Northern Michigan Senior Summit

Conference on Aging Presenter Biographies
	Russell Bodoff, Executive Director Center for Aging Services Technologies, AAHS Russ Bodoff joined AAHSA in February 2002 with responsibilities for technology and business development, new partner opportunities, group purchasing program, distance learning and the AAHSA Development Council. He is responsible for the Center for Aging Services Technologies which he helped launch in November. Bodoff came to AAHSA with over seven years of experience in building online businesses and 20 years experience in product and program development and voluntary standards and certification programs. He was responsible for developing and launching the world’s largest Internet consumer protection and privacy trustmark program. He has been asked to provide expert testimony on online consumer and privacy issues to the Senate Judiciary Committee, the House Commerce Committee and the European Union. Bodoff has been quoted in hundreds of publications and has appeared on CNN and CNNFN as an expert on Internet consumer issues. Russ has an MA in Education from New York University and a BS in Communications from Temple University.

	Jenefer Duane, Executive Director Elder Financial Protection Network Ms. Duane has worked in the field of elder advocacy for over 20 years. She co-founded EFPN in August, 2000. In 2003, Ms. Duane produced EFPN's 'Be Wise' video training program which has received three international awards. Ms. Duane provides training and presentations for financial institutions employees, law enforcement and bank regulatory agencies, adult social service providers, elder advocacy and consumer groups. She is a frequent keynote speaker and presenter at conferences, symposiums and workshops throughout the State of California and beyond. California Attorney General Bill Lockyer presented Ms. Duane with the 2003 Distinguished Service Award for Elder Abuse Prevention. She also served on the Advisory Council for the Attorney General's Statewide Public Awareness Campaign on elder abuse. Ms. Duane was recently nominated for the Beacon Award by the California Credit Union League for her outstanding achievement in the area of financial literacy.

	Maddy Dychtwald, Ph.D., Senior Vice-President Age Wave, Inc. Over the past twenty years, Maddy Dychtwald has emerged as a nationally recognized author, public speaker, marketing executive and entrepreneur. One of the nation's leading authorities on the age wave, she has been actively involved in analyzing and forecasting lifestyle and consumer marketing trends pertaining to the different generations. In 1986, she co-founded Age Wave with her husband, Ken Dychtwald. During her first decade at Age Wave, she helped grow the company from the ground up to a multi-million dollar enterprise with a reputation as the best in its field. Ms. Dychtwald is the author of Cycles: How We Will Live, Work, and Buy Winner of the 2004 Book of the Year Award from the National Community Colleges Association, Cycles describes the new paradigm of how long-lived Americans will live, work and reinvent retirement. She has been featured in numerous articles in leading newspapers and magazines nationwide, including Advertising Age, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, The Miami Herald, and US News and World Report, and has appeared on countless radio and television programs.

	James Epolito, President and CEO Michigan Economic Development Corporation James Epolito, President and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), leads a 265-person operation which leads the state's economic development efforts, including economic policy development, business retention and attraction, technology development, trade and international investment, tourism promotion, and marketing and community development functions. Prior to joining the MEDC, he served as President and CEO of the Accident Fund Insurance Company of America and Senior Vice-President of Subsidiary Operations for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. As head of the Accident Fund, the Blues workers' compensation subsidiary, he transformed the business from a $117 million, single-state insurance provider to a 40-state operation generating more than $500 million annually. During his 27-year tenure at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, James served as President and CEO of Blue Care Network - Health Central; Vice President, Michigan Sales Service and Government Relations; Vice President, Government and Community Affairs; Director of State Government Relations; Manager of State Government Relations; and Legislative Analyst. He was also the Regional Director for Citizens to Take Courts Out of Partisan Politics and an intern for Michigan State Senator Kerry Kammer. James is originally from McKeesport, Pennsylvania. He attended Michigan State University on a football scholarship where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Communications in 1978. He earned his Masters in Public Administration from Western Michigan University in 1990. He lives in East Lansing with his wife Deborah. They have three daughters, ages 22, 19 and 14.

	Francis J. Gingras, Owner, Managing Director Northwestern Mutual Financial Network/The Gingras Group Mr. Gingras has been in the insurance and financial services business for over 38 years serving clients in northern Michigan. He is the former chairman of Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce. He is also member of the Estate Planning Council, the NMC Foundation, the Economic Club, and the Traverse City Rotary Club. He is a Past President of the following organizations: Managing Directors Association of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, Northwestern Michigan Estate Planning Council, Northwestern Michigan Insurance and Financial Advisors Association, CLU Association of Northwestern Mutual Life, and the Estate Planning Council of Northern Michigan. Mr. Gingras is a graduate of Northern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science degree and has his Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) degree and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) degree from the American College of Financial & Service Professional of Bryn Maur, Pennsylvania. He is married to Jacqueline and has 5 children and 7 grandchildren.

	Elinor Ginzler, III AARP, Washington DC Elinor Ginzler is Director for Livable Communities in the Office of Social Impact at AARP. She is responsible for the development of multi-year strategic plans to achieve social impact goals for AARP in the areas of Mobility and Housing. She is an expert on long-term care issues, including home and community-based services, caregiving, nursing home quality and other long-term care housing issues. She has served on several boards and task forces including the Eldercare Locator Advisory Committee, the Board of Directors for the National Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Home Reform, the Continuing Care Accreditation Commission and the Board of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. In addition, she is co-author with Hugh Delehanty, of Caring for Your Parents -The Complete AARP Guide, published by Sterling Publishing. Ms. Ginzler holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and completed her graduate studies at the University of Maryland.

	Sharon L. Gire, Director Michigan Office of Services to the Aging Sharon Gire was appointed by Governor Jennifer Granholm on June 4, 2003, to serve as Director of the Michigan Office of Services to the Aging. As Director, she is responsible for directing Michigan’s aging network, the system providing services to older persons throughout the state, and provide special assistance to the Executive branch on the issues of aging and older persons. From 1999 to her appointment, Ms. Gire was an elected member of the State Board of Education; responsible for the leadership and general supervision over all public education in Michigan. Ms. Gire also served as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from 1987-1998. As a member, she chaired the Human Services and Children’s Committee, Education Committee, and was elected Associate Speaker Pro Tempore; chaired a subcommittee on Medicaid Managed Care, was the Minority sponsor of the Patient’s Bill of Rights reforms, and served on the subcommittee on Pain Management. She also served on the Macomb RSVP Advisory Board, sponsored legislation to promote diagnostic and testing centers for Alzheimer’s patients, to promote appropriate pain management practices and to improve the information provided to patients with prescription drug samples. After her work in the House of Representatives and State Board of Education tenure, Ms. Gire was a consultant for United Way Community Services and the Michigan League for Human Services. Her other professional experience includes: served as Director of the Northeast Interfaith Center for Racial Justice, area supervisor to Big Brothers/Big Sisters, member of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners - chaired the Personnel and Budget Committees, member of the Mount Clemens City Commission, and worked as an adjunct professor at Saginaw Valley State University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master’s degree in Social Work.

	Arnold J. Morse, Executive Director Otsego County Commission on Aging The Executive Director of the Otsego County Commission On Aging, Arnie Morse comes to us from a background of private sector corporate management, practicing the basics of quality and learning organizations. Along with management partner Dona Wishart, they have developed a full spectrum of state of the art older adult services for Otsego County, Michigan. The agency, while a public organization, is administered and managed on the precepts of private business. Morse resides in Northern Michigan with his wife, Judge Patricia Morse, frequently visiting two grown children, residing in other areas of the country.

	Mark Schug, Professor & Director, Center for Economic Education University of Wisconsin - Milwakee Mark C. Schug is Director of the Center for Economic Education and Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. For the past three years, he was Senior Fellow with the National Council on Economic Education. Professor Schug has taught for over 35 years at the middle school, high school, and university levels. A widely recognized scholar, he has written and edited over 190 articles, books, and national curriculum materials. Professor Schug has spoken to local, state, and national groups throughout the United States. He has spoken to groups in 11 other countries. He has won national awards for research, curriculum writing, and leadership in economic education. Professor Schug often speaks about economic and financial education and issues in urban schools.

	Dona Wishart, Assistant Director Otsego County Commission on Aging The Executive Director of the Otsego County Commission On Aging, Arnie Morse comes to us from a background of private sector corporate management, practicing the basics of quality and learning organizations. Along with management partner Dona Wishart, they have developed a full spectrum of state of the art older adult services for Otsego County, Michigan. The agency, while a public organization, is administered and managed on the precepts of private business. Morse resides in Northern Michigan with his wife, Judge Patricia Morse, frequently visiting two grown children, residing in other areas of the country.

	Stephen P. Wood, Ph.D. The Russell Investment Group Stephen Wood is a portfolio strategist for Russell Investment Group. In his role, Steve conducts research on and acts as an external voice on the economy, capital markets, portfolio strategies as well as investor behavior. In this capacity, Steve also works with institutional clients and retail partners to communicate Russell's investment process and portfolio management. Steve is based in New York and joined Russell in 2005. Prior to coming to Russell, Steve worked with institutional investment clients at Manning & Napier Advisors in Rochester, New York, as senior portfolio strategist. He gained significant experience with high net worth clients as vice president with Fisher Investments' private client group in San Francisco. Previously, Steve was a senior equity portfolio strategist at Alliance-Bernstein in New York City. Representing the firm globally, he was a much sought-after spokesperson for both retail clients and financial professionals and was Alliance's voice on the economy, capital markets, securities research and portfolio management.

	Clare Zempel, Principal Zempel Strategic Clare Zempel is a leading business economist and top investment strategist. He honed his smart, nimble approach to making sense of complex economic and financial issues over more than 30 years as an economist for major national firms. Through Zempel Strategic, Clare brings seasoned common sense to bear on these issues for corporate business clients and major investors. He specializes in customizing applied economics and financial market analysis to meet each client's unique needs. The Zempel practice involves preparing precise presentations and written reports that are relevant and clear. Clients use Clare's recommendations to plan and formulate policies. Client-centered services include project evaluation, budget input, risk assessment, and training sessions for employees, vendors and customers. Clare also speaks on broad economic and investment issues to wider audiences.