HDS Premier consulting, LLC

Debbie Holzkamp is the founder and principal of HDS Premier Consulting, an Orange County-based boutique business management consulting company focused on companies who have a need for greater growth through business growth strategy, market share development, sales force effectiveness, sales tools, multimedia revenue and optimization programs, business seminars, and sales training programs. Holzkamp has proven strategic and tactical planning and facilitation skill, designed and offers sales effectiveness tools for purchase, and has launched many successful startup products and services.

Holzkamp has developed the Multimedia Advertiser Pricing, Packaging and Sales Training Program for more than a 50 different media brand groups.

Holzkamp uses her 27 years of competitive market operational experience and expertise in providing clients with project facilitation, growth oriented strategy, and sales and market development plans. Holzkamp has developed strategic plans including for a fortune 500 company, helped recap a major company, done extensive acquisition analysis, created partnerships with many nationwide companies, and planned and launched successful startups including interactive products and services, daily publications, magazines, and multimedia distribution products and services.

Over the years, Holzkamp has developed hundreds of strategic market solutions for a variety of nationwide businesses including major retailers, consumer electronics, furniture, travel agencies, telecommunications, real estate, automotive, and financial institutions. Holzkamp’ s consulting client base consists of several companies including Detroit Media Partnership/Gannett, Dix Communications, White Corporation, Nielsen Business Media-Billboard, Adweek Media, Photo District News, Travel and Incentive, Kitchen and Bath, Outdoor Retailer, ASR, ASD, Backstage, The Hollywood Reporter, San Diego Union Tribune, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Wicks Group, Southern Lithoplate, Inland Press group. Holzkamp has served in a variety of roles including publisher, general management, senior vice president and sales and marketing management for Knight Ridder, Gannett, and Freedom Communication companies.

Larry Smalley is a highly experienced, creative and energetic management consultant and facilitator. His broad management background and demonstrated success in diverse environments have allowed him to develop great proficiency in helping organizations create and align their business vision, mission, strategies and metrics. He has additional expertise in the following: executive coaching, leadership development, organizational assessment and design, program/project management systems design and implementation, change management, and competency-based selection and training.

Larry is known for blending business skills and practical Human Resources techniques that help multi-unit, manufacturing and service companies achieve a competitive advantage. At Transamerica, he worked closely with the CEO, the senior leadership team and groups of employees to create a new vision, core purpose and core values that re-energized the organization after it was acquired. At Genentech, Larry worked with several new cross-functional teams to develop and implement their team mission and charter. Other client companies include: Allergan, Avco Financial Services, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Carl Karcher Enterprises,
Canon, Compaq Computer, Epson America, Fidelity, Home Savings Of America, Hasbro, Hunt-Wesson, Johnson & Johnson, Kia Motors, Marriott, Mazda Motors, Merck, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Orange County Register, Puritan-Bennett, Qualcomm, Reynolds and Reynolds, Seimens, Scientific Atlanta, Suzuki Motors, Taco Bell, Toshiba, UCI Medical Center, VetSmart, and Western Digital.

Prior to Larry’s 12 years of consulting experience, he held the position of Vice President, Human Resources for Retirement Inns of America, a subsidiary of Avon Products, Inc., a leader in the development and management of luxury housing for active seniors. In this capacity, Larry established the Human Resources function and designed innovative selection and training programs to accelerate the growth of the organization while maintaining consistently high quality customer service. He also instituted performance management systems to increase productivity and organizational effectiveness.

Larry's comprehensive experience also includes the position of Vice President, Human Resources for National Medical Enterprises, and a $1.5 billion provider of health care services nation-wide. In this capacity, he established a pioneering gain sharing program to address increasing competition and introduced programs to enhance morale and reduce employee-related litigation.

Larry also held various management positions with Baxter International (American Hospital Supply) in all specialties of Human Resources. Significant accomplishments included the implementation of several organizational change strategies to shorten the product development cycle, increase profitability, and integrate and consolidate acquisition partners.

Larry's academic credentials include a B.A. in Psychology Magna Cum Laude and an M.S. in Industrial Psychology from California State University, Long Beach. In addition to his consulting activities, Larry has been a visiting professor for the Graduate School of Human Resources Management and Development at Chapman University in Orange, California, with a focus on Strategic Management. 7545 Irvine Center Drive Suite 200, Irvine CA 92618 •

Jami Beaton Eidsvold is a public relations and marketing communications consultant with over eight years of experience managing campaigns within the interactive and advertising industries. Through her consulting practice and past agency experience, Jami strives to implement strategic campaigns that seamlessly integrate with advertising and marketing strategies. She possesses a keen understanding of new media and a personal passion for integrated media and consumer relations that span across traditional media and various forms of social media.

Jami is currently a marketing and public relations consultant to both agencies and direct clients including: Invisalign Teen, Experian, Sisu, Inc., 3D Media, Gold PR and more YELLOW. While working at agencies such as 2Advanced Studios, DGWB Advertising & Communications, Mindflood, and Thinkbig Media, Jami had the unique benefit of taking on dual roles of producing campaigns and managing agency public relations outreach. She has worked with both consumer and B2B brands in a variety of industries including clients such as Qualcomm Enterprise Services, Real D, Design Reactor, Sony, TRD USA, Red Bull North America, The Hollywood Reporter, Nokia, Pioneer, Avery Dennison and Buy.com.

Jami regularly partners with HDS Premier Consulting to develop full creative executions of custom Integrated Media Advertising Pricing Packages and Sales Training Programs. She works hand-in-hand with the creative team to manage the entire production process and ensure consistent messaging and branding throughout.

Throughout her career Jami has produced work that has received many national and international accolades that have included the ADDY Awards, Webby Awards, The One Show, Belding Awards, HOW Magazine Interactive Awards and the Davey Awards to name a few. She received her bachelor’s degree from Chapman University in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

As CEO, Kim Shepherd leads the company's growth strategy, primarily through developing partnerships, alliances and as an active member of the Los Angeles and Orange County human resources community. A recognized "Thought Leader" by HR organizations nationwide including the Human Capital Institute, Kim is a regular speaker at national and regional events on the topic of recruitment best practices, recruitment process outsourcing, and the “virtual” business. Drawing on her many years of hands-on recruitment experience, Kim also plays a strong role in company operations.

Kim joined Decision Toolbox in 2000, and brought her unconventional approach to the company she had admired as a client. Calling Kim unconventional is an understatement – her past life includes 10 years as a TV and Foreign Correspondent, a stint at Club Med and a near miss at a spot on the Olympic ski team.

Previously, Kim was Vice President of Recruitment at South Coast Rehabilitation Services where she expanded revenues from $3M to $100M, founder and Director of Profile Strategies, a specialized recruitment firm, and National Director of Recruitment Services at Strategic HR Services, a $60M outsourced Human Resources group.

Kim is an active member of the Adaptive Business Leaders Executive Roundtable and the National Association for Women Business Owners (Orange County Chapter). She is on the Board of Directors of The Girl Scouts of Orange County and on the Board of Trustees for Girls Incorporated of Orange County, and is a member of the Orange County United Way’s Women’s Philanthropy Fund.

Jeffrey V. Kohler is a versatile executive with 15 years of rewarded results at nationally acclaimed media companies. He is also currently in his fifteenth year in the executive search industry. He specializes in recruiting candidates with multi-media backgrounds including publishing, online, new media, broadcast and data. He has worked diligently to assist clients in building successful teams with strong executive management talent.

Jeff Kohler & Associates has a documented reputation to deliver results for virtually any media challenge—whether to solidify, transform or completely turn around an organization. Clients recognize that in all economic times and business conditions, selective new hires are critical to “seed” the organization with top talent. References confirm Kohler’s energetic, creative and strategic approaches and outcomes for mutually advantageous business associations.

His executive recruiting practice serves a range of companies whose platforms include print, digital, databases and events. Blue chip clients operate weekly and daily newspapers, business and legal journals, magazines, specialty niche and alternative products, and online interactive sites. These include representative publishing clients such as Media General, Advance, Inc. (Newhouse), The Dallas Morning News, the St. Petersburg Times and the Milwaukee Journal and also B2B clients such as American Lawyer Media, American City Business Journals and Vance Publishing.

Kohler began his career in 1980 at the Chicago Tribune where he won the prestigious “President’s Award”. Recruited to Philadelphia Newspapers in 1988, he became the SVP Consumer Marketing for both the Inquirer & Daily News. This included all responsibilities for circulation, customer service, marketing and promotion, transportation, an alternate delivery product and an independent telemarketing subsidiary. The scale and span of control included revenue responsibility of $136M, expenses of $81M, and a division of 780 employees. At its peak, combined newspaper circulations exceeded 700,000 daily and 1 million Sunday copies (both Top 10 in the U.S.) Kohler served on the six-person Operating Committee for Knight Ridder’s largest property with $580M in revenue.

A prominent leader in the newspaper industry, Kohler was elected to the Newspaper Association of America’s Circulation Council, representing over 1500 newspaper members, and served on its six-person Executive Committee. Other committees included Nominating, Diversity, and Marketing. He was a featured speaker and panelist at regional and national sessions. In addition, he was an active participant for Knight-Ridder corporate initiatives representing the chain’s 27 newspapers.

With a strong commitment to community involvement, Kohler has served as the Chairman of Please Touch Children’s Museum; on the Executive Board of Directors of the Boy Scouts; as Vice President of the Richie Ashburn Celebrity Golf Classic to benefit the physically and mentally handicapped Boy Scouts; was an active member of the Police Athletic League, served on the Board of the Philadelphia Eagles Youth Partnership and had been appointed to the Philadelphia 2000 National Convention committee. He is also active with the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and is involved in his church.

Jeff is a native of the Chicago suburbs and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1979. He and his wife Maureen reside in Upper Gywnedd, Pennsylvania and have four daughters.

Peter Grant is an executive media consultant focused on improving the long-term financial performance of clients. He specializes in the newspaper and on-line publication space, and is committed to working closely with his clients through this period of industry upheaval. Peter’s expertise encompasses revenue generation strategies and cost reduction. He has generated considerable financial benefit in the areas of organizational design, advertising sales growth strategies and coordination of sales efforts across all platforms. Peter has realized measurable savings in the distribution network of a large number of clients, and has saved in excess of 15% of the distribution costs at a majority of clients.

Peter was most recently a Managing Director in the Communications & Media Practice of FTI Consulting. He joined FTI in 2008 after establishing and growing his own boutique media consulting practice which included FTI as a client. Engagements at FTI included profitability analyses for both large and medium sized properties, as well as strategic assessments of the digital operation of newspaper chains. Peter provided financial advice to several organizations that restructured their balance sheet. His consulting clients have included The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, GateHouse, The Advocate (Baton Rouge), MediaNews, Tribune, Journal Register, Infosys, The Orange County Register, Media General, Helium.com and Conversion Associates. The consulting services that he provided addressed a variety of issues ranging from realigning organization structures, off-shoring, restructuring of distribution systems and implementing a circulation system. In addition, Peter provided strategic development for a leading content provider and an organization specializing in tracking advertising performance.

Prior to Peter’s 3 years of consulting, he spent 20 years at the Boston Globe, approximately half of his career in finance, and half in operations. He held various positions including Executive Director of Finance, Director in Strategic Planning and Operations Manager Production. Among his accomplishments at the Boston Globe were:

Prior to joining The Boston Globe, Peter spent five years at Arthur Andersen in their Media Industry Audit Practice. His media clients included The Boston Globe, the local CBS affiliate, and Affiliated Radio Group.

Peter has a business degree from The University of Notre Dame and is a Certified Public Accountant. During his tenure at The Boston Globe, he served on the Board of Directors of the Interactive and News Media Financial Executives (INFE), where he was active in promoting cooperation across the industry to improve the financial performance of newspapers. He is very active in community affairs, and is a Trustee of the Bridgewater Savings Bank, former Chairman of the West Bridgewater town finance committee and active in youth sports. Peter is married and has three children.