Meet our 2011 Instructors and Staff! All of our Staff has over 10 years in the industry! More than 2/3 of our staff have over 20 years in the industry! Okay 2 people have over 30 years in the industry. But we are not old yet! Together we make a great team of instructors! Come see for yourself and join the largest gathering of Gift Professionals in the USA.
Tom Newell Tom was the founder of Espresso Stop Coffee House and Bakery located in Canton, Ohio as well as a co-founder of Baskets To Go and International BasketFanFare® both located in Canton, Ohio. Tom owned Newell's Home Improvements and Newell's Wood Shop both located in Canton, Ohio. He comes from a Contractor background with sales and marketing know how that will not stop! Tom was in charge of sales floor, warehouse, deliveries, and everyday baking in the coffee house for over 2 decades! Tom was CEO Display Manager for Montgomery Wards for 3 states. His design ideas are amazing. He will join the teaching staff for 2010 at the Fancy Food Show in NY and The World Tea Expo in Las Vegas. Tom has also taught seminars at Atlanta Mart, Columbus Gift Mart, Western New York gift Mart, Minneapolis gift Mart, Kansas City Gift Mart, Pittsburgh Gift Mart, Denver Gift Mart, Nashville, Las Vegas Jubilee, Cincinnati – Jubilee, Chicago- Basket Connection, Aces – New Orleans, Aces – St. Petersburg, Columbus, Tradeshows, Temporary Shows, & Personal Consulting. Tom has been on the advisory board for Gift Basket Review, Columbus Gift Mart, Country Life, ACES, Columbus Retail Association, and more.  He has appeared on TV 8 and TV3 morning show and news for their Design ability. He has been National Design Winners and nominated for designer of the year 5 times. Award winners for Ohio & Stark County Business of the year and nominated for Ernest Young award 3 years in a row. Tom is active in the retail, coffee, and gift basket industry and will continue for years to come. Tom & Pam are founders, co-owners and organizers for The National Gift Basket Convention since 2009. They have helped hundreds of Gift Basket Professionals grow their businesses with success.  Tom and Pam were part of the International Gift Basket Training team teaching in Jamaica October 28-30, 2011. They have agreed to join the team again for 2012 and 2013!  Tom and Pam are also proud to present August 12, 2012 the Ohio Conference for Advanced Skillset in Canton, Ohio at the McKinley Grand Hotel. Tom & Pam Newell's Gift Basket School Website!	Tom Newell
Pam Newell Pam started her relationship with the gift basket industry in 1979 when she opened their home-based business, Baskets-To-Go. Pam previously worked for Roadway Express for over 20 years in Payroll and sold Real estate for over 13 years. In 1982 Tom Joined Pam at Baskets-To-Go and added a warehouse to support her growing commercial accounts. In 1993 they established an additional retail location that included an Espresso Stop Coffee House & Bakery. By 1997 these operations, which included the Gift Basket Shop, Coffee Shop, Warehouse, Bakery and Corporate Offices doubled in size. In June of 2001 they opened their new international company, BasketFanFare®. That new company was housed in a 7500 Sq. Ft. Corporate Office, Bakery, and Warehouse location. In 2004 BasketFanfare moved to West Tuscarawas Street, Canton, Ohio to provide a better storefront location closer to Aultman Hospital.  In 2004 they together started Gift Basket School and decided to help the industry by teaching their own style of workshops and seminars! In 2005 they sold their retail location to dedicate their lives to education and helping others in the industry achieve their dreams! In 2009 they saw a need for an Affordable Convention and are doing this today! Pam has taught seminars at Atlanta Mart, Columbus Gift Mart, Western New York gift Mart, Minneapolis gift Mart, Kansas City Gift Mart, Pittsburgh Gift Mart, Denver Gift Mart, Nashville, Las Vegas Jubilee, Cincinnati – Jubilee, Chicago- Basket Connection, Aces – New Orleans, Aces – St. Petersburg, Columbus, Tradeshows, Temporary Shows, & Personal Consulting. Tom & Pam will be joining the teaching staff for 2010 Spring Fancy Food Show, World Tea Expo, and the Ultimate Gift Show. Pam is also on the advisory board for GBA. Pam has written for many Gift Basket and Craft magazines helping others grow their business with marketing tips! Her passion is to see other gift basket professionals achieve their own dreams and she wants to help the industry re-define with professionalism and style. Pam is a mom, grandmother, and wife with a love of GOD and Family! Tom & Pam are founders, co-owners and organizers for The National Gift Basket Convention since 2009. They have helped hundreds of Gift Basket Professionals grow their businesses with success. Pam & Tom will be part of the International Gift Basket Training Team teaching in Jamaica 2011, 2012, & 2013.  Pam will also be the keynote speaker at the 2012 Advanced Skillset conference at the McKinley Grand Hotel - August 12, 2012.	Pam Newell
Derek Thielke Derek Thielke’s 20+ years in the specialty food industry comes from working for Mille-Lacs, Drangle Foods, Lactoprot USA, Owl’s Nest Cheese and Swiss Colony. Derek presently is co owner of Northwoods Cheese Co.  Derek’s expertise includes developing package designs and product formulation for the gift industry and selling to the specialty food trade. Derek joined The National Gift Basket Convention Staff in 2009 sharing his business seminars and love for the gourmet business with hundreds of attendee's. Come join Derek's Seminar and increase your business FEARS before the 2011 Holiday Season begins with PROFIT!	Derek Thielke
Mary Ann Jacobs Mary Ann Jacobs has had a gift basket business in Tuscon, Arizona since 1988. Prior to becoming an award winning designer, she was an accounting with a desire to use her creativity. Her accounting background has provided her with great business knowledge, which she shares with her audiences worldwide. Her professional excellence has established her as one of America's top designers. Her business was featured in the books The Best Home-based Businesses Of The 90s, and The Best Home-based Businesses Of The New Millennium, as one of the most exemplary gift basket businesses in the country. Her corporate customization and marketing concepts have earned her international recognition. Designers around the world who have implemented her design and marketing ideas report significant success. MaryAnn's innovative gift basket designs are continuously featured in trade magazines, as are the cutting edge articles that she submits as a contributing editor. Mary Ann's innovative gift basket designs are continuously featured in trade magazines, as are the cutting edge articles that she submits as a contributing editor. She has appeared on television talk shows, and shares her expertise at national markets, conferences and trade shows throughout the country.  Now, you can learn from her at this year’s convention! Mary Ann has been a Featured Speaker now since 2009 for the National Gift Basket Convention and loves sharing her talents to help others in our industry.	Mary Ann Jacobs
Ben Jacobs Ben Jacobs has been in the photo and video business for over forty years. Ben has a Bachelors of Fine Arts (BFA) degree with a Masters of education. Before retiring, he taught graphic arts and photography at the high school and college levels, and he was the educational TV station manager for a college for 32 years. Ben makes Photograph look easy with his demos and how to add digital images to your promotions. His wife Mary Ann has put Ben’s talents to good use since the inception of her gift basket business in 1988. The photos that he’s taken of her baskets have been showcased in every gift basket trade magazine. They’ve been used to promote her seminars at the esteemed Fancy Food Show. His photography has been the source of all of her marketing materials, as well as her videos.	Ben Jacobs
Lisa Bevan Lisa has been an IT Consultant for 13 years - specializing in web application and online stores. She founded MyGiftBasketIdeas.com in 2007. She has been doing SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for 5 years - and is also coaching other companies on how to optimize their sites. She has a great Social Networking Blog and she has set up and coached other business owners on how Social Networking can increase sales with success rates. Lisa is on the Advisory Board of The Gift Basket Assoiciation. She is the Ohio Chapter President of The Women's Network Alliance - Westerville. Lisa will be offering FREE one on one web checks for 10 minutes at the trade show with scheduled appointments to help our attendee's this year Grow their websites. Please schedule your appointment when you register for your one on one with Lisa.	Lisa Bevan
Susan Wagner As the editor of Country Business magazine, one of the strongest trade publications for gift retailers, Susan Wagner is in constant touch with store owners and vendors alike. She travels and speaks at various wholesale gift shows across the country, keeping abreast of trends, discovering new products and helping retailers build their businesses through everything from unique display ideas to tips on publicity and promotion. Susan has been editor of Country Business since 1999 and has been involved in the decorating and home decor field since 1992. Additionally, she has worked in the publishing field for more than 25 years. .	Susan Wagner
Debbie Quintana Debbie Quintana is the president of Gourmet Gifts LLC, The Spirit of Wellness, The Gift Basket Association and The Women's Networking Alliance. As a small business consultant, Debbie has worked with small business owners to create, rejuvenate and launch their businesses by focusing on the customer experience, taking the right risks and demonstrating excellence. With over 100 clients under her belt, she’s developed a humble reputation for helping those with a vision of realizing their dreams. Debbie lives in San Jose, California with her husband Alex and son, Travis. Debbie is also the creator of Trends and Tips Magazine the new business and industry information source!	Debbie Quintana
Kris Kalb Since 1991, Kris has been immersed in the gourmet food industry in many aspects, from manufacturing and product design to gift basket design.  Kris started chocolate manufacturing with Clasen’s Chocolate Company in 1991 and then moved into chocolate and candy production for The Wisconsin Cheeseman in 1993.  From there, Kris moved into sales and development for the Scott’s fundraising division and then became the Director of Product Development for the Mille Lacs division.  In 2001, Kris started on his own endeavor forming Kristopher Thomas Gifts of Distinction to focus on the local corporate gift market.  Kris developed the business over the course of three years and eventually merged his business and helped build Northwoods Cheese Company with Derek Thielke.  Kris was instrumental in developing new products, catalogs for Northwoods as well as continuing to serve his corporate clients gift needs.  In 2007, Kris ventured back out and partnered with a former gift basket competitor in the Madison market, Basketree Gifts, Inc.  With this merger, Kris was able to expand his offerings to include fresh flowers, fruit baskets, as well as a renewed vision for corporate business development.  Kris formed in 2009, a second entity, The Spirit of Wisconsin Gourmet Foods, Inc. with a focus on creating high quality Chocolates, Jams and other gourmet foods using local ingredients and spirits from Madison to be marketed nationally and with the ability to be personalized for corporate clients.  Kris is a wonderful and exciting Designer adding alot to our teaching team of experts!	Kris Kalb
Ben Weidner Ben has spent most of his life in customer service. He started in the back room at his parents retail business at an early age, served coffee at the Espresso Stop Coffee House, became office manager and account manger at Baskets To Go and the International BasketFanfare, Manage over 4 businesses, and has successfully turned complaints into sales over the last 12 years. He mixes humor with sales and has been a leader in business management for years. He is a great example of salemanship for todays business world. Ben is currently managing a Italian Eatery, co-owner of a Pizza Shop, and manages a team of employee's. He is a great part of the full time Staff of The National Gift Basket Convention since 2008 and Staff of Gift Basket School, Inc. since 1995. Ben will help you network and take away your FEARS at this years convention! Pam Newell will assist this seminar.	Ben Weidner
Christa Andreotti, RN You know Christa Andreotti from the registration desk and booth, she is our go for it girl, and spokes person for The National Gift Basket Convention since it's beginning 2008. She has spent a life time in the industry from the backroom prep area to Corporate Sales Manager. She represented a large number of corporate clients to help make Baskets To Go with her success in the Medical division. She represented many drug represenitives, doctors, and hospitals to give them the best gift service for their gift needs. She is now working at the area hospital completing her life time dream of nursing as an RN. She has been a very big part of "Gift Basket School's and Basket's To Go" success with her sales ability.fun and smile. She will help out this year presenting her own great seminars and work our registration desk.  She will also work in our booth helping with your educational needs. Come join Christa at her fun filled action seminar or how to take care of your health and diet during your busy holiday season! WOW, will you learn a lot while having fun at the same time.  Tim Andreotti Tim joined our staff with The National Gift Basket Convention in 2008 but has worked for Gift Basket School and Baskets To Go for over 10 years. He is our TradeShow Manager as well as sharing on the instructors team. He is a great speaker, has years of experience in the Financial, insurance, and the investment world. He has worked for Red Cross as disaster manager and volunteered with Katrina. He will share his mangements skills at 2011 National Gift Basket Convention helping you get ready for the 2011 holiday season without FEAR. Plan on not missing Tim's Seminar filled with deligating, time management, and picking the best job to do at the moment! 2010 Seminar	Christa Andreotti Tim Andreotti
	Ben and Christa at 2009 Convention Challenge
Loads of Fun to be had by ALL!