FBI Executive Board

Frances Harder, 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, 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 comtemporary 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 indentifying 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.

Rob Greenspan, 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.

Ernesto Mantilla, Secretary

Ernesto Mantilla has been immersed in 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 vast experience 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.”

FBI Board

Martin Hughes, 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.

Jeff McConnell, Voting Member

Mr. McConnell, Director of Legislative Advocacy at Arnie Berghoff & Associates is also a registered lobbyist and has been part of the firm since 2003. In addition to lobbying, Mr. McConnell is responsible for monitoring and analyzing legislation and administrative actions of various municipal agencies for potential impacts or opportunities for the firm’s clients. He also drafts language and arguments for proposed legislation or actions that promote client business interests. Mr. McConnell is an active member of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce where he serves on the Transportation and Goods Movement, Environmental Quality, and Education and Workforce committees. Prior to joining Arnie Berghoff & Associates, Mr. McConnell was Legislative Deputy to Los Angeles City Councilmember Nick Pacheco. His duties included oversight of Downtown Los Angeles development, the City Department of Transportation, the Departments of Public Works, the Library Department, and the City’s budget.

Joanne Lee, 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, 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.

Susan Brandt, Voting Member

Susan Brandt has over 15 years of Internet marketing experience, the past eight years spent working at Shopzilla where she was the VP of Marketing and managed the marketing and communication activities for the company.  She has also worked several other media companies and has extensive experience working through all business phases from start-up through profitability and acquisition.  She has developed the launch strategy and ongoing marketing and public relations campaigns for over a dozen websites.

Ms. Brandt earned her MBA from The College of William and Mary and graduated from Long Island University with a B.A. from the School of Business in Interdisciplinary Studies.

Matthew Chi (CitiBank), Voting Member

Matt Chi has been in the banking industry for over 9 years.  Currently a Branch Manager, VP for the Citibank California Mart Branch.  Matt is a native Californian and has lived in Los Angeles all his life.  He earned his BS in Business Administration with an Option in Management from the California State University, Los Angeles.

Alicia Estrada

Alicia Estrada, head designer and founder of the Stop Staring! collection, started sewing at the age of seventeen. With a house full of 3 brothers and 6 sisters, Alicia quickly forayed her hobby into a thriving business! In 2005, the Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigos, awarded Stop Staring!"Minority Manufacturing Firm of the Year"