Our Family

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Fernando’s involvement with Pet Paradise began in 2004 when he led an investment group to invest in the company. He subsequently joined the Board of Directors in 2005 and helped refine the company’s growth strategy by focusing on new development and acquisitions. In 2007, he joined the team as Chief Operating Officer. Since joining the company in 2005, Fernando has played a key role in accelerating the growth of Pet Paradise from three pet resorts with 45 employees in northeast Florida to more than 1000 employees across nine states and almost 50 resorts in operation or under development.

Prior to joining Pet Paradise, Fernando spent seven years in Private Equity working with FondElec Group and L&L Capital Partners, two CT based Private Equity firms. Prior to his work in private equity, he worked for BellSouth International in Atlanta where he focused on BellSouth’s operations in Central and South America. Prior to BellSouth, Fernando ran several family-owned businesses in Costa Rica. Fernando serves on several Boards including Community Hospice of Northeast Florida (one of Florida’s largest Hospice organizations) of which he serves as chairman. He is also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Bolles School, a private college preparatory school in Jacksonville, Florida. Fernando serves on the Board of Advisors at Jacksonville University’s Public Policy Institute and is the President of The Acosta-Rua Family Foundation, a family foundation serving the sick and poor primarily in developing countries.

Fernando received his Bachelor of Science from University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications, and his Masters in Business Administration from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Fernando and his wife, Brooke, reside in Jacksonville and have three children, two dogs and three cats.  Fernando enjoys the outdoors, NFL and college football and attending music festivals and concerts.  

Kevin English was born in Pensacola and grew up in the small town of Gulf Breeze in the Florida panhandle. After graduating from Gulf Breeze High School in 1987, Kevin attended the University of Florida, where he received a B.S. in Accounting. In the fall of 1992, Kevin moved to Jacksonville, Florida and started his professional career with Deloitte and Touche LLP as a Certified Public Accountant. After four years with Deloitte and Touche, Kevin joined PSS World Medical, Inc. During his 17 years with PSS World Medical, Kevin held several senior management positions, including his last position on the executive management team as the Chief Sourcing Officer. Following his departure from PSS, Kevin joined One Call Care Management as its Chief Financial Officer.

Kevin has been involved with several community and charitable organizations in Northeast Florida, including The Players Championship. Kevin has volunteered with The Players Championship PGA Tour golf event for eight years. His current role is first vice chairman and Kevin is in line to become the tournament Chairman in 2017.

Kevin and his wife, Debbie, live in Ponte Vedra and have three children – Morgan, Brooke and JP.

Bill Joel joined Pet Paradise as General Counsel in 2008, after representing the Company as outside counsel for several years.  He is responsible for overseeing all legal affairs of Pet Paradise.  Bill also serves as the Corporate Secretary for the various Pet Paradise corporate entities.

Prior to joining Pet Paradise, Bill was a shareholder/partner in multiple local and regional law firms, where his practice areas included commercial real estate (transactions, financing, development, leasing, lending and litigation), commercial lending, business transactions and commercial litigation.  He also spent four years as in-house real estate counsel for a Fortune 250 grocery chain.

Bill’s professional honors and activities include serving as President of the Board of Governors of the Jacksonville Bar Association, President of the Board of Governors of the Young Lawyers Section of the Jacksonville Bar Association, and as a volunteer attorney for Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc.  He also holds or has held board leadership positions with several civic and charitable organizations, including Youth Crisis Center, The American Heart Association (Northeast Florida Chapter), Young Life, Washington & Lee University Alumni Association (Jacksonville Chapter), Willing Hands and The Bolles School Alumni Board.

Bill received a Bachelor of Arts degree in American History, magna cum laude, from Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia.  He received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida College of Law in Gainesville, Florida.  

Bill and his wife, Kim, live in the Avondale neighborhood of Jacksonville.  They have two grown sons, two adorable grandsons and two three-legged rescue cats.  They recently lost their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Pepper, whom they miss very much.

Claudia Sáenz Amlie joined Pet Paradise as its Chief People Officer in 2020. In this role, she leads Pet Paradise’s human resources organization which supports our most important asset – our people who care for our clients and their pets.

Claudia built her knowledge and expertise in building high-performing and engaging work environments by having overseen human resources functions in several different industries over the past 20 years. Immediately prior to joining Pet Paradise, she served as chief human resources officer for Acosta Inc., a sales and marketing agency for consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers, where she supported more than 25,000 employees in over 100 offices across North America. Prior to that, she was executive vice president and chief human resources officer at EverBank Financial Corp., now known as TIAA Bank, with retail and commercial banking and lending operations throughout the country. She also led the human resources department and served as chief compliance officer and deputy general counsel to Lighthouse Investment Partners, LLC, a hedge fund investment manager with offices in Palm Beach Gardens, New York, Chicago, London and Hong Kong.

Earlier in her career, Claudia was executive vice president and chief administrative officer for a North American paper products sales and manufacturing company, where she was chief legal officer and led the company’s human resources and investor relations divisions. She also worked as an associate with the law firms Edwards & Angell, LLP; Foley & Lardner LLP; and Stearns, Weaver, Miller et al., P.A.

Claudia is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and received her law degree from The University of Florida College of Law. She served as secretary and member of the Board of Trustees of Episcopal School of Jacksonville for eight years and is currently on the board of the Jacksonville Public Education Fund.

Claudia grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. She and her husband and two children reside in Ponte Vedra Beach with their dog Mocha, a Tibetan Terrier/Poodle mix.

Dr. Jaime Pickett joined Pet Paradise in 2017 as Chief Veterinary Officer to work with a strong team that is similarly committed to establishing pet wellness as a priority. She completed her pre-medical studies at the Johns Hopkins University and earned a doctoral degree at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine.  She also holds a Masters of Business Administration and currently serves on the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine’s Admissions Committee.

An entrepreneur at heart, Dr. Pickett has owned and operated several successful veterinary hospitals and franchises. She is committed to providing quality and innovative health care for pets in a convenient environment for busy pet parents.

When Dr. Pickett is not taking care of pets, she enjoys traveling with her family, flying, and continuing her lifelong love of sports through weight training and running with her dog, Jack.

Lisa Tarr oversees all aspects of the company's marketing efforts, including digital innovation, brand marketing, advertising, social responsibility, and customer relationship strategies. She is passionate about elevating marketing into an engine that drives thought leadership and demand generation, directly impacting the company's growth. Lisa has led the company's marketing strategy since 2009, growing and shaping the brand from seven locations to almost 50 open or under development in nine states.

Before joining Pet Paradise in 2009, Lisa was the Public Relations Director at the Houston Humane Society. During her time at the Houston Humane Society, Lisa was responsible for the marketing and communication efforts around fundraising, brand awareness, and communications. Prior to her work in the nonprofit space, Lisa's experience included building and shaping brands in the entertainment and hospitality, corporate and business, nonprofit, urban planning, and commercial and residential real estate industries as an Account Executive at Elmore Public Relations, a Houston-based PR firm.

In 2018, Lisa was named one of Jacksonville Business Journal's Top 40 under 40 business professionals for her accomplishments. Recipients of this award are Jacksonville leaders who continue to shape the local business community and the holistic improvement of life in the North Florida region. In 2019, she was named one of the Most Influential Women in Jacksonville by Jacksonville Business Journal for her strong record of innovation and outstanding performance in her field.

Lisa graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a minor in Business Administration from St. Edward's University in Austin, TX, and is a graduate of the Kellogg Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) program in 2019. Lisa and her husband, Jeff, are residents of Saint Augustine Beach and have two children Liam and June and two rescue puppies, Maci and Moose. Outside of work, Lisa enjoys spending time with her family gardening, paddle boarding, and recharging weekly in the local Hot Yoga Studio.

Brian Franco has over 27 years of experience in the A/E/C industry and will apply his experience in leading Pet Paradise’s new real estate development efforts and overseeing existing resort improvements and maintenance. Over his career, Brian has worked with a wide range of clients serving their design and construction needs in a wide range of roles including project management, project and business development and marketing services. Brian graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Vocational Education and from University of North Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management. Brian is past chairman of the 2015 PLAYERS Championship and has served on other non-profit boards including Ronald McDonald House, Multiple Sclerosis Society of Northeast Florida, Boys & Girls Club and Community Connections (presently).

Dina's previous background has been in Business and Inventory Management. She has been with the Pet Paradise team since 2009 and is currently based in Charlotte, NC.  She enjoys building teamwork among associates. She appreciates all her associates and consistently thanks them for their hard work and dedication. She jumps in to assist with any duty in order to accomplish necessary tasks.  Dina's family includes her husband, Scott, and her Labradoodle, Cayman and Havanese, Maya.

Joined Pet Paradise in 2013, but has been associated since 2005 as superintendent on the build of 9 of the resorts. He received a BA degree in Architectural engineering in 1992 and Florida State building contractor in 2000. Lenny and his wife Christin have two children, Maggie and Ethan and a King Charles Spaniel Arthur.

Will Inman joined Pet Paradise in 2018 as Senior Construction Manager and he provides oversight on the design and construction of new development, renovations and maintenance projects. Will brings over 13 years of commercial AEC experience having worked with an industry leading national design-build firm. Will attended the Bolles School in Jacksonville and graduated from the University of Florida with a B.S. in Construction Management. A native of Jacksonville, Will is actively engaged with the Rotary Club of Jacksonville and The Boy Scouts of America. Will and his wife, Kristen, enjoy boating, fishing and travelling. They have one son, Pierce, and two happy dogs - a black lab named Mally and a doberman pinscher named Pailan.

Jennifer Henderson joined the Pet Paradise team in 2014, after 15 years in the banking industry. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her husband, three children, two Dobermans, Donovan the cat and her two goldfish. On the weekends you can find Jennifer enjoying a ride on her motorcycle.

Adam Stiles joined the Pet Paradise team in 2017 as the Controller. Adam is a CPA and has held various accounting and finance positions throughout his 15 year career. After growing up on a dairy farm in the Shenandoah Valley outside of Washington, DC, he attended the University of West Florida in Pensacola, Florida, where he received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Accounting.

Adam moved to Jacksonville, Florida in 2004 to further his professional career with KPMG as an auditor. After three years with KPMG, he took on a finance role with One Call Care Management. During his 9 years with One Call Care Management, he held multiple positions within finance including his last position as Treasurer.

Adam and his wife, Melissa, live in St. Johns, Florida and have three children – Ali, Luke and Leighton.

Grant will be leading the accounting function to not only ensure timely and accurate financial reporting but will be involved in improving process efficiencies and helping provide better financial visibility to our operations leaders. Grant brings with him a wealth of experience from his five years with PWC as an auditor and most recently leading the accounting function at Vestcor.

Grant was born on the West Coast but grew up in Jacksonville, FL. Grant and his wife have five children and one pet named Shadow. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and catching up on “the Office” and “Castle” reruns.

Originally from the Tampa, FL., area, Caitlin received a degree in marketing and a Master of Accountancy from the University of North Florida. She has previous experience working in public accounting and has earned her CPA license. In her free time, Caitlin enjoys spending time with her husband, teaching and practicing yoga, as well as traveling. Caitlin is also the proud pet parent of a rescue retriever mix named Trevi.

Jess Williams attended the University of Florida where she obtained her Bachelor’s in Business Administration. She is currently in the Masters of Healthcare Administration program at the University of North Florida. Jess will be leading talent acquisition, HR systems, benefits, and special projects in her new role. Jess brings with her a wealth of experience from her most recent position at Adecco, a leading international staffing firm. Jess is looking forward to the growth and development of the Pet Paradise team.   

Jess enjoys spending her free time with family, and her two fur-babies Phoebe and Piper. Jess is also a Pinterest-guru as her hobby is interior decorating!

We welcome our Director of Talent Management and Development, Kate Elliott. Kate comes to Pet Paradise as a veteran in human resources management with special focus on performance management, organizational design, talent development and employee relations. Following school at the University of Wisconsin, Kate joined Delta Air Lines as an HR Generalist progressing into management within a few years. Kate then moved from Atlanta to Jacksonville starting as an HR Business Partner Manager with Adecco, a global leader in recruiting and career services. Most recently, Kate served as HR Strategic Projects Director at SouthernCarlson, which was acquired by Kyocera Corporation in late 2019. 

Rosie's lifelong passion for pets led her to Pet Paradise in 2010 after graduating with an Animal Science degree from the University of Florida. She worked to develop her team and became very involved in the Gainesville community, then received Manager of the Year awards in 2011 & 2012. Rosie was promoted to Regional Manager in 2013, Senior Regional Manager in 2015, then Director of Operations in 2017. Over the years, she served Resorts in North Florida, South Florida, Louisiana, North Texas, New Mexico, & Arizona. Rosie transitioned to Director of Training & Development in 2018.

Outside of work, Rosie enjoys riding her two rescue horses Colonel & Zipporah, exploring outdoors with her German Shepherd/wolf mix Luna, fishing or paddling with her husband, Mike, and reading with her two cats Monster and Penelope.

Melody is a native New Mexican and has lived there most of her life. She graduated with honors from CNM Community College, receiving an Associates of Arts and Science. She has 18 years of experience as a warehouse manager for a Ford dealership. It was there that she learned the importance of the Human Resources department and how they can assist employees. Upon leaving the warehousing field, she began working towards a career in HR because she felt her best helping others, helping them solve their problems and helping them grow.

In 2015, Pet Paradise acquired Enchanted Pet Resort, helping Melody find her home in her Pet Paradise family. She received her SHRM-CP in January of 2018 to further her knowledge of the ever changing world of HR. In her spare time, you can find her with her Boxer/Pit mix, Gracie, playing fetch, caring for her rescue box turtle, or baking some new treats in the kitchen.

Carly is originally from South Florida. She attended the University of Florida, and enjoys going back for football and basketball games. Previously, Carly worked for Target in human resources and operations. She is extremely passionate about recruiting, finding the right talent, and helping those in their careers.Outside of work, Carly likes to spend time at the beach with family or playing with her Catahoula leopard mix at dog parks. Eventually, she hopes to have a “wolf pack” of dogs. 

Alison is native Floridian who loves her home state. She graduated from the University of North Florida with a bachelors in sociology with a focus in social welfare and a minor in psychology. Previously, she worked at Academy Sports + Outdoors for nine years where she rose to the management team gaining experience in recruiting and team member development. She has an adopted cat named Mowgli, three rabbits, and six chickens (Goldie, Stormcloud, Pidgie, Penny, and The Silvers). She enjoys spending time outdoors, whether traveling, gardening, or with her menagerie of animals.

Joy joined Pet Paradise in March 2019 after working in commercial real estate development as a Paralegal with international law firms, timber companies and real estate developers. In these roles, she focused on development, acquisitions, dispositions, corporate formation, title insurance and due diligence review.  She is currently a licensed real estate associate and was previously a licensed title insurance agent and Florida Registered Paralegal with the Florida Bar. The rest of her free time is spent kissing her horses, feeling the breeze on her motorcycle and sharing her life with two beagles, Sophie and Lucy, and one Boston Terrier, Joey.

Phillip joined the Pet Paradise team in September 2020 as the Digital Marketing Director. He brings over 15 years of experience in digital marketing and customer analytics from Brookshire Grocery Company and Cavender’s Boot City in Tyler, TX. Phillip has a passion for optimizing digital marketing channels and has been an integral part of launching new e-commerce, website, mobile app and email platforms.

Phillip enjoys being out on the water and traveling with his wife, Christine, and Havanese/Schnauzer mix, Chelsie.

Jennifer joined the Pet Paradise team as Creative Director in September of 2019. Before that she was a Creative Director at 22squared in Tampa, FL where she focused on storytelling in social, digital and broadcast. She lead creative efforts on Shoe Carnival, AdventHealth, OGX and Publix. Prior to 22squared, Jennifer started her career as an art director at Slingshot in Dallas, TX where she created digital campaigns for Jack Daniels, as well as numerous beverages within the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group. She continued her journey through the beverage world while working at TribalDDB where she focused on engaging new audiences in the social space for Mountain Dew, AMP and Pepsi. After Tribal, she lead teams in developing powerful purpose driven social campaigns for Secret deodorant, P&G beauty, RadioShack and Burt’s Bees.  Jennifer enjoys inspiring others. Whether she’s creating something special or connecting with someone personally, her goal is to make someone think, solve or smile.

Jennifer grew up right here in Jacksonville Beach, but has been away for over 20 years. She recently moved back so her 1.5 yr old son, Walker could spend more time with his grandparents. In her free time Jennifer loves spending time at the beach with her son and husband Steve. She also loves live music and being outside in the sunshine. 

Andrea first joined the Pet Paradise team in July 2013 as a reservations agent before advancing to public relations and events coordinator in 2014. In January 2018, she was promoted to senior marketing manager. In January 2020, Andrea transitioned in the Marketing and Campaign Manager. She received a bachelor of arts degree in mass communications at the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL.  In her free time, Andrea enjoys traveling, cruising, gardening and spending time with her family. She is also the proud pet parent of two rescued black labs, Zeppelin and Zealynn, and rescued cat, Zooey.

Brenda Williams joined the Pet Paradise team in 2018 as the Customer Experience Manager.  She brings to the team over 20 years of marketing experience with a focus on the hospitality industry.  Her strengths include strategic thinking, team leadership and revenue management.  Prior to Pet Paradise, Brenda spent the last 7 years as an Account Executive for Vizergy, a digital marketing agency in Jacksonville, FL.  She was a key player on the Enterprise team, specializing in relationships with largescale, nationwide brands.  Early in her career, Brenda was a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines.  It was in this role that she learned her passion for customer satisfaction and her knack for complaint resolution. Brenda earned her degree in Marketing at Lone Star College.  She has completed her Certified Hospitality Digital Marketing (CHDM) certificate as well as earning a Hospitality Marketing Certificate from The Hotel School at Cornell University. Originally from Houston, Texas, Brenda relocated to Florida in 2010.  In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with her husband, Brian, and 3 pups Jaxon,Roxie and Chubbs.

Lauren Griesemer joined the Pet Paradise team in May 2019 as the Digital Advertising Manager. Lauren was born and raised in Orlando, FL, where she attended the University of Central Florida. She received a bachelor of arts degree in Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Digital Media. Her experience includes the fulfillment, optimization and reporting of omni-channel digital advertising campaigns for local clients such as VyStar, Farah & Farah and UF Health.

In her free time, Lauren enjoys exploring Jacksonville, decorating, eating yummy food, and spending time with her husband and fur babies. She is the pet parent of Penny the Goldendoodle, and cats Panda and Simba.

Zach is originally from the Raleigh, NC area and worked the last four years as a District Manager for Aldi USA in the Charlotte, NC market. Zach graduated from the University of South Carolina with a B.S. in Business Administration, majoring in both International Business and Corporate Finance. He has a passion for leading people and utilizing business analytics to craft high performance teams, all while maintaining a positive and encouraging work environment. Zach currently resides in Charlotte NC with his wife Jovanna and their Cavalier King Charles puppy, Theo. He spends most of his free time loving on Theo, but also enjoys traveling, playing both hockey and basketball, and singing. Zach is extremely excited for this new opportunity with Pet Paradise and so thankful he gets to use his experience to continue to grow a wonderful company.

Caitlin joined the Pet Paradise team in 2011 at our Gainesville location, where she advanced to assistant manager and then manager. In February 2015, Caitlin relocated to Jacksonville as the new manager of Pet Paradise Jacksonville Airport. She makes it a priority to ensure that each guest and customer feels at ease when leaving their fur babies. Caitlin's love for animals and animal care is what led her to seek a career at Pet Paradise.  In July 2015, Caitlin was promoted to regional manager of Pet Paradise Atlanta Airport, Woodstock, Jacksonville University, Jacksonville Airport and Tallahassee. She has 3 dogs, a boxer mix named Shea, a Great Dane named Bentlee and a Boston Terrior mix named Sally.

Rachael joined the Pet Paradise team in January 2015.  She started the company as the Resort manager of Plano Custer.  In June 2017, she was promoted to the Dallas area Regional Manager.  As of May 2018, she made the move to Florida to cover the South West coast of Florida.  She has a Hospitality Management degree and has worked for both Disney and the Ritz Carlton.  Pet Paradise and their luxury service allowed her to combine her two passions Hospitality and Pets.  Pet Paradise is her dream job. Rachael now lives on the Gulf Coast of Florida with her 3 dogs Tallulah Jane a Sharpei Pit mix, Magnolia Lynn a mini White Boxer, Vidalia Grace a deaf White Boxer and Monster the street cat.

Martin joined Pet Paradise in September of 2017 as a Resort Manager in Rio Rancho and then advanced to Regional Manager over the Plano Custer, Plano Premier, Las Colinas and Phoenix resorts. Originally born and raised in Canada (eh!), he has been a US citizen since 2003 spending most of that time in the Kansas City area of the Midwest. His first career was in Law Enforcement, but Martin brings 15 years of management experience in retail and hospitality to Pet Paradise. Martin and his family moved to New Mexico in 2016. Being a dog and cat lover his entire life, Martin will tell you his pride and joy are all 5 of his "kids" that include 3 children and 2 dogs. His current dogs are a cross bred Saint Bernard/Great Pyrenees mix and a rescue husky mix. He also has 6 chickens and a parakeet as well as part of their home. In his spare time, his hobbies include hiking the mountains of New Mexico and building projects that revolve around the use of pallet and reclaimed wood.

Jennifer Doyle joined Pet Paradise Family January 2016 working as a resort associate at the Ormond Beach location. There she quickly developed a passion working with animals and knew Pet Paradise was where she wanted to continue that passion. Since then, she has helped manage the Sanford location as the assistant manager, then advanced to the Palm Coast and Ormond beach location as the Resort Manager. Jennifer is always ready with a smile and a helping hand, leading her to advance even further, becoming a Regional Manager over the Ormond Beach, St. Augustine, Orlando, Palm Coast and Sanford locations. Her hard work, dedication, and willingness to help our guest and staff makes her a valued member of the Pet Paradise team.  Jennifer is a loving mother to a Goldendoodle and two Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers named Bella, Sassy Girl, and Angel Grace.

Gavin joined the Pet Paradise team in 2020. Gavin spent his early years in New Mexico prior to moving to a ranch in Texas. As a teen, Gavin enjoyed playing sports and caring for animals (cats, dogs, goats, horses and more exotic animals like hedgehogs and an opossum).  Gavin attended Texas Tech University where he studied Psychology.

During the last 20 years, Gavin has made the Houston area his home.  He has become an expert in leading teams in industries including restaurants, finance, retail, and pet hospitality.  People and pets are his passion.

When away from work, Gavin enjoys spending time with his 3 dogs; a Doberman named Molly, a Catahoula named Xyla and his English Bulldog Domino.  He also enjoys spending time with his wife, daughter, and grandsons.  They enjoy grilling together and throwing axes.  Gavin is a former axe throwing league champion.

Jessica Ammann joined the Pet Paradise team in 2001. From the beginning Jessica was an integral part of the Pet Paradise growth, having managed and opened many of them. With over 15 years of experience with Pet Paradise ranging from Resort Manager and Regional Manager, she brings the knowledge and expertise into her new job role as the Operations Support Manager. When she is not at work, she enjoys crafting, scrapbooking, fishing, staying up to date with her favorite bands and spending time with her 3 pups: Jada, Zada, and Shima.

Originally from Louisville, KY, Deborah moved to Central Florida to attend the University of Central Florida and then completed her education at the University of North Florida, where  she majored in history with a double minor in psychology and philosophy. For 15 years, Deborah was proud to volunteer with the Clan Campbell Scottish Society of North America where she could promote her Scottish heritage and genealogy research.  Deborah brings with her previous manager experience from SafeTouch Security in quality training and outstanding customer service.  In her free time, Deborah enjoys spending time with her significant other, Stan, and three children: Colin, Keira and Cody.

Tanny Crane, President and CEO of Crane Group, joined the family business in 1987 and was named to her current role in 2003. As President and CEO, she provides the company with overall strategic direction and leadership development.

Upon joining Crane Plastics in 1987, Tanny became the Director of Personnel. In 1992, she became the Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and in 1996, she was named President of Crane Plastics. Prior to joining Crane Plastics, Tanny worked for five years in product management at Quaker Oats in Chicago, with her final position as Product Manager of Cap’n Crunch Cereals. Prior to Quaker Oats, Tanny worked as National Sales Manager for AT&T in Chicago.

Tanny serves on several boards including Huntington Bancshares, Inc., Columbus Partnership, Fisher College of Business Advisory Board, Ohio Business Roundtable, The Ohio State University Foundation, and OhioHealth. Additionally, she serves as Board Chair for I Know I Can, the Reeb Avenue Center, and the Early Childhood Education Council of Future Ready Columbus. Tanny has previously served as Board Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, and as Board and Campaign Chair of United Way of Central Ohio and Action for Children.

Tanny received her Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Finance from The Ohio State University, and earned her Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University.

Mike Crane joined Crane Group in 1989 as general counsel and was named to his current role in 2007. As President, Mike manages Crane Group’s operating business units.

Previously, Mike served as President of Crane Performance Siding. Prior to joining Crane, he practiced corporate law in Columbus with the law firms of Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur and Schottenstein, Zox and Dunn (now Ice Miller).

Mike is an active corporate volunteer, currently serving on the board of directors of White Castle System, Inc., and on the Campaign Leadership Committee for Franklin Park Conservatory. He previously served on the boards of the Columbus Academy, Capital University, the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, and the US Bank Advisory Board (Columbus), and is a past board President of The Buckeye Ranch.

Mike received his Bachelor of Arts in Government from Harvard College, and his Juris Doctor from the Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University.

Andy Hackett joined Crane Group in 2002 and has been President of Crane Investment Company since 2014. He and his team are responsible for managing all of the Crane Group private equity, real estate, and marketable securities assets. In addition, Andy and his team are responsible for sourcing new platform businesses for Crane Group.

From 1995 to 1998, Andy worked for the law firm of Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur, where he concentrated on the acquisitions of public and private companies and securities law matters. Immediately prior to joining Crane Group, he worked for the Business Affairs and Corporate Development Group at America Online Inc., where he worked on a variety of acquisition, joint venture, licensing, and interactive marketing deals.

Andy currently serves on the board of directors of Sensit Technologies and Salon Lofts. He is also on the advisory board for Clearview Capital (Fund II and Fund III) and Rockbridge Capital (Fund IV and Fund VI). Additionally, he serves on the board of directors for the Columbus State Foundation.

Andy received his Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Notre Dame, and his Juris Doctor from Notre Dame Law School.

Chad Utrup joined Crane in 2013 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and is responsible for overseeing the finance, treasury, accounting, tax, and information technology services of Crane Group.

Chad has more than 18 years of experience in various financial management and leadership roles, and has deep knowledge in the areas of investor relations, information technology, human resources, and operations. Prior to joining Crane Group, Chad worked at Commercial Vehicle Group (CVG) from 1998 to 2013, and served as Chief Financial Officer beginning in 2003. While at CVG, Chad helped lead the company’s initial public offering and participated in the negotiation, due diligence, financing, or integration of all of their acquisitions and joint ventures. Before CVG, he worked in various financial roles at Electronic Data Systems.

Chad currently serves on the boards of Screen Machine Industries and Contractors Incorporated, and previously served on the board of Roadrunner Transportation Systems, Inc. and as its Audit Committee Chairman from 2010 to 2015. In 2011, he was selected as “CFO of the Year” by Business First in the “Corporate” category and was also the recipient of the Business First “Transaction of the Year” award in 2011 for his accomplishments in financial restructuring following the economic recession.

Chad received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University.

Gary Chartrand, Executive Chairman of Acosta Sales and Marketing, joined Acosta in 1983 as a Business Manager and subsequently was promoted to Vice President, Regional Vice President of Florida, President, and in 1996, President/Chief Executive Officer. Acosta Sales and Marketing Company, Inc., based in Jacksonville, FL with more than 17,000 employees company wide, is one of North America's largest sales and marketing agencies serving the $700 billion supermarket industry. Gary is a winner of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Award, and was named to the Supermarket News Power 50 list from 2003 to 2009. He is responsible for quadrupling the company's geographic coverage, transforming Acosta into a leading full-service sales and marketing company in the U.S. and Canada.  Gary is the author of the recently released management book, Unreasonable Leadership.