Ryan has been a shoe enthusiasts for over 20 years amassing a personal collection of more than 400 pairs of shoes. His channel on Whatnot, Shoe Daddy Kickz, is a fast growing start up on the Whatnot Platform that has garnered nearly 14k followers in less than 6 months and has sold over 2k shoes in that same time frame. They are entering phase two of their growth process by launching ShoeDaddyDripz focusing on vintage and street wear, and branded merchandise. His company motto is simple, “Look good on the outside, feel good on the inside”. When not selling our sourcing he enjoys spending time his navel orange of 17 years Mika and the their 3 children and fur baby.
Group-4
07/032023
Josiah is the Vice President of American Pawn and Jewelry, Inc. / Pawn Superstore in Garland, Texas. He is also a Board Member of the Texas Pawnbrokers Association and is an active member of the Young Professionals of the National Pawnbrokers Association.
06/212023
Diana Machado is a seasoned professional with 23 years of experience in the pawn industry and has excelled in leadership and human resources management roles. As the former COO of the largest pawn shop chain in Canada and spokesperson for the pawn industry, she leveraged her expertise to streamline operations, champion employee engagement, and advocate for policy changes, successfully altering public perception of pawnshops. In her free time, Diana enjoys camping with her partner Jason and spending quality time with her two daughters and two stepdaughters.
04/262023
Ryan Carlton of Norcross Pawn is a first generation pawnbroker with over a decade of experience in this industry. From the beginning, he knew this job would be a perfect fit. He is drawn to the fast paced environment and obtaining the knowledge it takes to stay ahead. His store has gained the reputation of loaning on items that others may not take a chance on. This is how he became involved in the sneaker world. Since then he has attracted clientele from all around the Atlanta area. With a small team of amazing people, Ryan has been able to grow his store giving him the ability to help out in his community. In his free time, Ryan plays music, coaches his son’s soccer team and plays golf.
04/072023
Jeremy is a third generation pawnbroker from Louisiana. He owns and operates a single store, taking over the business in 2013 after his father’s passing. He has been working in the store since he was old enough to talk to customers. He does not believe there is any other job he would rather do, he enjoys the challenges we face every day as pawnbrokers.
04/072023
I have been a pawnbroker since 2001, when we opened our first store, Monster Pawn, in Bloomington, IL. We now own four
pawnshops in Central Illinois. My favorite thing about the pawn industry is that every day
is different. The day goes by fast. I could never have a sit-down job! I am most proud of my
family – both my personal family and my pawn family. Two of my three children work for
our company, and the third is a Marine.
My first NPA meeting was in 2006 as a guest in Atlanta, GA. I remember looking and
listening to the best in the country and was just blown away with the information that
everyone was willing to share. I served on the NPA Board of Directors from 2007 to 2018. I
have worn many hats over the years, including Secretary and Chair of the GRC. It has come
full circle for me, with our convention in Atlanta in 2023!
The Government Relations Liaison is the connection between the States and Federal
government and pawnbrokers. I take our customers’ stories and needs seriously. For some
customers, pawnbrokers are witnesses to their lives. It is the GRC Team’s job to make sure
our elected officials understand who we are and how we serve our customers.
It is an honor to serve my fellow pawnbrokers across the country as the Government Relations Liaison and to be working with the
GRC Team. It’s great to be back and working with the NPA.
04/072023
Jeff Bartley is Sapphire Risk’s Senior Asset Protection Consultant. Jeff has been working in the Security/Asset Protection field for over 30 years. His career has been primarily in high-risk retail and logistics security across North America, i.e., pawn, jewelry, cannabis, etc. Jeff also manages Sapphire Risk’s “Phase Three” projects, which include security employee training, risk assessments, Culture of Honesty programs, robbery awareness, standard operational procedures (SOP’s), and their point-of-sale data analytics team, which reviews transaction exception reports for unusual activity. Most recently, Jeff assisted the Mississippi Pawn Brokers Association with their Robbery Safety and Awareness seminar.
04/072023
Ben Levinson is a past President of the National Pawnbrokers Association and President of Dynasty Jewelry and Loan, LTD in Norcross, GA. He received a BBA in Marketing from the University of Georgia. After a successful run with Tandy Corporation, Ben decided to follow his family’s entrepreneurial spirit and open Dynasty in 1987. Over the years, he has developed one of the most respected pawn stores in the country. His dedication to his customers and employees has been paramount to his success. Ben has always believed in supporting the community through the Future Business Leaders Scholarship Program, the Mr. Holland Opus Foundation, Toys for Tots, and other charitable organizations. He currently resides in Peachtree Corners, GA with his wife Susan, enjoying time with their grandchildren and their schnoodle.
04/072023
Former board member and membership chairman of the National Pawnbrokers Association. Current President of the Mississippi Pawnbrokers. Managing partner of six USA Pawn locations in Mississippi with 31 years of experience.