Through The Noise

Peter J. Pantuso is President and CEO of the American Bus Association (ABA). As CEO he is responsible for the Association’s day-to-day operations, in addition to his role at ABA, he also serves as President of the National Bus Traffic Association and of the ABA Foundation. Founded in 1926, ABA is the oldest, largest and most respected voice in the industry in the motorcoach, travel and tour industry.

Aliyah N. Horton, CAE, is the Executive Director of the Maryland Pharmacists Association. She proudly served in the association community for more than 20 years in foreign policy, transportation and healthcare. The Maryland Pharmacists Association is a professional society for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and student pharmacists who live or practice in Maryland.

Jeff Cohen is an accomplished strategic communication counselor with over 25 years of extensive experience at the intersection of communication, business and politics. He currently heads all aspects of communications, marketing, and government relations for INFORMS -- the largest trade association of data science professionals. With 12,500 members, INFORMS is the largest association of operations research (O.R.) and analytics professionals and students, and provides a variety of resources and opportunities for individuals and organizations of all types and sizes to better understand and use O.R. and analytics to transform strategic visions and achieve better outcomes.

Joseph Mariano joined the Direct Selling Association in 1985 and assumed the role of President in 2011. Previously, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. The Direct Selling Association (DSA) is the national trade association for companies that market products and services directly to consumers through an independent, entrepreneurial sales force.

Merrill Shugoll is president and a principal of Shugoll Research. She is a widely respected marketing research consultant with over 30 years of experience conducting qualitative and quantitative research that helps to shape the strategic planning and marketing communications of corporations, not-for-profit organizations, trade and professional associations and government agencies. Shugoll Research is a leading marketing research consulting, facilities and recruiting services company.

Kris Kiser, an attorney, is President & CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI). Prior to joining OPEI, Kris served for 15 years in two major Washington, DC trade associations. He also spent a decade as a staffer in the United States Senate and House of Representatives as a special assistant to noted international affairs expert, Congressman Lee Hamilton. The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) is an international trade association representing the manufacturers of outdoor power equipment, small engines, utility vehicles, golf cars and personal transport vehicles.

David Chavern is President & CEO of the News Media Alliance, the news industry’s largest trade organization. The News Media Alliance is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit organization, representing more than 2,000 news organizations and their multiplatform businesses in the United States and globally, focused on ensuring the future of news media through communication, research, advocacy and innovation.

American Moving & Storage Association President and CEO Scott Michael leads and represents the professional moving industry’s national trade association, and has been the industry's primary liaison to the Department of Defense, GSA and other government agencies in his career. The American Moving & Storage Association, the national trade association for the professional moving industry, supports consumer-friendly policies and represents the interests of the moving and storage industry.

Before becoming CEO of the National Roofing Contractors Association, Reid Ribble served six years in the U.S. House of Representatives. Additionally, he was president of his own roofing company in Kaukauna, Wis., for 30 years and devoted 25 years of service to NRCA, including serving as NRCA President from 2005-06. Founded in 1886, the National Roofing Contractors Association is one of the construction industry's most respected trade associations and the voice of roofing professionals and leading authority in the roofing industry for information, education, technology and advocacy.

Pete Pearson is a Sr. Director at WWF leading work on food loss & waste, helping businesses and communities understand agriculture’s impact on wildlife and habitat conservation. Pete has worked with retailers, public schools and hospitals as a sustainability professional, co-founded a sustainable agriculture non-profit in Idaho, and co-produced a documentary film on local and regenerative agriculture (www.tolivelocal.com). For nearly 60 years, WWF has been protecting the future of nature. The world’s leading conservation organization, WWF works in 100 countries and is supported by more than one million members in the United States and close to five million globally.   Richard Tracy is an international development professional with proven leadership and mentoring abilities. Excels at connecting diverse groups of personalities for a common goal. Mr. Tracy is exceptionally skilled in networking, business development and service delivery. Exemplary financial management and talent development abilities. The Gl

Chris Jahn is president and CEO of The Fertilizer Institute, working to represent and protect a prosperous fertilizer industry through legislative and regulatory activities as well as promoting a positive public image of the fertilizer industry and agriculture in general. Chris Jahn also serves as president of the Nutrients for Life Foundation (NLF). TFI is the voice of the fertilizer industry, acting as an advocate for fair regulation and legislation, a consistent source for trusted information and data, a networking agent, and an outlet to publicize industry initiatives in safety and environmental stewardship.

As CEO of AALU, Marc Cadin is the chief advocate and spokesman for advisors who offer financial security to 75 million American families. Cadin started with AALU in 2000 as Associate Director of Legislative Affairs and has been CEO since September 2018. Every day, Marc Cadin wakes up and thinks about how he can better serve the financial security advisor and broader profession. Since 1957, the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting has been the leading organization of financial professionals who provide life insurance and retirement planning solutions for individuals, families, and businesses.

Neil Sumilas is Vice President of the National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP), where he oversees financial operations, strategic planning, staffing and personnel, and board relations. Before joining NCFP in 2015, Neil was an independent consultant advising non-profit and for-profit clients on programmatic and management issues unique to the non-profit world, and previously served as Managing Director of the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF). The National Center for Family Philanthropy is the only national nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to families who give and those that work with them, providing research, expertise, and networking opportunities to inspire giving families on their philanthropic journey.

Tamela Blalock is a Client Director at the association management company Interel; in that role, she also serves as the executive director of SOWH. During the past 20 years, Tamela has worked for several Washington area institutions including the Central Intelligence Agency, Washington D.C. NFL Football Team, The Washington Post, and George Washington University. Prior to joining SoWH, Tamela served as the senior director, membership services for the National Association of Wholesalers-Distributors (NAW), where she had a solid track record of increasing non-dues revenue margins for the Billion Dollar and Large Company C-Suite categories, and increasing NAW member engagement through the Roundtable events. The Section on Women's Health (SOWH) is a federated independent association affiliated with the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). SoWH is a 3,450+-member professional association for physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and DPT students working within and advocating for vital areas

Christine McEntee, AGU’s Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, is orchestrating major changes for the organization. Since her arrival in September 2010, McEntee has guided AGU through a realignment that reflects the programs and goals of its strategic plan, built strategic partnerships with allied Earth science organizations in the United States and internationally; modernized AGU’s journals and publication; and broadened use of social media to reach members. The purpose of the American Geophysical Union is to promote discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity.

Jim Coon has led the Government Affairs and Advocacy operations for AOPA, since 2014. With over 3 decades of experience working with Congress and the aviation industry, he is responsible for the strategic implementation of the AOPA’s political, legislative, and regulatory initiatives before Congress, federal departments and agencies, and State Legislatures across the country. For 80 years, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has protected the freedom to fly when war, technological advances, economic booms and busts, and politics threatened access to the skies. AOPA is the largest aviation community in the world and continues to work every day to make flying more affordable, safer, and more fun.

Greg Kihlström is a Customer Experience Strategy expert, SVP Experience at Yes&, Author of The Agile Brand, and host of The Agile World podcast available on iTunes and other channels. Yes& is a performance-driven marketing agency with national clients based in the Washington DC region.

In this episode of TTN Insights, Ernesto and Mickey talk about website assessment and go through the steps in website maintenance, the process of resolving issues and the importance of regular checkups. Every so often, Ernesto Gluecksmann and Mickey Panayiotakis sit down and talk about digital security, new software, technologies, trends, regulations that may impact leaders of organizations. Listen to their Insights on this new segment of Through The Noise.

Nathan R. Monell, CAE currently serves as executive director of National PTA, the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer child advocacy association. Throughout his entire career, Monell has pushed to help improve the lives of individuals who are often marginalized by multiple life factors. National PTA comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to making a difference for the education, health, safety and well-being of every child.

Tom Cove is the President and CEO of the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), where he represents the interests of more than 500 leading manufacturers, brands, licensors, distributors and retailers of athletic equipment, footwear and apparel. Mr. Cove oversees SFIA initiatives to promote sports participation & safety, health & fitness, international trade, and product standards, and serves as liaison to international and national sports federations and government agencies. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association is the trade association of leading industry sports and fitness brands, suppliers, retailers and partners.