Wayde King, CEO of Acrylic Tank Manufacturing
(Bio Courtesy of “Animal Planet”)
Wayde King's love of fish began at an early age. Born and raised in Long Island, New York, Wayde has early memories of his mother and biological father, who was a fish dealer, and the multiple tanks they had in the basement of his home. At 14, he was cleaning aquariums in Long Island with his stepfather, Shelly, and over a decade later, he moved to Vegas to work for another company where he built and sold aquariums. The move to Vegas led to the building of a tank for a family that possessed the only thing he loves more than fish: his wife, Heather. Heather's father, Irwin, recognized Wayde's zeal for fish and partnered with Wayde to help him hone his expertise of tanks and fish and grow both into a successful business.

Brett Raymer, COO of Acrylic Tank Manufacturing
(Bio Courtesy of “Animal Planet”)
Brett Raymer is the COO of Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM), and you couldn't build a tank big enough to hold his larger-than-life ideas and personality. Originally from Brooklyn, New York and ever ready to take on a new venture, Brett jumped at the opportunity to help his family create their tank-building dream in Las Vegas. Wayde and Brett started the company before Wayde and Heather were married and the company is still thriving. Known for his ability to wheel and deal and his somewhat impulsive confidence, Brett has brought Wayde some of his most loyal clients. Though some days Wayde wishes Brett would slow down, Brett believes that if you can dream it, ATM can build it. He said seeing the face of someone enjoying a tank is priceless.

Irwin Raymer, Office Manager of Acrylic Tank Manufacturing
(Bio Courtesy of “Animal Planet”)
Irwin, also known as "The General", saw a spark in Wayde that led him to not only want to partner with him and start the ATM business, but also to introduce him to his daughter, Heather. By nature, he is happy to lay down the law when needed to keep his family business strong. Irwin also owned his own business for several years selling machinery, so Wayde and Brett trust him with operations and rely on him when it comes to solving difficult problems.

Rachel Phelps, Founder and Author of PrestonSpeaks.com
(Bio Courtesy of PrestonSpeaks.com)
Rachel Phelps is a sought-after pet industry influencer best known for her development of the nationally recognized dog blog PrestonSpeaks.com. She is a professional member of the Dog Writers Association of America, professional member of Cat Writers Association and is a regular speaker on pet issues and the use of social media. She also oversees the social media endeavors, website content, design, and general PR for several non-profits.

Sir Preston Peabody (Phelps), CGC, Dog Author of PrestonSpeaks.com
(Bio Courtesy of PrestonSpeaks.com)
Preston is a West Highland White Terrier and he’s your typical dog-blogger. He’s also an actor and model. He loves typical dog stuff like playing, chewing, and car rides and long walks! He loves meeting people and other dogs and likes going to festivals and other places he’s allowed like pet stores. Most of all, he just enjoys spending time with his mom and dad, his brother (most of the time), his sister, and his cats.

Chris Ruben, Co-Founder of Adopt A Shelter
(Bio Courtesy of AdoptaShelter.com)
Chris Ruben entered the pet industry in 1989 by introducing pig ears, bully sticks and many other all-natural pet chews and treats to the North American marketplace. He has been very instrumental in launching and managing several well-known pet products and brands, most notably Barnsdale FarmsÆ, MuttleyísÆ, BullwrinklesÆ, SnoopyísÆ Pet Products and Sticky PawsÆ. Chris is founder and CEO of Creative Marketing Resources, and also serves as the U.S. managing director of EuroCan Pet Products. He is the cofounder of AdoptAShelter.com, which allows consumers to make money for rescues, simply by shopping at their favorite online websites. Learn more at http://adoptashelter.com

Lon "Veteran Traveler" Hodge
Lon Hodge, a veteran who served in the military from 1973 until 1981, lived with crippling anxiety due to PTSD after transitioning into civilian life. He didnít find relief until he discovered Freedom Service Dogs in Colorado. Since being connected with Gander in 2012, Hodge has travelled the country and helped multiple people who suffer from PTSD gain a voice through social media. Through PACKs (planned acts of community kindness), projects Lon and Gander undertake while travelling, they help people who fall in between the cracks that are in need of immediate help of some kind ñ including adopting a school for special kids, visiting someone in the hospital, or arranging for hundreds of cards around the world to be sent to someone in need of good cheer.

Gander, National Service Dog Ambassador
Gander was rescued from a kill shelter by a prison training program in Colorado. He was initially trained by a wonderful woman at a Colorado correctional facility and selected for his career by Freedom Service Dogs in Denver. Hodge and Gander met up in Denver, spent the day bonding, and then snuck off at night to play ball in nearby Red Rocks Park. They knew it would work.

Critter Science
Critter Science combines the natural curiosity of animal-lovers with the cool facts scientists love. Some critters are well known, some critters are completely unknown. Critter Science was developed to encompass them all. The website currently collects facts about animals all over the world in order to educate the public on the awesomeness that is nature. As the 2015 Phoenix Pet Expo Creature Feature, family members of all ages (and species) should stop by to learn a couple of facts!

Where Wolves Rescue
(Bio Courtesy of WolfCountry.com)
Where Wolves Rescue protects, saves, and cares for, the lives of domestic wolves, wolf dogs, dogs, cats, and other animals. Their mission is to educate the public about these same animals, in how to care for and interact with them. WWR also provides care for unwanted and elderly animals whose owners can no longer care for them.

Phoenix Area Disc Dogs (Bio Courtesy of PHADD.com) The Mission of Phoenix Area Disc Dogs is to positively promote the sport of Canine Disc, sportsmanship, canine safety, human/canine bonding and fun! As long as there are discs to throw, grass to play on and crazy pooches that want to catch them, PHADD is dedicated to be there to educate and have fun no matter what experience you have! They host the Disc Dog Course at the 2015 Phoenix Pet Expo, so be sure to stop by and see if your dog can jump!

K9 Outlaws
(Bio Courtesy of ki21.wix.com/k9outlaws)
The K9 Outlaws Flyball Team is located in Chandler, AZ. The team consists of a large group of friends that love Flyball, love to laugh, love to have fun and enjoy having a good time. There is a wide variety of dogs on their team from border collies and labs to rat terriers and corgis. As the hosts of the Flyball Course, attendees will get to watch animals race across and demonstrate their skills in relay! Even better, stick around and see if your pet has what it takes!

Jumping Chollas Agility Club
(Bio Courtesy of JumpingChollas.com)
Jumping Chollas Agility Club aims to encourage responsible dog ownership and provide the highest level of agility training available. They provide classes for every level of play ñ from puppies up through advanced competition. Be sure to stop by the Canine Obstacle Course to take your dog on a test run!

Delta Canine
Delta Canine trains and delivers personal protection dogs. The Protection Dog trainers for Delta Canine Services have a Working Canine background founded in European dog sports and police K9 training. Not only have they been competitive in elite working dog sports, but they remain competitive at the highest level to date.