What: The Wharton Leads Council of DC is a regular business networking forum designed to grow member businesses through direct leads, information, best practices and support
When: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month - mark your calendar:
2009 Q1 Schedule:
- 1/7 Cutting Edge Marketing Research Techniques
- 1/21 Open House - Eddie Synder - Anticipated Tax Changes w/ Obama administration & how they will impact small business owners (business & personal)
- 2/4 Roundtable - Personal selling techniques
- 2/18 Member Spotlight - Marshall Chawla, investment strategies for a volatile market
- 3/4 Roundtable - Selling into the Federal Government
- 3/18 Member Spotlight - "How to Develop New B2B Sales Opportunities: Lessons from Marketing to the C-level of the Global 2000". Speaker: Kamal Solaiman of Impera Group
Where: Legal Seafoods, Montgomery Mall, Bethesda, MD (just off I-270 exit onto Democracy Blvd.). We meet in the restaurant's private room.
Cost: a bargain at $20 inclusive of tax, tip and non-alcoholic beverage, for any of several luncheon selections. You pay only for the meetings you attend (unlike some other groups where you pay each time, whether or not you attend). In addition, members pay annual dues of $75.
***********Click here to pay your 2009 annual dues!!!**********(due now).
Who: You! if you are a committed owner or leader of a business in the DC area who wishes to benefit from the support and exchange of like-minded leaders. Requirements for membership are simple:
- You must be a Wharton alum and a current member of the Wharton Club
- You must be willing to regularly attend and participate in WLC meetings
- You may not have a competitive conflict with a current active WLC member.
- Contact Heinan Landa for more information or answers to any questions you may have: hlanda@optimalnetworks.com
Meet Jeffrey C. Adler, PRC
Centrac DC Marketing Research
Jeff received his B.S.E. in Marketing and Decision Sciences from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. His professional experience includes over twenty-five years in various research and consulting assignments. His expertise in both quantitative and qualitative research methods is applied to such areas as product testing, new product development and positioning, customer satisfaction studies, publishing studies, and advertising research. He is skilled in all areas of survey research, including study design, questionnaire development, and analysis. Jeff has personally supervised well over 1,000 studies, and has analyzed results from hundreds more.
His primary role at Centrac DC is that of an Account Manager, with responsibility for the company's marketing and new account development efforts as well as long term strategic planning. However, he always remains active in daily project management, and in the recruitment / training / evaluation of full and part time employees.
Professional Experience
Prior to purchasing Centrac DC in 1997, Jeff was Vice President of Woelfel Research, Inc., which was listed as one of Advertising Age's "Top 100" largest marketing research companies. His previous experience also includes positions as Supervisor, Market Research for Procter & Gamble, and Senior Product Manager and Statewide Marketing Officer for Florida National Bank (a top 100 commercial bank). He has worked across many categories, including: Beauty Care, Foods, Food Service, Beverages, Laundry Products, Household Cleaning Products, Bar Soaps, Personal Care Products, Paper Products, Power Tools, Dental Supplies, Utilities, Convenience Store Supplies, Gasoline Stations, Car Washes, Motor Oil, Automotive Products, Commercial Lubricants, Industrial Products, Trash Bags, Household Products, Lodging, Leisure Attractions, Jewelry, Office Products, Telecommunications, Retail Stores, Pharmaceuticals, Pharmaceutical Publications, Medical and Surgical, Mail Order Catalogs, Educational Products, Magazine Publishing, Books, Information Services, Financial Services, and Financial Service Enhancements.
Certification
Jeff is one of the first few individuals to receive the prestigious Professional Researcher Certification at the Expert level from the Marketing Research Association. The PRC certifies an individual is proficient in current research practices related to his or her job category, and signifies that the individual has met a stringent set of criteria and possesses the knowledge and practical experience in marketing research necessary to earn this esteemed credential. He has also received "Pinnacle 100" certification in the Professional Development Program of the American Marketing Association
Lectures/Presentations/Publications
Jeff is an annual guest lecturer in the Marketing Department at The Wharton School. He is a much respected and highly rated faculty member of the American Marketing Association’s Market Research Boot Camp™. In addition, Jeff has guest lectured at many universities in the Washington area, and has been a guest on the program Research = Marketing Power in the University of Maryland University College educational television series Marketing for Managers (MGMT 410).
Associations
Jeff is a Past President of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Marketing Research Association, and is responsible for the Chapter's Job Bank. He also serves on the Association's National Business Services Work Group, where he has chaired and participated in a number of industry task forces. Additionally, he has held a variety of positions in the Metropolitan Washington Chapter of the American Marketing Association including Assistant Vice President, Speaker Recruitment and Chairman, Annual Marketing Research Program & Trade Show. Jeff is currently the chapter’s Market Research Special Interest Group Co-chair. He currently serves as the Membership Director of the Pharmaceutical Marketing Research Group. He is an active member of MENG (Marketing Executives Networking Group) and the Medical and Surgical Marketing Research Group. He is Director of Operations of the Wharton Leads Council of Washington, D.C., and also serves as the group’s official Ambassador to other Wharton Leads Councils.
Awards
Jeff was honored in 2007 as the first recipient of the Pharmaceutical Marketing Research Group’s Circle of Excellence Award. This award was created to recognize PMRG employees, volunteers and officers who advance the PMRG through extraordinary efforts. Recipients routinely fulfill the following criteria:
- Delivers greater than expected results by assuming greater responsibility beyond outlined goals and objectives
- Advocates PMRG beyond personal gain
- Participate regularly in PMRG activities (conferences/volunteer structure/committees)
Jeff is listed in Marquis Who's Who in the South and Southwest, Marquis Who's Who in Finance and Industry, Marquis Who's Who in the Media and Communications, Marquis Who's Who in the World, Outstanding Young Men of America, Strathmore's Who's Who, International Who’s Who of Entrepreneurs, and Who's Who Worldwide.
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About the DC Wharton Leads Council: What It Is, Why It May Be Good for You
By Jeanne Rossomme
The Wharton Leads Council of DC founded by Heinan Landa is now in its fifth year and going strong. As a successful entrepreneur of a growing IT company (Optimal Networks), Heinan was looking for opportunities to both gain and share new clients. Heinan's energy and commitment have set the tone for what is now a dynamic, supportive group of entrepreneurs and business leaders.
At the end of 2007, we surveyed current members on the value of belonging and actively participating in the Leads Council. Their comments were many but can be summarized in a few key areas:
Sharing of direct business leads
The focus of the Wharton Leads Council continues to be on the passing of direct and indirect business leads. Each session, members report back on contacts given and received for new clients, potential investors, employees and suppliers. Each member has a testimonial on how the WLC has helped grow his or her business.
- The WLC has provided me with high quality business associates that have helped me take my business up several notches. The group has also provided me with a plethora of direct business leads and even one successful acquisition target. None of these things would have been possible without the tremendous friendship and support of all the group members.
- I have received several direct client referrals (and each one was a surprise, sometimes even coming from people no longer active in the group).
Camaraderie and support
With the shared Wharton experience, WLC members provide support and energy to one another. The atmosphere of WLC meetings is relaxed and non-threatening, constructive and positive.
- WLC is a secure, nonjudgmental audience for vetting ideas and business solutions.
- Great caliber of folks to network with; everyone seems so willing to help you when you ask for it - whether it's on a issue you're facing in managing your business or a contact that you're looking to make.
Sharing of small business owner best practices
Each month a WLC meeting is dedicated to a “Member Spotlight”. (New members are invited to host one of these sessions after six months of active participation in the group.) The host member provides a business overview so that the entire group better understands the direction and needs of the business. In addition, the member share best practices in their area of expertise so that all in the group may benefit.
- The group has been tremendously valuable in terms of providing a true group of "peers" with whom to exchange ideas and advice, and in terms of general networking. It is difficult for Wharton Alumni to find "peers" outside of the Wharton community!
Sharing of functional and industry expertise
At regular intervals throughout the year, the WLC dedicates certain meetings to “roundtable” discussions. Focused on a particular functional or industry discipline, these sessions allow members to discuss current dilemmas or goals and gain the feedback of their peers.
- Extremely good value in getting sounding board to one's new business ideas and old problems from bright, capable and friendly members.
Jeanne Rossomme is President of RoadMap Marketing, providing marketing expertise and direction to small businesses.
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To learn more about the Wharton Leads Council, email Heinan Landa at hlanda@optimalnetworks.com or call
at (240) 499-7900.
You can also go to www.optnw.com/page/wharton for a list of current Council members and links to other useful Leads Council pages.
***********Click here to pay your 2009 annual dues!!!**********
And mark your calendar to make your mark in your business, with the benefits being shared by members of the Leads Council!
