Harvey West & Xiaobo Yao-West -

Co Founders, West East Bridge, China Resource for LifeThe China Antique Company, West Design Studio & China Fine Art.

Based on their work with the project "Son of Heaven: Imperial Arts of China" Harvey and Xiaobo discovered the distinctive regional characteristics of China's Imperial studios such as: Jingdezhen imperial porcelain, Suzhou court furniture, Nanjing imperial brocaded robes, Luoyang tri-colour ceramics for imperial tombs, Zhengzhou royal ritual bronzes and Huhehaote palace carpets. Using these historical models they re-created the past furniture-making workshops that were home to China's finest artists and craftsmen. Today it is mature, committed to the faithful preservation and museum quality restoration of China's historical furniture and architecture. The West Design Studio creates unique limited editions, designed by Harvey West and other leading Western designers, that are handmade by the studio artisans and China Fine Arts features leading contemporary painters and sculptors. It is currently active with commissions for residential and hotel suite interiors, furniture and decorative arts in North America, Hong Kong and China. This organization is set to become the principle intellectual and antiquity investor in the China location and is uniquely suited to research, design and appoint the facilities faithful to its concept with the requisite quality, authenticity and detail. Bradford Zak, Harvey and Xiaobo have known each other for 10 years.

Harvey West – In 1985, as director of the Museum of Art, University of Washington, Harvey was invited to Beijing by Deng Pufang, eldest son of Deng Xiaoping, and the Ministry of Culture to organize a major exhibition of China's national cultural artefacts for the United States, in part, to strengthen Sino-American friendship. From 1985 to 1988, Harvey lead the American team and worked with the Ministry of Culture to conceptualise, organize, and present an exhibition "Son of Heaven: Imperial Arts of China" and publish its catalogue. It focused on twenty-six centuries of work by imperial artists and their studios and was visited by 1.2 million people in Seattle and Columbus, Ohio. Before turning his interest and energy to the art of China in 1985, Harvey West had been deeply involved in American art as a museum director. Over a fifteen-year period, a series of nationally significant classical and 19th and 20th century American art exhibitions were created and presented under his direction. In addition, he was instrumental in the publication of numerous art books and the organization of critical issue symposia involving many of America’s best artists and historians. His last major American project, before going to China, was an exhibition and publication titled "William Merritt Chase: A Leading Spirit in American Art" for the University of Washington, Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Xiaobo Yao-West joined the "Son of Heaven" project in Beijing, January 1986, with the responsibility forChina government affairs.  During the next four years, she handled difficulties inherent in such a large and complex Sino-American cultural exchange. She left China in 1984 to pursue advanced study in the US. After completing her degree, she joined the Guangdong People's Publishing House as an editor where her involvement in Chinese literature and contemporary Chinese philosophy deepened. Her father, Xikun Yao, is a veteran of China's epic Long March, and mother, Fengying Gao, was an active revolutionary during the Sino-Japanese War. As a Red Guard during the Cultural Revolution, Xiaobo experienced China in isolation and turmoil. Xiaobo was born in Guangzhou, China. Her web site is www.xiaobogarden.com.

Elena Lomax-Jensen - Interior Designer

Elena Lomax-Jensen, a graduate of Laney College, 1979, Bachelors of Arts degree in Interior Design, has eight years of resort experience. As Assistant Lodge Manager at Gibb’s Farm for eight years Elena tripled gift shop sales as buyer/merchandiser. She oversaw the three acre of landscape and gardens, oversaw the guest experience in the dining and cottage areas. Working directly with the architect as well as the designer Bradford Zak, she designed, space planned, researched, selected and sourced furniture and textiles, managed the textile and color coordination for each new guest cottage, uniforms, and new gardens.

Prior to coming to Gibb’s Farm she was a successful freelance residential interior designer in California and Washington State for nine years. In the late 1980’s at The Westin Kauai she designed and implemented the resort’s children’s activities programs. In addition she was the island-wide Sales Representative for resort activities. Elena and Bradford have known each other for 20 years, first meeting in Hawaii for the Westin Kauai project.  She is pictured right with her husband Dale Jensen.

Juan Ignacio Salom - Costa Rican Art & Community Development

Juan is an architect by training and an urban artist at heart.  He is the founder of Urban Addicts (www.urbanaddicts.com) which develops information/interpretation media and events for the urban Costa Rican experience. It celebrates, through architecture history, anecdotes, legends and the sociology of spaces and urbanism.  After receiving degree in Architecture in Costa Rica, he has traveled through Taiwan, Macau, Spain, France and Central America as a performing artist.  He came back to Costa Rica and focuses on helping visitors and locals alike experience the authentic Costa Rica. 

Labiki Menyengera - Indigenous Maasai Healer for East Africa

Traditional Maasai healer Ole Labiki Menyengera opened Osero Forest Clinic in 2005, Gibb’s Farm Tanzania, with the help of his mentor Ole Sululu. Both men are third-generation healers who already have reputable clinics of their own in nearby Arusha and Dodoma. Labiki oversees the traditional healer programs and teams on the Farm, in the field and at the villages. For the first time the Gibb's Farm community has access to quality indigenous medical care through two clinics established under Labiki's management. He leads and trains two other traditional healers and three assistants in this endeavor.

Osero Forest Clinic was established by the Harmony Project to provide health care for the project’s 150 local employees and their families, as well as to develop indigenous healing treatments for the traveler through the African Living Spa. For the past two years, Labiki has been treating the Gibb's Farm travelers as well. For this he has been developing treatments and massage to perform in the cottages and in the newly constructed indigenous dwelling in the Gibb's Farm forest. These new facilities include treatment room, bush dining and kitchen venue, forest trails, even an entire small village for indigenous habitation for his staff. His development efforts to bring indigenous medicine to the traveller through the African Living Spa® project are on going. Additionally, he is participating in the active study of his medicine with the University of Nairobi Medical School and the National Museum of Kenya's phytochemistry department. These efforts are being lead by an Oxford trained anthropologist/ethnobotanist and will serve to bridge indigenous medicine with science. Labiki's aim is to mainstream indigenous medicine systems with appropriate allopathic pharmacology.

Gemma Enolengila - Anthropologist & Ethnobotanist for East Africa

Gemma Enolengila, Oreteti's Principal Lecturer, is an anthropologist/ethnobotanist specializing in Maasai traditional health care and environmental issues. She is an academic lecturer for pre-university, undergraduate or (in some cases) postgraduate levels, either in isolation or to complement Oreteti's other activities - e.g. the Maasai and Chagga Cultural Programs, Walking Tours and Short Courses. She is the co-director for Aang Serian, an NGO based in Tanzania with a multiple programs (see below). The aims of the indigenous knowledge course include documenting traditional knowledge in both tribal and non-tribal societies; encouraging youth to take an interest in preserving their cultural heritage; and helping them to develop research skills that they can later use in independent study projects.

In addition to facilitating the Indigenous Knowledge employee course work at Tanzanian Harmony Project, Gibbs’ Farm, Gemma is heading up the Indigenous Medicine research program in partnership with our Osero Forest Clinic and the African Living Spa®. She is working in partnership with the National Museum of Kenya Phytochemistry Department and the University of Nairobi. Gemma, an Oxford-trained biochemist, is coordinating the identification of the active ingredients of local medicinal plants, and to learn how they produce their healing effects. This information is used by the Clinic’s traditional healers and physician to strengthen their work.

Aang Serian (the name means 'House of Peace' in Maasai language, www.aangserian.org.uk) is an independent, non-profit organization founded in 1999 by young people in Arusha, Northern Tanzania. The NGO is dedicated to preserving indigenous traditions and knowledge, developing culturally appropriate programs of education and training, and promoting inter-cultural dialogue across the world.

Aang Serian (the name means 'House of Peace' in Maasai language, www.aangserian.org.uk) is an independent, non-profit organization founded in 1999 by young people in Arusha, Northern Tanzania. The NGO is dedicated to preserving indigenous traditions and knowledge, developing culturally appropriate programs of education and training, and promoting inter-cultural dialogue across the world.

Project highlights include:

1. oNoonkodin Secondary School - a new model for rural education in Africa
   

2. oIntercultural Education (Indigenous Knowledge) curricula
   

3. oInternational Summer Schools in Tanzani
   

4. oMusic and Media - documenting traditional songs and knowledge
   

5. oRural Women's Health - preventing HIV/AIDS transmission and female genital mutilation
   

6. oEmpowering Maasai women through fair trade jewellery

Kathleen Blakeslee - Associate, Western Food & Phyto Medicine

Kathy Blakselee received her B. S. in design from the University of Minnesota in 1980 and an M.S. in

Ethno Botany from the University of Wisconsin in 1982. She is currently a PHD candidate in Natural Health from Clayton College. Through the years Kathy has accumulated a formative array of experiences. She has been a horticulture teacher, a professional gardener, licensed nurseryman, cooking school instructor, chef and business owner for 23 years. Her extensive knowledge in the rare and medicinal plant world continues to grow as she stays abreast of leading edge developments both in organics and 'green' medicinal plant aspects. She has been a successful business woman creating and owning her own cutting edge plant nursery and cooking school, she helped start the The International Marketing and Herb Growers Association. She is a member of the Herb Society of America, Bioneers Organization, the International Crane Foundation and been featured on the cover of Growers Talk Magazine a professional trade publication along with Horticulture magazine .

She has taught horticulture and landscape design seminars throughout the world, including Australia and France., she continues to support the Organic movement in the US and is a member of Marin Organic in California. Kathy has done plant research throughout the world including the countries of Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, the Amazon, Central America, British Honduras, England , France, Holland and throughout Europe. Her web site is: www.harmonybotanica.com.

Patrick Dunn - Aviculturist & Scholar-in-Residence, designate

Patrick Dunn, a native from Sacramento, California, has been an active member of the American Federation of Aviculture (AFA) since 1978. At the 1979 AFA convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, he met Robert J. Berry, Curator of Ornithology from the Houston Zoo. It was through this timely meeting that Patrick worked in the Zoological Gardens Tropical Birdhouse for two years. He learned about ornithology in its purest form from Mr. Berry. They continue to share elusive avicultural issues.

Since 1983, Patrick has been guiding bird watching trips to various parts of the world, adding Africa to his itinerary six years ago. He keeps a "life list" of birds which now totals over 3,400 species. In addition, he has been collecting insects since he was five years old and holds a collection of about 10,000 specimens. Patrick was a member of the Kauai film commission for 10 years and supplied birds, animals and other natural history props to the industry for use in videos, television commercials and motion pictures such as "Outbreak" and "Jurassic Park". He is a scuba diver with advanced open water, search and rescue, underwater navigation and dive master certifications. He is also an accomplished Taxidermist.

With birds from Texas and Florida, Patrick moved to the island of Kauai in late 1982, where he started a bird farm which eventually grew into the largest avicultural facility in Hawaii, Parrot Jungle of Kauai.

In 1987, he began work on the Westin Kauai Resort’s private zoo, on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. Two years later Patrick had stocked, staffed and directed the zoo at a cost of more than $80 million. His task included designing a quarantine facility for incoming hoof-stock, birds and primates as well as two complete commissaries at opposite ends of a 50-acre lagoon. More than 60 species of birds totally about 500 and 35 mammals were exhibited on seven naturally landscaped islands with no bars or cages. It was during this project that Bradford Zak and Dale Jensen met and collaborated in the creation of this special project. Kauai Zoological Gardens was in operation for nearly eight years.

Patrick is preparing to relocate his collection once again. This time to the Osa peninsula of Costa Rica where he has slowly developed 500 acres of private reserve. A laboratory, residence and collection facility has been established. Soon he will be able live in the forest to continue his observation. Dunn, Jensen and Zak have known each other for 20 years, first working together in Hawaii on the Westin Kauai project.

1. In 1987, he began work on the Westin Kauai Resort’s private zoo, on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. Two years later Patrick had stocked, staffed and directed the zoo at a cost of more than $80 million. His task included designing a quarantine facility for incoming hoof-stock, birds and primates as well as two complete commissaries at opposite ends of a 50-acre lagoon. More than 60 species of birds totally about 500 and 35 mammals were exhibited on seven naturally landscaped islands with no bars or cages. It was during this project that Bradford Zak and Dale Jensen met and collaborated in the creation of this special project. Kauai Zoological Gardens was in operation for nearly eight years. During that time, Patrick managed to breed every species that was paired including three species of endangered Hawaiian birds to multiple generations. The zoo however, was destroyed by a large hurricane in 1992. Under private direction, he reopened the zoo for three additional years. Due to a fragile island economy, the Japanese property owners decided against its continuance. After surviving two hurricanes in nearly fifteen years, he decided it was time to move to the mainland where he purchased three acres in northern California and moved all of his private collection out of Hawaii.
   

2. With birds from Texas and Florida, Patrick moved to the island of Kauai in late 1982, where he started a bird farm which eventually grew into the largest avicultural facility in Hawaii, Parrot Jungle of Kauai. Patrick imported everything that the state would allow. On numerous occasions, he actively testified to allow the entry of many more species as he believed Hawaii is blessed with an environment that could really be beneficial to aviculture. Over the next ten years, he supplied hotels on five islands with birds and animals in creative interactive exhibits with very lush tropical themes for the tourist's enjoyment.
   

3. Previously, Patrick was employed with CampTel Ventures, an outdoor adventure company. He led birdwatching tours throughout southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica for six months until hurricane season began. After all his travels, Costa Rica today remains his favorite birding destination.
   

4. In 1981, Patrick managed a seven-month project to relocate the bird specimens from Crandon Park Zoo to the Miami Metrozoo. In so doing the collection exhibit space increased from a 12 hectors to a 260 hectors of space outside of Homestead, Florida.
   

Dr John B Heiser - Biologist & Scholar-in-Residence, designate

J. B. Heiser is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Cornell University. A vertebrate evolutionary ecologist, J. B. received his B.S. from Purdue University and his Ph. D. from Cornell University. For the past 35 years has taught a variety of courses in vertebrate comparative anatomy and ecology.

Heiser was born and raised in Indiana and completed his undergraduate degree in biology at Purdue University. He earned his Ph.D. in ichthyology from Cornell University for studies of the behavior, evolution and ecology of coral reef fishes, research which he continues today. For fifteen years he was Director of the Shoals Marine Laboratory operated by Cornell University and the University of New Hampshire on the Isles of Shoals in the Gulf of Maine. While at the Isles of Shoals his research interests focused on opposite ends of the vertebrate spectrum—hagfish and baleen whales. J.B. teaches vertebrate morphology, evolution, and ecology both in the campus classroom and in the field and is recipient of the Clark Distinguished Teaching Award from Cornell University.

His hobbies are natural history, travel and nature photography and videography, especially underwater scuba. He has pursued his natural history interests on every continent and all the world's major ocean regions. Because of his experience he is a popular ecotourism leader having led Cornell Adult University groups to the Caribbean, Africa, Sea of Cortez, French Polynesia, Central America, the Amazon, Borneo, Antarctica, and Spitsbergen in the High Arctic.

He regularly teaches courses held by the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), a consortia of 63 universities that conducts graduate and undergraduate education, facilitates research, participates in tropical forest conservation, maintains three biological stations in Costa Rica and conducts environmental education programs. He is an original co-author of Vertebrate Life, the English language standard text in its field, which is in its eighth edition and has been translated into Italian and Portuguese.

Designate – Group Human Resources Director

Attending Semarang State University, majoring in English Language and Literature (until semester IX only), Semarang- Central Java on scholarship between 1994-1997, the Group Human Recourses Director designate easily moved into the lodging business. He worked with the founder of the Harmony Project for three years testing key elements of the model. While doing so he completed the Human Resources Specialization certification with the American Hotel Lodging Association. He is uniquely qualified to lead the global Harmony Project’s critical human resource development standards. Among his accomplishments:    

1. Indonesia Regional Human Resources Director, International Brand Hotel/Resort. Over-site of 12 properties in the region. He established Human Resources planning, policies and procedures, administration, strategy and programs throughout the region. He also performed audit and management development during numerous property visitation. 2007.
   

2. Director of Human Resources, five star regional brand, Yogyakarta. Invested focus on the overall Human Resources Strategy and the implementation, Facilitating Vision Cycle throughout all levels, setting up Training-Development Focus and Team Development. In 2006, the Employee Satisfaction index increased 5 %, the highest among the group’s properties in Indonesia. The first Executive Development Plan initiatives took place. Was transition leader upon the post earthquake and the change of GM. 2005 – 2007.
   

3. Director of Human Resources, Five star international chain brand, Bandung, Indonesia. Closing 2003 with 12 % increment on employee satisfaction index with team exceeding the budget in terms of financial performance. 2003 – 2005.
   

4. Human Resources Manager, Five star international brand resort, Lombok/Bali, Indonesia. Employee satisfaction index improved 15 % with various Human Resources strategy on rewards and recognition program, internal career development, productivity analysis, communication and leadership, motivational and recreational program. Guest satisfaction index improved 1.5% resulting in the highest score in Asia given by The Leading Hotels of the World Audit. 2002 – 2003.
   

5. Acting Director HR, Five star branded hotel, Surabaya, Indonesia. 2000 – 2002.
   

6. Training and Development Manager, Five star branded hotel, Surabaya, Indonesia. Awarded group Training Award for unit-level training initiatives and for his contribution in the regional customer service initiative roll-out. 1999 – 2000.
   

7. English Consultant for the pre opening and soft opening, international brand hotel, Semarang. 1996 – 1999.

Designate – CFO

This designate will be instrumental in establishing the post-IPO financial policies and practices.  This individual will be named to selected individuals/associates.

Charles Rosenblum - Associate, Finance & Development

Rosenblum, 54, began his business career as a Licensed General Contractor in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and California. He was co-founder of Coastal Consulting and Contracting Corporation, a construction management company that built high-rise condominium projects, hotels, shopping centers and office complexes throughout the Southeast. This company was later sold to Pennsylvania Engineering Company in the early ‘80’s. Rosenblum then founded several real estate development companies that catered to the Neighborhood Retail Market. These operations were sold out in late ’88.

Making the move to Financial Services in ’89, he and his partners purchased Investor’s Equity Life Insurance Company, Old Dominion Insurance Company, Gulf Atlantic Life Insurance Company, and established Honolulu Life Insurance Company. Rosenblum sold his interest in the group to his partners in ’93.

Rosenblum then formed a financial advisory firm called Rosenblum Partners, LLC in ’94 that focuses on raising capital from both private and public markets for emerging growth companies in the bio-med, bio-tech and high-tech fields. Rosenblum has experience raising funds through institutional private placement and public markets including the Alternative Investment Market, London in which his firm brought two South African Companies to market through successful offerings in ’95 & ’96.

In the late 1990’s Rosenblum became increasingly interested in investing in companies that impacted the environment in a positive way. Since that time Rosenblum has focused his resources on advising companies focused on bio-fuels, sustainable energy production, and sustainable housing and development throughout the world. Rosenblum was one of the five founders of the Low Carbon Accelerator Fund that was taken public on the Alternative Investment Market, London Exchange in November of ’06. The Fund raised $90M US at the IPO. These funds have been used to support emerging growth technologies for sustainable companies whose technologies lower carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.

Rosenblum brings a unique human capital asset to the Harmony Project given his extensive sustainable construction and development, real estate acquisition, and financial structuring experience. As every organization ‘greens’ itself, he will address the Sense of (financial) Purpose for the Harmony Project – merging his recent sustainable development and financial architectural experience as we balance the needs of the Investor, Traveler (client) and Community (employees and their village).

Designate – Group Facility Development Director

As Director of Engineering & Projects at a major five star brand hotel in Kuala Lumpur since 2005, he directed and managed the engineering and projects departments with a staff of about 50. At the 600 room luxury urban conference hotel he oversaw about ten million dollars in capital improvements and the FLHSS program (fire, life, health, safety & security). He was recognized by HAPA (Hospitality Asia Platinum Award) for ‘excellence in engineering’.

For the same luxury international brand in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 2002 to 2005 he performed the same duties at the 400 room luxury hotel. He oversaw public and restaurant area renovations along with performing regional guidance including projects under development in Thailand project management.

He was Maintenance Engineer at a leading resort in Goa India, from 1989 to 1999 at the 75 acre 137 room luxury resort. He commenced his engineering and project management career as Assistant Engineer at the leading resort in Jaipur India from 1997 while it was in the pre-opening phases. He was Chief Engineer for the first Destination Spa in India from 1999 to 2002. He started in Project Management during pre-opening and shifted to operations post-opening at the 75 room luxury resort.

He has completed his MBA, with honors, from the University of South Australia by October 2006. From the Educational Institute, American Hotels & Lodging he became Certified Engineering Operations Executive. He is a certified Lead Auditor of ISO 14001 environmental management assessment and has been a regular speaker in the Facility & Property Management Congress Asia.

This Designate is set to participate in the Global Harmony Project destination development and operations.

Designate – Group Controller

This designate will be instrumental in establishing the post-IPO financial policies and practices for operational financial Controller.  This individual will be named to selected individuals/associates.

The Harmony Project has an amazing global team. Their dedication to our vision and the impressive skillsets they contribute promise to execute the Harmony Project , creating an enriching experience for countless people around the world.

Listed below are some of the players and their remarkable resumes.

Uta Birkmayer - Founder and CEO, Xsense authentic places

For over a decade Uta (Oo’tah) Birkmayer, Founder of Xsense, has been creating client experiences for developers and corporations all over the world. In every case, her focus was to connect to the authentic roots of a place, ranging from private expatriate clubs in Asia to 150-year old cure systems in Europe, or from family developments in South America to a brownfield redevelopment involving indigenous people.

“A meaningful connection to what and who is authentic and real- such treasures are often hidden from daily life–create deeply meaningful customer experiences. Such experiences leave us transformed and connected to the place and its people, they create and sustain the real estate and operational value of any project without adding cost,” says Uta.

Holding a masters degree in Hospitality from Cornell University, she has a well-earned reputation for successfully bringing her unique visionary skills to the aid of businesses seeking to provide authenticity and extraordinary experiences of place to owners, investors, operators, sales and marketing all the way to the client base.

Since 1984, her own work experience has included an active participation in corporate and developmental operations from the USA to Central America, Europe, Africa and Asia.  Uta’s role with the Harmony Project is to lead her consultancy Xense to contribute to the Experiential Design process on selected large project estates. She has worked with Harmony Project since 2007, starting wtih the Playa Dominical project in Costa Rica. She continues to collaborate with Bradford Zak, founder of the Harmony Project. 

uta@xsenseauthenticplaces.com

Laurence Baradat is Dir Sales & Marketing & Co-Founder of TEKOA

Laurence Baradat received her Masters from University Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne Dess Management Touristique et Hôtellerie in 2001.  She graduated from the European Business Program of Groupe ESC Bordeaux France / Fachhochschule Münster Germany in 2000. She is fluent in French, English, Spanish and German. She was the pre-opening Director of Sales and Marketing for Kiana Resort, Costa Rica and TEKOA.  Presently she is the Dir S&M for TEKOA. Earlier she was the Director of Sales & Marketing Hotel Grand Barrail Château Resort & Spa  (Small Luxury Hotels & Virtuoso), Saint Emilion, France – 2005 ~ 2008, where she participated in major road shows (USA Virtuoso Travel Market, LTE, Small Leading Hotels), regular at the major international hotel trade shows (EIBTM, IMEX, WTM, ITB, FITUR).

Distribution channels were managed for tour operators, consortia,

IDS, FIT, internet and developed marketing and communications while utilizing yield management with her revenue manager.  She returned to Central America after working in Costa Rica as Groups and Incentive Manager - Cactus Tour , Heredia, Costa Rica, 2002 ~ 2004. Before her university education she was a professional in the hospitality business since 1997 in France, Germany, Chili and Luxembourg. 

Ignacio Valle Navarro Operations Manager & Co-Founder of TEKOA

Ignacio Valle Navarro is currently TEKOA Operations Manger. Concurrently and previously he was the pre-opening Assistant Manager for Kiana Resort. Prior to joining the Dominical operations he was Resort Assistant Manager of the newly opened Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica in Guanacaste in 2005.  A graduate of Colegio Universitario de Cartago with a degree in culture and tourism (Carrera de Empresas y Actividades Turísticas) in 1996 he remained as a professor of tourism for seven years before joining  Hotel Terraza del Pacífico in 2001 where he worked in operations for four years.

Laurence and Ignacio founded TEKOA together (above photos)

with Bradford Zak of the Harmony Project