Abstract: Beginning with our third Forum in 2004, we’ve dedicated formal time on Saturday afternoon to allow attendees to think and learn together in an exercise led by a past Forum presenter, on a topic of his or her choice. This year, we have invited Peter Stonefield to lead our session for the fifth time, joined by Steve Benavides for the first time.

This year's Networking Session will feature an example of the achievements available through cooperative networking to overcome environmental challenges in order to achieveworking benefits not available through individual efforts.

Biography: Peter Stonefield holds a B.S.E.E. , M.A. , Ph.D. and is President of Stonefield Learning Group. In this capacity, he serves as an executive and technical staff coach, consultant and trainer. He was an electronic engineer, marketing and sales executive for the Bunker-Ramo Corporation before becoming a psychologist. He taught graduate-level courses on Cognitive and Creative Process, Psychosynthesis and Counseling Psychology. He has successfully completed over 200 consulting engagements, created more than 20 different training and development programs and coached over 300 executives and engineers. Some of the training programs he developed are Managing Innovation, TQM, Agile Communications, Agile Leadership, Knowledge Management, Managing Change, Creative Thinking and Architecture for Teamwork. He has also facilitated the development of 10 knowledge leveraging “Communities of Practice” in engineering and marketing organizations. His client list includes Apple Computer, Baxter Laboratories, Dow Chemical, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Intel, Stanford University , PPG, Sun Microsystems, U.S. Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, Environmental Protection Agency and General Services Administration. He was the principal consultant to, the U.S. Department of Labor, the winner of the U.S. President's Quality Award for Managing Change and the G.S.A. Administrators Award for Managing Change in Government.

His mission is to catalyze and accelerate the evolution of organizations and people.

Contact: Peter can be reached by e-mail at peter@slgllc.com for additional information about this Networking Session.

Website: www.slgllc.com

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/pub/peter-stonefield-phd/0/2a5/348

Biography: Steve Benavides is a Certified Public Accountant practicing in the city of Santa Ana, California through his wholly owned Professional Accountancy Corporation.  His practice consists of accounting and tax management services, tax research, planning and analysis, trust management and representation before various governmental agencies. His specialty is real estate and fiduciary tax accounting.  His current practice focuses on high net worth individuals and their controlled companies and related investment and trust holdings.   

Steve earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management at San Jose State University, graduating Cum Laude in 1973.  He has earned a Juris Doctor degree at the University of California, Hastings College of Law, and was admitted to practice law in California in 1976 and certified to practice law in California and federal District Courts.  He earned his license as a Certified Public Accountant and was admitted to the practice of accountancy in 1981.  In 1985, he was awarded his NASD D.P.P. Principals License (Series 39) and NASD Registered Representative License (Series 22) with the National Association of Securities Dealers.  He is a member in good standing of the California State Bar Association and the California Society of CPA's.     

Away from work, Steve is a frequent lecturer in the areas of photo documentation of underwater habitat and marine conservation issues and has a lifetime of coastal piloting experience in the Channel Islands.   He is a founding Director and past President of the Catalina Conservancy Divers.  Steve holds political appointments to several California State Fish and Game Advisory Committees and played an integral part in helping design California’s Marine Protected Areas as a member of the Southern Area MLPA Task Force.    

He is a native Californian and an avid sportsman and has been scuba diving more than 40 years.   He has had over a hundred articles published in various publications and received numerous awards in local and international photographic competitions.  Steve and his family reside in Irvine, California and spend as much time as possible searching out new adventures and seeing that Life is Good.

Contact: Steve can be reached by e-mail at steve@sgbcpa.com for additional information about this Networking Session.

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-benavides-76302410