David Epstein, President
David is currently the President of International Vapor Group. He started with the company in late 2009. He has an accomplished background in various fields including Finance, Real Estate, Marketing and E-Commerce. His experience ranges from startup companies to publicly traded companies.
David's career began in 1990 where he founded Island Promotions in NY. Island Promotions did the marketing, promotions and special events for various iconic New York City venues such Tunnel, Palladium, Club USA & Malibu. He managed all aspects of the marketing, budgeting and maintaining the well-respected image.
In 1996-2002 he worked on Wall Street with proprietary trading at Broadway Trading and working his way up from an account manager with boutique investment firm Dalton Kent to becoming a Vice President of Private Client Services with Ladenburg and Thalmann a New York Stock Exchange member where he managed high net worth clients' assets.
In 2003 David relocated to Miami Beach where he founded Epco Marketing, which specialized in marketing for real estate investments and products. He directly overlooked the sales, strategic planning and corporate development of performance management and strategic planning for various accounts. In 2007 he shifted focus to Internet Marketing and the direct response model. In the Internet space he has worked and managed various models - SEM/SEO, PPC, CPC and CPA campaigns.
David's vision and innovative strategies will continue to enhance International Vapor Group's operations, service, reach and brand. He is a graduate of Stony Brook University, New York.
Marc Waxman, COO
Marc is currently the COO of International Vapor Group. He started with the company in January of 2013. Marc is responsible for providing the leadership, management and vision necessary to ensure that International Vapor has proper operational controls, procedures and a team in place to effectively grow the organization and ensure financial strength and operational efficiency.
Prior to joining International Vapor Group, Marc has worked for Heys USA (luggage manufacturer) as the Sr. Director of Operations, Source Interlink/Alliance Entertainment (largest entertainment distributor) as the Director of Logistics/Supply Chain and Sports Authority (national retailer) in multiple management positions from Finance to Logistics where he strategically developed and enriched operational processes and procedures through automation and creativity. Marc has a multi-functional background concentrating on operations, supply chain, logistics, compliance, and finance. He comes to us with a proven track record of over twenty years of driving change and leading multimillion dollar projects
Marc received his BBA from Florida Atlantic University.
Jorge Gonzalez, CIO
Jorge is an expert in global technology strategy and the connectivity of cloud, website and mobile systems that help lower costs, create efficiency, increase business value, organize workflow and enhance collaboration.
He has helped companies like European Wax Center and Amazing Lash Studio grow to become two of the fastest growing companies as per Entrepreneur Magazine. Jorge is responsible for leading IVG’s Information Technology department which consists of Enterprise Services & Support as well as Technology & Innovation.
David Shield, CFO
David joined the team in 2018 as Chief Financial Officer. He has a varied range of experience and expertise in multiple industries.
He started his career at Arthur Andersen with a diverse client base, primarily handling accounts in the manufacturing industry. He entered the private sector as Corporate Controller at United States Leather while also serving as Treasurer during their restructuring. His experience was further enhanced in roles of increasing responsibilities at employers such as Newell Rubbermaid and Goodyear. In 2014, Dave joined Sonny’s Enterprises as their CFO leading them through a significant growth phase.
David graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater earning a BBA in Accounting and is a CPA.
Cortni Lewis, VP of Store Operations
As Vice President of Store Operations, Cortni is responsible for the growth and profitability of all retail stores, including providing leadership and support to Vaporfi's Franchisees. She is also responsible for all day-to-day operations of Vaporfi stores. Cortni's specialty retail experience is varied, concentrating on store operations, management, sales development, and sales training. Her passion for the retail industry and leadership abilities have been recognized throughout the many roles she has held at every level of retail.
In 2006, she obtained her MBA to combine education with her practical experience, thereby opening the door to more strategic roles in multi-unit management, overseeing stores throughout the US.
Prior to joining IVG, she was employed by Limited Corp., Casual Corner, Brookstone, and Solstice Sunglasses Boutique.
Matthew Nahanee, VP of Customer Experience
Matthew Nahanee is Vice President of Customer Experience for International Vapor Group. As Vice President of Customer Experience, Matthew is responsible for leading our World Class Customer Service Team. He oversees all customer-related activities, including our contact centers, home delivery programs, product training programs, customer privacy and customer communications. As our first International Vapor Group employee, he was brought in to set up and develop the department and has successfully kept us rated at the top of charts for customer experience across all of our brands.
One of Matt's best assets is that he keeps us looking at things from the customers' perspective and that allows us to serve the only reason we exist, our customers.
Matt comes from a Contact Center background and has developed customer service and sales programs for Home Depot, Dish Network, DirecTV, Verizon, AT&T and Stamps.com.
Lisa Pena, VP of Marketing
Lisa is currently the VP of Marketing. She started with the company in 2015. Serving as the strategic lead behind all marketing strategies including creative design, product development, packaging, user experience, SEO, content marketing, print media, and project management with an emphasis in e-commerce.
Lisa has over a decade of digital marketing and traditional advertising experience acquired from her previous roles as VP of Marketing with Condo.com and E-commerce Director for Navarro Discount. In her history, Lisa developed omni-channel marketing campaigns to the masses plus streamlined international ecommerce brands growing them into various channels such as Amazon, eBay and Google shopping. She has lead major marketing and technical initiatives in some of the world’s leading online brands such as Sony, Verizon and AT&T.
A local resident to Miami FL, Lisa attended Miami Dade College, and continued her studies towards a BBA at South University.
Anthony Yockey, VP of Enterprise Services & Support
Anthony has been active in the software technology field under different roles for more than two decades. He has been an instrumental person in developing and growing technology organizations. His work in both small and large companies (such as Siebel Systems, and Sterling Commerce), makes him an expert in bridging business and technology, and driving growth and success. He was one of the early adopters of eCommerce and was integral in building some of the early eCommerce websites.
Anthony attended Davis College and the University of Toledo and was certified as an Avionics Technician with the United States Marine Corps. Being well versed in all aspects of business operations, he has helped grow several young companies, increasing revenue by formulating growth strategies, instilling processes and serving as an active member of the management teams. He identifies areas where efficiency can be utilized and expenses trimmed while not sacrificing operations or customer satisfaction.