Wesley W. Dickman is the founder, president, and CEO of The Dickman Group, Inc. Mr. Dickman and his company have a proven record of success in turnarounds and building start up companies, through effective management, innovative marketing and a commitment to customer service. The Dickman Group has been a vehicle for Mr. Dickman to apply the distillation of his forty-year experience of corporate employment in the marine industry. His experience has been an unprecedented benefit to turnaround situations and new company start-ups, who are seeking upscale market position.

Mr. Dickman and his company's most recent major success was for the Ferretti Group of Italy. Mr. Dickman identified the need to fill a product void in the high styled, high performance yacht market. He joint-ventured with Ferretti Spa of Italy to adapt its unique power boats to United States consumer requirements. He led the marketing sales and service effort that has resulted in the major position of The Ferretti Group in America. Mr. Dickman's resounding success in establishing Ferretti as a known and respected name in the US market in such a short period of time has been wholeheartedly acknowledged and reported by many prestigious publications in the boating world. (See "What Others Say")

The Dickman Group, Inc. continues to expand its services and has enjoyed engagements by other companies in the industry who seek Mr. Dickman and his company's acumen to position their products or companies and maximize their potential. The scope and depth of The Dickman Group's offerings continue to be selectively expanded by "the group" into complementary areas that have included Pershing of America, Stodgell Yacht Interiors and Christensen Shipyard.

Mr. Dickman started his marine industry career with Chris Craft Corporation in 1959 as a boat builder. He then quickly transferred to the sales department where he rose through the ranks to achieve a major regional sales and service role. In 1971 he joined Hatteras Yachts as National Sales Manager. During the next five years, he led the company to historic sales growth. From 1984 through 1989 he repeated his success as Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Bertram Yacht. His success in this role was capped with a retail sales record of 54 Bertram units sold by the International Dealer group, during the 1989 Miami International Boat Show.

He then spent three years as President and CEO of Great American Boat Yards, a major multi-location dealership for sales and service of Hatteras, Bertram, Grand Banks, and Tiara. In his role in the retail end of the industry, Mr. Dickman provided the hands-on leadership and direction that brought the company to an operating profit for the first time in the company's history.

Mr. Dickman has been an activist within the industry, having served on the Board of Directors of both the National Marine Manufacturers Association and The Marine Industries Association of South Florida.

Additionally, Mr. Dickman's commitment to aid in creating better opportunities for others has lead him to serve on the Board of Directors of the Jim and Jan Moran Unit of the Boys and Girls Clubs, in Deerfield Beach, Florida, the Board of Visitors for the Kanuga Conference Center located in Hendersonville, North Carolina, and has assisted Mr. Wayne Barton of Barton's Boosters in Boca Raton, Florida.

Mr. Dickman and his wife Susan have been married since 1962. They have two sons. Michael (married to Meg, with one daughter, Abby, and son, Taylor) and Christopher (married to Beth, with daughter Lauren and a son Sam). The Dickmans enjoy spending time together at their "retreat" home on Lake Toxaway in the North Carolina mountains.

Upon graduation in 1988 from Florida Southern College, Michael Dickman accepted a marketing position with the Marine Industries Association of South Florida. The Association owns and sponsors the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the largest in-water boat show in the world. In addition to developing the membership of MIASF and creating new member services, Mike's responsibilities grew to include the upgrading and computerization of the accounting system. Mike was Acting Executive Director of MIASF during the year of 1991 before leaving to pursue a career in computers and software development.

Mike left the Association to embark on a career with ImageSetters, a computer software developer and service bureau. While with ImageSetters, Mike acquired invaluable knowledge with regard to the computer software industry as well as desktop publishing.

In 1992 Mike was hired by Bertram Yacht, Inc. as Marketing Services Manager. Mike's first task was to resurrect Bertram's corporate image as the company emerged from bankruptcy. This responsibility required Mike to work closely with McFarland & Dryer and Pinkhaus, two of the top rated advertising and graphic design companies in the country.

One year later, Michael became an entrepreneur when he began his own advertising and graphic design agency. The Oxford Group represented clients from real estate, marine, industrial and commercial markets.

Simultaneously, Mike's father Wes Dickman was busy with his own burgeoning entrepreneurial venture, Ferretti of America, Inc. FOA imported and marketed luxury motor yachts from Italy. Wes invited Mike to join the family business and as a result, Mike sold his agency in 1997. Utilizing his marketing and advertising background, Mike developed advertising campaigns for the Ferretti product in national and international trade publications and specialty magazines. He also designed and created Boat Show displays for FOA. Utilizing his business organizational experiences, Mike developed software to track warranty claims, owner information and databases. Mike also set up interoffice communication through a LAN email system. Additionally, Mike was responsible for the accounting, warranty claims and invoices, insurance policies, and payroll administration.

In 1998 Mike and Wes were presented the opportunity to start another Italian motor yacht import company, Pershing of America, Inc., and Mike's responsibilities doubled.

After reaching their goals with Ferretti and Pershing, Mike and Wes have gone on to expand The Dickman Group, a Marketing and Management Solutions consulting company.

Mike's most recent successes have been with Beacon Wireless Solutions and the launch of "The Crop Shop", an LHP Scrapbook Company, selling scrapbook supplies.

Mike and his wife Meg have been married since 1998 and have two children.