15 minute read
Misc
Arjun Singh Gidda McNeill
Vice President and Director of Business NEO Motorsport & Whole River Trading Bolton, Ontario
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Arjun Singh Gidda McNeill is being recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Distinguished Executive for his exceptional work in the Wholesale industry and in acknowledgment of his work at Whole River Trading.
Arjun Singh Gidda McNeil is the Vice President of Whole River Trading, an Asian food company selling delicious rice, noodles, sauces, oils, and more throughout Canada. Mr. McNeill takes great pride in selling food grown organically with old-fashioned methods. His mission is to, “ensure healthy eating without compromise” by selecting the highest quality of every product his company sells.
After graduating from Robert F. Hall High School in 2016, Mr. McNeill enrolled in The Modern Mystery School, where he is currently studying Spirituality. In 2018, he attended Seneca College, where he began with the program in Aviation/Airway Management Operations and switched to Business.
Mr. McNeill began his career with a job at Extrude-A-Trim Inc., where he gained experience as an order picker. Mr. McNeill was also an Air Cadet for seven years. After training as a Pilot for two years, he began as an Exclusive Assistant and Director of Business in 2020 for NEO Motorsport, where he still works today. Working at NEO Motorsport, he then helped create a race team that competes in Lucky Dog Racing Canada with their BMW E36 Racecar. He then joined Wei Chi Lin in Whole River Trading as a way to provide exceptional quality food to consumers at wholesale prices, working as a brokerage for Taiwanese products.
In his current role as the company’s Vice President, Mr. McNeill supplies Canada with top-quality food from Asia. He handpicks manufacturers that uphold traditional methods and use fresh ingredients. Whole River Trading sells noodles, sauces, cooking oil, wafers, and rice. In addition, Whole River Trading creates gift packages of sampler packs of rice - perfect for a family, or those looking to try new types of rice. Mr. McNeill’s company offers eight types of Tenno premium rice, including jasmine, hybrid long-grain, sushi rice, and pearl rice. The site features blog posts written in both English and Chinese about the best and most interesting foods from around the world.
Mr. McNeill’s worldview is that his dreams will change the world and bring light to those around him, a goal to which he is 100% dedicated. He believes that the best way to become rich is to enrich the lives of everyone around him.
For more information, visit wholerivertrading.com and neo-motorsport. com.
David Lapp
CEO Blessings of Hope Leola, PA
David Lapp is being recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Distinguished Executive for his work in the Food Distribution industry and in acknowledgment of his work at Blessings of Hope and Light of Hope Ministries.
Mr. Lapp founded the Light of Hope Ministries along with his brother Steve in 2007, where he remains the Principal CEO. The ministry now has multiple programs and locations, and offers training courses to guide members toward finding a fruitful life in Christ. Haven of Hope, where congregants can focus on emotional healing through mentoring and classes, is one offshoot of the church, as is Blessings of Hope, a food distribution center.
As the Principal CEO of Blessings of Hope, David Lapp is helping members of his community each day through the distribution of fresh food and vegetables. Blessings of Hope distributes prepackaged food boxes filled with a mix of fresh fruits and shelf-stable foods throughout Pennsylvania, New York, and North Carolina. Blessings of Hope serves food six days a week, operating out of 30 trailers. They distribute over 68 million pounds of food annually, with over 200 suppliers.
Mr. Lapp has been working in the Food Distribution industry for over 15 years, and began his work as the Principal CEO at Blessings of Hope in 2018. He is proud to be a part of food waste reduction - by diverting food to those who need it, Blessings of Hope maintains a zero-waste facility. They compost any food that cannot be consumed.
Mr. Lapp hopes to achieve a nationwide distribution model within the next few years. He plans to continue his work at his ministry and food distribution center for many years to come.
Awarded for his work, Mr. Lapp and the Blessings of Hope food bank were featured in an article by Lancaster Online in 2018, as well as in an article by WGAL8 News highlighting their 2,000 box distribution efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.
For more information, visit https://www.lightofhopeministries.com/ and https://www.blessingsofhope.com.
Efraim Ben- Eli
President Masada Institute for Senior Citizens Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Efraim Ben- Eli is being recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Distinguished Executive for his work in Geriatric Care and in acknowledgment of his work at the Masada Institute for Senior Citizens.
Mr. Ben-Eli began his work with senior citizens at the Beth Reim Home for Seniors, where he worked from 1983-2013. He began working as the Director in 1989. In 2010, Mr. Ben-Eli was briefly interviewed by CBA News for his expertise on senior care during heat waves. Mr. Ben-Eli made sure his staff and residents stayed cool and hydrated during the summer months.
He opened his own senior center in 1997, the Masada Institute for Senior Citizens, where he has now been working as the company’s President for 24 years. At the Psycho-Geriatric Care facility, Mr. Ben-Eli supervises 22 employees and oversees 40 patients. Among his greatest accomplishments, he is proud to have protected his patients from COVID-19 entirely, as there have been no cases of Coronavirus in his facilities. Mr. Ben-Eli enjoys working with older people to help them live comfortably and receive the care and attention they require. The Masada Institue for Senior Citizens is located at 4777 Avenue Lacombe in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Looking towards the future, Mr. Ben-Eli hopes to expand the number of facilities he maintains, as well as offer housing for mentally challenged individuals.
Franki deMerle
Author and Poet Vancouver, WA
Franki deMerle is being recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Top Author and Poet for her outstanding work in the writing field.
Franki deMerle was born in Memphis, TN. When she was young, she began writing poetry as a way to express her deepest emotions and feelings. Ms. deMerle was inspired by listening to Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the radio, and by her love of animals and nature. She says, “I believe I write because I’m sensitive.”
She wrote her first novel while in her fifties. Ms. deMerle is the author of three books, Deception Past, Dragonfly Dreams, and Five Flowers. Each novel focuses on reincarnation, dreams, premonitions, and memories. Ms. deMerle, while passionate about the topic, says, “It’s not necessary to believe in reincarnation to enjoy my novels.”
She has also written four volumes of poetry: Ripples on the Surface, Child of the Universe, A Call to Contemplation, and An Unconditional Moment. Each book covers a period of her life. Her poetry is “a search for meaning, beauty, kindness, and harmony in a world of contention and conflict.” She hopes to inspire compassion and forgiveness in all of her writing. Ripples on the Surface is an early collection of mystical poems. Child of the Universe focuses on poems she wrote from 2006 to 2010. A Call to Contemplation features a wide range of poems about nature and the universe. In total, Ms. deMerle has written over 950 poems throughout over fifty years of writing experience. Her poetry is comparable in style and subject to Emily Dickinson.
Ms. deMerle worked as an author and editor for KatMoran Publications. She has been published numerous times by the National Library of Poetry. She worked for the United States Army for 29 years. Additionally, she is a founding member of the Build the Dream Foundation dedicated to building the Memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Washington, DC. She has performed professionally on sitar and classical guitar.
She has been awarded for her work with profile recognitions on newswire.com and the Independent Author Network, where she was a Featured Author. She has been interviewed on radio, TV, and the internet.
She is now retired and lives with her sister, a cat, and two parakeets. They have recently renovated their front lawn to create a pollinator garden. She plays Celtic harp, classical guitar, and baritone recorder.
James Wright
Board President (and retired from the Oil and Gas industry and Dow Chemical) Harris County Municipal Utility District Houston, TX
James Wright is being recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Distinguished Executive for his work in Utility Management and in acknowledgment of his work at Harris County Municipal Utility District 200.
Since 2007, Mr. Wright has been working as the Board President of Municipality Utility Districts (MUD) 200. For over 14 years, he has been working with the organization to provide water, sewage, drainage, and other important utility services to people in the Houston, TX area. As a publicly elected President of the Board of Directors, Mr. Wright manages and controls the affairs of MUD as required by the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality. Mr. Wright previously worked in the oil and gas industries and at Dow Chemical.
Outside of sewage and drainage, MUD also works on other water functions, such as irrigation, conservation, firefighting, solid waste collection and disposal, and recreational sites like pools and parks. Today, Mr. Wright has the final say on the approval of all projects, and is involved with a 2 million dollar county project. Current projects for the area include waterline replacement construction, which began in February 2021.
He attended Grambling State University from 1970-1972, where he was involved with multiple organizations, including Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Alpa Beta Sigma Chapter - Houston, TX, American Water Works Association, Association of Water Board Directors, and Unit Commissioner for the Boy Scouts of America. Mr. Wright remains associated with the Water Board Association.
On a personal note, Mr. Wright supports St. Judes and the March of Dimes. He is also the Unit Commissioner of a local Boy Scout troop.
For more information, visit https://municipalops.com/districts/harriscounty-mud-200/.
Jarad Webb
Jarad Webb is being recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Pinnacle Executive for his work in Coffee Retail and Veteran’s Fundraising and in acknowledgment of his work as the CEO of Zero Dark Thirty Coffee Inc.
Jarad Webb is the CEO and Co-Founder of Zero Dark Thirty Coffee Inc., which has the mission of helping veterans and first responders find another successful chapter of their lives after service related injuries, both mental and physical. Before starting his roastery, Mr. Webb was a Combat Engineer in the United States Marine Corps for four years. He then served the Twin Falls and Boise communities of Idaho as a police officer for 16 years. While serving as a Police Officer, Mr. Webb had 4 shoulder surgeries and a neck fusion from injuries sustained on the job. Like millions of Americans, he got addicted to opiate pain medication and it changed who he was at his core. He sacrificed his integrity for more pills and was ultimately arrested in his own department for prescription fraud. After contemplating suicide himself, he decided to get back up and put his life back together. He successfully graduated Ada County Veteran’s treatment court and had his charges dismissed, but the most important thing was he got his integrity back. Today he is happily married to his wife of 22 years and has a great relationship with his three awesome kids. Once he climbed his way out of the dark pit of despair that addiction is, he chose to turn around and help others climb out as well. Today, Mr. Webb is the President of the nonprofit organization Zero Dark Thirty Coffee, Inc. He and another disabled veteran founded the company in 2020 in order to help their brothers and sisters in all US military branches and all first responders get the support they need after being wounded in the line of duty. The organization roasts and sells coffee, with proceeds going to suicide prevention, first responders and veterans suffering PTSD, and other physical or mental job-related injuries. Mr. Webb and his team have over a decade of experience roasting coffee beans from all over the world. Profits are donated to trustworthy 501 (c)3 charities helping heroes get back to enjoying the freedom and safety they secured for all of us.
Mr. Webb is continuously focused on finding the best ways to support American heroes. In addition, Mr. Webb was featured on a segment by KBOI Channel 2 News for his work in veteran affairs. He was also featured in the Idaho Press for rescuing a dog from the Wilson Canal during his time in the police force.
Mr. Webb plans to open a larger coffee roastery in the future and create his own 501(3)(C) to benefit injured veterans. He wants to continue to network with others in his field in order to help the most heroes possible. Mr. Webb attributes his drive to succeed to the importance of his mission, and his refusal to fail.
For more information, visit https://www.zerodarkthirtycoffee.com/.
Katherine Creelman Skrobela
Katherine Creelman Skrobela is being recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Pinnacle Lifetime Achiever in the field of Music in acknowledgment for her role as Director of Technical Information with Brown Harris Stevens.
A distinguished professional, Ms. Skrobela has served as the Director of Technical Information and Agent Support at Brown Harris Stevens since 2004. Brown Harris Stevens is a quintessential luxury residential real estate firm with a strong vision of leadership and lasting relationships dating back to its establishment in 1873. It is one of America’s oldest and largest luxury real estate service providers, with offices throughout New York City, the Hamptons, Palm Beach, and Miami.
Throughout her acclaimed career, Ms. Skrobela gained professional experience in various positions. A former senior programmer analyst at Chase Manhattan Bank, senior consultant at Marathon Software and Services Inc. and programmer at ADT Company, she has spent more than 35 years in the field of data processing. Ms. Skrobela also spent nine years as the first music librarian at Middlebury College in Vermont and seven years as a music cataloger at Brooklyn College. She is also currently the president of Miranda Music, Inc., an appointment that she has held since 1995. Having produced musical performances for more than 40 years and recordings for more than 20 years, Ms. Skrobela has continuously showcased her passion for building community through music.
An expert in music production, Ms. Skrobela prides herself on demonstrating her visionary and creative talent in her work. Some of her work has included performances of Stephen Sondheim’s Company and revues such as one devoted to the music of Harold Arlen, as well as several benefit events. She also backed the hit revue, “Our Sinatra,” which ran for more than three years off-Broadway and enjoyed a nationwide tour with the support of Columbia Artists. Ms. Skrobela has produced over 25 albums, most recently the third album by Marissa Mulder, a rising cabaret star.
To prepare for her career, Ms. Skrobela earned an undergraduate degree at Vassar College in 1962 and a Masters of Library Science degree at Columbia University in 1964.
In light of her professional achievements, during Ms. Skrobela’s years at Chase Manhattan Bank, she earned the prestigious Excalibur Award. She also received a Cabaret Hotline Special Contribution to Cabaret Award in 2011.
Active locally, Ms. Skrobela has served as the chair of the Membership Committee and Service Committee of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Auxiliary. She has been an active member of the Country Dance and Song Society of America, Music Library Association as chairman, The Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs, and The American Popular Song Society. She was also the editor of the Music Cataloging Bulletin and was vice president of the UFO-Cobol/XE International Users Group. Currently, Ms. Skrobela devotes her time to the Paul Taylor Dance Company.
Katherine dedicates this recognition in the loving memory of Walter Gerboth.
For more information about Brown Harris Stevens, please visit https:// www.bhsusa.com/.
Kenneth Ungerecht
Author Northome, MN
Kenneth Ungerecht is being recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Lifetime Achiever for his work as an Author.
As a respected Electronic Engineer for four decades, Mr. Ungerecht has recently retired, and dedicates his time to writing and working on the family farm. He is the author of God Theories and Divine Principles.
Mr. Ungerecht pursued his college education and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Science from the Bemidji State University of Minnesota in 1968. He also attended the RETS Electronics School in Baltimore, where he studied Electronic Engineering and Technology from 1976-1978.
As an Electronic Engineer for close to 40 years, Mr. Ungerecht, obtained vast expertise in the field. He worked for Lockheed Martin from 19962000 as an Engineer and Training Representative. He began working for Poole & Associates/KEYW Corporation in 2000, where he developed and tested highly technical computer courses aimed at individuals and military personnel. After four decades in Electronics, Mr. Ungerecht has retired, and now enjoys traveling, playing golf, and helping his brother with the family farm in Minnesota.
Mr. Ungerecht felt it was important to write about spirituality in a scientific manner, and feels that science and spirituality can go together hand in hand. He first wrote God Theories in 2010, writing about the price of humanity’s wars, prejudice, and discrimination in the name of religion. The book addresses beliefs that science has rendered God obsolete, instead arguing that science allows room for the belief that people are here for a reason - as a piece of a higher power.
Using his background in both science and religion, Mr. Ungerecht’s second book, Divine Principles, is focused on “a determined and systematic search for important Universal Truth.” Divine Principles includes aspects of metaphysics mixed with science and religion. Through his book, he encourages readers to find their true potential by embracing life’s divine aspects.
He has been interviewed multiple times for his work, most recently on CUTV News Radio Spotlight and AMI Radio. He was a guest on the TV show SpirituallyRaw, a show that discusses religious extremes and taboos.
Mr. Ungerecht enjoys playing golf, basketball, horseshoes, and a variety of card games. He spends his winters in a Florida retirement community, pursuing these and other pastimes with a group of very special coretirees.
For more information, visit www.kenungerecht.com.
