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Instructor Biographies
Dave Norton, PhD
Principal, Lead Strategist, Stone Mantel
Dr. Dave Norton, principal of Stone Mantel, is internationally recognized as the cutting-edge thinker on what makes brand experiences meaningful. He has spoken to thousands of people nationally and internationally. He has lectured at Harvard, Columbia Business School and at FORTUNE magazine’s annual summits. His seminar series has been praised by attendees from companies like Microsoft, Royal Caribbean International, Kraft, and Disney.
Dave's research capabilities have been embraced by entities as diverse as FORTUNE 500 Internet businesses, small countries, and multibillion dollar consumer goods companies. Numerous household brand companies have engaged him for ethnographic research, or have brought him in for team consulting. Stone Mantel, the company he founded, is an insights agency focused on finding the marketing experiences that matter most to customers. The organization helps companies identify the marketing and innovation strategies to create meaning brand experiences.
Jeffrey VanDeVelde
Senior Vice President, Director of Client Experience and Loyalty, SunTrust Banks, Inc.
Jeffrey VanDeVelde is responsible for leading the client experience strategy across the entire enterprise. He is based in Atlanta. Mr. VanDeVelde joined SunTrust in his current role in 2009. A 15-year veteran of the marketing and client experience, he previously was the Senior Client Experience Strategist at Wachovia. In his current role, Jeff applies unique forms of customer research and emerging customer experience disciplines to uncover strategies for improving customer loyalty at SunTrust. Armed with these new insights, Jeff and his team are leading the redesign of the critical moments of truth that occur within a person’s banking relationship.
Jeff has spoken to numerous audiences across the United States including many in the financial services sector, where he inspires executives by spreading his passion for the customer. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with his wife and three children
Bryan Searing
Lead Strategist, Stone Mantel
Bryan Searing, Lead Strategist with Stone Mantel, a leading brand and customer experience strategy consulting firm, brings a wealth of marketing experience from disparate industries, including financial services, high tech, travel, direct marketing, petroleum marketing, business products, transportation and online services. Bryan’s areas of expertise include customer experience design, brand strategy, product innovation and development, and marketing communications. Prior to joining Stone Mantel, he held senior positions with industry-leading organizations such as Deluxe Corporation, PC Connection and USA.NET. Among his clients are Royal Caribbean International, the US Olympic Committee, SunTrust Bank, Deluxe Corporation, Novo Nordisk, and the City of Colorado Springs.
Whitney Stewart
Senior Vice President, Group Line of Business Manager, SunTrust Banks, Inc.
Whitney Stewart is responsible for SunTrust’s Consumer and Small Business Payment Card and Value Added Services Product organization, as well as the bank’s efforts to transform its Consumer Deposits Strategy.
Ms. Stewart, who has more than 15 years of technology and financial services industry experience, joined SunTrust in February, 2008. Prior to joining SunTrust, Whitney ran Discover Network’s Brand and Communications organization for Discover Financial Services. She has also held senior management positions in Marketing, Product Management, and Business Strategy at Carreker, Bank of America, eFunds Corporation and Deluxe Corporation.
Ms. Stewart serves on the MasterCard Debit Advisory Board, the Deluxe Corporation Collaborative, the Consumer Bankers Association Interchange Working Group, and the Financial Services Roundtable Interchange Working Group.
Ms. Stewart earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri and an MBA from the University of Texas.
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