Sports Afield Trophy Properties Team
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Tina Durflinger, Senior Administrator
Tina was born and raised in California but grew up spending every summer on her family’s 90-acre farm in Michelle, Indiana. Her love for farm life and the outdoors is evident in all she does. She often says she’s a city girl with a country heart. She has experienced the excitement of backpacking in the High Sierras along the North Fork of the Kings River, but now loves yearly camping with her extended family. Tina attended California State University Los Angeles and comes to us with over 35 years of experience as an Operations Administrator with a demonstrated history of working in customer service. She has a love for people and a heart of gold. Tina has one daughter with autism and believes that everyone is important no matter what your limitations might be. In her spare time, she loves working with wood (refinishing furniture), gardening, and is active in her local church.
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Jerry Gutierrez, Chief Operations Officer
Jerry Gutierrez is a native Californian. He has been with the Safari Press/Sports Afield since 2003 when he started as a graphic designer. He has a Bachelor of Art degree with emphasis in Design from California State University, Los Angeles. Straight out of college, he became a middle school computer science/math teacher. He then worked for a major computer software company as a graphic designer, photographer and media expert, working in the marketing dept. He has edited short films, movie trailers, and has worked on commercials. He has worked his way up to Senior Graphic Designer for Safari Press and Art Director for Sports Afield magazine. He now takes on the challenge of being Chief Operating Officer for Safari Press/Sports Afield/Sports Afield Trophy Properties. He enjoys spending his free time with his wife and two children.
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Annette Patterson, Graphic Designer
Annette Patterson has been with the company for since 2014. She has a Bachelor of Art degree from Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, Tennessee and graduated right after the dawn of computerized graphics. After graduation she started her graphics career with a two year assignment in Ghana, West Africa as an Assistant Publications Director for printing Sunday school books. She worked for many years in newspaper graphics before coming to SATP. Annette is married to a cool musician with two stepsons, one with autism. She likes to read, draw and paint in her spare time, does face painting for charity, and enjoys listening to Weird Al Yankovic.
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James Reed, Director Of Sales
James Reed grew up in the Midwest, farming and working at his family owned farm implement dealership and hunting whitetails whenever possible. James moved west to the mountains of Idaho in search of more hunting opportunities and the solitude of the Rockies. In 2008 James brought his many years of hunting, guiding and sales experience to Sports Afield when he joined our team. James is now the Director of Sales of Sports Afield and Sports Afield Trophy Properties. As anyone who knows James can attest, hunting is not just his job-it is a huge part of his life. James lives in the mountains of Idaho with his wife and five of his children, all of whom hunt, fish and embrace the outdoor lifestyle. A veteran of the industry, James incorporates 35 plus years of sales experience with 45 years of hunting experience. He has hunted in 10 countries on four continents and is a veteran of 12 African safaris.
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Mai Sample, Marketing Director
Mai has been an integral part of the Safari Press and Sports Afield team since 1995, serving as the Marketing Director. Her journey to the United States wasn't easy, as she and her grandmother had to endure the difficulties of the Vietnam War and separation from their family. Despite these challenges, Mai has overcome adversity and has become a true American success story. With her sense of humor and welcoming personality, Mai is a great asset to the team and is responsible for coordinating conferences for SATP, Safari Press, and Sports Afield. Mai's positivity is contagious and has a significant impact on the team's morale. Outside of work, Mai enjoys spending time with her family, which includes her husband and three children. Her son Brandon is pursuing a law degree, while Brianna is studying Psychology. Her youngest, Brian, recently graduated high school and is planning to go into Physical Therapy. When she's not spending time with her family, Mai enjoys watching football and gardening.
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Ludo J Wurfbain, CEO
Ludo came to the USA in 1979 and attended Marshall Business School at the University of Southern California (USC). He is married to Dr. Jacque Neufeld, a native of Cincinnati, and they have a son, Rory. Ludo and Jacque started book-publishing company Safari Press in 1984. In 2002 Ludo was one of the founders of Field Sports Publishing Inc., which purchased Sports Afield from Robert E. Peterson (who had bought the magazine from The Hearst Corporation a few years earlier). In 2014 Sports Afield purchased Cabela's Trophy Properties and renamed it Sports Afield Trophy Properties. When not working, Ludo enjoys downhill skiing, hunting, and motorcycle road racing (as a spectator only), and spending time with his family both in the USA and in Holland.
SATP Planning Council
SATP has a Planning Council in place that consist out of full time licensed and accredited real-estate professionals who have served in the industry for 10 or more years. All planning Council members are Exclusive Sports Afield Trophy Property brokers and highly respected by their peers in the industry. Council members help steer SATP marketing, branding and strategic direction. The council meets physically once a year and hold regular conference calls.
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Kevin Wetherell
Email :[email protected] Kevin is the Broker/Owner of Clearwater Montana Properties, Inc. He believes that providing you with knowledge of the land and area is key to guiding you to make the right choices. Born a 5th generation Montanan, his extensive knowledge of Montana enables him to shoot straight with many years experience and knowledge. He believes in advancing his real estate education and has obtained his CRB (The Council of Real Estate Brokerage Managers), GRI (Graduate of Realtors Institute), RRS (Resort and Recreational Specialist) designations, as well as extensive real estate brokerage management and supervision. Kevin enjoys elk hunting, fly fishing, downhill skiing, hiking, and basketball.
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Jeff Switzer
Email :[email protected] Jeff Switzer founded Rocky Mountain Ranch & Land to realize his vision and passion for the land. He brings over 25 years of experience to the real estate business and his love of the land and the outdoors extends through his business practices. He has been a licensed real estate broker in 5 states and currently holds active licenses in Colorado and Florida. He has worked in every facet of the recreational land business including acquisitions, sales & marketing, land planning, entitlements, and development and has held senior executive positions for several nationally recognized real estate companies. His experience has taken him to every region of the United States and since 1995 he has acquired or managed the development and sale of numerous ranch and recreational properties throughout Central and Southern Colorado.
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Heleen Jacobsen
Email :[email protected] Heleen's life has been defined by hard work and a commitment to excellence. Growing up on a farm in the Netherlands, she developed a strong work ethic and attention to detail that would serve her well throughout her life. When her parents decided to immigrate to Canada in 2000, Heleen followed them and soon found work in accounting. She quickly established herself as a consummate professional, known for her integrity, honesty, and strong ethical values. However, it wasn't until she joined the real estate industry in 2005 that she truly found her calling. Working tirelessly to obtain her Alberta broker's license in 2008, Heleen became a respected and knowledgeable leader in the field. Even while building her career in real estate, Heleen never forgot her roots in farming, and continued to spend her spare time working the land and tending to animals. It is this unique combination of experience and expertise that make Heleen such a valuable member of her community, and a natural fit for the Council.
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Tim Diehl
Email :[email protected] Tim is a Broker/Owner of Southeastern Oklahoma Realty, with an extensive background in land use and development. Having grown up in Oklahoma, he has a deep understanding of the land and the people who own it. With over 20 years of experience in the field, Tim has a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of land use and development, including hunting, timber management, and wildlife management. He specializes in selling recreational, ranch, and lake properties in Southeastern Oklahoma and takes pride in helping his clients find the perfect properties that suit their needs. Tim's passion for the outdoors and hunting is evident in his work, making him the perfect agent to help you with your purchases of hunting land, cattle land, and 1031 exchanges. As an avid hunter and sportsman, himself, Tim offers invaluable insights to his clients, helping them make informed decisions about their property investments.
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Jeannette Carr-Smith
Email :[email protected] Jeannette is a dedicated real estate professional and a proud Montanan who has a deep love for her state. Her passion for real estate is evident in the way she guides buyers and sellers through their transactions, ensuring they have a smooth and stress-free experience. With 17 years of experience in selling real estate and a Supervising Broker designation, Jeannette is a Region Manager for Clearwater Montana Properties, and a Top Producer, receiving numerous awards. She specializes in recreational and trophy properties in the Montana area, with many listings on the Clark Fork River, the Noxon Reservoir, and up the Bull River. Jeannette and her husband Mark, along with her assistants, make up the Montana Dream Team and offer excellent customer service and marketing. In her free time, Jeannette enjoys kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, and reading.
Key Non-Staff Team Members
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Tim Danklef, Safari Classics Productions
Tim's background in marketing and business management has been an integral part of the growth and success of Safari Classics Productions, which produces World of Sports Afield TV. His love of hunting, shooting, and fine double guns eventually led him to Africa, starting a love affair that has only gotten stronger since he first set foot on The Dark Continent over twenty years ago. Tim has hunted and filmed in most of Africa's premier hunting fields and has taken the majority of the recognized dangerous game. Tim has spent a great deal of his professional life on African soil in the capacity of producer and videographer for his company's numerous television and DVD projects and his work has long been enjoyed by sportsmen who see Africa as the ultimate hunting destination. Tim splits his stateside time between the business end of the TV and production division and his African safari booking business.
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Dave Fulson
Dave's has been a life entirely dedicated to his passion for the outdoors. His love for adventure and big game hunting has allowed him to travel the globe in several capacities ranging from guide, outdoor writer, videographer, and producer and television personality. Dave has hunted on four continents and taken over 75 species of big game, but his heart and professional career are most notably linked to Africa. Dave spends a great deal of the safari season on location in Africa filming, hunting, and working with the outfitters Safari Classics represents. When not in Africa, he is in the Dallas office assisting safari clients or overseeing the production of Safari Classics television and DVD projects.
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Christy Funke, Safari Classics Productions
Christy is Safari Classics production manager. Overseeing all areas of video production in the Dallas office, her talent as an editor, combined with her creative eye, is a driving force behind the success of Safari Classics Productions and World of Sports Afield TV. Seeing Africa every day through her computer, and having been on safari herself, enables Christy to capture the mood and unforgettable moments of a particular story or safari. Christy is truly one of the top editors and production specialists in the entire world of outdoor production, making her a key member of the Safari Classics team.