VPI STRATEGIES - Key Persons

Expertise: Telecomm, Finance & IT Systems Jack W. Baxter has spent the last 20 years' as a consultant in training and organizational development with industries such as Energy/Offshore Exploration, Telecommunications, and Mortgage Finance. Classes, seminars and workshops that included topics in management/leadership, organizational structure, call center / customer service excellence and software integration / implementation. Jack's passion is in training and motivating individuals and organizations to reach their maximum potential. In the early 1990's Mr. Baxter was a management consultant to several divisions of SEDCO, the offshore drilling leader in the North Sea. He delivered numerous management/leadership courses and workshops at various levels from rig supervisors to ship captains. Later that decade he assumed a role as an organizational consultant for Right Management as number of the petroleum companies went through a series of downsizing, mergers and acquisitions. As a consultant for eLoyalty Jack, worked with industry leaders in telecommunication to design, develop and implement call center and customer service strategies in the emerging wireless communication field. Mr. Baxter served for 8 years in the United States military, 4 year active duty and 4 years active reserves. He is a decorated combat veteran, serving in Vietnam 1964 to 1965; 1st Marine Air Wing; Helicopter Corpsman (medic). From 2009-2010 Mr. Baxter volunteered at the Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth assisting family members whose spouse or significant other was oversees. In 2011 he became involved in the Wounded Warrior Project assisting returning veterans or veterans who were separating from military service and reentering the corporate world. He assisted veterans with resume writing, interviewing skill, self-marketing plans, conduction seminars, job search workshops and more. He has served on several corporate Veteran's Councils, recruiting service members who were leaving or retiring from military service and transitioning to civilian work. Most recently Mr. Baxter has been consulting with financial intuitions such as Wells Fargo and Bank of American on organizational strategies to solve the backlog of residential foreclosures and their financial impact on the organization.

Job Titles:

• Energy Organizer and Survey Administrator

Expertise: Survey Administration, Communication and Logistics Jennifer joined the VPI Team in 2007 to provide administrative support working alongside the President, Sherri Petro to coordinate strategy development and implementation. She has grown as the company has grown and is a most prized part of VPI's team. Her organizational skills reflect her ability to prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail. She is a highly resourceful team-player who possesses the ability to also be extremely effective independently. Jennifer Whitney is a high-energy organizer and survey administrator for the more than 125 surveys that VPI has launched using multiple software programs like Scantron and SurveyMonkey. Jennifer is accustomed to providing the highest quality data and ensures confidentiality while managing survey processes. A seasoned right hand person with over 20 years in the field, she has extensive experience with all required administrative tasks related to survey launch, prompting and tracking including scheduling and communications. Having held positions in government representing industries, medical, educational, nonprofit and for profit business fields, Jennifer is able to tailor her skills to meet the needs of various clients. She has increased efficiency in several of her assigned roles, and is extremely effective in administering necessary tasks to get the job done right. She continually demonstrates her proactive approach to problem-solving and maintains strong decision-making capability regularly. Jennifer is a forward-looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions. Her proficiency in several web-based programs and technical software gives an edge to her abilities to handle the different needs of VPI's clientele.

Job Titles:

• Partner
• Senior Consultant for Perry Communications Group

Expertise: Alliance Development & Association Management Scott Suckow is an affiliated partner with VPI Strategies, where he specializes in strategic alliances and alliance development, community building, government relations, association management, event development and execution, program design, strategic planning, non-profit mergers, executive coaching and fund development. Through VPI Strategies, Scott is a senior consultant for Perry Communications Group, where he works with patient advocates to address policy issues that impact access to care and treatment. Perry Communications Group is an independent, full-service strategic communications firm specializing in public relations and public affairs. Also through VPI Strategies, Scott provides executive management services to the Liver Coalition of San Diego. Their mission is to save lives by improving liver health and preventing liver disease through community-based education, linkages to care, advocacy and research programs. Previously, Scott served as the Vice President of Development and Government Relations with Mental Health Systems, a large California state-wide provider of behavioral health services. He is the past Executive Director of the International Bipolar Foundation, a non-profit headquartered in San Diego, with globally accessible programs in over 75 countries. He is also the former Chief Executive Officer of Mental Health America of San Diego County, the leading mental health advocacy organization in San Diego County. Scott has raised over 35 million dollars to fund research, direct services, support educational programs and plan advocacy campaigns in his non-profit career. He has a long history of involvement in the non-profit community, particularly around improving healthcare access and standards of care. He has held leadership positions throughout the country with some of the nation's leading voluntary health organizations, and has been responsible for accomplishing organizational success in some of the nation's largest metropolitan markets. Those include: American Diabetes Association (San Jose, CA) American Liver Foundation (Anchorage, AL, Boise, ID, Honolulu, HI, Portland, OR, San Diego and San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, Minneapolis, MD and New York City, NY) Huntington's Disease Society of America (Iowa City, IA, Minneapolis, MN and Omaha, NE) International Bipolar Foundation (San Diego, CA and global) Mental Health America of San Diego County (San Diego, CA) Muscular Dystrophy Association (San Diego, CA) Over the course of his career, Scott has provided testimony at the local, state, and federal levels of government and helped draft state legislation. He has coached non-profit executives on the "Art of Storytelling," taught community partners how to "Develop and Leverage Relationship Capital" and presented seminars on "Advocating for Change." In addition, Scott has mentored non-profit leaders on presenting the agency's "Case for Support" and conducted small group sessions on media trainings for agency spokespersons. Scott has served on numerous national, state, and local boards of directors. He was the appointee on three county government level commissions, focused on HIV/AIDS, health & human services, and poverty. Scott was named one of San Diego Magazine's "50 People to Watch," is a LEAD San Diego graduate, received an Outstanding Community Partner Award from Community Health Improvement Partners, and is a Star of Advocacy recipient by California Chronic Care Coalition.

Job Titles:

• CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER
• Coach
• Executive
• PRESIDENT
• Strategist, Organizational Development

Sherri Petro is an accomplished strategist, organizational development professional and executive coach. She has owned VPI since 1999 after a 16 year corporate career. Sherri focuses on workplace communications, usually a culprit when strategies fail. She has yet to work with a company where communication is stellar. Her current passion is educating organizations on how to increase organizational sustainability by leveraging the talents and skills of all in multi-generational workplaces. Sherri is acutely aware of misunderstandings that result from different belief structures and lack of coherent communication. She offers remedies by creating understanding and making connections at the belief level not only at the behavioral level. Sherri earned a Masters in Business Administration with an emphasis on Strategic Planning from Pepperdine University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Youngstown State University, magna cum laude. She is a professor at California Miramar University, teaching Strategy, Leadership and Management to working professionals nationally and internationally.