Roger West News

Digital Agency Roger West Moves Offices in Tampa

skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:00:04 GMT

Tampa, Florida – April 08, 2013 – Roger West Creative and Code, a digital marketing agency located in Tampa, Florida, moves offices in the Westshore district.

“We’ve moved to an improved office space that allows us to provide a more enjoyable working space, and will improve collaboration among our team,” says Michael Westafer, CEO of the Tampa-based interactive firm.

The company’s new address is:

550 North Reo Street – Suite 100
Tampa, FL 33609

Phone numbers and emails will remain the same.

For more information about Roger West, please contact info@rogerwestcreative.com.

About Roger West

As an award-winning agency, Roger West and its employees have been honored by such organizations as MarketingSherpa, the American Advertising Federation, and Microsoft Corporation, and the Association of Marketing & Communication Professionals. Most recently, the International Davey Awards honored Roger West with two awards for outstanding website design and e-commerce storefront development.

For more information visit: www.rogerwestcreative.com.

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Impact5 Microsite Wins Gold MarCom Award

skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:16:00 GMT

Tampa, Florida – February 25, 2013 – Roger West Creative and Code, an Internet marketing and technology company located in Tampa, Florida, is proud to announce that their client Paradigm Learning has received a 2012 Gold MarCom Award for excellence in the Specialty Web/Microsite category. The award was received for the Impact5® microsite, designed and developed by Roger West.

The specialty microsite introduces business leaders to Impact5: The Business of Leadership Game®. The website focuses on lead generation by inviting web visitors to download a whitepaper, take a leadership impact quiz or request a demo. Judges honored the microsite “for it’s interactivity and games, eye-catching graphic design and compelling content,” says Diana Blackburn, Marketing Manager for Paradigm Learning.

The award comes from the Association of Marketing & Communication Professionals, an international association consisting of several thousand creative professionals. “I am flattered to see our work honored among over 6,000 entries and judged by the industry’s leading professionals,” says Michael Westafer, CEO of Roger West Creative.

For more information about Roger West, please contact info@rogerwestcreative.com.

About Roger West

Roger West Creative & Code Celebrates Five Years

admin — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 20:57:11 GMT

Tampa, Florida – July 9, 2012 – Today Roger West Creative and Code, an Internet marketing and technology company located in Tampa, Florida, celebrates five years of successful business in the Bay area.

The company had humble beginnings in 2007 when CEO Michael Westafer launched the company in a one-room office in downtown Clearwater. Now five years later, the Tampa-based interactive agency is made up of 8 full-time employees, serves more than 25 clients and receives a variety of awards and accolades for their work.

“When I started the company my goal was to provide marketing and technology services that allow businesses to prosper,” says Westafer. “The past five years have been rewarding as I’ve watched dozens of companies, many here in the Bay area, grow their business as a result of the services we provide.”

As the company looks toward the future, Michael Westafer is optimistic. He continues to focus on improving client services, selecting the right partners and developing employee talent. “The past few years have been a great experience for me and my team, but we’re just getting started,” he says.

For more information about Roger West, please contact info@rogerwestcreative.com.

About Roger West

Roger West Creative & Code Wins Two Davey Awards, Gold and Silver

vaviles@rogerwestcreative.com — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 21:32:25 GMT

Tampa, Florida – November 16, 2011 – Roger West Creative and Code, a Tampa interactive agency, has won a Gold Award for the Invisible World e-commerce website and a Silver Award for the Cheeseburger in Paradise site from the 2011 International Davey Awards.

Both websites were launched in the second quarter of 2011 and feature custom web design, SEO-friendly site structures, easy-to-use content management systems, dynamic page content, and a variety of custom modules and user controls.

The Invisible World website also features an e-commerce storefront with a fully customized shopping cart. Additionally, Roger West tailored the process for syncing the retail management system with the online storefront. All customizations provide the retailer with better management of its inventory, customer service and marketing efforts.

The Cheeseburger in Paradise website includes a mobile site, shopping cart with custom integration for product fulfillment, and a customized locator module.

“I’m thrilled about receiving these awards, but more excited that both of these sites really showcase how marketing, design and technology can work harmoniously together,” said Michael Westafer, CEO of Roger West Creative & Code. “That is how we’re different. It’s how we help to truly deliver an engaging website that is both functional and aesthetic.”

The Davey Awards is an international creative award that honors outstanding creative work from the best smaller firms worldwide. This year’s competition featured a pool of more than 4,000 entries from agencies across the world and judges selected fewer than 10 percent to receive a Gold Davey.

To learn more about Roger West Creative and Code, please contact Vanessa Avilés.

About Roger West

Roger West Creative and Code is a new kind of agency, bridging the gap between marketing and technology. The company provides full-service integrated marketing solutions to businesses worldwide. Roger West’s services include web design and web development, online marketing, traditional marketing, custom web solutions, software development, content management systems and e-commerce storefronts.

As an award-winning agency, Roger West and its employees have been honored by such organizations as MarketingSherpa, the American Advertising Federation, and Microsoft Corporation, among others.

For more information visit: www.rogerwestcreative.com.

Contact

Vanessa Avilés, Director of Marketing
Roger West Creative and Code
813.286.9100
vaviles@rogerwestcreative.com

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Roger West Creative & Code Hires New Director of Marketing

vaviles@rogerwestcreative.com — Fri, 27 May 2011 21:15:00 GMT

Tampa, Florida – May 27, 2011 – The Tampa-based integrated marketing and technology firm recently welcomed Vanessa Avilés as the Director of Marketing to help support the steady growth of the company.

In this dual agency role, she is charged for spearheading the account management department and assisting with new business development by helping to manage and grow Roger West’s current client base while also generating new clients and projects.

Avilés has nearly 10 years’ experience in advertising, marketing and public relations with a well-rounded background in account service/management, strategic planning, new business development, search engine marketing and social media. She earned her B.A. from the University of South Florida with a focus in Mass Communications.

“I was looking for someone versatile. Someone who could manage our current clients, develop strategy and lead projects, while assisting me with new business initiatives; Vanessa was a perfect fit,” said Michael Westafer, CEO of Roger West. “Also, the fact she has both agency and in-house experience was a plus.”

About Roger West

As an award-winning agency, Roger West and its employees have been honored by such organizations as MarketingSherpa and the American Advertising Federation. Most recently, the Davey Awards honored two websites designed and developed by the agency.

Contact

Vanessa Avilés, Director of Marketing
Roger West Creative and Code
813.286.9100
vaviles@rogerwestcreative.com

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Roger West Creative & Code Continues Growing, Moves Offices

vaviles@rogerwestcreative.com — Mon, 09 May 2011 13:07:00 GMT

Tampa, Florida – May 9, 2011 – Tampa Bay area marketing and technology company, Roger West Creative and Code, continues growing. In late April, the agency moved its offices to accommodate for current and future growth.

Roger West was formed by entrepreneur Michael Westafer, a marketing and technology expert with more than 15 years of experience. “When I first started the company in a single-room office in Clearwater, it was just me and another designer,” says Westafer. “We began with just one client, and steadily built the business.” The company now has over 40 clients with a full staff comprised of software engineers, interactive designers and account service/marketing personnel.

“It makes me truly proud of our success – it means we’re on the right track. While many other companies are still downsizing or remaining status quo, we are fortunate to be expanding, promoting internally and even hiring new talent,” says Westafer.

The company left their offices located on 1009 North O'Brien Street and relocated to 550 North Reo Street, Suite 202, Tampa, FL 33609. Their new office phone number is 813-286-9100.

About Roger West

Contact

Vanessa Avilés, Director of Marketing
Roger West Creative and Code
813.286.9100
vaviles@rogerwestcreative.com

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Tampa Interactive Marketing Agency Experiences Growth, Adds 2 New Employees

vaviles@rogerwestcreative.com — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 15:49:43 GMT

Tampa, Florida – April 25, 2011 – Roger West Creative and Code, a Tampa interactive marketing agency and website design company, is pleased to welcome two new members to its design team: Allison Nold and Meagan Ryan.

As designers, both Nold and Ryan will use their creative talents to execute a variety of marketing deliverables, including websites, emails, print collateral, logo design and more.

Roger West continues to experience significant growth with approximately 30% increase in revenue for 2010. The agency expects a 50% increase for 2011.

“The demand for Internet marketing continues to increase. Companies are searching for qualified partners that offer both sophisticated technology and marketing savvy without sacrificing design and creativity,” says Michael Westafer, CEO of Roger West. “We continue to provide just the right mix, and as a result we are fortunate to bring on several new projects each month, which allows us to hire great employees like Allison and Meagan.”

Nold has experience with website design, iPhone user interface design, Facebook application design, and online marketing. She is a graduate of The Art Institute of Tampa with a BFA in Web Design & Interactive Media. Ryan’s experience includes microsite comps, web banner designs and print advertising. She is a graduate of the University of South Florida with a BFA in Graphic Design.

About Roger West

Contact

Vanessa Avilés
Director of Marketing
Roger West Creative and Code
813.286.9100
vaviles@rogerwestcreative.com

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Roger West Releases 3 Sitefinity User-Controls Developed with Marketing Professionals in Mind

skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 14:31:00 GMT

Tampa, Florida – December 27, 2010 – Roger West Creative and Code, a Tampa interactive agency committed to bridging the gap between marketing and technology, has recently released 3 new Sitefinity user controls designed specifically for the marketing professional.

“These controls were developed to give marketing professionals more control over the Sitefinity content management system,” says Chris Aybar, Director of Technology for Roger West Creative and developer of all three controls. The Find Controls control allows marketers to search for web controls being used within Sitefinity pages, the Page Recycle Bin provides a backup of deleted pages, and the Version Checker allows the marketing to identify which version of Sitefinity is being used on a website.

Roger West Creative and Code is a 3-year Certified Telerik Service Partner for Sitefinity CMS and has developed dozens of custom modules and user controls. The Find Controls, Page Recycle Bin, and Version Checker are among those currently available for download from the Sitefinity MarketPlace or the Roger West website.

For more information about Roger West Creative and Code, please contact Shanna Kurpe

About Roger West

Contacts

Shanna Kurpe, Director of Marketing
Roger West Creative and Code
813.433.1869
skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com

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Tampa Interactive Marketing Agency Wins Multiple Davey Awards

skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 21:32:07 GMT

Tampa, Florida – November 15, 2010 – Roger West Creative and Code, a Tampa interactive marketing agency and website design company, has been awarded two Silver Awards from the 2010 International Davey Awards for their work on the Resume Professors and Sea Hawk Paints websites.

Both websites were launched in 2010 and feature high-end custom web design, SEO-friendly site structures, easy-to-use content management systems, dynamic page content, and a variety of custom modules and user controls. Additionally, the Resume Professors website features a custom e-commerce storefront and shopping cart, while the Sea Hawk Paints website features a robust Products Module that controls a paint selector that intelligently recommends the most relevant product for a specific user based on responses given during a 6-question survey.

The Davey awards are the largest and most prestigious awards exclusively for the “Davids” of creativity, or in other words an awards program for small agencies with big ideas. This year’s competition featured a pool of more than 4,000 entries from agencies across the world.

To learn more about Roger West Creative and Code, please contact Shanna Kurpe.

About Roger West

As an award-winning agency, Roger West and its employees have been honored by such organizations as MarketingSherpa and the American Advertising Federation. Most recently, Tampa Bay CEO Magazine named Roger West CEO Mike Westafer as a finalist for Emerging CEO of the Year.

Contacts

Shanna Kurpe, Director of Marketing
Roger West Creative and Code
813.433.1869
skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com

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Tampa Interactive Marketing Agency Hires Award-Winning Creative Director

skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 13:19:35 GMT

Tampa, Florida – September 21, 2010 – Roger West Creative and Code, a Tampa interactive marketing agency and website design company, is pleased to welcome award-winning Creative Director Justin Haldane to the team.

As a creative leader with more than 10 years of experience within the interactive design industry, Justin has led national branding campaigns, large scale e-commerce websites and enterprise level web projects for some of the biggest names in business, including Procter & Gamble, Intel, World Sports Exchange, Bausch & Laumb, Sea World and Busch Gardens, among others. “Justin brings a breadth of industry experience, raw talent and tremendous leadership skills to our team,” says Michael Westafer, CEO of Roger West. “We are fortunate to have him working alongside us.”

As the Creative Director at Roger West, Justin will use his passion for design to solve complex business issues for a diverse portfolio of clients. “I intuitively trust that a thorough design process will achieve positive outcomes, such as increased visitor loyalty, ROI and other business goals,” says Justin Haldane. “I am encouraged to work with an agency that believes the same.”

To learn more about Roger West Creative and Code, please contact Shanna Kurpe.

About Roger West

Contacts

Shanna Kurpe, Director of Marketing
Roger West Creative and Code
813.433.1869
skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com

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Tampa Interactive Marketing Agency Partners with Tribridge on Award-Winning Marketing Campaign

skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:52:34 GMT

Tampa, Florida – July 19, 2010 – Roger West Creative & Code, a website design company and Tampa interactive marketing agency, announces that their client Tribridge has been awarded Microsoft’s 2010 Distinction in Marketing Award for the Best Lead Generation Campaign. The award was given for The Whiteboard Challenge, a campaign creatively executed by Roger West.

The goal was to create awareness of Microsoft Dynamics as a technology solution for professional services companies and to generate new opportunities for Tribridge within this industry. “We imagined the executive team in front of a whiteboard outlining their technology issues, but having a hard time getting past the boardroom to make necessary changes in their organization,” explains Michael Westafer, CEO of Roger West Creative & Code. “From there, The Whiteboard Challenge was born.”

The creative team at Roger West worked with the internal marketing team at Tribridge to create a 3-dimensional lead generation campaign that challenged c-level executives to work past the whiteboard for a tangible solution. The campaign creative featured hand-drawn sketches like those you would see on an actual whiteboard and prompted recipients to visit the campaign microsite for more information and to register to win an interactive whiteboard.

The campaign message was delivered to just over 1,000 professional services companies nation-wide via an HTML email and a unique direct mail piece. “These days you have to be different if you want to get noticed,” says Westafer. “So instead of a standard direct mail piece we mailed an actual whiteboard.” The campaign creative was printed on a static cling sticker layered over the board. This way the sticker could be peeled off and the board could be reused and remain in the executive’s office as a lasting impression of the campaign. The campaign also incorporated a series of targeted webcasts, social media outreach and other touch points over a period of eight months.

The 2010 Microsoft Distinction in Marketing Awards recipients were selected from field nominations and the winners were chosen based on marketing objectives, plans and results deployed in Microsoft’s FY10. A total of five companies were recognized worldwide for excellence in various marketing-related categories.

To learn more about The Whiteboard Challenge please contact Shanna Kurpe with Roger West Creative and Code.

About Tribridge

Founded in 1998, Tribridge is a national IT services and business consultancy dedicated to helping customers become more productive, profitable, competitive and secure. From software selection and implementation to technology infrastructure design and support, Tribridge's 300+ professionals leverage a unique combination of industry expertise, technical proficiency and proven service methodology to create an exceptional customer experience and promote a solid return on IT investments.

Tribridge serves more than 2,000 customers throughout the United States and has been formally recognized by top companies like Microsoft as a worldwide leader in enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM) and other web-based solutions and services. www.tribridge.com.

About Roger West

Contacts

Shanna Kurpe, Director of Marketing
Roger West Creative and Code
813.433.1869
skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com

Holly Clifford-Corral, Public Relations
Tango Marketing
404.668.7733
hollycliffordpr@gmail.com

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Tampa Bay Marketing Spotlight - Michael Westafer

Ginger Reichl — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:47:35 GMT

Spotlight on...

Michael Westafer, CEO

Roger West Creative & Code
Tampa, Florida

Years in this position: 3
Years in marketing: 15

What inspired you to pursue a career in marketing?

I'm an entrepreneur at heart. It’s thrilling to watch a business grow, so it only makes sense that I would build my career in an industry focused on helping others build their business. Strategic marketing in itself is an entrepreneur. What I mean is that, even if you are a large corporation, your marketing plan must operate as an entrepreneur. Its primary objective must be to grow the business while maintaining efficiency, agility, flexibility, portability and efficacy.

It's challenging, but I really enjoy using my entrepreneurial spirit, creativity and technical skills to solve business problems and deliver marketing solutions.

What do you like most about marketing?

I really enjoy the fast-paced environment and ever-changing landscape. New technologies, new challenges and new ideas keep the marketing industry fresh and exciting. It’s never the same and it never gets boring.

To read more of this article, please visit the examiner.

About Roger West

Contacts

Shanna Kurpe, Marketing Manager
Roger West Creative and Code
813.433.1869
skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com

Holly Clifford-Corral, Public Relations
Tango Marketing
404.668.7733
hollycliffordpr@gmail.com

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Roger West Creative Launches Website for Sea Hawk Paints

skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:37:37 GMT

Tampa, Florida – June 21, 2010 – Roger West Creative & Code, a Tampa website design company and interactive marketing agency recently launched a dynamic website for New Nautical Coatings, Inc., manufacturer of Sea Hawk Paints, featuring high-end website design, SEO-friendly site structure, .NET content management and custom web modules and controls.

The 30-year-old marine bottom paint company approached Roger West to create a unified brand image online while simultaneously promoting its hundreds of partners worldwide. “Sea Hawk Paints has a reputation for quality and innovation within the bottom paints industry and we rely on our partners to maintain that reputation” says Jason Revie, Director of Marketing for Sea Hawk Paints. “So we looked to Roger West to provide a premium website that reflects our premium products and brand, but also features our extensive network of certified partners.”

Roger West skinned a robust .NET content management system (CMS) with a clean, high-end visual design to reflect the brand image of the company. “The CMS allows our marketing team to quickly add and edit content so our website is always relevant, timely and authoritative,” says Revie.

The new Sea Hawk website also features a Certified Applicator advanced search function for users to find local Sea Hawk partners to apply the bottom paint. This search feature is controlled by a custom module that manages the information for each Sea Hawk Paint application specialist.

The CMS also features several other custom modules and controls, including a Products Module that dynamically creates each product page and product tab, saving the Sea Hawk marketing team valuable time when modifying their product line. The same module also controls the content and results for the Bottom Paint Selector, a web feature that intelligently recommends the most relevant bottom paint for a specific user based on responses given during a 6-question survey. “By doing this we eliminate duplicate entry by allowing Sea Hawk to manage every aspect of their products within a single module,” says Michael Westafer, CEO of Roger West Creative & Code.

To learn more about New Nautical Coatings, Inc., the Sea Hawk Paints website or Roger West Creative and Code please contact Shanna Kurpe.

About New Nautical Coatings, Inc.

A trendsetter of marine bottom paints, New Nautical Coatings, Inc. was established in 1978 and is dedicated to bringing only the highest quality products and customer satisfaction to today’s mariner. New Nautical Coatings is family owned and operated in the Gulf Coast Region with a commitment to excellence and premium USA made products. They offer wide array of products that include antifouling systems, primers, solvents, resins, and other below the waterline products. Now offering innovative products globally, the Sea Hawk brand (www.seahawkpaints.com) has enjoyed unprecedented growth and continues to grow as its products become more in demand worldwide.

About Roger West

Contacts

Shanna Kurpe, Director of Marketing
Roger West Creative and Code
813.433.1869
skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com

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Creative Agency Generates $3,500 for Big Brothers Big Sisters to Mentor Bay Area Children

skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:34:09 GMT

Tampa, Florida – June 15th, 2010 – Roger West Creative and Code, an integrated marketing and technology agency specializing in web design and online marketing, announced the final dollar amount earned during the Third Annual Tampa Bay Scramble Golf Tournament. The hosting company generated a gross profit of $5,457 with $3,419.60 going directly to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay. Proceeds from the event will help recruit, screen, train and supervise the hundreds of mentors who volunteer each year for at-risk children in the bay area through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay.

In addition to the $3,419, the event also generated over $10,000 worth of in-kind donations from various sponsors including The Tampa Bay Business Journal, The Tampa Bay Storm, The Tampa Bay Rays, T&D Golf, Edwin Watts Golf and many more, including out hole-in-one sponsors World of Beer, Island Walk Apartments, Bay One Appraisal Services and The Vintage Lofts at West End Apartments.

“The event was a great success, giving us an opportunity to not only raise money for our organization but also to share our message with generous business men who can decide to become a mentor and make a measurable difference in the lives of young boys in our area,” says Amy Neff, Senior Director of Events for Big Brothers Big Sisters.

The tournament was held at Westchase Golf Club in Tampa, Florida on Saturday, May 22nd, 2010. The 32 players participating in the event enjoyed an 18-hole course, hole-in-one, longest drive and closest to the pin contests, a BBQ dinner buffet, wine tasting, raffle, and silent auction. All players received high-quality Nike DriFIT polo, Nike golf balls, a wedge golf club, among other great gear.

For more information about the Tampa Bay Scramble, please contact Shanna Kurpe.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay, Inc.

The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters is to help children in Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties reach their potential through professionally supported one-to-one relationships with measurable impact. Volunteers spend several hours a month helping children grow academically and socially. Independent studies show children paired with a caring mentor are more likely to graduate to the next grade level and less likely to be involved in the juvenile justice system. Donations and volunteers are needed to serve more children in the Tampa Bay community. To learn more visit www.bbbsfl.org or call 813.769.3600.

About Roger West

Contacts

Shanna Kurpe, Director of Marketing
Roger West Creative and Code
813.433.1869
skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com

Holly Clifford-Corral, Public Relations
Tango Marketing
404.668.7733
hollycliffordpr@gmail.com

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Tampa Bay Business Owners Host Sales, Marketing and Financial Workshop

skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:50:27 GMT

Tampa, Florida – June 3, 2010 – Sandler Training, Roger West Creative & Code and the CFO Alliance have partnered to bring a 2-hour executive business summit to business owners in the Tampa area, titled Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?

Companies struggle to reach their financial goals for many reasons, one of which is because they often fail to align their marketing and sales strategies. “The common impulse for sales professionals is to blame marketing for providing bad leads,” says Mark Fitzgerald, owner of Sandler Training in Tampa. “The real mistake is expecting that you can close warm deals without salesmanship.”

Likewise, “Marketing professionals are quick to blame sales for losing the deal,” says Michael Westafer, owner of Roger West. “Good marketing, however, should prepare consumers for the purchase and equip the sales team for the close.”

In an ideal world, marketing and sales strategies should align to support the organization’s financial goals. This can prove to be challenging since many business owners don’t really understand what makes their company profitable. “It’s hard to execute successful marketing and sales strategies when you don’t understand the financial structure behind your organization” says Brooke Evans, owner of the CFO Alliance.

To address some of these issues, among others, presenters Brooke Evans, Mark Fitzgerald and Michael Westafer will host an executive business summit on Wednesday, June 9th at the Centre Club in Tampa at 8 AM. Guests can register online at www.rogerwestcreative.com/juice.

For more information about the event, please email Shanna Kurpe.

About Sandler Training

Sandler Training is a world leader in innovative sales and sales management training. For more than 40 years, Sandler has taught its non-traditional selling system and effective sales training methodology, which has helped salespeople and sales managers take charge of the process.

About Roger West

About the CFO Alliance

The CFO Alliance, Inc. is an executive-level financial consulting firm that specializes in providing world-class financial expertise to small and medium-sized businesses, including financial planning & analysis, forecasting, cash flow management and more.

Contacts

Shanna Kurpe, Marketing Manager
Roger West Creative and Code
813.433.1869
skurpe@rogerwestcreative.com

Holly Clifford-Corral, Public Relations
Tango Marketing
404.668.7733
hollycliffordpr@gmail.com

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