Our People
Michelle Menard, President and CEO
While an undergraduate at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 1995, Michelle Luhr Menard founded Choice Translating with an ‘operating budget’ of $200. Today, Choice Translating is the leading linguistic services firm headquartered in the Carolinas, and Michelle is the company’s visionary. Choice Translating clients benefit from her ability to build and communicate solutions to complex problems.
Michelle holds a B.S.B.A. in international business and a B.A. in French from UNC Charlotte. She was born in Charleston, S.C., and raised in a bicultural, bilingual environment, dividing her time between La Rochelle, France, and the Carolinas.
In 2000, the U.S. Small Business Administration named her North Carolina’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year. She was recognized in 2004 as one of the Charlotte Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” high achievers and was a finalist for Business North Carolina magazine’s Small Business of the Year award in 2005.
In 2002, Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory appointed Michelle to the executive committee of the prestigious Mayor’s International Cabinet on which she is serving her second term through February 2007. From 2002 to 2005, she chaired the Charlotte Mayor’s International Community Awards Selection Committee that recognizes foreign-owned firms that are involved in the local community. In addition, she is an alumna of Leadership Charlotte Class XXV and is the chairperson of the advisory board of the Small Business Technology Development Center - Southern Piedmont Region.
Michelle’s commitment to the community is embodied in her active and enthusiastic contributions to these and other non-profit organizations that help create jobs, promote education and improve the standard of living for all members of our society.
Vernon J. Menard III, Chief Operating Officer
Vernon Menard joined Choice Translating in 2000 as co-owner and Chief Operating Officer. Through efficient, tightly integrated and consistently executed strategic operations, he implements the vision he and Michelle share for the company. Vernon’s extensive experience in manufacturing, international business and project management delivers value to Choice Translating’s clients.
He holds a B.A. in international studies and a B.A. in Spanish from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He also completed the WEO (World Entrepreneurs' Organization) Advanced Business Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Born in Washington, D.C., Vernon has lived in Peru, Mexico and Haiti. Additionally, he has engaged in extensive business travels throughout Europe, Latin America and Asia.
Prior to partnering with Michelle at Choice Translating, Vernon operated Rack Technologies, Inc., a data communications products manufacturer he launched in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1996. Before building Rack, he worked at Leviton Manufacturing Company's Telcom Unit in Seattle, Washington, where he started its International Department and served as International Marketing and Sales Manager. In 1999, Vernon invested in Choice Translating for which he assumed operational responsibilities after Rack Technologies was sold the following year.
Vernon has been an active member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization Charlotte Chapter since 2002 and is serving as president through June 2007. He also sits on the board of the UNC Charlotte Chapter of Students In Free Enterprise.