Our Team

David Brown - Business Mentor/President

Lynn Baldwin - Director of USA Operations for the Edge Retail Academy

Darci Aselage - Sales Consulting Manager

Mike Druan - Management Consultant

Carol Druan - Sales Manager

Gordon McLister - Systems Development Manager

Mark Kippenberger - Business Mentor/CFO

 

 

David Brown - Business Mentor/President

Born in New Zealand in 1958, David has over 15 years experience in consulting, training and public speaking. In 1996 David began offering his own unique brand of specialized training and management services to retailers throughout Australia & New Zealand.

Following an early introduction to the jewelry sector, David bought a half share in a jewelry store in the Australian State of Victoria - a business that experienced a threefold increase in sales and net profit in just three years. David’s retail clients include two of the major Australian jewelry buying groups and a New Zealand jewelry group who between them have a combined membership of 430 retail outlets.

As the appointed Management Consultant for these groups, David conducts regular retail seminars, supplying vital industry benchmarking and trend analysis in addition to consulting with a number of the members on an individual basis.

The Buying Groups are:

Showcase Jewellers … 250 stores throughout Australia

Hourglass Jewellers … 150 stores throughout Australia

Gemtime Group … 30 stores throughout New Zealand

In addition to these buying groups, David works with one of the largest Jewelry Chain Store operators in Australasia, Pascoe’s Jewellers, who also own and operate Prouds Jewellers in Australia. David is an expert in the retail jewelry industry particularly in the areas of inventory management, sales growth strategies, retail systems and staff management.

With the development of powerful ‘industry specific’ software, David now has the potential to provide business owners with information & strategies to significantly improve sales, profit margins, control and ultimately … peace of mind. As a key note speaker, David has conducted retail seminars in Kuala Lumpur and throughout Australasia and his practical delivery and instant take away value empowers retail salespeople and business owners with the ability and the tools to maximize every retail opportunity.

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Lynn Baldwin - Director of USA Operations for Edge Retail Academy

Lynn’s resume of Retail Jewelry store experience imparts a comprehensive track record of over 30 years of managing every aspect of the retail jewelry business. After 10 years as a bench jeweler and store manager, he and his wife started a family owned jewelry store 21 yearsago in Springfield Mo. They still own this successful business, and he directs its operations from his current location in the Las Vegas Nevada area.

Lynn was an early leader in computerizing his business and soon recognized the importance of bringing computer technology to others in the industry. For the past ten years he has been occupied with both “On-Site” and “On-Line” training in Inventory Control and Business Management Systems. Additionally, he has traveled extensively in the United States and Canada, providing consulting for jewelry store owners and presenting management training seminars at industry trade shows and other events.

His greatest professional pleasure comes from helping others avoid the struggles he had to overcome himself and he has worked tirelessly to this end. He brings extensive experience in providing a portfolio of clients with periodic detailed management analysis of their business operations. Offering practical down-to-earth solutions with humor and wit are his stock in trade and he is known for his ability to reduce problems to the essential elements and then enable his client to develop solutions that are truly “Win/Win”.

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Darci Aselage - Sales Consulting Manager

Darci has been serving the Jewelry industry since 1989. In the start of her career, she grew from part-time sales associate to the Vice President of an over 2 million dollar retail store in Ohio where she contributed 19 years of service.  Through her retail experience, along with gemological education from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the American Gem Society (AGS), Darci was instrumental in directing all day to day operations which included; retail sales, staff development/training, purchasing/inventory management, marketing/advertising, human resources and future growth forecasting.

In Darci's career she has served in numerous community and jewelry organizational boards and committees.  In 2005, Darci was honoured with receiving the Women's Jeweler Association (WJA) Midwest Rising Star Award.  In continuing to propel forward in the industry, Darci demonstrates a strong vision to inspire and grow others using her abilities and talents.

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Mike Druan - Management Consultant

Mike is a Management Consultant for teh Edge Retail Academy.

Mike has an MBA in Business Administration, a Bachelor of Marketing and a Bachelor in Business Management.

He has more than 20 years experience working with small and mid size businesses and has specialized in financial and operational analysis. He has worked with business owners to develop strategic operating plans that reduce costs, control inventory and improve sales and profits.

Mike has lectured at Universities and he has been on radio and television discussing ways businesses can improve their operations and for the past fours years he has been working with Independent Retail Jewelers accross the US.

 

Carol Druan - Sales Manager

Carol is the newest member of the Edge Retail Academy Team.

Carol has a degree in Business Management and more than 25 years of hands-on experience.  Running a business of her own has given Carol a unique insight into the day-to-day stresses and strains business owners face.

She has been helping Independent Jewelers accross the US make critical decisions ... decisions that improve their sales and profits.

Perhaps the most important thing Carol does for her prospective clients is show them how they can improve their quality of life.  Staffing, Human Resources, Administrative Operations and Strategic Planning are all areas Carol has excelled in, as well as having been Director of US Sales for a multi-million dollar corporation.

 

Gordon McLister - systems development manager

With 30 years of system development experience in a wide range of industries I am highly experienced in the development of computer systems. Full time employment started in 1970 as a trainee accountant and worked on a range of accounting areas. My first jewelry system was produced in 1983 in New Zealand and then later, in Australia, I wrote a DOS system for Jewellers Computer Systems NZ (ARMS).

In January 2001 I started a business in Las Vegas with ARMS founder Don Greig, based on my idea to “bolt on” management reporting to existing jewelry systems. Focus reporting has now been attached to 30+ computer packages in 4 countries and in several hundred sites. My next idea was to combine all the stores into one Super Store and then provide Key Performance reporting and fast sellers (Results) to help retailers make more informed buying decisions.

Three years ago I contacted David Brown with the view of presenting Focus Reports, Super Store and Results to the Australasian market. There was a serious need for a new software package for jewelers to replace the aged DOS and early Windows developments. After months of research TheEdge POS system was decided upon. Full of features, TheEdge is the top selling jewelry package in the world, far advanced beyond any opposition and at an affordable price. The system is constantly being enhanced by the expertise of four separate programmers in Australia and the USA producing features which Australasian jewelers are now reaping the benefits of every day.

My interests outside work are American cars and BMW motorcycles - when time permits!!

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Mark Kippenberger - Business Mentor/CFO

I graduated from Victoria University in 1983. Began work for Arthur Young (Ernst Young predecessor firm) in Wellington and then joined Peat Marwick (KPMG predecessor firm) in June 1989 after returning from working in London for 3 years.

I began as client advisor & rose through to KPMG associate prior to establishing Hadlee Kippenberger & Partners in 1999, a business advisory firm working in association with KPMG.

Within my partnership role at HKP from 1999 to 2004 I Established HKP with a strong ‘business advisory brand’ in the Canterbury market place, built up client base around general business & tax advice, specialised in business planning & co authored planning guide as KPMG reference, was chairman of national MMA (middle market advisory) committee, became more focused in mentoring clients through their business growth issues, became small business author to Telecom for business articles, led our HKP psychologist team through re positioning phase in market place.

After leaving HKP in October 2004, I began providing specialist business mentoring advice to a handful of clients based in Australia, Auckland, Blenheim & Christchurch.

Accepted appointment of Retail Edge 2005 Ltd as part time CEO, working two days a week in that position. Building profitability in REC through rigorous financial planning & reporting. Establishing new markets in the United States & negotiating investment funding from trade partners.

Outside interests include Sport, with my passion being Football (Soccer) I am a competitive player, also like Music and Art, especially renaissance art that tell wonderful stories about the world as it used to be, favourite artist is Cezanne.

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