Vicki Shapiro is office manager at Ben Stroup Enterprises and executive assistant to Ben Stroup. She graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Fashion. Vicki previously worked as an account executive for Liz Claiborne, Inc. in Atlanta, GA and New York, NY and as a ministry assistant to Senior Pastor G. Bryant Wright at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, GA before becoming a stay-at-home mom. Vicki loves spending time with her husband and their two boys. She is an avid reader, loves to cook, and enjoys volunteering with community organizations and charity events.
Ivy Sprague marries her love for words with her addiction to spreadsheets as project coordinator for Ben Stroup Enterprises. Ivy has held leadership positions in marketing and product development for several financial services companies, after beginning her career in agricultural communications. (Because if you can make manure management strategies sound good in print, you know you’ve got skills.) Ivy lives and writes in the farm fields of Iowa. She’s likely carrying ABBA CDs, knitting needles, and kickboxing gear in her car at any given time. She has a bachelor’s degree in public relations and marketing from the University of Northern Iowa, and an MBA from the University of Iowa.
Robert Benson is chief vision architect at Ben Stroup Enterprises. One might argue that he has been involved in marketing and publishing his entire life. Since leaving executive positions in both marketing and advertising, Robert has written some twenty-odd books and has been critically acclaimed in publications such as The New York Times and Publishers’ Weekly. Robert is a sought after retreat and workshop leader. He is an observer and participant in the publishing revolution and believes the opportunity has never been greater for people and organizations with a message and a platform to engage others in meaningful conversations and change the world with ideas. Robert lives in a small house in an old trolley car neighborhood in Nashville, Tennessee.
Bill Seaver, owner of MicroExplosion Media, partners with Ben Stroup Enterprises as digital marketing director. After spending many years in traditional marketing, Seaver left his role as the executive vice president for a marketing firm to focus solely on social media marketing. For the last five years, Bill has spoken to thousands of people at seminars and training events about social media marketing. Bill is a contributor to The Social Media Examiner, he’s been has been featured twice on Seth Godin’s blog, and his clients include Dave Ramsey, Gaylord Hotels, Soles4Souls, LifeWay Christian Stores, Thomas Nelson Publishers, and Vanderbilt Medical Center.
Lauren Murrell, owner of Volacious, partners with Ben Stroup Enterprises as creative director. She has a degree in Digital Media Studies and has worked for two publishing companies as a graphic and web designer. After a few years of wearing khakis and working in a cubicle, Lauren decided to start Volacious and work for herself. She enjoys baking, watching movies, geeking out with her husband, and chasing after her daughter, Jovie.
Jeremy Chandler is social media director at Ben Stroup Enterprises. Combining his passion for “connecting” and interest in the latest marketing trends, he helps individuals and organizations establish and manage a social media presence that is vital for anyone looking to thrive in today’s world. He graduated from Austin Peay State University with a degree in Communications. Jeremy spends most of his time with his wife, Mary, frequents the Nashville coffee shop scene, and jumps at any opportunity to connect with others.
Kyle Olund, owner of KLO Publishing, partners with Ben Stroup Enterprises as editorial director. Kyle L. Olund has worked in the publishing industry for more than twenty years as a proofreader, writer, editor, cover design & copy manager, agent, and general consultant. He owns KLO Publishing and has worked with authors such as John Eldredge, Donald Miller, Erwin McManus, Angela Thomas, John MacArthur, Dave Ramsey, John Maxwell, Philip Yancey, and Zig Ziglar. He graduated from Bethel University with a degree in English. Kyle enjoys volunteering, fly-fishing, Starbucks, and all Chicago-based (hometown) sports teams. He and his wife are raising their two daughters in the Nashville area.
Chris Turner, owner of D. Chris Turner Communications, partners with Ben Stroup Enterprises as communications director. Chris has 20-plus years experience as a journalist, part of that as an overseas correspondent living in Panama while covering Central and South America. For the past 10 years, Chris held a number of corporate communications positions including media relations manager and most recently as director of communications for an international organization based in England. Chris lives near Nashville with his wife and daughter and enjoys pretty much anything that requires being outdoors.
Terry Hadaway , owner of My Thinking Box, partners with Ben Stroup Enterprises as research director. He holds a Ph.D. in Adult Education and has more than 10 years experience as a professor, writer, and speaker. Terry is an online learning expert and has written more than twenty-five books and study guides. He enjoys spending time with his wife, gardening, wood carving, and coffee roasting.
Connect:
M. David Wright is data analytics and decision support director at Ben Stroup Enterprises. His passion is to turn “numbers into knowledge” and “data into decisions.” Drawing from more than 25 years of experience in a variety of corporate and institutional settings, David empowers individuals and organizations to increase their understanding of data, improve the standardization, normalization, and integrity of organizational data across various systems, and leverage the story the data tells. David holds undergraduate degrees in mathematics and business administration and has completed post-graduate studies in statistics, educational psychology, and group dynamics. He is also a Tableau Certified Professional. David and his wife, Beth, reside in the greater Nashville area.
Hilary Sutton is a writer and actor who partners with Ben Stroup Enterprises as a content writer. Whether it is through a play, a blog post, a tweet, or a press release, she is committed to giving a voice to stories that are begging to be told. She lives in Lynchburg, Virginia where she will be graduating with a M.A. in Communications & Media in 2013 from Liberty University. She loves red velvet cake, Broadway, and her husband, Juan Carlos Lagares (but not necessarily in that order).
Erin Straza partners with Ben Stroup Enterprises as a content editor. As a freelance writer, editor, and marketing communications consultant, Erin has the joy of helping organizations tell their stories in authentic and compelling ways. When she isn’t writing on her blog or for various online magazines, Erin is working on a writing project that one day will grow up into a book. Her word-filled life takes place in central Illinois with her husband, Mike.
