Executive Team
Ivan is founder and President of Smart Outdoor and responsible for all executive functions and business development opportunities.
Ivan attended St Luke’s in New Cannan CT and then studied at the University of Tampa in Florida. He then got involved in promotions and special events.
He then started working for his family business in Mahopac, Camp Kiwi, which is now Kiwi Country Day Camp which he’s a partner. For over 25 years he worked overseeing day to day operations and help create a lot of the look and feel of the property.
Ivan then founded Smart Outdoor, Inc. as a way to offer safety for users while out on trails using smart phone capabilities and high-quality signs providing while providing sustainable revenue source back to the trails.
Ivan has spoken about the unlocking the hidden revenue in your trails at the National Parks and Recreation Show, Florida Parks and Recreation Show, and American Trails Symposium.
Eric Stuerken joined Smart Outdoor in 2019 and is Vice President and a member of the board of directors. Eric brings a wealth of financial and banking experience to the team.
Eric co-founded Better Qualified (personal and business credit experts) in 2005. Using relationships and leverage BQ has grown across the country and receives 99% of its business from referring partners like banks and real estate agents. Over the past 15 years they have helped over 50,000 clients.
Prior to BQ Eric assisted in building multi branch offices within the mortgage industry. In the late 1990s Eric co-founded the internet shopping portal PIIQ.com- raising approx. 8 million in private equity from Simon Properties and DDR.
Luis Diaz joined Smart Outdoor in 2020 and serves as Director of Operations and a member of the the board of directors.
As Director of Project Management, Luis is responsible for the fabrication, coordination, and installation of all signage and mile markers throughout our network of trails.
Luis brings years of sales and operating experience and is currently a licensed real estate salesperson working for Century 21 in Brewster NY. Luis is fluent in Spanish and known as one of the top bilingual agents in the area.
Board Of Directors
Gil Alba joined Smart Outdoor in 2018 and is currently a member of the board of directors. In addition, Gil is also the Executive Director of a nonprofit, Health, Life & Love, Inc.
Mr. Alba had a distinguished career with the New York City Police Department attaining the highest investigative rank, First Grade Detective and worked with the Major Case Squad and the FBI/NYPD Violent Crime Task Force specializing in difficult and unusual cases.
Mr. Alba holds a BA Degree in Behavioral Science from Concordia College in Bronxville, NY, received an Associate Degree in Metallurgy from Erie County Tech and attended John Jay College of Criminal Justice as well as serving seven years in the Army Reserves.
Christopher Blackman joined the board of directors in 2021 and serves as Smart Outdoors's technical advisor, supporting all technology initiatives.
Chris currently serves as SVP and CIO at Empire State Realty Trust, a leading real estate investment trust (REIT), responsible for the day to day technology direction and implementation. Empire State Realty Trust, owns, manages, operates, acquires and repositions office and retail properties in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan area, including the Empire State Building, the world's most famous building.
Chris also serves on the board of the Office, Technology, and Operations Consortium (OTOC) and is a technology advisor for RealComm.
Jason Milde joined Smart Outdoor as a partner and a member of the board of directors in 2020. Jay serves as Smart Outdoor's Director of Mobile Engagement.
Outside of Smart Outdoor, Jay has spent much of his career working in public education and private camping. Jay is a graduate of Quinnipiac University and The University of Edinburgh and he holds a BA in History, an MA in Teaching and an MS in History. Currently, Jay works full-time as the Associate Director and Director of Staffing at Breezemont Day Camp in Armonk, NY, where he oversees staffing and programing.
Jay is excited to bring his technical prowess along with his knowledge and experience of the parks and recreation industry to the table of Smart Outdoor.
