Board of Directors

FBI Executive Board

Frances Harder (Fashion For Profit), Founder, President/Executive Director

Frances is an entrepreneur and educator, who prior to self-publishing Fashion for Profit and co-founding the Fashion Business Incorporated (FBI) was a full time Assoc. Professor at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. Frances conceived of the FBI in 1998 to provide vital business development, resources and education to creative designer/manufacturers, who lack the critical business skills to become successful in today's competitive environment. Frances has extensive international design and teaching experience and has had her own name under license in Japan. Frances is also a partner in California Style Group, which provides international consulting on branding, licensing and product development. Fashion for Profit is an extensive text book which covers the nuts to bolts of starting an apparel company; from licenses, financing, production, costing, sales representation and finally to opening a retail store. Frances's book is used and sold internationally. She has recently produced a two-hour DVD to complement the information provided in her book. Frances studied art and majored in fashion design in England.

Ken Wengrod (FTC Commercial), Executive Chair

Ken Wengrod is one of the country's leading financial advisors and L.A.'s financial powerhouse behind the fashion industry's leading contemporary designers. FTC clients include William Rast/Justin Timberlake, Taverniti, Tom's Shoes, Mike and Chris, J. Lindenberg, and Sally Hershberger (hair care products) to name a few. Profiled in Los Angeles Business Journal's, "Style File", He is known for his unique strategies for success and identifying creative start up designers, who possess the talent necessary to be cultivated into a successful and recognizable name in the fashion industry.  He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Fashion Business Inc., a non-profit organization which provides training and industry experience to young designers. Ken Wengrod's prominent status as a leader in the finance world comes from is distinctive blend of 30 years experience and thorough understanding of the entire trade cycle of apparel manufacturing and importing from design concept to ultimately collecting sales. His insightful financial knowledge is invaluable for start up designers and companies. He has pioneered the cost effective business formula that fuels the U.S. market and meets the needs of the consumers' ever-changing fashion trends that's responsible for the explosive growth in the contemporary LA market.  Ken Wengrod is president and founder of FTC Commercial Corp., the LA-based factoring operation which provides multi-million dollars in financing to public and private consumer related industries. Wengrod is an expert in teaching business owners how to safeguard against indentify theft and fraud internally and externally. Wengrod is also a member of the board of a publicly traded apparel company.   www.ftccc.net

Rob Greenspan (Greenspan Consulting), Treasurer

President/ CEO of Greenspan Consulting Inc.Robert Greenspan began his professional career with Moss Adams in 1979. He became a partner in 1985, then Los Angeles Managing Partner in 1995. In 2010 Rob founded Greenspan Consult, Inc, a consulting firm that specializes in providing financial and strategic planning services to the apparel industry. Rob has assisted clients in all aspects of their businesses such as preparing financial statements, obtaining financing, factoring, import, lines of credit, trade credit financing, drafting and implementing business plans and cash flow projections.  He has acted as the liaison between the client and the client’s lenders.  He has successfully aided clients in their planning for growth and expansion, as well as their plans to reduce their size or successfully transition their ownership.  He has been an expert witness in garment industry matters involving standards and practices. www.greenspanconsult.com

Ernesto Mantilla (Betty Bottom Showroom), Secretary

Ernesto Mantilla has been immersedin the garment industry since 1973. Originally from Mexico City, Ernesto’s experience ranges from production supervisor at Brighton, sales at Colours, as a buyer for his own company (Pacific Clothing Exchange) and for the past 25 years as co-owner of Betty Bottom Showroom. Ernesto and his wife Rosanne own and manage one of the most successful showrooms at California Market Center (CMC). Using their vastexperience in the industry from production to sales, marketing and design, has made Betty Bottom Showroom one of the pioneer showrooms at CMC. His primary goal today is to help new designer/entrepreneurs in the US to achieve their goals. Ernesto’s favorite saying is “A bad day in Los Angeles today is better that a good day in most places in planet earth” always followed by “the good old days are today.” www.bettybottom.com

FBI Board

Martin Hughes (Moss Adams), Voting Member

Moss Adams LLP, Full Service CPA serving the Apparel Industry for over 40 years. Martin has practiced public accounting for over 20 years. He has provided assurance and consulting services to public and privately-held middle market clients in the apparel, manufacturing and distribution industries. Martin has significant experience in dealing with accounting, auditing and general business and management matters, including communicating with the financing community. www.mossadams.com

Joanne Lee, Senior VP of CMC Services (California Market Center), Voting Member

Joanne Lee has over 10 years of marketing and advertising experience. She helped lead the Microsoft account at McCann Erickson SF and the HP account at Publicis & Hal Riney in San Francisco. She is currently the Senior Vice President at California Market Center where she overseas CMC Events (tradeshows, marketing, public relations, and retail relations). She is an active member of the LA Fashion District BID and the Stanford Young Alumni LA Chapter.She earned her BA from Stanford University with a degree in Psychology, where she participated in Honors College and Stanford Overseas (Paris).

Karalynn Sprouse (MAGIC), Voting Member

With more than 17 years of experience in sales, advertising and marketing, Karalynn Sprouse has ample experience guiding top-tier companies to success. As an accomplished corporate sales leader and marketer, Karalynn leads the MAGIC international sales & customer service team as Vice President of Sales. In this position, Karalynn is responsible for increasing market share, building new revenue streams through strategic partnerships, and creating a solution-based sales and service approach.Prior to joining MAGIC International, Karalynn spent 15 years in publishing, most recently she was Vice President of Advertising for the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, a division of Media News Group, the nation’s fourth largest newspaper company.Karalynn is a native Californian, she attended the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon and her career has taken her to Central and Northern California as well as Nevada before returning to where she currently resides in Southern California with her daughter Brittany whom is currently attending California State University, Channel Islands.MAGIC International is a division of Advanstar Communications, Inc.; Advanstar Communications Inc. (www.advanstar.com) is a leading worldwide media company providing integrated marketing solutions for the Fashion, Life Sciences and Powersports industries.

Alicia Estrada (Stop Staring!), Voting Member

Alicia Estrada is  the Designer, Founder, and CEO of Stop Staring!   Stop Staring! was founded over 13 years ago, and is sold in 100s of boutiques in over 45 countries worldwide.  Stop Staring! has been featured in countless fashion magazines such as Lucky, Vogue, and Cosmo, and has a huge celebrity clientele which includes: Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, Eva Mendez, and Zooey Deschanel.  Stop Staring! dresses are original designs  inspired by  the  1940s and 1950s film noir.  Think back to the silver screen era, where the women were so graceful, full of glamour, and ultimately classy!  Stop Staring! dresses are timeless and classic, with a touch of sex appeal!  The dresses are perfect day to dinnerwear, and they enhance all shapes and sizes, and are available up to size 18.  Stop Staring! is known for its wonderful fitting dresses at and at affordable prices! Alicia was studying fashion at Long Beach City college when she started her own business. She is also a founding member for the FBI and is presently a member of the board of Directors.  In 2005 Stop Staring! was awarded “Minority Manufacturing Firm of the Year” by the Mayor of Los Angeles.  Visit Stop Staring! at www.stopstaringclothing.com

Ms. Bhatti assists clients with all stages of securing trademark protection with an emphasis on the selection and enforcement of trademarks domestically and internationally. In addition, she works closely with clients in formulating worldwide trademark protection and registration strategies. Ms. Bhatti has extensive experience in managing large U.S. and international trademark portfolios, and has been involved in TTAB proceedings (oppositions, cancellations, ex parte appeals), litigation and litigation support for cases involving trademarks and copyrights, and matters involving the protection, registration and enforcement of copyrights. She has successfully represented clients in UDRP complaints and other adverse proceedings involving trademarks and copyrights and has represented numerous clients in matters before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. www.buchalter.com

Sharon W. House (Much and House PR and Marketing), Voting Member

A public relations professional for 30 years, Sharon has run the "lifestyle" division of Much and House PR and Marketing for the past 16 years. Fashion clients have included such design and fashion destinations as The California Mart (Now Marketplace), the Beverly Center, Century City, Main Street (Santa Monica) Marketing Association, and the West Hollywood Marketing Association, as well as American Apparel, Bed Head, Chinese Laundry, B.I.Y.A.Y.C.D.A, Nancy Davis' Peace and Love jewelry collection, Moss Adams, LLP., Odina, and The Los Angeles Fashion Awards. www.muchandhousepr.com