Jonathan Strack

Chief Executive Officer

Strack, Inc.

Web: www.strackinc.com

Emai: info@strackinc.com

YouTube: https://facebook.com/strackincorporated

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strack_inc/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strackincorporated/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@strack_inc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/strackinc

Jonathan Strack is CEO of Strack, Inc. headquartered in Fairburn, GA. He started his career at Strack, Inc. at 12 years old as a laborer and worked his way up through the business as an operator, superintendent, project manager, vice president, president, and now as CEO.

Being raised in the business and serving the company in all aspects of the work, Jonathan is known by his employees for truly leading the team from the front line and using his generosity and kindness towards all people as a direct example.

Dave Bradford

dave.bradford@certuspest.com

Certus Pest

https://www.certuspest.com/

Dave Bradford is the CEO of Certus Pest, a leading pest control company recognized for high growth and exceptional customer service. With decades of leadership experience, Dave is a strategy-shaping visionary in the home services industry. Dave was appointed CEO of Certus Pest Control in July 2022, after joining as CFO in September 2021. Before Certus, Dave held leadership positions at Environmental Pest Service and Spirit Airlines. He brings extensive experience in corporate finance and operations from high-growth, route-based service companies. Dave is also a Certified Public Accountant.

In this episode of Your Advantage Play® with guest Greg Schroeder, I sat down with Greg Schroeder, who built and sold Comergence Compliance - a company that became the “mortgage police” after the 2008 housing crisis. Greg shares how he turned industry chaos into opportunity, landing major clients like Citigroup, and the importance of staying focused and building your business with the end in mind. His story is a masterclass in planning your exit, knowing your value, and seizing that second bite of the apple. Don’t miss these takeaways for every entrepreneur looking to build a sellable, standout business!

Here are 3 key takeaways for any founder or business operator thinking ahead to a future exit:

• Build to Sell from Day One: Greg shared that every decision, from accounting to operations, was made with a potential exit in mind - making due diligence and acquisition conversations so much smoother down the road.
• Land Flagship Clients for Market Credibility: Signing Citigroup was a game-changer. With a big name on board, client acquisition accelerated as credibility and urgency in the industry soared.
• Stay Focused - Avoid Distractions: As tempting as it was to expand into adjacent markets, Greg emphasized that sticking to your core business keeps you efficient, lean, and more valuable to acquirers (something he attributes to his own successful exit).

If you’re building a business—especially in a regulated or niche industry—Greg’s journey is proof that a smart, focused playbook pays off.

Jennifer Barlund

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenn-barlund-10969348/

Phone: 605-910-5000

www.falconplastics.com

Jenn Barlund, aged 34, serves as the President of Falcon Plastics, where her passion for plastics is deeply rooted in a lifetime surrounded by injection and blow molding. A proud alumna of South Dakota State University, she holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Entrepreneurship with minors in Marketing, Business, and Economics. Barlund’s journey with Falcon Plastics started as a Machine Operator and evolved through various roles, eventually leading her to oversee production in Lexington, TN, in 2017 and manage the Brookings plant in 2018. She ascended to the presidency in April 2021. Recognized as a Plastics News Plastics Industry Rising Star in 2020, Barlund also boasts membership in the International Economics Honor Society and is a Leadership Brookings graduate.

Her journey has been greatly influenced by her grandfather, Don Bender, the founder of Falcon Plastics, who championed the role of women in business and saw in Jenn a leader of tomorrow. Inspired by Don's dedication to the Falcon team, Jenn has molded her leadership style to mirror his, gaining respect from colleagues and clients alike. Her position as a third-generation leader carries immense pride and the drive to uphold Don's legacy while nurturing Falcon's growth.

Beyond her professional expertise, Jenn is dedicated to community enrichment, often volunteering and supporting local initiatives. She contributes her insights on the advisory board for the Boys & Girls Club of Brookings and holds a position on the board of directors for the Manufacturers Association of Plastics Processors (MAPP). Barlund, along with her husband Craig and two children, calls Brookings, South Dakota, home.

Jason Grady

Interim Chief Executive Officer

DSS, Inc.

275 Wiregrass Pkwy, West Henrietta, NY 14586

www.dssworld.com | NYSE American: DSS

DSS focuses on operating business segments in blockchain security, consumer, healthcare, consumer packaging, real estate, renewable energy, and securitized digital assets. The DSS business model is based on a distribution sharing system in which shareholders will receive shares in its subsidiaries as DSS strategically spins them out into IPOs.

Jason Grady serves as the Interim Chief Executive Officer of DSS, Inc., and concurrently holds the position of President at Premier Packaging Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of DSS, Inc. Additionally, Jason is an integral member of the DSS Executive Committee, contributing his expertise in various board and officer roles within the company. These include serving as CEO and Director of DSS Biohealth Holdings, President and COO of DSS Financial Management, COO & Director of HWH World, COO and Director of USX Securities, and Chief Business Officer of Impact Bio Medical, among others. With over 25 years of experience navigating the forefront of business growth and industry dominance, Jason has played a pivotal role in propelling DSS into the successful, global portfolio company it is today.

Heather Fritzsche

heatherf@spearheadglobal.com

Heather Fritzsche is the co-founder of Spearhead Global, an innovative packaging solutions provider. Included on the Inc 5000 list, Spearhead Global now operates in the United States, Mexico, Italy, and India.

With a career spanning over two decades, Heather has been instrumental in redefining the spirits industry, working with iconic brands to create award-winning packaging that stands out on shelves and elevates the customer experience. As the owner of a certified Women’s Business Enterprise, Heather is known for disrupting the industry with revolutionary ideas that challenge the status quo.

Website: www.kleinerlabs.com

Dr. Kleiner is a Denver, CO native who trained at Stanford University, University of Colorado, Rush/Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Hospital in Chicago and University of CA at San Diego for pre-medical, medical and residency training. He was an NIH postdoctoral fellow in the biochemistry of tendons and ligaments and fellowship trained in adult and pediatric reconstructive spinal surgery at Colorado Spine Center and the University of Colorado. He is renowned for his compassion, medical knowledge, skill as a surgeon, and as a teacher and scholar.

Dr. Kleiner is a devotee of minimally invasive strategies for spinal surgery and has contributed to the armamentarium of instrumentation, strategies and intellectual property in this area with over 60 issued patents. He is the founder and CEO of Kleiner Device Labs (KDL) and an Assistant Clinical Professor at The University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. He has concentrated his efforts on commercializing the intellectual property portfolio of KDL and has succeeded in procuring FDA clearance, market acceptance, and sales of two spinal surgical devices designed to improve patient outcomes, simplify complex surgeries, reduce the risk of complications, and make good surgeons better.

AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc.

bill.irby@ageagle.com.

https://ageagle.com/

NYSE Symbol: UAVS

Prior to joining AgEagle as President, Bill Irby served as President of MTI Motion, a Steel Partners company specializing in motors and hardware for aircraft, weapons systems, and commercial equipment from November 2022 to February 2024. He has a long career spanning several executive roles in innovative defense organizations. Bill served as the Chief Operating Officer at Martin UAV (assisting in its acquisition by Shield AI) from March 2021 to December 2021, President of the Reconnaissance Mission Systems sector of L3Harris Technologies from October 2018 to February 2021, SVP/GM of Textron Systems’ Unmanned Systems business from November 2012 to October 2018, and as VP of two business units at Northrop Grumman in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Tactical Communications.

Bill is married, with three children, and lives in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.