American University President Kerwin to address our group.
Katzen Arts Center to Host the Greater Washington Wrestling Business Network January 26th Event

Dennis Hastert and Dan Gable to speak with Wade Schalles as our Master of Ceremonies.

January 21, 2012

John Licata, GWWBN President has announced that President Kerwin will be part of the program. Licata stated, “Our Founders Board felt that by having our events on a local college campus it would create excitement and demonstrate to administrators the type and quality of business professionals with ties to wrestling there are. The Katzen Arts Center is an ideal site to promote our mission and help support the school’s wrestling program. I feel by having President Kerwin take time to do so is a clear demonstration of the potential good that can occur.”

DENNIS HASTERT was the 59th Speaker of the House and the longest- serving Republican Speaker in history. Also, a former collegiate wrestler, high school government teacher and Illinois State Championship wrestling coach.

DAN GABLE is famous for having lost one match his entire high school and college career- his last, and winning the 1972 Olympic Gold Medal in Munich while not giving up a single point. As head coach at the University of Iowa he won fifteen NCAA team championships.

GWWBN is a not for profit group that has been formed by its founding board to mobilize the business wrestling community for personal, social and business purposes in a proactive fashion to support and prosper. Founders Board Members consist of;

John Licata, JK Moving Services; Keith Burgess, The Meltzer Group; Darran Anthony, First Home Mortgage; Eric Brugel, Grey Owl Capital Management; Kevin Colabucci, Mercedes-Benz of Silver Spring; Derek Donahue, Business Solutions HZI, Inc; Michael Lerner, Meridan Homes; Alan Meltzer, The Meltzer Group; Wade Schalles, Eagle Hawk Academy; and Dan Wotring, Integrated Logistics/ Platinum Circle Technologies.

Meltzer Benefit Group is the primary event sponsor along with the American University’s Kogod School of Business, Mercedes-Benz of Silver Spring, The National Wrestling Coaches Association and JK Moving Services.

For more information and to pre-register until 1/25 go to www.gwwbn.org; otherwise pay at door.

American University’s Katzen Arts Center to Host the Greater Washington Wrestling Business Network January 26th Event

Wade Schalles, Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame will be the Master of Ceremonies

December 19, 2011

John Licata, GWWBN President has announced that Wade Schalles has agreed to MC the event hosted at American University’s Katzen Arts Center. Licata stated, Wade adds so much to the event. A wrestling legend himself who lives in Maryland has been very involved in the formation of our group and serves as a Founding Board Member. Schalles stated, “I am very excited to be part of this event and group of professionals. The Katzen Arts Center is an ideal site to promote our mission and help support the school’s wrestling program. I can’t think of a better place for the areas business community to come together for an evening of building relationships. Then for our membership to be able to meet, hear and have their pictures taken with Speaker Hastert and Coach Gable…..well its just going to be a great event.”

Wade Schalles, a 2 X NCAA Champion who holds multiple records in the sport including the Guinness World Records for most amateur wins and pins and the creator of some of the most notorious moves-including the Spladle and Cement Mixer.

Dennis Hastert was the 59th Speaker of the House and the longest- serving Republican Speaker in history. Also, a former collegiate wrestler, high school government teacher and Illinois State Championship wrestling coach.

Dan Gable is famous for having lost one match his entire high school and college career- his last, and winning the 1972 Olympic Gold Medal in Munich while not giving up a single point. As head coach at the University of Iowa he won fifteen NCAA team championships.

GWWBN is a not for profit group that has been formed by its founding board to mobilize the business wrestling community for personal, social and business purposes in a proactive fashion to support and prosper. Founders Board Members consist of;

John Licata, JK Moving Services; Keith Burgess, The Meltzer Group; Darran Anthony, First Home Mortgage; Eric Brugel, Grey Owl Capital Management; Kevin Colabucci, Mercedes-Benz of Silver Spring; Derek Donahue, Business Solutions HZI, Inc; Michael Lerner, Meridan Homes; Alan Meltzer, The Meltzer Group; Wade Schalles, Eagle Hawk Academy; and Dan Wotring, Integrated Logistics/ Platinum Circle Technologies.

Meltzer Benefit Group is the primary event sponsor along with Mercedes-Benz of Silver Spring, The National Wrestling Coaches Association and JK Movers.

Mercedes-Benz of Silver Spring Hosted Greater Washington Wrestling Business Network Event

November 23, 2011

Kevin Colabucci, GM at Mercedes-Benz of Silver Spring is an advocate of giving back to the sport he learned so much from. Kevin stated, “Much of my personal and professional success I attribute to my participation in wrestling.” After a successful GWWBN launch event in September, the Founders Board, who Kevin is part of, felt there was a need to add a smaller professional development aspect for our group. On November 22nd Mercedes-Benz of Silver Spring played host to a group of 35 professionals who listened to guest speaker, Ardell Fleeson lecture on the topic of how to network successfully and make it part of your business and success plan.

John Licata, President of the GWWBN also added, “Holding events at our members places of business makes good sense, allows members to promote their business and adds excitement.”

GWWBN is a not for profit group that has been formed by its founding board to mobilize the business wrestling community for personal, social and business purposes in a proactive fashion to support and prosper. Founders Board Members consist of;

John Licata, JK Moving Services; Keith Burgess, The Meltzer Group; Darran Anthony, First Home Mortgage; Eric Brugel, Grey Owl Capital Management; Kevin Colabucci, Mercedes-Benz of Silver Spring; Derek Donahue, Business Solutions HZI, Inc; Michael Lerner, Meridan Homes; Alan Meltzer, The Meltzer Group; Wade Schalles, Eagle Hawk Academy; and Dan Wotring, Integrated Logistics/ Platinum Circle Technologies.

The event theme is to engage the business community with ties to wrestling to support wrestling while showing its economic impact. The goal is to mobilize the group to support each others business with the clear understanding that we individually will give back to the sport of wrestling.

Kevin Colabucci, a Founding Member said, “We came away from our September Launch event with a great deal of excitement.” This recent function was an opportunity to network on a smaller scale while also learning a useful professional skill that serves all professional well.”

The next function is scheduled for Thursday January 26, 2012 at the Katzen Fine Arts Center on the campus of American University.

Greater Washington Wrestling Business Network Holds First Gathering

September 23, 2011

Over 200 business leaders with wrestling ties came together on September 22 at the inaugural meeting of the Greater Washington Wrestling Business Network (GWWBN).  The event which was sponsored by the Meltzer Benefit Group was held at the Tower Club in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia.

The event also attracted the current college coaches from American, Maryland, George Mason, Minnesota and Virginia Tech along with several top high school coaches from Virginia and Maryland.

GWWBN is a non-profit group formed to mobilize the wrestling community for business, social and personal purposes in a proactive fashion to support and prosper.

The group did just that with the theme of the evening being to completely engage the business community to support wrestling, while showing the economic impact that these former wrestlers who are now leaders have. The goal is to mobilize the group to not only support each other in business but to also give back to the sport.

Congressman Jim Jordan a two-time NCAA Champion and NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer were the evening’s guest speakers.

Congressman Jordan spoke on the fact that our country, more than ever, needs the core values developed through wrestling (commitment, perseverance, self reliance, integrity, honor, discipline).  He also stated that discipline is doing what you do not want to do when you do not want to do it.

NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer pointed out that, the sustainability of our youth, high school and intercollegiate programs are reliant on the support of the community around them.

“On behalf of the founding members of the Greater Washington Wrestling Business Network, I want to thank everyone for making this inaugural event a huge success.  It was very encouraging to see so many wrestling alumni in very high leadership positions come out to support the event. This will undoubtedly provide us with the necessary momentum to significantly grow the GWWBN membership and spread wrestling’s influence throughout the region,” said founder John Licata.

In addition GWWBN held a youth wrestling clinic over the weekend to help give back to the local youth programs, the local colleges played a vital role in this endeavor. The attendance at the clinic shows that they have found their niche in the area with 350 youth wrestlers in attendance, which was put together by board member Wade Schalles.

The founding Board Members of the GWWBN are Darran Anthony, Eric Brugel, Keith Burgess, Kevin Colabucci, Derek Donahue, Michael Lerner, John Licata, Alan Meltzer, Wade Schalles, and Dan Wotring.

The next event to be sponsored by the GWWBN will be held in January, for more information visit their website http://www.gwwbn.org/gwwbn/ or join the Facebook page.

Tammy Tedesco