Our Leadership Team

Brad HowardPresident & Founder

Bradley Howard is President and Founder of Trend Nation and serves as Chairman on its Board of Directors. Under Brad’s leadership, the company has grown from a single product, home-based business back in 2007 to an industry leading, middle market e-commerce company with over 60 employees. During his tenure as President, the company has been recognized three times by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing private companies in America. Brad’s daily responsibilities include: leading the strategic direction, company financing, driving the company’s mission forward, and talent acquisition/management.

As a serial entrepreneur and multi-channel online pioneer, Brad has over a dozen successful start-ups (and a few flops…) to his credit. Before Trend Nation, Brad founded and served as Co-Founder of Fizmo, Inc. – a company developing the world’s first success-based classified network. Prior to Fizmo, he founded and served as CEO of Dynamic Media Group, Inc., Ohio’s first mobile outdoor advertising group. In 2007, Brad sold his company to NCT Ventures. Previous to his work with Dynamic Media Group, Brad worked on the start-up team that launched Bountyquest.com, the world’s first market place for patent related information. Bountyquest was funded by Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com. In addition to his entrepreneurial experiences, Brad has held various sales and marketing positions at Priceline.com, Bank of America, and Ross Laboratories.

Brad holds a BSBA from Ohio State University and earned his EO Executive MBA from MIT University. He is a member of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and was a 2015 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist. Brad was recognized as one of Cleveland, Ohio’s Top 10 Entrepreneurs in 2007, and earned the 40 Under 40 award for being one of Las Vegas, Nevada’s top business leaders in 2013. His most memorable recollections growing up in Ohio were shaped by his experiences with the Boy Scouts where he achieved the Eagle Scout Rank. When Brad isn’t working, he enjoys family time with his wife and sons, bowling, traveling and tinkering with coin operated gadgets.

Favorite Superhero: Superman!

Brian CampbellChief Technology Officer (CTO)

Brian is the CTO of Trend Nation and a founding partner. He oversees the technology behind the company’s unique approach to e-commerce sourcing, marketing, and sales. Trend Nation’s technology monitors millions of unique events each month on marketplaces, processes data, and creates actionable insights, giving the company a leg up on the competition. Brian has held multiple roles at Trend Nation including growing the Men’s division 300% in one year and leading the Operations Team.

Prior to Trend Nation, Brian founded half a dozen successful start-ups as a serial entrepreneur. Before 2011, Brian was a partner in Reusable Revolution. He also held a CTO role at an Ohio-based start-up accelerator, Virtucon Ventures, where he helped build and launch a variety of venture-backed start-ups including GotCast.com, AffordIt.com, and Unsubscribe.com. In addition, Brian was a member of the founding team of GoBigNetwork.com, a successful start-up focused on connecting entrepreneurs and investors.

Brian earned a BSBA from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business. He is a member of EO, a global entrepreneurs’ organization. Outside of Trend Nation, Brian enjoys spending time with his wife, Katie, sons, Jacob and Alex, and their dog Chewbacca. Brian plays soccer and golf weekly. During football season, he is most likely found watching college football and cheering on the Buckeyes.

Favorite Superhero: Wolverine

Elliot ColeDirector of Merchandise Planning

Elliot is the Director of Merchandise Planning at Trend Nation. In this role, his key focus is to work with our buyers to make sure they have the right amount of inventory, brought in at the right time, and set at the right price.

Before joining Trend Nation in 2013, Elliot spent time at a number of Fortune 500 companies, learning manufacturing at DaimlerChrysler, distribution at Office Max, and financial analytics at Caesars Entertainment. Through these experiences, he became somewhat of an Excel aficionado and claims to know 75-80% of all shortcut keys.

Elliot received his BS in Supply Chain Management from the University of Nevada, Reno and MBA from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Also an Eagle Scout, Elliot is an outdoor enthusiast who spends much of his time rock climbing, snowboarding, and running.

Favorite Superhero: Alex Honnold

Jacob CooleyDirector of Content & Marketing

Jacob is the Director of Content & Marketing at Trend Nation. In this role, he is responsible for combating the cold start of new products as well as the long-term maintenance of existing products.

Before joining Trend Nation in 2013, Jacob spent time at Larry’s IGA, a small-town grocery store. Wearing multiple hats, he was responsible for receiving, inventory management, marketing, and promotions. It was there he learned the timeless values of critical thinking, hard work, and dedication.

Jacob received his Bachelor’s Degree from Saginaw Valley State University with a major in Marketing and minor in Entrepreneurship. Outside of Trend Nation, he enjoys traveling to new destinations as well as spending quality time with his family and friends.

Favorite Superhero: Gohan

Davida HowardChief Financial Officer (CFO)

Davida is the CFO of Trend Nation and the most senior member of the management team, bringing over forty years of extensive financial and business experience to the company. She oversees all financial and administrative activities and her responsibilities include bank and legal relations, financial planning, monitoring cash flows, analyzing financial strengths and weaknesses and playing a role in the strategic growth and financial success of the company.

Previous to her work at Trend Nation, Davida served as the Vice President of Finance and CFO for the New York Stock Exchange companies of Agency-Rent-A-Car and National Auto Credit. She also held various management and executive positions with manufacturing and distribution companies. Prior to that, Davida was an audit manager with the international accounting and audit firm of Price Waterhouse, both in New York and Cleveland. Her broad based business experience extends to small privately owned entrepreneurial firms and includes moving a company from the NASDAQ to the NYSE (and ringing the bell on its opening day!)

Davida has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and is a certified public accountant (inactive) CPA, in both New York and Ohio. In addition to doing volunteer work in the not-for-profit arena and serving on the Board of Directors of two organizations, she enjoys traveling and being “chased” by her four young grandchildren. She has completed all the items on her “bucket list,” but is continuing to add to it, most recently taking a hot air balloon ride.

Favorite Superhero: Wonder Woman

Jason PalmbergVice President of Operations

As the Vice President of Operations at Trend Nation LLC, Jason is responsible for the company’s Warehouse Operations (two facilities), Customer Service, and Human Resources. Jason’s daily responsibilities include: leading the operations management team, ensuring that our customer’s needs are met, pursuing process improvements for efficiency gains in KPI’s, and driving the company’s mission forward.

Before joining Trend Nation in 2014, Jason spent over 20 years in logistics management and operations. He was the Distribution Center Operations leader for TJX companies servicing all 272 TJ Maxx and Marshalls department stores in the Western United States. Prior to TJX, Jason was the Assistant General Manager at Home Depot, the 5th top retailer in the United States. He also assisted in new building start-ups and was responsible for all inbound and outbound operations. Earlier in his career Jason held key leadership positions at Sears Holdings within the DC operations.

Jason received his BBA in Management and Finance as well as his MBA from Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas. As well as being an Eagle Scout, Jason is a Committee Chair Member and Den Leader for Cub Scouts and serves as the President of his HOA. Outside of Trend Nation, Jason enjoys family time, fishing, and any outdoors or sports-related activities.

Favorite Superhero: Captain America

Our Teams

We couldn’t do what we do without the support and dedication of our fellow Trendformers.

Buying Team

The Buying Team takes a unique and data-driven approach to on-demand buying; revolutionizing the way the team works with the vendor community and interacts with customers. The team shops the market to bring the best of Fashion, Accessories, Health & Fitness, Jewelry, Shoes, Baby & Kids, Lighting and Home right to the customer’s doorstep by way of trusted marketplace partners and sites. The ultimate goal is to work closely with brands and designers to select, develop and source products that surprise and delight all who shop with Trend Nation.

Tech Team

The Tech Team supports Trend Nation’s ever-growing business by continuously improving internal software, websites, and information feeds to partner companies. The team integrates new third-party systems and support reporting and analysis, providing the data needed to make the best buying and strategy decisions, while developing in-house software to support new features. The Tech Team strives to increase the efficiency of the organization with technological prowess and build unique products for our brand partners.

Content & Marketing Team

The Content and Marketing Team of Trend Nation is responsible for writing and proofing the product content that is disseminated to our end-users. Content such as product descriptions, bullet points, target audience, photos, and videos are just some of the ways in which this team reaches out and communicates with the customer. The Marketing side focuses on optimizing listings and ensuring our products are reaching the right customers. The main objective of the Content & Marketing Team is to provide the customer with an accurate, informative, yet engaging experience while shopping online for their favorite Trend Nation brands.

Accounting Team

The Trend Nation accounting team is responsible for the accounting and financial reporting and support for the company- which includes cash management, recording accounts payable and receivable, procurement and inventory, payroll, fixed assets, taxes and other financial elements.They are also responsible for obtaining funding to support the company’s growth and for setting up a system of checks and balances by establishing internal controls.The main objective is to determine the company’s financial position and any changes required to run the organization cost effectively.

Customer Service Team

The Customer Service Team focuses on delighting our customers. Whether they are answering phone calls, replying to emails or processing returns, this team is friendly, cohesive and dedicated. With a focus on teamwork, this team has each other’s backs. They are the frontlines of the office and are able to gauge how well the rest of the teams are performing. They strive for 100% customer satisfaction on every transaction and our high customer service ratings reflect that!

Operations Team

The Trend Nation Operations team consists of four separate departments to include HR, Drop Ship Processing, Customer Service, and the Warehouse Operation. HR handles everything from recruiting and training to providing company policies and researching benefit providers. Drop Ship Processing covers vendor relations and their products from on-boarding to customer service for our 35+ vendors. Customer Service takes care of our customer’s needs from product inquiries to order cancellations and acts as the liaison between our customers and Trend Nation as a whole. The Warehouse Operations team physically handles all of the products we sell from receiving to shipping including FBA and returns. Additional responsibilities include setting up the new warehouse, negotiating contracts for services, and maintenance of both facilities.

Human Resources & The Trend Nation Ambassadors

The Trend Nation Ambassador group is a team dedicated to representing the company both in and out of the office. Led by the Human Resources Manager this team plans community service projects, engages potential team members and acts as positive leaders in and around the office while keeping the company’s core values in mind. The team’s core focus is to uphold the core values of Trend Nation and lead by example.