Gannon International, Ltd.

William E. Franke, who founded Gannon International in 1983, serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Gannon International.

Mr. Franke has extensive experience in business administration, especially in administering companies in their start up and initial stages of operation. Prior to founding Gannon International, Mr. Franke practiced law, concentrating in real estate and finance.

Mr. Franke holds a degree in economics from Principia College, a Juris Doctorate from Washington University School of Law, and has studied at both the London School of Economics and the Washington University School of Business.

Mr. Franke has been a member of many civic organizations, especially those concerned with the protection of children, including the State of Missouri's Children's Trust Fund and The Children's Family Resource Center. He has served on the U.S. Department of Energy's Advisory Committee on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Ventures. Mr. Franke has also been actively involved for a number of years with Operation Smile, an international, non-profit organization providing reconstructive surgery for needy children around the world.

Mr. Franke served a tour in Vietnam during the Vietnam conflict while a commissioned officer in the United States Navy. He served as Officer-in-Charge of a river patrol boat and Operational and Tactical Commander of a task group which included twelve river patrol boats, multiple aircraft and approximately three hundred ground troops. He was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. His task group was awarded two Presidential Unit Citations and the Navy's Meritorious Unit citation.

In 1970 and 1971, Mr. Franke was stationed at the Naval Communications Command in Washington, D.C. where he served with the Inspector General and as a Congressional Liaison. Twice during this period he was assigned to the State Department as Naval Liaison in special negotiations with the British on an Indian Ocean base. Mr. Franke has also represented the United States with Saudi Arabia's OPEC staff and with Israeli and Egyptian peace treaty negotiating teams.

Robert P. Greene serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Gannon International. In this capacity, Mr. Greene is responsible for the administration of day to day operations, including the financial controls and administrative services provided to the affiliated entities.

Mr. Greene has a well-founded familiarity with the Gannon International organization and systems. He joined the company in 1984 and, since that time, he has served in a variety of positions within the Gannon International family of companies, including president of Gannon Management.

Mr. Greene's educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of Missouri.

W. Charles Blocker Jr. is Senior Vice President and Director of Corporate Finance for Gannon International. As such, Mr. Blocker directs the financing and corporate development activities for Gannon International. He also serves as a Managing Director of The Gannon Pacific Company.

Prior to joining Gannon, Mr. Blocker served as Chairman and CEO of Asian Trade Alliance, Inc. (ATA Group). Founded in December 1994, ATA Group was engaged in the marketing and distribution of consumer durables in Vietnam and Cambodia. Gannon Distribution acquired certain assets of Asian Trade Alliance, Inc. in 1999.

Mr. Blocker earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Hampden-Sydney College, Virginia, in 1984. In 1992, he earned a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from The Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has also attended the London School of Economics at the University of London.

Troy W. Gordon is Vice President and General Counsel of Gannon International. As General Counsel, Mr. Gordon provides legal advice and counsel to the management team of the Gannon International and its affiliated entities, primarily by assisting the management team of The Gannon Realty Group in the negotiation, documentation and closing of various real estate transactions.

Mr. Gordon received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Indiana University in 1984 and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Mr. Gordon earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Michigan in 1987.

Mr. Gordon joined Gannon International in 2000. During the prior twelve years, he practiced law with Bryan Cave LLP in St. Louis, Missouri in that firm's Real Estate, Development and Construction and Lender and Business Finance practice groups.

Colleen Peck is Vice President of Financial Services of Gannon International. In this capacity, she is responsible for ensuring that financial policies and procedures are properly administered.

Ms. Peck holds degrees in both accounting and business management from Southeast Missouri State University. She currently holds a Missouri Real Estate License.

Diane Edwards, an employee of Gannon International since 1984, serves as Director, Human Resources. She has expanded the department to facilitate the ever-growing needs of Gannon International and its affiliated entities, first within the United States, then into Asia, and now into the Caribbean and South America. She is directly responsible for overseeing all employee benefits, including payroll, workers compensation, 401(k)-pension plan, as well as health, dental and life insurance programs.

Kimberly Shaw joined Gannon International in December of 1993 and currently serves as Director of the Credit Department. Prior to joining Gannon, Ms. Shaw worked for approximately ten years with Paragon Properties, RMS Partners and Trammel Crow Residential in the South Florida Market. She also has managed historical landmark buildings in the City of St. Louis from the restoration phase through the lease up. Ms. Shaw majored in Real Estate at Meramec College. 

Gannon Development

Roland P. Burke, is President of Gannon Development, where he is responsible for the development and acquisition of real estate developments.

Mr. Burke is a former Senior Investment Officer of the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company of Boston, Massachusetts where he worked from 1984 until 1999. In that capacity he was directly and continuously responsible for a $200-$250 million portfolio of 15-20 investment grade commercial properties - hotels, apartments, shopping centers, office and industrial buildings, and land - principally in Texas and Florida. Within those asset management responsibilities, Mr. Burke acquired and developed commercial real estate properties. He also directly sold more than $100 million of Hancock properties. Prior to his tenure at Hancock, Mr. Burke was a multi-family real estate developer with Bartlett Development Company, in Boston.

Mr. Burke is a registered real estate broker, a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) and a Certified Property Manager (CPM). He has a Masters Degree in Urban Planning from the University of Iowa (1977) and a Bachelors Degree, With Honors, from Western Illinois University (1968).

David W. Weygandt serves as Senior Vice President of Gannon Development. In such capacity, Mr. Weygandt administers the expansion of The Gannon Realty Group’s portfolio of properties. Mr. Weygandt, a member of the Gannon organization since 1984, has a wide range of experience in all phases of realty operations, including financing, construction and management.

Mr. Weygandt is a certified public accountant and holds a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in Accounting from Southern Illinois University.

Douglas D. Everett serves as Vice President for the Gannon Development.

Mr. Everett brings twenty years of field engineering, general construction engineering, renovation engineering and project management experience to Gannon Development. Joining the Gannon group of companies in 1992, he served as director of engineering and design of overseas operations until 1994. Mr. Everett is currently engaged in the start-up of new construction projects in Florida.

Mr. Everett is both a graduate in Civil Engineering from Youngstown University and a Graduate Fellow at the Carnegie-Mellon University. His educational background includes studies on soils, structural design, solid mechanics, structural system design and real estate economics and management. Mr. Everett was also a graduate instructor at Carnegie-Mellon.

Bruce O. Studer serves as Vice President of Construction for Gannon Development and is responsible for Gannon Development construction activities.  He also oversees construction at developments managed by Gannon Management.

Mr. Studer, a 1971 graduate of the University of Missouri, began his construction career with Bank Building Corporation, advancing to the level of Area Construction Manager responsible for overseeing the construction of financial institutions and health care facilities in multiple states.  Subsequently he has held principal construction management positions with Phoenix Contractors and the Paric Corporation.  Mr. Studer initially joined the Gannon group of companies in 1992.

Jeff P. LaRose serves as the Director of Purchasing for Gannon Development.  He is responsible for the location, pricing and purchasing of the goods and services (including sub-contracts) for both Gannon Development and Gannon Management. He also assists as necessary in the often complex task of obtaining building permits within the appropriate municipalities. Due to Mr. LaRose's efforts, Gannon Development and Gannon Management enjoy significant cost savings in the pooling of purchases for all properties.

Mr. LaRose has ten years experience in construction. Prior to joining the Gannon group of comapnies, Mr. LaRose was an expeditor and project clerk for Phoenix Contractors in St. Louis, Missouri, building residential developments. He has a Journalism degree from Southern Illinois University.  

Robin Kessinger serves as Project Manager. Mr. Kessinger has an extensive background in construction and building maintenance. He has been in the multifamily property management field for almost two decades beginning in 1985. In this time he has become experienced all phases of daily operations including fire alarm and fire protection systems, electrical and plumbing systems, supervision of multi property maintenance staffs, including the design and implementation of the annual budgets and management of all capitol projects from design to completion. In 2001 Mr. Kessinger moved more exclusively into the Development arena to focus more on construction and rehab projects, starting with scope and design, then on to pricing and purchasing, supervision of the in-house and subcontractor crews, and final punch-out of the completed project. These projects include some as large as the complete exterior rehab of a portfolio to the restoration of one damaged building or apartment.

Gannon Management

Sybil Coleman Field is President of The Gannon Management Companies of Missouri and Florida and oversees the day-to-day operations of Gannon Realty’s affiliate owned and managed real estate assets.  Mrs. Field has over twenty years experience in real estate development and management. She was Director of Operations, nationwide, for Turner Development Corporation, a subsidiary of the nation’s largest general contractor, and was President of Turner Management Company. She has been responsible for real estate portfolios from coast to coast in both public and private corporations, including large multi-family developments, condominiums, high and low-rise office developments and retail space. Mrs. Field double majored in English and Business and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration.  She is an alumna of Florida State University and Tampa College, where she has completed studies toward her Master of Business of Administration.  She is a Florida Real Estate Broker.

Gliset M. Perez, as Regional Vice President, supervises all day to day operations of Gannon Management (Florida). Mrs. Perez has experience in all areas of property management, and since beginning her employment with Gannon Management in 1984, Mrs. Perez has served in many different capacities in the corporation. Mrs. Perez, through her "hands-on" style of administration, has been the company's liaison to all residents, vendors, community groups, and government agencies. She has ensured the smooth and successful operation of the entire Gannon Realty portfolio, throughout her 16 years of employment. Mrs. Perez attended Miami-Dade Community College.

Jerry Pence, Chief Horticulturist and Director of Grounds, is responsible for establishing and maintaining a program to enhance the grounds of Gannon Realty sites. Additionally, he is responsible for the design and installation of landscaping for sites under development.

Mr. Pence has a bachelor of science degree in horticulture from Kansas State University. He is a certified landscape designer and sits on the board of directors with the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD). In 1995, Mr. Pence was named Landscape Designer of the Year by the Missouri Botanical Gardens. He is also involved with the Gateway Professional Horticultural Association (GPHA).

Mr. Pence has been published in both Landscape Design magazine and St.Louis Home. He is an instructor in the horticulture department at St. Louis Community College at Meramec, teaching three levels of landscape design. Mr. Pence has also been involved in community programs relating to landscape design throughout the St. Louis area.

Angie F. Herrera-Sanchez is the Vice President/Marketing Manager of Gannon Management (Florida), and as such is responsible for all advertising, marketing and consequently leasing activities of the entire Florida portfolio. Ms. Herrera has over fifteen years of experience with corporate-level marketing and advertising, in both the very competitive New York and Miami markets. She creates and maintains all marketing and advertising strategies for all properties, and has created new and innovative programs not only to capture new residents, but retain renewal residents as well. Ms. Herrera holds two Bachelor's degrees from William Patterson University in both Communication and Dramatic Arts.

Deborah Kast is the Marketing and Operations Director for Gannon Management (Missouri).  She oversees the operations for seven properties with over 2700 units in St. Louis.  Her responsibilities include advertising, marketing, training, leasing and budgeting.  Deborah joined Gannon Management in 1999 and has been in the property management/real estate business since 1992.  Deborah has worked in several aspects of Property Management ranging from new construction development and lease-up in Manhattan to government assisted communities including: grant writing, HUD inspections and Housing Authority liaison.  Deborah is an Accredited Residential Manager, has received her Real Estate license in New York and has completed three years college at Mary Mount Manhattan.  She was voted St. Louis Apartment Associations Rising Star 2001.

Gannon Technologies/ Litigation Systems, Inc.

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Gannon Pacific

Walter A. Blocker, II is Director--Consumer Division for Gannon Pacific Company. He also oversees all Foodservice activities. He came to Vietnam in 1995 to launch and manage Maybelline cosmetics for ATA Group, an American trading company of which he was partner. He has extensive experience in importation, forecasting, inventory control, sales and consumer marketing activities in Indochina.

He joined Gannon Pacific Company in January of 1999.  He is on the Board of the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam and was recently elected Vice-Chairman. Mr. Blocker serves as Chairman of the Trade Committee which has been very active in the US-Vietnam Bi-lateral Trade Agreement. He was recently appointed to the Vietnam Private Sector Forum. Mr. Blocker is very active with the U.S. Commercial Services for visiting multi-national consumer goods companies coming to Vietnam.

Mr. Blocker earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia in 1990.

Tu Anh Tu is the Financial Officer of Gannon Distribution. She is responsible for overseeing the finance department of Gannon Distribution. The scope of her work includes tax planning, and structuring and monitoring the internal financial control system. Ms. To also assists the Managing director in developing the business. She is also an active member of AmCham.

Ms. To has a Vietnamese background and received her Bachelor of Business Accounting from the University of Technology - Sydney, Australia.