, and coaching/consulting services to area businesses. For more information, email a partner in your area or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Kansas City, KS

Bob has spent more than 30 years as a writer, editor and researcher, working for the Associated Press and other news and publishing groups in Oklahoma, Washington D.C. and California. Much of his journalism career was spent writing about business subjects, and he has covered several of the nation’s most controversial business leaders including Lou Gerstner, Sam Walton, Boone Pickens and Ken Lay. He also ran his own small business, West Coast Publishing in Irvine, California, and served as Marketing Director for Crittenden Publishing, a chain of business related newsletters in the San Francisco Bay area.

He did graduate work in journalism and creative writing at the University of Oklahoma and has written video documentaries on a variety of subjects. He has been an active ghost writer, contributing to the development of more than a half dozen books including early drafts of Whale Hunting. His first novel, King of America, was one of three finalists for the 2005 William Rockhill Nelson Award, given by The Writers Place and The Kansas City Star. Platinum Blonde, his first play, won the Plays-in-Progress workshop award at Rockhurst University, Kansas City, MO.

Valerie Bonebrake, Kansas City, KS

Valerie is Senior Vice President, Global Supply Chain Services for Tompkins Associates. With over 25 years of industry experience in third party logistics, Valerie has a proven track record in developing, implementing and operating logistics services in North America and globally.  Valerie’s experience and leadership includes global business strategy development, mergers, acquisitions and alliances, transportation and distribution operations, procurement, supply chain re-engineering and sales and marketing.

Prior to joining Tompkins Associates, Valerie was the Executive Vice President and a founder of YRC Logistics, a subsidiary of YRC Worldwide which grew from a start-up to over $600M net revenue in six years with offices in 22 countries. Valerie’s work frequently took her to Asia where she also served on the board of directors of YRC’s China joint venture with state-owned Jin Jiang International. Valerie spent 19 years at Ryder where she had progressively increasing responsibilities in transportation management, distribution and global supply chain operations.

In 2007 Valerie was recognized by Ingram’s Magazine as one of the Top Ten Female Executives in Kansas.  She has also been recognized as a Top Ten Business Mentor by Kansas City Business Magazine and in 2010  was named a “Provider Pro to Know” by Supply &Demand Chain Executive Magazine. Valerie has a Master’s of Science in International Logistics from Georgia Institute of Technology.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , CPF, Tampa Bay, FL

Rosemary Brehm, president of turningpoints2results, is an entrepreneur and expert in helping organizations accelerate their potential into profitable results by focusing on five key shifts in their businesses: strategic business performance; leadership alignment; team dynamics; customer intimacy, and competitive positioning.   In addition to her consulting services, Rosemary is certified as a Professional Facilitator (CPF) through the International Association of Facilitators.

Rosemary was founding Chair of the Tampa Bay Women President’s Organization and served that group from 2003-2009. She is a member of the International Association of Facilitators; the Senior HRD Forum; ASTD; and the Organizational Development SIG.  She holds a Certificate in Training and Development from New York University and a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the State University of New York at Geneseo.

Raylie Dunkel, Jersey City, NJ

Raylie Dunkel is founder and president of The Brinkerhoff Group, a company that has coordinated programs for major service corporations, manufacturers, utilities, government agencies and the US Army.  An entrepreneur who has owned a number of businesses, she has developed programs for career resource centers and small business centers working with women and teens.

Raylie served as Director of Facilitators for the Women Presidents Organization where she hired, trained and supported the efforts of the facilitators in 70 Chapters of the organization in the US and Canada. She was facilitator for the four New Jersey WPO Chapters.

She has served on many committees and commissions advocating for women and small businesses.  She has been a delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business, the Governor’s Commission on Defense Conversion Projects, the City of New Brunswick’s Small Business Loan Pool Committee and the Supplier Diversity Development Committee for the Bureau of Public Utilities.  Believing that serious participation in professional organizations would promote those groups’ interests as well as her business’ interests she has served on the Executive Boards of Quality New Jersey, The Jude Institute, Society of Human Resource Development and the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Girl Scout Council of Greater Essex and Hudson Counties.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Rochester, NY

John Gaudu is a "serial entrepreneur". John began his career in the US AirForce specializing in applied electronics and satellite communications. Upon completing his tour, John returned to Rochester NY and founded his first company, "EdgeTech" in 1989. EdgeTech built, sold and network private label personal computers in the then emerging field of Novell and desk top computing. He sold EdgeTech in 1991 and it remains a tenured networking and consulting services company to this day.

Next John founded International Data Link, Inc, a satellite controlled remote management system for the commercial AM Radio industry. In 1991, he helped establish the one of the first regional AM radio networks completely controlled from a remote central office. North East Satellite Entertainment was sold to the Wrigley Sports Radio network in 1993 and has since merged with a national sports radio network. IN 1992, he purchased Microtech, a struggling Novell Network provider, and transformed it over 15 years into a Wide Area Network Integration Company servicing multiple NYS contracts in the medical, educational and government arenas. Microtech was sold in 2008 to a technology holding company and is now the corner stone of a 20 million dollar NYS contract technology provider. In 2002 in conjunction with the growth of Microtech I.S., Inc. John created and managed an offshoot arm specifically targeted at IT consulting, executive placement and recruiting services. This agency is known as Wellington Steele & Associates and employs some forty consultants nationally for firms such as Xerox, Thompson West Publishing and Constellation Brands.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Naples, FL

Cheryl Good is the Principal and Managing Consultant for Performance Solutions. With 20 + years experience in Organizational Effectiveness Consulting & Executive Development, Cheryl is a lead workforce solutions consultant. She has developed, managed and lead her own consulting practice, Performance Solutions, for the past nine years.

Cheryl has developed a unique and pragmatic approach to team building and executive development, which allows teams and individuals to reach their goals successfully.  She’s worked directly with CEO’s, Business Owners, Presidents and Executive Teams coaching them towards strategically determining a future for themselves & their organization that is designed to increase performance, productivity and profitability.  Cheryl has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Indiana University.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Phoenix, AZ

Anita Grantham is a native of Phoenix and has been Chief People Officer for Jokake Construction for the past eight years.  She specializes in strategic planning, training and developmen,t and business development.

Anita is passionate about helping business owners be successful and achieve their goals. She has worked with numerous entrepreneurs to help them grow both business and talents.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Phoenix AZ

Rena has successfully combined solid business and purchasing skills with creativity, innovation and team building skills to help small business obtain business in Arizona since 1981. As a professional buyer for APS, the largest electric utility in Arizona, Rena successfully performed a variety of purchasing roles in innovative projects that included developing new suppliers and working with existing suppliers to provide the products needed. She has also held the position of Manager of Supplier Diversity and Development for APS.

Since 2000, Rena has been the director of AAAME, the APS Academy for the Advancement of Small, Minority and Women Owned Enterprises. This award winning two year business mentoring program helps business grow via an intense combination of business training, one on one advisor work and peer to peer mentoring. Rena is skilled at weaving the needs of AAAME companies with collaborations and relationships in the Phoenix community to obtain a results oriented program that benefits each participant of the program.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Phoenix, AZ

Loretta Love Huff grew up in Chicago but leapt at the opportunity to work for Apple Computer in sunny California.  She spent fifteen years working in Silicon Valley.  Loretta is a seasoned executive with corporate experience in human resources, IT and commercial banking plus 10 years as an entrepreneur in management consulting.

Loretta has a bachelors of science degree in psychology from Howard University and an MBA in finance from the University of Chicago.

Lori Jones is president of Avocet Communications. After implementing The Whale Hunting process within her own organization, Lori realized quickly how the simple concept of “filtering” transformed her company and created powerful sales results.  She has managed some of the nation’s largest brands including the Big O Tires, Pentax Imaging, Papa John’s Pizza, Hain Celestial and Orange Glo. Her work with entrepreneurial start-ups, small and large businesses enables her to contribute a strong understanding of the intricacies today's businesses.

With over 20 years of experience in the sales and marketing field, Lori brings The Whale Hunters knowledge and experience in all aspects of sales, marketing and advertising strategy. This includes strategic development, planning, implementation and analysis of strategic marketing and communications programs.  She has presented at numerous client sales meetings and at small business forums  She served as a Director of the Business Marketing Association (BMA), sat on the board of the Boy Scouts of America, Special Needs District, Colorado Chapter, is a former member of Vistage, is Past Chairman of the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program for the State of Colorado and currently sits on the boards of the Marketing Resources Network and the Ashoka “Change your City” initiative for Colorado.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Phoenix, AZ

Connie has facilitated training focused on Profitable Prospecting, Overcoming Sales Call Reluctance, Pursuit of Profit and Dynamic Public Speaking, nationally and internationally.  She has coached over 500 executives, salespeople, recruiters and entrepreneurs from diverse industries with a proven track record of success.  She has her Professional Coach Certification through International Coach Federation and is pursuing her Ph.D.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , St. Louis, MO

Angela Lieb is an expert in business start-up and is the founder and former owner and operator of OffiStart Business Centers.  She has a successful consulting business that works with owners who need a jump start to a new division, project or strategy.  Angela also launched a new program in 2009 called Dream Partners where she works with corporate employees who have a dream of entrepreneurship.   Angela joined Realogy-Century 21 Group in 2008 as the Business Consultant to franchisees where she works with the broker/owner as a consultant/advisor for business growth.  Her territory includes Southern Illinois and St. Louis.

Angela has a passion for small business owners and home-based businesses and received the SBA Region VII award for the Home Based Business Champion for 2006.  She is the Chairman of the Board for Magnficat Center and NaNa’s House and is the mother to 4 children from the ages of 12-19.  She received her MBA from the University of Missouri St. Louis and recently taught a course on Entrepreneurship and Small Business at Webster University.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Ann Arbor and Detroit, MI

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Naples, FL


Chris Meyers is one of the top salespeople in the United States.  She has garnered many sales awards in her career among them “100 Best and Brightest in the U.S.” from the prestigious Advertising Age Magazine.  Glamour Magazine named her one of the Top Ten Working Women in America. Her company was recognized by the National Association of Women Business Owners as one of the Top 10 Women Owned Businesses in Michigan. She is listed in Marquis Who’s Who and Who’s Who in American Business.

As  Advertising Manager at Pontiac Motor Division of General Motors—the highest position held at the time by any woman in the global auto industry-- she controlled a $300 million annual budget. As owner of her own national sales and marketing company, representing national magazines, she sold to such Whales as General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, U.S. Post Office, American Express, Humana, BC/BS.

Meyers not only knows how to craft a sales pitch fit for a Whale but equally important how to position the pitch so that a Whale will bite.  She believes Whale hunting is a powerful sales process for successfully landing large accounts.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it St. Louis, MO

Laura Schacht is a serial entrepreneur and is the president of ECHO Media, LLC (a media and marketing firm) and most recently, founder of Regent Power, LLC (a battery and energy storage distribution company). Throughout her career, her sales skills have been key to her success.  Laura is actively involved with St. Louis University Billiken Angels Network and is a chapter chair for the Women Presidents’ Organization in St. Louis.

Laura’s education includes a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial psychology and graduate studies in business administration, human resources, and creative writing from Washington University in St. Louis.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Muncie, IN

Jo has facilitated training and consulting services focused on leadership, management, and project development.  As a consultant and coach, she works with clients throughout the country.  This work focuses on systemic improvement centered on needs analysis to promote collaboration, professional learning, and accelerated growth.  Support services include leadership and team coaching to meet targeted goals and benchmarks.   Additionally, her work as a consultant/coach helps teams and learning leaders integrate their overall system pieces for continuous improvement that moves the organization, its teams, and its leaders forward. Group facilitation, grant/RFP writing, and management of large externally funded projects are also a focus of her work.  She joined Joshua Hornick and Barbara Hauser to develop the Whale Hunters Coaching Program.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Tampa Bay, FL

With over 22 years of experience in leading business development and sales efforts for Technology, Software, and Outsourcing solutions, Brian has a background in business operations optimization, systems integration, custom application development and technology leadership.  He has been responsible for driving global business development and professional service efforts for leading Fortune 500 corporations including Fujitsu, CA, and MCI-Worldcom as well as start-up growth for Pilgrim Software, Best Programs Telcordia, and most recently is leading efforts for Enterprise Solutions with Avineon.

He has led strategic and innovative solution areas for Fortune 500 and emerging growth customers in need of IT, technology, outsourcing and the infrastructure management.  Brian has also consulted with market leaders across a number of industries on leadership, pipeline development, innovation, and sales in new product development and market penetration focusing on large, complex deals.