Matt Durfee

Prior to launching Navigator Executive Advisors, Matt held Senior Vice President, Vice President and executive-level Human Resources positions in a number of the world’s most admired companies including Pepsi Cola, Nestle, Frito-Lay International, Hard Rock Cafe, Bank One, Cendant and Centex Homes. His expertise in career & leadership transition, change management and executive development is supplemented with extensive experience in roles ranging from the business unit level to the Board of Directors. His international corporate experience is supplemented with a two-session assignment for the U.S. Council for International Business to represent national employer interests at the European United Nations/I.L.O. in Geneva, Switzerland. Matt earned his Master’s degree in Labor & Industrial Relations from Michigan State University and subsequently completed an executive program in Financial Analysis at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

Jan Cannon

Jan has more than twenty years of human resources experience, combined with 6 years of operations experience in healthcare and retailing.  She has held Vice President Human Resources positions at Cranium, Sur La Table and Cendant Corporation as well as senior level roles at WRQ, Vulcan Northwest and Dayton-Hudson.  Jan has led the mergers & acquisition process in global companies and has worked with early-stage, mid-size and large organizations. Jan’s passion and expertise is in executive coaching, talent assessment & alignment and change management. Jan holds a B.A. in Communications Theory from Seattle University and earned a Certificate in Technology from Stanford University. 

Noel Ferguson

Noel has extensive senior management experience having served in a number of executive capacities including as Senior Vice President of Human Resources & Quality Programs for Marriott Host Services Corporation and Senior Vice President of Human Resources for the La Quinta Corporation. In addition to his corporate achievements, his leadership experience extends into entrepreneurial endeavors including founding Ranch Preservation Partners in Dallas, Texas and launching an award-winning micro-brewery restaurant in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Noel is recognized for his expertise in leading cultural change & leadership effectiveness initiatives as well as for serving as a key advisor to Chief Executive Officers and senior executive team members for both private and publicly-traded companies.

Dan Hahn

Dan is the founder and Chief Operating Officer of Hahn Resource Group, which specializes in providing human resources business solutions to small, emerging and mid-sized organizations. Prior to establishing Hahn Resource Group, he held senior management positions with several organizations including Hard Rock Cafe International, where he was responsible for the global human resources function and Nestle, USA (Stouffer Hotel Company). In addition to his experience in the private sector, Dan has been involved with a variety of volunteer and non-profit organizations including serving on the boards of Hands On Orlando and The Human Resources Management Association of Chicago. Before starting his professional career, Dan earned a M.A. in Labor Relations from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Nick Horney

Nick is a Principal and founder of Agility Consulting and Training and specializes in providing products, consulting and training that enable individuals, teams and organizations to effectively respond to and manage change. He held senior leadership roles in Human Resources and Quality in divisions of Nestle and Pepsi and was a Vice President at the Center for Creative Leadership responsible for global marketing, business development, partnerships & alliances and the client services center. He received his Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from the University of South Florida and retired from the U.S. Navy Reserves at the rank of Captain. You can also view Nick's website at www.agilityconsulting.com.

Steve Mitchell

Steve joined Navigator after working directly with CEOs and senior executives to build effectiveness and increase capability in various manufacturing and consumer organizations.  He has held executive human resource positions at AlliedSignal, Honeywell, BP/Amoco, Brambles Ltd., Kimberly Clark, First Solar and others.  He brings extensive global experience in Europe, Asia and Latin America, speaks fluent Spanish, and has lived outside the U.S. for nine years.  Steve earned a Masters degree in Organization Behavior from Brigham Young University (BYU) and holds a Bachelors degree in Sociology.  He is a Six Sigma Greenbelt, and certified in Situational Leadership, the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory and additional assessment methodologies.

Roe Sie

Roe has over 12 years of Human Resources management experience with particular expertise in the areas of executive compensation, benefits and organizational effectiveness. He has consulted across a wide spectrum of industries including banking, hospitality, restaurants, theme parks, telecommunications, construction and health services. He has held positions at premier corporations such as Walt Disney World and Darden Restaurants and most recently was VP of Human Resources for Wyndham Vacation Ownership. In addition, he brings expertise in developing careers outside of a traditional corporate environment. Roe has built and managed a multi-million dollar real estate portfolio, as well as two startup production companies in Hollywood, California. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania and has completed coursework for Six Sigma Green Belt certification.

Ron Vaerewyck

Ron gained extensive international experience having held various expatriate management roles for 32 years with Dow Corning Corporation.  Recent global experience includes serving as Director of Human Resources for Dow in Hong Kong with responsibilities for all of their Asian operations - from India to Korea. In addition, Ron assumed the role of Global HR Director for one of Dow’s five major lines of business.  His operations experience includes manufacturing & logistics positions while based in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, France and Australia. Prior to joining the Navigator team, Ron consulted with several companies in the areas of leadership development, succession planning, outplacement, and aligning HR strategies with client business models.  He holds an MBA with a major in Economics and has completed several Executive Management Programs in Human Resources.

J. Marie Wallace

J. Wallace’s Human Resources career encompasses more than 25 years of experience and includes extensive staffing responsibilities for award-winning Marriott resorts located in Orlando and the west coast of Florida. As a key member of the executive committee, she provided critical leadership for the planning and implementation of numerous organizational restructurings. She personally provided outplacement support and counseling to countless individuals displaced from their jobs and, as a Navigator advisor, specializes in providing career transition support to non-executive clients. J. graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Georgia with a degree in Business Administration.

Ron Wilesnky

Ron has over 30 years experience helping people and organizations attain maximum effectiveness. His background includes working with CEOs, Senior Management and Board of Directors ranging from non-profit organizations to multi-billion dollar publicly traded companies. He served as Senior Vice President - Human Resources, Marriott Vacation Club; Vice President, Employee Relations - Marriott Corporation; Vice President, Human Resources - Avis Rent A Car; and Director, Human Resources - Hertz Corporation. Ron holds an MBA and completed the Strategic Human Resources Management Program at the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration. He has also completed the requirements for Initial Certification in the Goldsmith Coaching Process.

William W.H. “Bill” Brown

In addition to his role as an executive advisor at Navigator, Bill Brown is the owner & principal consultant of Honolulu-based HR for Hire – a business consulting practice specializing in innovative human resources strategies.  His extensive executive business management background spans industries including hospitality, real estate, utilities, shipping, banking and insurance.  Bill has held the positions of Senior Vice President of Human Resources & Planning for Outrigger Resorts as well as senior roles with Hawaiian Electric Industries and First Hawaiian Bank. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Tufts University in Massachusetts and completed post graduate work at Pace University in New York.