M.B.A., University of Notre Dame
B.B.A. Accounting, Eastern Kentucky University
Certified Public Accountant (State of Ohio)

Scott Mindrum spent several years in public accounting at the international firm of Ernst & Young, L.L.C., serving as a Manager in their Entrepreneurial Services Group as a financial accountant and small business advisor. Following his accounting firm experiences, he spent several years in Mergers & Acquisitions, completing nearly a billion dollars in deals across several industries working for public company, private company, and venture capital organizations. Mr. Mindrum is an experienced entrepreneur, having founded and managed multiple start-ups. Currently he is the Founder, President and CEO, of Making Everlasting Memories, (www.MEM.com), a high tech startup company located in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Mr. Mindrum holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Accounting, is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the state of Ohio and has earned his MBA from the University of Notre Dame. Mr. Mindrum’s expertise is in setting strategy and vision for companies (specifically start-ups), building company culture, product design and development, product marketing strategy, business development techniques and capital allocation. He also brings a strong sense for and experience in communicating highly technical concepts into marketable, easy-to-understand business offerings for consumers.

Dateline: May 1982
I graduated from Miami University with a degree in Systems Analysis – ready to conquer the world. So how do you conquer the world, anyway? You could start by working in the nuclear weapons industry. And so I did. After a celebratory vacation with a close friend from my Kings Island days (who knew this would haunt me to this day, but more about that later), I began developing applications to support various weapons initiatives. What a great environment for a young person fresh out of college – every technology you could imagine, great people to learn from, and step 1 toward conquering the world…

Dateline: September 1983
Needing more of challenge (?), I enrolled in the MBA program at Xavier University. What better way to complement technology skills than financial skills? Step 2 toward conquering the world…

Dateline: March 1986
Having completed my MBA, I began taking lessons from the marriage institution. Serving as Dean, Provost, and Lecturer, Ms. Holly began administering her teachings – which continue to this day. Now I have help in conquering the world…

Dateline: July 1990
After welcoming my second child into the world, I realize that conquering the world is going to be even harder than I thought…

Dateline: October 1995
I get a call from a long-lost friend from my Kings Island days. He has this idea for preserving and sharing memories – scanning photos, writing biographies, capturing audio – essentially creating life stories. Knowing what my facility had just spent for a document scanning/management system and the Internet’s ability to deliver rich content, I tell my friend this will never work. He’s not conquering the world any time soon…

Dateline: September 1996
After numerous tech positions within the nuclear weapons facility, ultimately directing the IT function for the entire organization, I decided to pursue a more entrepreneurial path. I began consulting for a number of clients – creating long-term technology plans, managing projects, performing Y2K assessments, and developing new product rollout strategies (more about this in a minute). If this is what conquering the world feels like, I’m in…

Dateline: March 1997
I get a call from my friend – it seems he ignored my advice, spent real money to develop a prototype of his idea, and has scheduled a focus group to gauge market acceptance. He’d like me to attend, meet some of his team, and provide some feedback. I said OK – I thought maybe I’d get a free sandwich. This guy is really going to be disappointed. The world is going to conquer him…

Dateline: March 1998
I get another phone call from my [very] persistent friend. It seems the focus group results only reinforced his harebrained idea – he’s actually gotten someone else’s money to help develop this product. My friend, let’s call him “Scott”, needs some help interfacing with his outside software development group – partly to keep things on track, partly to ensure that requirements are met, and partly to free him to further develop the business. My consulting practice was going pretty well at this point, and I really didn’t have time for one more thing, but he sounded desperate (not really), and he was my friend, so I said OK. I’m going to help “Scott” conquer his world and hopefully not consume mine in the process.

Dateline: July 1999
This memory thing has picked up quite a head of steam (as I predicted), and has started to dominate my time. For a variety of reasons, some of which I no longer understand, I decide to fold my consulting practice into this thing we called MeM, becoming Vice President of Operations. Since this was a small company, it meant I was in charge of anything that needed attention. We move into our first real office – previously occupied by a medical practice and a labyrinth of walls/doorways – perfect for Nerf wars (if we had actually done that type of thing…). We were actually out of the garage phase. It was an exciting time, and a whole new world to conquer.

Dateline: January 2000
We move into our second real office, having been kicked-out of our first real office. We weren’t actually kicked-out – we were renting month-to-month, saw a constant stream of “visitors” expressing interest in the space, and thought it was a matter of time before we would be homeless. The new place was tailor-made for a company our size and contributed greatly to the collaborative environment that we have today. We felt like we were on top of the world.

Dateline: Somewhere in the 201x’s
Fast-forward to today. We’ve come a long way in serving the life story business: an impressive array of developed technologies, world class product support, diversification of the business, and plans for much more. I’m proud to have helped design the processes and build the systems that we use to support our product suite. I’m fortunate to have been part of business development strategies, product development plans, and overall efforts to make MeM what it is today. I’m privileged to work with such a talented and dedicated group of people – having seen my share of teams and environments over the past 30 years, I know special when I see it. And I see it every day in my world.

Other:
I am self-appointed chairman of the MeM coffee club.
I am nearly finished paying tuition for my two children.
I would like everyone to wear uniforms at work, albeit casual.

I left a really good job in 1998 to work at MeM.....

That's how my MeM story usually begins. My prevous two jobs after college were with very large organizations, the first a Department of Energy contractor, where I began as a software developer and left as the Manager of Communications Services and Operations. The second organization was a large international publishing company, where I was responsible for the network and telecommunications services that linked various publishing companies to our shared services organization. It was a really good job where I was fortunate to travel to San Francisco, New York, and Boston on a fairly regular basis.

In 1998, Steve Sefton called and asked me to meet Scott Mindrum about an exciting new internet company that he was forming. After several meetings, I was persuaded to quit my really good job for the promise of something bigger and better. Since then, I have been the Director of Technology Advancement for MeM responsible for all software development, IT infrastructure, and network services.

My world is colored by my experiences with work and family. We have a great technical team at MeM with a diverse and talented group of dedicated developers and engineers. I love spending time in Montana with my family each summer and will fish, hike, hunt, camp, kayak, canoe, or sit around a campfire as often as I can get away. My oldest son Leo battled leukemia from 2004-2006. Our family directs and maintains, with the help of many donors and volunteers, a native prairie area called "Leo's Park" as a gift to the community and a memorial to him.

I am an active volunteer at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), currently serving on both the Pastoral Care and Patient Care Subcommittess of the Board of Trustees, I was member of the Family Advisory Council for Children's Hospital, Starshine Pediatric Hospice, and the Blood Disease and Cancer Institute at CCHMC. My family is involved and volunteers at the Cincinnati Ronald McDonald House and has represented Cincinnati Children's at the National Association of Children's Hospital's Family Advocacy Day in Washington, D. C. I am also a Deacon and Elder in the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.

Check out my profile on LinkedIn here: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyjjohnson
Follow me on Twitter at: jeffjonjohnson

I’ve been involved with MeM since its earliest days. Originally we were a couple of guys in a single cramped office working hard to get the MeM concept off the ground. Those were exciting, but scary, times.

Over the years, I’ve jumped in to serve in a variety of ways. Early on, I helped with rollouts to our reseller network, which involved everything from managing kiosk manufacturing to developing training materials. Once these organizations got rolled out, they started calling us with questions and suggestions, so my role evolved into our customer service group. Our goal was always to provide the best possible experience for both our resellers and the families that reach out to us directly. Over time, we’ve become known for our outstanding customer service and I’m pleased to have been involved in the formation of this area. Since that time, I’ve transitioned into a project management role. Now I get involved with coordinating many of our larger projects, particularly those that include both our tech and customer service teams. I I’m also involved in our print technologies so I’ve helped roll out our various book products. Over the years, I’ve also had the opportunity to manage some fun, but non-typical, projects. One nice thing about working at MeM is that there is a lot of variety.

Educationally, I have an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering from North Dakota State University, and I did some graduate work in IE as well. Later, I received an MBA with an emphasis in Information Systems from the University of Minnesota. I was recruited by The Procter & Gamble Company to work in their information systems division where I supported their market research and public affairs organizations. A desire to be an entrepreneur led me to leave P&G and start my own computer consulting company that targeted smaller businesses that didn’t have full time IT staff. During this time, I met Scott Mindrum and the rest, as they say, is history. MeM became a client and I later joined the company full time.

When I’m not at MeM, I treasure time with my family. I’m married and we have a daughter, who has her daddy wrapped around her little finger, so it seems. My church family is important to me as well. I enjoy seeing people grow in their faith and have served in different capacities at my church.

Contact me at todd.severtson@mem.com
or at 513-864-0102.

B.A. Psychology, Loras College
M.A. Psychology, Miami University (Ohio)

I have over 15 years of diversified training and data analysis experience in academic and service industries, with a recent focus on the direct on-boarding of new sales channels.

I was born and raised in Cuenca, Spain and decided to become a foreign exchange student during my Senior year in Highschool and come to the United States to "learn English". The rest is history ... I completed my Senior year and proceeded to start College the following Fall...

I began my training and research career in 1995 as a research/teaching assistant for the psychology department at Loras College (Iowa) and continued at Miami University (Ohio) as a graduate assistant and later as a teaching associate. During my years at Miami (1997-2000), I received two letters of commendation from the department, accolades for my ability to supervise and train undergraduate students in classroom and laboratory settings.

I left Miami University in 2001 to take a position as a senior research fellow at the Victorian College of Optometry at the University of Melbourne in Australia. While in Australia, I was part of the visual neuroscience laboratory and was responsible for the laboratory’s organization and set up, grant money applications, purchasing of laboratory equipment and coordination of experiments. This was an experience of a lifetime.

During my years at academic institutions, I published my psychophysical research in three peer reviewed scientific journals and was a speaker at five professional conferences. I was priviledged to join the MeM customer service team in 2002 and was named Manager of the department two years later. In 2009, I was promoted to Manager of Program Development and Implementation. In this role, I ensure that new customers benefit from organization products; oversee all training, communications/marketing and creative design efforts; and manage the implementation of company programs and initiatives. It has been an incredibly fulfilling role and I consider myself very lucky to have a great team of very dedicated individuals who make everything possible.

I have worked rigorously to earn the "title" of assistant chairperson of the MeM coffee club - Chairman Steve Sefton runs a very tight ship in that regard.

When someone is identified as a natural leader, certain qualities come to mind. The first thoughts are of a no-nonsense, tough-minded, dedicated and disciplined person- while it is a little difficult for me to describe myself in that way, a lot of people have said that this an accurate description of me. I have been told that I am a born leader. I always thought of myself as being a highly organized, practical and realistic person. I consider myself someone who has always carried a strong sense of duty throughout my life. I possess traditional “old school” morals, and I have always been an individual who clearly communicated to those around me just who I am and what I'm all about.

My journey to become the woman that I am today began when I was born on December 1, 1959. I first greeted the world at Sacred Heart Hospital, Chester, Pennsylvania. My name is Stephanie Marie Winiarski. I was the daughter of Leonard and Patricia Winiarski. My parents were my best friends and biggest cheerleaders. Faith has always been important to me. I have deep spiritual beliefs that I am willing to share. My parents raised seven children in the Catholic faith, which I am very proud and thankful. My Catholic faith provides me with the strength to tackle the difficult situations in life every day. I taught CCD classes to young students that couldn't afford to attend Catholic schools.

I was raised with five sisters and two brothers. I have one older sister, Patricia, two younger brothers, Lenny and Christopher and three younger sisters, Grace, Jennifer and Jacquelyn. I had a very happy and love-filled childhood. We lived in a family-oriented neighborhood. All the neighborhood kids loved to hang out and play at the Winiarski house. We had a baseball field in our backyard and on those hot summer days, played many innings of baseball and then off to the neighbor's pool to cool off. We rode our bikes everywhere. For extra spending money, we would cut grass, rake leaves, run errands and even shovel snow for the elderly neighbors. Even as a youngster, I learned to be objective and decisive.

My matter-of-fact attitude about most things developed throughout my childhood. As a young girl, I enjoyed being part of teams, organizations and groups of other kids who shared similar interests. Sports were always fun for me, and my favorites were volleyball, basketball and softball. Being a natural leader, I liked staying involved and did so as a girl scout and as well as played the clarinet in St. Catherine's band. I marched in many St. Patrick's Day parades held in downtown Cincinnati.

The person I am today can be largely attributed to the friends I have made and kept over the years. I have always tried my best to be sociable and approachable. Because I am always so straightforward in how I approach relationships, friends and family know that what they see is always what they get. I think this was evident even with my childhood friends.

The "taking care of business" aspect of my personality became quite evident during my high school years. In school, I tried to be as close to being a model student as one could possibly imagine. For me, things like perfect attendance were very important and I did my best to achieve it. I was the kind of student who would eagerly complete my homework, and often put in extra study time when I felt it was necessary. A logical and focused thinker, I was always good at following directions and meeting my schedules, whether they were set by my teachers or were self-imposed. I always felt it was good to do it right the first time. I graduated with academic honors from Mother of Mercy High School.

While academics were very important to me, I did enjoy my life outside of high school. I do indeed enjoy the camaraderie of being with a group of friends. When I am a member of a group, my interaction works to keep the others grounded. I am never afraid to confront my friends and, when necessary, I will challenge them to stick to the task at hand. Those close to me have come to expect my high standards of performance.

I learned a great deal about responsibility when I got my first job out of high school. My journey through life took a large leap working full time during the day and attending college at night in pursuit of a nursing degree. My practical work ethic carried over during these years. My logical mind permitted me to work hard without succumbing to the usual distractions. I would tackle an assignment and work through it before moving on to the next project. My orderly nature helped me establish personal study habits and procedures that not only helped me stay on track but often put me ahead of schedule.

I literally took care of business in the workplace. Being the hard worker that I am and one who praised efficiency, I always strive to make improvements where they are necessary. I am able to analyze situations and problems, keeping everything and everyone on track. Being considered an excellent project manager, I am a person who can quickly make decisions based on the information available. I do my best to work cooperatively and always expect the same from my colleagues. In both my personal and professional environments, I uphold my standards. For 16 years I worked in county government in administration, environmental and real estate with the County Auditor, County Commissioners, and County Recorder. I left the county to pursue a career in the private business sector and joined a computer hardware and software corporation as Manager of Office and Sales Administration.

I was looking for a growth position with a large corporation and joined Loewen Group International Inc. as Sr. Legal Assistant to the Sr. Vice President of Law. I worked on many high profile legal proceedings and acquisitions; as well as travel with the Board of Directors to coordinate and attend annual meetings. As Loewen changed thru bankruptcy and emerged as Alderwoods Group Inc. In 2002, I accepted the position as Office Services Manager for the Alderwoods US corporate office located in Cincinnati, OH. I was responsible for managing the day-to-day operations including systems, maintenance, and human resource responsibilities.

Early in 2003, I accepted the challenge and the role as Market General Manager (MGM)-Mississippi and relocated to Gulfport, MS. As MGM I was responsible for providing leadership, strategic support, implementing and executing the business plan and bottom-line financial accountability for twelve (12) funeral homes and five (5) cemeteries. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the challenges, successes and diverse responsibilities of this position, I was recruited to return to Cincinnati and work as Regional Administrator for the Alderwoods Midwest Region (which consisted of 203 Funeral Homes, 54 Cemeteries and 21 Combos in 18 states). Upon returning to Cincinnati, I accepted the role as Regional Administrator-Midwest Region, which supported the Midwest Region VPO team , as well as resumed as Office Services Manager for Alderwoods US corporate office.

During the acquisition transition of Alderwoods to SCI in 2006, I maintained the role of Regional Administrator for the Midwest, as well as coordinating the transfer, sale and relocation of office equipment and furnishings from Cincinnati to SCI’s US corporate office in Houston, TX. During this transition, I reconnected with Scott Mindrum, President and CEO of Making Everlasting Memories (who formerly worked at Loewen Group). In June, 2008, I joined the MeM team. I bring a unique combination of hands-on experience in the funeral industry, corporate operations, and financial management to MeM. I also manage the e-commerce team with coordination and implementation of processes for fulfillment of e-commerce products. As Administrative Services Manager, I am responsible for the day-to-day operations and maintenance; as well as supporting the President and Vice President with financial reporting, administration and human resource responsibilities.

This is my life so far, the journey that has made me who I am- a life that I have soldiered my way through, maintaining my personal values and sharing my knowledge with others. I have worked hard to be a pillar of the community. Having that respect, being seen in that manner, has always been important to me. As a realist I have lived my life with my feet planted firmly on the ground. I have a strong work ethic and I try hard to be pragmatic in my thoughts and acts. I am the type of person who constantly seeks the means for self-improvement, and I am willing to share my ideas and knowledge for the benefit of others so that they can accomplish more in their lives. I do my best to ensure that my family, friends, loved ones, co-workers, and everyone whose lives I have touched, are given the chance to become better people.

As the National Sales Director it is my job to help spread the word about MeM to the vertical markets we serve. Having spent many years in a similar role for other software companies I understand dedication, quality, desire, determination, team unity and best in class customer service are at the root of success. The folks here at MeM exude all these qualities so my task is made all the easier.

I am happily married and fortunate to admit that I have 4 children with a range in age of 20 years. You're probably wondering if it was with the same wife right? Yes it was or is. In my spare time I search for spare time. Did I mention that I have 4 kids? Spare time is just a wish and a prayer. Actually I spend all of my spare time with my family. I will have time for golf and all those other time consuming activities when the kids are on their own. That comes too quick for me.

Many years ago, I grew up in California and I had the opportunity to play baseball, basketball and football at a pretty high level and continued my baseball career during college at Cal State Northridge and eventually for 3 years in a minor league organization. Today I live vicariously through my kids as a coach and mentor within the confines of one of my affinities, sports.

My time is divided between work and family and I do my best to keep a proper balance.

Okay enough about me. Please feel free to contact me at 513-936-9333 or at tim.zeuch@mem.com if I can do anything to help you or your team.

I joined MeM's Product Services Team late in 2008 with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing from the University of Cincinnati and a proven history of providing excellent customer service. Since then, I have been serving on the front line to our network of users and customers. Our approach to customer service is to not only provide the necessary and expected service, but to go beyond that and delight each person we contact.

Outside of work, I enjoy visual arts such as oil painting, graphic design and interior design. In fact, when I first started with MeM, I had a strong interest in graphic design and have been fortunate enough to develop that interest into a skill during my time here. I love the effect that art and design can have on people. It can affect your feelings, thoughts, mood and sometimes even spark a memory.

When I'm not working on an art project or a do-it-yourself project, I like to stay active with a variety of sports. A few of my favorites are tennis, soccer and skateboarding.

Contact me at jon.stevens@mem.com
or at 513-864-0123