Todd Koren, President & CEO

714.685.2801 – Las Vegas Branch Office

Within weeks of graduating from Chapman University, Todd, along with his parents and brother founded Absolute Exhibits, Inc. in Orange County California. He had a clear-cut vision of what he wanted his exhibit house to offer to the business community. While in college Todd owned and operated an import/export business, Global Provisions, sending food to Samoa and receiving fresh products in return to resell in the greater Los Angeles area.

Todd attended Chapman University , a private college in Orange, California. In three years time he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.

Born and raised in southern California, he now resides in Las Vegas. He is single and spends what little time he has away from business boating on Lake Mead and "living the fast life in Las Vegas."

What did you want be when you grew up and how did it work out for you? Todd responded that he had always planned to be President of the United States and reminds all of us that he still is not of legal age to pursue that dream!

Mike Koren, President, Absolute I&D, Inc.

714.685.2808 – Southern California Corporate Office

Mike was in the furniture manufacturing business for over 20 years – ending as the vice president of a national brand and on the road 300+ days a year. He then became a mortgage broker but was enticed back to display sales 15 years ago.

Mike was a serial college boy – including University of Texas, Arizona State, and USC – he always has a team to cheer on – but did finally graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication.

Born in Steven's Point, Wisconsin and raised in Dallas, Texas and finally southern California. He is married with two children and his hobbies include playing poker, walking the hills that surround his home, working out, reading, and going to the beach.

What did you want be when you grew up and how did it work out for you? Mike responded that he had always planned to an attorney, however his father thought he should be a mortician – so he tossed the two together and became a salesman, something he has enjoyed doing for a lifetime!

Jan Koren, Executive Vice President

714.685.2813 – Southern California Corporate Office

Wife and mother – that's all she ever wanted. However soon she became a freelance Contractor for marketing services and a technical writer and finally a Marketing Director.

Jan attended Arizona State University where she majored in English, and minored in Art. She is married with two children and her hobbies include interior design work, reading, cooking, and entertaining.

What did you want be when you grew up and how did it work out for you? Jan responded that she always planned to be an artist, someone quiet and reflective – however she was never quiet and loves to communicate her thoughts constantly (she has an opinion on just about everything) so she went straight to marketing where she could keep talking and get paid for it.

Gus Gutierrez, Manufacturing Manager

714.685.2823 – Las Vegas Branch Office

Gus came to Absolute Exhibits nine years ago – he stopped to say hi to Mike Koren and we never let him leave the building! An incredible asset – Gus has worked as an exhibit builder for the past 17 years.

Gus migrated from Guanajuato to southern California in 1993. He is married and since we do not allow him to have a life he will tell you that he has brought every aspect of soccer to work – even heading the company team! He and his wife are expecting their first child this year.

What did you want be when you grew up and how did it work out for you? Gus responded that he really wanted to be a doctor and had every intention of going down that long road. However time and family money issues got in the way – so with great hands meant for surgery he turned to carpentry and building. The medical world's loss was our gain!

Matt Hartline, Creative Director

714.685.2842 – Southern California Corporate Office

Matt Hartline was an industrial designer before entering the fascinating world of exhibits. He worked in Atlanta and San Francisco before settling with Absolute Exhibits in southern California. He received a bachelor of science from Georgia Tech and had the time of his life playing the party circuit with his band.

Matt is married with a two toddlers – his hobbies include hiking and camping and he jogs for his health! Since we last wrote his free time answer changed - What you do in your free time?- Sleep – I've got two children under the age of two.

What did you want be when you grew up and how did it work out for you? Famous Rock-n-Roll? Guitar Player. And how did that work for you? Not so well. I didn't know that there were a million other people with the same dream. Plus, I looked ridiculous with long "rocker" hair.

Paul Yap, IT Director

714.685.2824 – Southern California Corporate Office

Paul worked for a supply chain management software company in their marketing department for three years. He also freelanced as a programmer. He graduated from Pitzer College in Claremont with a computer science degree.

Paul is single and spends his off-time enjoying the single life – bars, women, and beach volleyball with frequent stops at the gym.

What did you want be when you grew up and how did it work out for you? Growing up, Paul loved playing with computers. After getting his first commodore 64, he never looked back. From mastering ninja games to programming mud games on calculators to majoring in computer science in college, it was always destined that Paul would land a career in the tech industry.

Sarah Dalton, Project Manager

714.685.2811 – Las Vegas Branch Office

Sarah grew up outside of SF in Pleasanton, spent 6th through 10th grade in AZ, and moved to Vegas in 2001. She is definitely not a desert rat! She attended college at UNLV – the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. She is in the process, after a couple years of soul searching, of pursuing her bachelor's degree in business administration. What you do in your free time – Travel to San Francisco, train in the gym, throw dinner parties, shop for new party dresses, study and cook! Sarah has had two careers at Absolute Exhibits. The first as Todd Koren's personal assistant where she got a real hands on, day to day, upfront exhibit experience. She then became a project manager as she loves to work with clients.

What did you want to be when you grew-up? And how did that work for you? – Starting my own business in the health & wellness industry as a lifestyle coach. I plan to launch my business at the close of 2010, so cross your fingers that it's a smashing success!

Dane Ferguson, Assistant Director of Operations

714.685.2837 – Southern California Corporate Office

Dane is our Assistant Director of Operations and runs between all of our offices in Tustin, Las Vegas, and now, Orlando. He was born and raised in Orange County ... California, not Florida. He was a scholar athlete and played in the number one slot of an award winning high school team that included later to be major league players. He attended UC Berkeley, majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies (business management) and wrote his thesis on NAFTA and its effects on the Mexican economy.

Dane loves sports, being active and competition. Snowboarding in the winter and the river/wakeboarding in the summer. Plus a huge football, baseball, basketball fan. And being around his family too. What did I want to be- my answer is two fold. Clearly being a professional baseball player was my lifelong goal and aspiration. But I also wanted to be the general manager for a pro team as well, having the ability to build and control a sports franchise. After college that ambition changed to finance and running an investment operation. Basically I wanted be a money manager/ stockbroker. Dane is a great addition to the Absolute Exhibits' family and some day he hopes to run our sports franchise!

Tracy Huynh, Controller

714.685.2819 – Southern California Corporate Office

Tracy previously worked in accounts payable in a small company that sold roofing supplies. She graduated from California State University at Fullerton with a BA in Business Administration and an emphasis in accounting. Born in Hue, Vietnam, Tracy migrated to the USA when she was 11 years old. Tracy is recently married and her hobbies include traveling and swimming.

What did you want be when you grew up and how did it work out for you? When I was young, I already knew how to manage my money and my siblings' money. My mom told me that I should be an accountant. My goal was not to be an accountant because I like to sing. I wanted to be a singer. However, I don't have the voice and encouragement to be on stage so I decided to be in an office dealing with numbers and money. To be where I am today made me realize that I had made right decision.

Don Burks, Account Executive

714.685.2856 – Southern California Corporate Office

Don joins us from the automobile industry as the past president of American Car and Truck Exchange – where he distributed auto accessories online and wholesaled to large warehouse distributors. He attended Saddleback College and studied business administration and management.

Don and his wife have a married daughter in the marketing business. They all play golf and Don is also into music and cooking – a true renaissance man.

When I was a kid all I wanted to do in life was to become a major league baseball player. I was very ambitious on the field and thought I could really go far in the league. Needless to say this died off really quickly in high school when I discovered girls, surfing and having fun. I've since fallen back on my second understudy career in sales. I'm still very ambitious however now it's properly directed.

Günter Schneider, Account Executive

+49 (0) 931 66097947 - Würzburg Germany Sales Office

Günter was the head of sales of MERO TSK's exhibit systems division and worked closely with Absolute Exhibits. Günter has an extraordinary knowledge of the Mero product line and has trained architects and tradeshow designers applying latest modular system techniques. He helps our design department do incredible European influenced designs.

He graduated university in Germany with a bachelor in business andadministration. His wife is a university professor and Lennhard, the younger of his two grown sons is following his footsteps into the exhibition business.

Born in Germany, Günter speaks several languages, has lived abroad and gained valuable working experience at most exhibition venues around the globe.Working both at European hours and at our pacific time schedule he has hardly time to play tennis or look after his garden. If project work allows he escapes to South East Asia for scuba diving.

Marcia Oliveira, Account Executive

714.685.2832 – Southern California Corporate Office

Marcia started with Absolute Exhibits three years ago as an assistant to our Sales Director and Brazilian account Executive. She has returned in the position of account executive, specializing in her native language Portuguese. Previously she was the office manager for a security company and in Brazil she was both a law student at PUCC and the director's assistant at Groupo Equipav.

Marcia was born and raised in Campinas, Sao Paulo. She recently graduated in the United State with a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration. In my free time I love to travel – by living in the US I have the privilege of traveling in any states and other countries near the USA. Also, I love to spend time with friends and family and like most of Brazilians I love the beaches.

What did you want be when you grew up and how did it work out for you? Marcia wanted to be a veterinarian, however her business classes beat her biology classes and she decided to become an account executive that offers her so much freedom!

Michelle Johnson, Account Executive

714.685.2827 – Southern California Corporate Office

Michelle "M.J." ( Michiru) Johnson has been an independent marketing consultant for the past ten years working with top foreign global companies. Her job has been to bring those companies to the North American Trade Show floor, as well as, taking them to European, Asian, and Middle Eastern trade shows. MJ attended college in Southern California and completed her international business degree in Japan where she was born in Tokyo. Additionally she has certifications in Marketing Communications, Brand Measurements, and Integrating COM.

Michelle is a single mother, raising her son in Newport Beach, where he is a star basketball player. In her spare time she is a rabid Boston Celtics fan, is devoted to Formula One racing and loves to cook.

What did she want to be when she grew up and how did that work out for you? Well, truth is she wanted be a cartoonist (and she still draws) and an archaeologist. So if you see a tall, leggy brunette digging in the sands of Newport Beach and on the hunt for bones and artifacts – don't look twice because it's Michelle!

Mustafa Parvez, Account Executive

+91 000-800-100-4059 - Bangalore India Sales Office

Mustafa Parvez is our account executive in India. Mustafa has lived in India his entire life and was educated at Bangalore University receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. He has been in the event and exhibitions industry for over 14 years now, Mustafa was National Manager with Dun & Bradstreet, then he went on to work for George P. Johnson as their National Director Sales, until he finally made the move to join Absolute Exhibits as our India Account Executive.

Married for 2 years and had their first child recently. When visiting in the USA he is a serial Babies R Us shopper for the new baby as well as all the relatives. Mustafa still makes time for riding his motorcycle and he is also an accomplished chef. He is a true Renaissance man.

What did you want be when you grew up and how did it work out for you? Mustafa informs us that he wanted to be a pilot in the Indian Air Force, but when that plan failed he decided he wanted to be an entrepreneur and bring new businesses to his community. We welcome him to Absolute Exhibits.

Peter Holman, Account Executive

714.685.2835 – Southern California Corporate Office

Peter Holman joins Absolute Exhibits as a long time Koren family friend and exhibition expert. Schooled at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, he received his BA in Business Administration and specialized in marketing. Right from college he became a manufacturer's representative in the hardware industry and then met Mike Koren when he was the sales manager for a large computer company. Mike drew him into the exhibit business many years ago and finally got him through the AE doors!

Peter grew up less than ten miles from the AE Tustin office in Newport Beach. He waited until age 47 to marry the love of his life and they now live in Los Angeles. Peter is the consummate volunteer. He is the past president of the Committee of 300 for the Long Beach Grand Prix. He is also a docent at the Petersen Automotive Museum and he still has time to volunteer at the Long Beach Grand Cru which is an international wine competition. This last volunteer position does have some side benefits!

What did you want be when you grew up and how did it work out for you? Peter says his old answer was easy … independently wealthy. However he always felt if he failed at the first stop he was destined to be in sales. So in essence he is one of the few staff members here at Absolute Exhibits that is living his dream!

Terry Smith, Account Executive

714.685.2840 – Southern California Corporate Office

After graduating with his MBA degree, Terry began his career trek into numerous sales and marketing roles. This often led him to participate in many trade shows around the country. His active past began as a Rubbermaid Product Manager introducing 35 new products, and then obtained a patent for a new product he invented while at Harris Corporation. He held simultaneous positions at Toshiba including the National Dealer Support Manager, Manager of Customer Returns and Customer Relations Manager……one of the original multi-taskers!


Terry was born and raised in the Midwest and moved to California 20 years ago with his wife of 42 years and two daughters. His free time is consumed by reaching out to the local community and leading weekly volunteer groups to assist the unemployed.


What did you want be when you grew up and how did it work out for you? I wanted to be a cowboy using my bike as a horse. I pictured myself roping cattle and shooting Indians while riding "hands-free" on my bike. Well, eventually riding a horse in the rugged West eluded me, but moving out West was the best experience of our lives. Our daughters married California boys so we're here to stay as we enjoy our seven little grand cowboys and cowgirls!

David Bacha, Creative Designer

714.685.2857 – Southern California Corporate Office

Ouais! As they say in his native land of Canada. Educated in Fine Arts, and worked as a media artist, David moved to California in 2007. Since he could no longer hockey skate in the warmth of CA, David worked with various companies as a an illustrator, designer, production manager, and animator for noted establishments like A2M and Cartoon Network. Fun factoid: he directed two independent short animated films that were featured in the Fantasia Film Festival and the Anime Vegas Con. If you don't know what they are, just know that its kind of a big deal.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and how did that work for you? Either Frankenstein's monster or your run of the mill zombie. At six o'clock every evening he feels he has met his childhood dream!

Gilbert Molina, Orlando Branch Office Manager

714.685.2848 – Orlando Branch Office

Gilbert now resides in Orlando as our branch manager of the newest Absolute Exhibits office. Gilbert was born and raised in the Philippines where he attended Truman College. He then moved to the US to Chicago where he learned to be a cabinet maker. He was married and had four children ... three girls and a boy, and now lives the single life in Orlando. In his spare time, of which he has very little, he loves to play pickup basketball and workout at the gym.

When he was a little boy he wanted to be a soldier like his father in the Philippine army. However, the move to the US and a new wife and four children forestalled that career path!

Jay Pettit, Show Services Manager

702-206-0621 – Las Vegas Branch Office

Jay was born in West Virginia and moved with his family as a child to Orange County. Growing up Jay was an accomplished baseball player – and like so many kids wanted to play in the major league. However, that dream was dashed and he turned to his next passion – working with his hands. He became a Carpenter, then an electrician, and finally became a Contractor and had a business in California for 25 years. He was married and raised four children, with a typical California upbringing of the beach, motorcycles and camping.

Jay has been a family friend of the Korens for more than ten years and Todd enticed him to Las Vegas to join our business. He is raising the second round of two great sons and a wonderful new wife and when he gets any spare time he spends it with them, watching them play sports, getting awards at school, and having them keep him up on technology.

Jean Ly, Graphic Design Specialist

714.685.2815 – Southern California Corporate Office

Jean was born in sunny San Diego and has loved the stage all of her life. She wanted to be a mouseketeer when she grew up so she has done everything from school plays, dance/drill team, choir and Barkada Modern hip hop team. Jean became a Graphic designer after attending Art Institute for a B.S. in Graphic Design. Since Jean usually thinks in forms of colors and shapes, this bio was difficult for her to write because it requires long strings of alphabetical characters. If walls could talk, Jean would probably never be in her room because that's kind of creepy. The #1 man in her life is Theodore, a zany Yorkie/Chihuahua mix.

Jeff Linder, Director of Media Advertising

714.685.2821 – Southern California Corporate Office

Jeff Linder was born with a baseball in his hand – it was his life's dream to play in the majors, but alas like many of us one gut wrenching injury put an end to all of that. His next idea was to go to Hollywood and be a part of the "Industry." And that was a dream come true. Now he has taken what he learned at Paramount Pictures for the past decade and brought his wealth of knowledge about the world of advertising to Absolute Exhibits.

Jeff was born and raised in Orange, California. At nine years old he moved to Villa Park and formed a friendship with the Absolute Exhibits president, Todd Koren, which has become a lifelong bond. He attended Cal State Fullerton studying Business Administration and Marketing. Then hit the mail room at ICM in Hollywood. From there it was a short jaunt to Paramount Pictures. At Paramount Jeff oversaw the area termed non-broadcast advertising. He did it all, including wrapping the entire Luxor hotel in Las Vegas for the Transformers movie.

In his spare time Jeff still does the California triathlon: surfing; working out; and meeting women.

Katrina Kitson, Project Manager

714.685.2830 – Las Vegas Branch Office

I was born and raised in Las Vegas. Graduated from UNLV with a BA in criminal justice. I wanted to go to law school, but changed my mind after working in a law firm for about a year. I lived in Denver for a short time where I got into working in project management.

I am currently working on my Project management certificate with the University of Boston online, and hope to sit for the PMI exam. I'd like to one day get my MBA as well. In my free time I love the outdoors. I'm an avid cyclist, love to run, hike, and stay fit.

Laura Passaglia, Account Executive

714.685.2831 – Southern California Corporate Office

Laura was born in Chicago, Ill, spent her early years in Paradise Valley, AZ then landed in So. Cal where she attended UCLA and is about to begin a few "brush up" classes at UC Irvine. She now lives in Newport with her two beautiful daughters. And still is asking, "What's free time?".


What I wanted to be when I grew up? I wanted to be a little bit of everything – "multi-functional" and I am that! We can attest to that – she is really the go to girl in the Tustin office!

Matt Carpenter, Creative Designer

714.685.2814 – Las Vegas Branch Office

Matt grew up in Southern California surfing almost everyday. He wanted to be artist, but then realized he did not want to live the starving artist lifestyle. So instead he graduated from Art Center College of Design in environmental design and then became a furniture designer. Now he is working as an exhibit designer.


He moved to Las Vegas in order to be closer to what he loves, climbing. Now every weekend you will find him climbing out in Red Rock Canyon.

Michelle Haight, Creative Designer

714.685.2847 – Southern California Corporate Office

Michelle is our latest addition to the Absolute Exhibits' design department. She attended The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles and received her Associate of Arts Degree, then to follow she attended The Art Institute of California - Hollywood and received her Bachelor of Science Degree.

Michelle was born in Tennessee and raised in southern California, in a small suburb of Los Angeles. She has many hobbies, including art, music, design & architecture, wining & dining, traveling, cooking, going to the beach, working out, and riding her beach cruiser & skateboard. She loves animals (ESPECIALLY capybaras), and also volunteers at an animal rescue. She is also a huge horror movie buff and really enjoys slaying zombies in her free time!

When she was growing up, she always knew that she wanted to be a designer (since she was six years old) however she had many other aspirations; including: a surgeon, a veterinarian, a botanist, an egyptologist, a seismologist, a journalist, and a music producer!!

We are so happy she has slowed down and joined Absolute Exhibits.

Ronnie Higgins, Database Engineer

714.685.2822 – Southern California Corporate Office

Ronnie joins Absolute Exhibits after a long career both as the technology expert and then as the operation manager of his family-owned business. Luring someone with the degree of knowledge of computer technology has been a coup for Absolute Exhibits. Ronnie first went to Fullerton Community College but back in the 80's there were no courses being taught in computer technology. So armed with his self-taught knowledge and bi-yearly trips to MacWorld? for seminars and exhibitions he began his first career.

Ronnie is married with two young sons – his hobbies include playing softball, fantasy football (he ran a league for years), the Dallas Cowboys, and being the dad to two boys and all that entails. His first thoughts were to be a Super Hero with his own branding, not a knockoff. Reality brought him to wanting to work for Apple as he had a lifelong interest in technology. However the family business won out and there he worked for two decades taking his tech hobby and making it work in a daily industrial plant atmosphere.

Teresa Rodriguez, Purchasing Agent

714.685.2810 – Las Vegas Branch Office

Teresa rejoined our staff after a year's break to give birth to her pride and joy, Gabriela. Teresa is married to our manufacturing manager, Gus Gutierez and their child was a long time coming and a great joy for everyone in their family. Teresa was born in Torrance, California and raised in Long Beach. She attended business college while working as a portrait photographer. Right now her hobby is crafting, as a mother of daughter should be!

What did you want be when you grew up and how did it work out for you? What I really wanted to be when I grew up was to be in the Law Enforcement field as a Police Officer or Probation Officer, but that didn't work out for me. I'm now interested in attending Cosmetology School /Makeup Artist. I would like to have my own clothing store and also have a store as a non-profit organization for the people in need. Before I start on this mission I need to enjoy my little one as much as I can!