Jeff Wilhelm to Present at the 2025 International Pawn Symposium

 

 

That’s right, ladies and gentleman, the return of the International Pawn Symposium has secured a speaking opportunity from another “Pawn Legend”, Mr. Jeff Wilhelm

 

PCG International Pawn Symposium

 

There have been many developments since our announcement for the return of the Pawnshop Consulting Group’s International Pawn Symposium.

 

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

 

This Blog introduces another one of our very special presenters of which our attendees will be blessed to hear it from one of the most accredited professionals in the Pawn Industry today!

 

Next up, I am very proud to introduce a long-term friend of our beloved Pawn Industry and PCG‘s – Mr. Jeff Wilhelm!

 

A bit on Jeff”s BIO along with some observations from myself – Jerry Whitehead:

 

Jeff started his 37-year career working in the pawn industry with Cash America International.

He also credit’s to a mutual mentor of ours and that is David Johns, for sharing a vision of what life would be like in the pawn business and with Cash America. (My family and I sold out Pawn Chain to Cash America in 1992 and David almost talked me into joining the team) 

 

In Jeff’s case -man, was he right. As a store trainee, he worked his way through the program and became an Area Supervisor and Training Coordinator for Cash America.

 

After 5 years with Cash, he moved back to Florida to work with a friend, Joe Bartholomew at Southern Pawn. Joe may have been the best pawnbroker that he had come across in some 32 years of his life cycle. Joe let him see and gave him the vision of how the independent brokers did business.  He found out through this experience that he loved independent shops as much as corporate ones.

 

Jeff has been blessed to have had so many amazing people cross his life’s path in business. He offer’s thanks to the following: Joe B, John T, Don H, Dan C, David C, Kevin S, Jack H, Dan F, Rob B, Gardy R, Bart B, Monty W, Virginia, Carl K, David J, Jon C, Tim M, Teresa H, David B and Bob M. and many more along the way with all the teams he has had the privilege to work with over the years.

 

Jeff’s world changed again in business when he came across a person named John Thedford, (thank you Sir, as John is still a mentor today “Jeff’s words”).  John gave him a platform and a vision that at the time that he had not experienced or seen in the pawn world.

 

At that time, Jeff opted-in with a startup pawn operation with only 4 stores. He was able to move into a corporate training role at Value Pawn & Jewelry (VP&J), where he personally trained over 175 new GM’s using the principles of Covey Leadership. During his time with VP&J as Director of Leadership and Development.  The company grew to 75 stores over a six-year period.

 

Jeff has also worked as a Pawnshop consultant. A great opportunity came with a partnership with Bay Area Pawnshops in Clearwater Florida, of which he later sold his interest in the stores and went into pawnshop and retail consulting full time.

 

Jeff was given the opportunity to work with a former client of the Pawnshop Consulting Group’s which was CashWiz, a 21-store chain based in the Caribbean and USA as the Director of Leadership and Store Support for 3 years (of which he continues to consult with today).

 

Jeff truly misses all the teams at this organization where he had made many lasting relationships in the US and throughout the Caribbean.

 

In 2018, he joined National Pawn and Jewelry based in Raleigh/Durham NC, as Director of Training and Profitability. “Another former client group of the Pawnshop Consulting Group and long term friend of the founder, Mr. Bob Moulton”.  From Jeff — “Thank you, Bob Moulton for waiting several years before I said yes to NPAJ”.

 

With his role at NPAJ he had the honor to be a part of an amazing team of 180 human assets and 19 stores, with more to come as the Director of Store Operations for NPAJ. This company was awesome and just finds way to win.

They sold NPAJ in 2024 which will be to date the largest per store Average and asset multiples ever paid for a pawn company in current Pawn history.

“I would like to thank all the team members and the amazing company culture that was created at NJAP. Peter Drucker said best “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”.

Jeff so looks forward to the next journey in his life path, as he knows it will have its challenges with lots of excitement that will keep him smiling and looking for new ways to continue to achieve success.

 

From Jeff:

Oct 30,2023, we became grandparents’ of which has definitely been life changing, thank you Erin and Kevin for bringing baby Jack Wayne Nether into our lives who is an amazing happy little boy.

 

That same year Erin was diagnosed with cancer, of which she has achieved full remission.

 

Along the way, in my life’s path I received the best gift that anyone could have given to me is Barbara Marier, my wife and the mother of 3 wonderful kids (Erin 30, Rian 28 and Kyleigh 25) which words on this page can’t express or do any justice just how awesome Barbara is for many years she has been the strength of the family and has always believed in me even when I would say I was going to make a change or make things hard for her. Thank you dear and I love you.

 

She is so much better than me and I always say I out kicked my coverage. We have a goal together to be able to stop working at 62 I believe she will, but not sure about me. So, I will make sure I spend each day being thankful for you being in my life’s path. Again, I love you.

 

I believe when time my time passes on this earth I will be remembered as a loving father, husband, brother, son and uncle who was caring and believed in sharing all he has with others with passion, consistency and a little intensity. 

 

With my faith and 7 habits role of Health, father, family and husband, life of (SEE DO GET), career over the past year I see life as be happy, smile more along the way, life is short so have fun.

 

Jeff”s Presentation for the 2025 International Pawn Symposium

 

 

Jeff will be presenting a high-level piece on the many intricate components of coming into a live operation, blending in, establishing the culture, gaining the respect of the team, and strategically growing the brand while also achieveing extremely low personnel turnover while obtaining substantial growth and historic KPI performance and more.

 

This year’s presentation will be like no other Jeff has presented before – as he has continued to polish, revamp, and revise the successes of his lifelong journey within our beloved Pawn Industry.

 

It should also be noted that Jeff will be one of our “fellow pawnbrokers” hosting with us out panel of Pawn Experts that we will have this years event in Atlantis as well. It is rumored, Bob Moulton of National Pawn may join us as well!

 

A footnote from PCG – Producer of the International Pawn Symposium

 

Our events are not trade shows nor conventions. They are high level inter-active educational seminars conducted by numerous experts within and outside the Pawn Industry.

 

These events also center on close interaction of ALL of the participants by keeping them together for all of the functions, seminars, food, and ALL social functions which are a primary component of the event itself.

 

In effect, High Level education and social networking on steroids.

 

AS for exclusivity, we keep attendance at a controlled level to insure maximum benefit of time with our educators, presenters, participants, and sponsors. All of which are required from our experience to obtain the best of the best, from the best!!

 

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort.

 

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 85+ participants on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

 

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND THIS EVENT – CONTACT ME DIRECTLY NOW TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ATTENDNACE PAYMENT AND CONFIRMATION AND WE WILL PROVIDE THE ROOM BLOCK HOTEL PASSKEY TO GUARANTEE YOUR DISCOUNTED ROOM AT THIS WORLD CLASS RESORT.

Jerry Whitehead @ 954-540-3697 – Pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more.

 

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium