Chairman
Cris has a long and prolific background in both business and philanthropy. In fact,
throughout her career she has always been a trailblazer.
Cris first made a name for herself in the 1970s in the world of software and IT
management. Cris set up business libraries for Continental Grain Company and Western
Union, before becoming a Systems Analyst with a Western Union subsidiary. As a sought
after Information Technology specialist and manager of computer programmers, Cris
broke new ground for women in the computing world as computers came of age. Cris
has also been a freelance software consultant during the computing boom of the 1980s.
Cris subsequently held various positions in corporate America, where she proved
herself to be an invaluable asset to the senior management team time and time again.
Her husband George was also a very successful corporate executive, serving as Vice
President and President at Western Union and as CEO of Mid Atlantic Medical Services
(MAMSI).
After very successful corporate careers, this dynamic duo opted to retire from the
world of big business and launch second careers investing in smaller companies like
Life’s Abundance and mentoring their management teams. George and Cris invested
in Life’s Abundance in 2000 and Cris became Chairman in 2012 upon George’s retirement.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Cris has served as a board member
of the Child Assault Prevention Program, the Washington Scholarship Fund, and the
American Heart Association. Cris also currently serves as Chairman of our non profit
foundation.
When not engrossed in the Life's Abundance business or the foundation, Cris can
often be found with her children and grandchildren. Cris also enjoys reading, skiing,
and walking.
President and CEO
Prior to his tenure at Life's Abundance, Lester Thornhill worked as a business consultant,
identifying and creating innovative ways for companies to save time and money as
well as increase sales. In his time here, he’s continued that tradition, helping
to chart a course for our company’s success.
Lester is equipped with a strong background in I.T. and armed with an intuitive
sense for business. Since becoming CEO of Life's Abundance, Lester has worked diligently
to implement measures to put our company on a clear path to prosperity. Those who
know him characterize him as an energetic, positive man of vision.
Over the years, many of the changes he has made have been focused around improving
the way the company services both internal and external customers. His belief is
that happier customers ultimately result in higher sales. He views improving the
customer experience as a win-win proposition, and our steadily improving sales during
his tenure have cemented that belief.
As a leader, his tireless optimism, caring and can-do attitude have encouraged the
Life's Abundance team to tackle multiple projects that have moved the company forward
in a responsible and sustainable way. His people-oriented direction continues to
win the admiration of not only his fellow employees, but also that of our extensive
network of dedicated Field Reps.
Nothing brings Lester more satisfaction or fulfillment than helping others to succeed,
not only in business but in their personal lives, too.
While some companies say that they couldn’t be in more capable hands, we truly mean
it.
Co-Founders
In 1998, two visionaries decided to strike out on their own and start a new company
in the network marketing industry. That company was Trilogy International (Life's
Abundance).
After owning their own network marketing company and working as distributors for
other companies, Carol and Dennis were inspired to create an entirely new kind of
network marketing company … one that fully appreciates and rewards Field Reps for
their hard work and commitment.
Both Carol and Dennis were entrepreneurs at an early age. They applied their independent
spirits and, with a lot of hard work, became successful business owners in the 1980’s.
Later, they learned the extraordinary advantages of the network marketing business
model. While they have shared many triumphs, their personalities could not be more
different. Dennis is a big-picture guy, enjoying coming up with new ideas. Carol’s
forte is managing the logistics necessary to turn those new ideas into reality.
For the last ten years, this dynamic couple devoted just about all of their time
and energy into establishing and building Life's Abundance. Now they are directing
their talents and expertise towards expanding our network of distributors and supporting
the efforts of existing Field Reps.
Carol and Dennis find fulfillment in helping pets live longer, healthier and happier
lives. Additionally, they derive great satisfaction in showing other Field Reps
how to break free from their comfort zones and achieve prosperity.
They are so proud of the home office staff they helped to establish, describing
them as “a great team of talented and dedicated people”. For Carol and Dennis, co-founding
Life's Abundance was “one of the greatest accomplishments of our lives” and that
they “hope to continue be an inspiration and mentor to others” who seek to achieve
their own dreams for success.
Executive Vice President
Stephen Berardi’s business management style embodies two distinct approaches – big
picture thinking and finely honed attention to detail – and both perspectives have
contributed to his success as a Life's Abundance Executive Vice President.
Stephen’s devotion to significant prep work prior to starting projects is spurred
on by a singular and worthwhile goal – to do things right the first time. From developing
protocols, to managing inventories, to overseeing daily operations, to implementing
safety procedures, to creating data-tracking spreadsheets, Stephen has played a
pivotal role in practically every aspect of Life's Abundance business.
His operational knowledge helped to build the bridge from our past – since the first
days with only a handful of employees – to the present day with dozens of employees
and three warehouses nationwide. Thanks in large part to Stephen’s business acuity,
Life's Abundance enjoys a resilient infrastructure that has weathered both the boom
times and the worst financial crisis in several generations.
And yet, in spite of his continual efforts and multiple achievements, Stephen remains
humble regarding his success, preferring to shun personal credit and redirect the
spotlight of attention to the work of the Life's Abundance team as a whole.
In a moment of frankness, Stephen admitted that the old adage for success – “love
what you do” –doesn’t really apply to everyone. In fact, his advice to new Field
Reps and others seeking prosperity lies in the recognition of three concepts: (1)
you’ll never find out what you can accomplish unless you try, (2) each failure,
no matter the context, always represents a teachable moment, and (3) perseverance
is the foundation of attainable dreams.
Coming from a man who takes quiet pride in his ability to accurately plan for the
future, we’re certain others may find his recommendation a reliable recipe for success.