Our Team
James Plouf
Founder, Chairman, President & CEO
With a professional background in journalism and engineering, James founded Marco Polo Publications, Inc. in November of 1996 as a publisher of Marco Polo Magazine, a travel magazine for active 50+ adults. While the company’s travel magazine is no longer in publication, James still remains part of the travel industry with Travelwriters.com and Travelroads.com, and has also branched out into the motorcycle and social media industries. He currently serves as President and CEO, working as the company’s creative visionary and manager of day-to-day operations.
Jake Braun
Lead Developer, Vice President of IT & CIO
Jake joined Marco Polo Publications, Inc. in 2007, after graduating from the University of Florida with a Business degree in Decision and Information Sciences. Jake joined our team as a developer, designing web sites and managing server and database infrastructure. He continues in these roles, and now also serves as the company’s Vice President of IT and Chief Information Officer, overseeing the company’s IT infrastructure and technology action plan. Jake also serves as a key contributor in formulating and analyzing strategic goals for the organization.
Mirela Setkic
Marketing & Operations Manager
Mirela joined our team as a part-time Administrative Assistant in January of 2006, while working toward her undergraduate degree in Management and Marketing at the University of South Florida. Since then, Mirela has taken on the role of a Marketing & Operations Manager and earned an MBA from University of South Florida. She currently manages the company’s HR and financial functions, as well as the marketing efforts for ChopperExchange.com and CycleCrunch.com. Mirela also participates in corporate-level formulation and execution of strategic goals.
Mark Straley
Web Developer
Mark joined Marco Polo Publications, Inc. as a Web Developer in August of 2011. Originally from Indiana and a University of South Florida graduate, Mark’s professional experience spans across a few different fields, including investing, management, and web development. He currently collaborates on various web development projects for BikerOrNot.com and ChopperExchange.com with the company’s CIO.
David Kane
Mobile App Developer
A recent graduate from University of North Florida and Florida native, David joined our team as a Mobile App Developer in July 2012. David has experience with web and mobile app development on several platforms using various frameworks. He works with Jake to design, develop, and maintain our mobile app collection.
Doug Perry
Motorcycle Sales
Doug originally joined Marco Polo Publications, Inc. in 2003, took a short break from the motorcycle industry, and returned as the Dealer Account Manager for ChopperExchange.com. He is a lifelong student of the School of Hard Knocks and a brilliant sales professional. Doug is responsible for motorcycle dealer account sales and account management. He loves riding and attending biker events, and his 2010 Harley-Davidson® Street Glide®.
Stacy H.
Sr. BikerOrNot.com & Online Store Support
Originally from Pennsylvania, Stacy relocated and graduated from high school in Florida. She joined Marco Polo Publications, Inc. in April of 2010 as a Dealer Inventory Updater for ChopperExchange.com, and later transitioned to customer support for BikerOrNot.com. Stacy works closely with James in the overall operation of the online BikerOrNot store.
Wendy Lahr-Bees
Bookkeeping, Customer Support & Social Media
Currently an undergraduate student at the University of South Florida, Wendy joined Marco Polo Publications, Inc. in March of 2011 as a part-time Administrative Assistant. She is currently responsible for the company’s day-to-day bookkeeping, customer support, and social media marketing for ChopperExchange.com and CycleCrunch.com. Wendy works closely with the company’s Marketing & Operations Manager, and plans to pursue a long-term career in marketing.
Reeann Hansen
Customer Support & Social Media
Originally from Jacksonville, Florida and a current undergraduate student at the University of South Florida, Reeann joined Marco Polo Publications, Inc. in January of 2012 as a part-time Dealer Inventory Updater. She currently updates dealer inventory accounts, provides customer support, and assists the Marketing & Operations Manager with social media marketing for ChopperExchange.com and CycleCrunch.com.
