Welcome Aboard, New NABE Members!

Please join the NABE Board of Directors and staff in welcoming new members who joined over the last two months. Since November 2007, 517 new members have joined NABE. New members are added to the on-line registry at http://www.nabe.com/mem/search.html at the beginning of each month.  The first issue of two IdeaLinks e-mailed to NABE members each month includes a listing of new members.   Here are selections from brief interviews, conducted by e-mail, with four new members:

Richard Ebrey
Regional Vice President
Harland Clarke
Damascus, Md.

What is your current position? 
I am regional vice president of Harland Clarke and have had this position for four years.
 
What is the main focus of your company or organization?
We work as a supplier to financial services industry.  Primary areas include: payments solutions support, direct marketing campaign development and execution, teller and branch support software systems, and survey/data aggregation support.
 
What are your career highlights and education--before your current job?
I earned a B.S. degree in economics.  And I have 15 years experience in working with national and super regional financial institutions.
 
Why did you join NABE?
To become more involved in local and national areas of interest.  I also want to study the ever-changing economic landscape of our financial institution industry and to continue professional growth.
 
What drew you to economics?
I have had a general interest since college. Economics impacts just about every aspect of our lives.

June Fong
Rockwell Automation
Singapore

What is your current position?
I am responsible for business intelligence at Rockwell Automation. The role covers the Asia Pacific region and aims to understand the markets' changing dynamics so as to identify the next growth stimulus for our organization.  I have held this position since August 2008.

What is the main focus of your company or organization?
At Rockwell Automation, helping manufacturers succeed and grow is what we do best — with industrial automation control and information solutions designed to give our customers a competitive advantage. From stand-alone, industrial components to enterprise-wide integrated systems, our solutions have proven themselves across a wide range of industries and in some of the most demanding manufacturing environments.

What are your career highlights and education--before your current job?
I graduated with a major in statistics from the National University of Singapore. My career has always centered around market research and consulting. I had the pleasure of providing my services at both a research agency for several years and also with a few nonresearch-based companies afterwards.

Why did you join NABE?
NABE provides quality information resources and publications, helping its members stay current on the latest economic developments.

What drew you to economics?
When analyzing any marketplace, it is not only critical to understand your customers, competition, regulatory environment etc., but also a country's political and economic development can play a big part on how the marketplace develops.

Charles Lloyd
Wealth Management Advisor
Merrill Lynch
Heathrow, Fla.

What is your current position?
I’m a wealth management advisor with Merrill Lynch.  I hold a Certified Financial
Planner, Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant designation, as well as a Series 7, 63, 65, 31 and a health and life insurance license. I work with private households to help them manage and build wealth.  I joined Merrill Lynch in 1994.  Prior was in the banking industry since the mid 1980's.

What is the main focus of your company or organization?
Merrill Lynch was a retail brokerage and wealth management company, now we are a subsidiary of Bank of America.

What are your career highlights and education--before your current job?
I hold a Bachelors of Science in Finance from the University of Central Florida. Professional designation education was with the College of Financial Planning and the
American College. 

Why did you join NABE?
Economics affects every aspect of our business and I am impressed with the caliber of your membership.

What drew you to economics?
Education and need.  A need to understand how markets work and the influences that move them. 

Russell Waddell
Industry Economist
Association for Manufacturing Technology                                  
McLean,Va.

What is your current position?
I am an industry economist with AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology. Along with several other economists and researchers, I compile market data on machine tools and other manufacturing technology. We also conduct a number of monthly surveys on individual segments within that industry.  I have held this position since January 2007.

What is the main focus of your company or organization?
AMT is a trade association representing companies that build machine tools, automation equipment, and related accessories, software, and peripherals.

What are your career highlights and education--before your current job?
I earned a B.A. in economics and government in 2006 at the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg,Va.

Why did you join NABE?
NABE publications and events are directly related to my current job function. In particular, manufacturing outlooks help me help AMT's members plan their business with as much information as possible.

What drew you to economics?
Marginal utility.