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Meet The Team
Stacy Donnelly
CEO & Co-founder
Stacy started her professional life as an officer in the Army. But, well before that time, she was proving her desire to take a road less traveled. Recruited to run track at West Point, she accepted a nomination to the US Military Academy, and became a cadet. After fulfilling her obligation to the Army, she put her engineering degree to use at Sprint. Eventually, her outgoing personality moved her in the direction of sales where Stacy orchestrated a financially rewarding professional career in Corporate America. Although successful by most metrics, Stacy was not inspired. Emerson Joseph was born out of a desire to build something from the ground up and marry business know-how with creativity. Once again, Stacy has chosen to take a road less traveled; leaving the predictability and security of the Fortune 500 company she was working for, and striking out on her own.
The daughter of a successful entrepreneur, Stacy has lived all over the U.S. and looks forward to settling down in Charlotte. But this won't stop her from jet-setting around the world as she continues her quest to visit at least one foreign country each year. A graduate of the US Military Academy, Stacy's interests include sports — playing & cheering, live music — watching & listening, casinos — playing & winning, traveling — watching & learning, and friends — laughing & lounging.
Shelly Takats Hutchins
President & Co-founder
Shelly has worked for three Fortune 100 companies in her 11 year career. Each job taught her a great deal about what she wanted, and didn't want, out of life. What she realized, is she couldn't find what she truly wanted in Corporate America. What she has been longing for, and has finally realized, she wants the opportunity to "own" her success. She wants to feel the excitement of "the sale", and not wonder about the next missed opportunity. She wants to know her hard work, energy and effort have a direct relationship with the bottom line of the business. And she wants to work with a group of like minded individuals pursuing a dream.
A graduate of Ball State University, Shelly hopes to put her finance degree and other experiences to good use at Emerson Joseph. Charlotte represents a return to the South (she lived in Savannah for three years) and a place that she looks forward to exploring. She enjoys most any friendly competition. She loves to travel to new places and experience new things and Havana is next on her travel wish list. Running, biking, swimming, hiking—almost anything outdoors—are things she enjoys. Reading books, watching movies, and yard work take up her solitary time.
Jim Donnelly
Co-founder
You might find Jim Donnelly sitting next to you on an airplane, but he's no ordinary traveler. As the former President and Co-founder of IgoUgo, he combined his love for travel with his business and brand know-how to build one of the most popular online travel communities in the world. A corporate executive-turned-entrepreneur, Jim has marketed some of the world's most important and admired brands, serving as Vice President of Marketing for Citibank and Global Brand Manager for Coca-Cola.
In 2000, Donnelly and his co-founder Tony Cheng recognized the need for a website where people could share personal travel experiences. In just a short time, their combined leadership pushed IgoUgo.com into the number-one spot among online travel communities. Honors include the 2004 Webby Award for "Best Travel Site in the U.S." Since IgoUgo was acquired by Sabre Holdings in February 2005, Jim has continued to bring the human element of travel content to the forefront of the industry, speaking often about online business strategies, entrepreneurship, online communities, and travel industry trends.
The son of a U.S. Army officer (and a former U.S. Army officer himself), Jim has lived all over the world—Korea, Germany, France, and 12 different U.S. states—and looks forward to settling in Charlotte. A graduate of the University of Texas and the University of Georgia (MBA), he was named "Entrepreneur of the Year" in 1991 by the United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurs. Jim's interests include photography, mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, golf, and politics.
For Jim, Emerson Joseph represents yet another foray into the world of entrepreneurship…one that will keep him both fashionable and profitable.
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