Alchemy

Mark Lorimer is seeking to serve a business ($150-$200 mm revenue range) that is in need of leadership to assist its executive team in executing a specific set of strategic initiatives such as growing the business, focusing the business, selling the business, or growing through acquisitions. Mark has led both public and private companies as CEO, advised both public and private companies through complex acquisitions, dispositions and financing transactions as a law firm partner, and advised boards and executives of both for-profit and charitable organizations as a leadership consultant. Mark's leadership style emphasizes a strong senior management team (right people), alignment of understanding of strategic and operating goals (right direction), sustainable growth of market share and capitalization through results-driven accountability and compensation structures (right results), and commitment to data-driven decision making and continuous improvement at all levels (right thinking). Mark is currently the President of Alchemy Business Group, Inc., a business services and investment firm. Alchemy's Orgalignment Services group assists clients with Vision and Value Statement development, strategic plan development and strategic/operational plan alignment. Through its Business Development Services group, Alchemy serves clients seeking business development evaluation, post-merger integration assistance, and new business creation services. Its Leveraged Management Group provides general leadership and management development, succession planning, board consulting and retained negotiation services to Alchemy clients. Prior to founding Alchemy, Mark served as President and CEO of Autobytel, Inc., a publicly traded company serving the automotive industry. During Mark's five years with Autobytel, the company was named the 17th fastest growing technology company in the U.S. by Deloitte & Touche and established operations on four continents. The Autobytel business plan is in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution, has been the subject of a Harvard Business School case study, as well as studies by the University of California at Berkeley, Yale, and overseas universities. Autobytel bought and successfully integrated both public and private companies on Mark's watch. Today, Autobytel is one of the few surviving, profitable success stories of the dot com era. Mark was a partner of the law firm of Dewey Ballantine LLC, in New York, where he practiced corporate and securities law before entering industry. Mark's clients included commercial and investment banks, investment funds and finance companies as well as manufacturing, transportation, service, technology and natural resource companies in all manner of corporate transactions and governance. He has served on the adjunct faculty of Fordham University's Graduate School of Business where he taught securities transactions throughout the growth cycle of companies and has lectured at the University of California, Irvine, Pepperdine University and the University of Illinois. Mark has served on several public and private boards of directors and advisory boards, including two terms as a National Director-at-Large of the American Electronics Association (AEA). Mark has been the featured speaker at events including the Inc. Magazine CEO Symposium, the Economist Technology Conference in Paris, the J.D. Power International Roundtable, and the Frankfurt Auto Show. He holds a B.S. in Communications from Northwestern University and a law degree from Fordham University School of Law. Mark and his wife Mamie live in San Clemente, California with their four children, where Mark devotes a substantial amount of his time to several community service organizations and to his church.

Brenda Smoak is the owner of Alchemy, a retail store that shows and sells the work of local artists and vendors, located at 8025 Georgia Avenue in Spring, Maryland. As a business owner, Ms. Smoak is actively involved in the local community. She is an advocate for arts-related projects and is an active participant in the revitalization of south Silver Spring. She is a member of the Silver Spring Marketing Team, the Underpass Committee and is a board member of Gateway Georgia Avenue Revitalization Corporation. Prior to opening Alchemy, Ms. Smoak was a Project Manager in the construction industry where she served on many site development committees and task forces. She also owned a previous company that afforded her the opportunity to travel extensively painting murals and faux finishes.

Kevin Sousa grew up in a food oriented family in Mckees Rocks, PA spending afternoons in his family's restaurant kitchen. With his mother's blue collar work ethic and father's love for food Kevin believes that he was predisposed to the life of a professional chef. Through years of domestic and foreign travel Kevin's exposure to different styles of food led him back to Pittsburgh to pursue a career in cooking. After five years of establishing himself as one of the best chefs in the city Kevin started looking for new and exciting opportunities. The idea of helping to open a new concept restaurant coinciding with the re-branding of a major hotel was something that had never occurred to Kevin. That being said, it was an opportunity not to be passed up and he pursued the position with much enthusiasm. Currently, Kevin Sousa is the Executive Chef of Alchemy (ultra-modern American concept), Bigelow Grille Regional Cooking and Bar, and the Doubletree Hotel.

Sharon Benjamin, PhD, is principal of Alchemy, a Washington DC based management consulting practice. She is a seasoned organizational executive who has served as a CEO and directed institutional development and finance. Her positions have included Vice President for Marketing for the-Rails to-Trails Conservancy in DC and Director for Major Gifts for the Union of Concerned Scientists in Cambridge MA. She earned her doctorate in organizational behavior from the Union Institute and University in Cincinnati OH, where she has co-taught three leadership seminars. She has been active in the non-profit community, serving as Treasurer of the Board Earthworks, chair of the Board of Directors of Bluevoice.org, and a member of Oceana's Board of Governors.

Joanna Ross Hersey is Assistant Professor of Low Brass at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, where she also teaches music history and conducts the Low Brass Ensemble. Joanna studied with Dan Perantoni at Arizona State University, received a Master of Music in Tuba Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music studying with Chester Schmitz, and earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in Tuba Performance from the Hartt School. As Principal Tubist with the United States Coast Guard Band, Joanna performed throughout the country as a soloist and clinician after winning the position at the age of nineteen. Joanna has played for three U.S. Presidents, performed at numerous state functions for visiting dignitaries, and has appeared on The Today Show and Good Morning America. In her freelance career she has performed with artists including Placido Domingo, Roberta Flack, Marilyn Horne, Arlo Guthrie, Michael Bolton, Lee Greenwood, Arturo Sandoval and Jack Nicholson. Joanna is a founding member of the Athena Brass Band. As a member of Alchemy, Joanna performs throughout North America and can be heard on the group?s compact disc recording Village Dances. Alchemy is in residence each February at the Horn-Tuba Workshop in Jever, Germany where the group performs recitals, gives master-classes and conducts ensembles.