Our Team

Our team

 

Craig Dawson, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Co-Founder

As President and Chief Executive Officer, Craig Dawson is responsible for the strategic direction of Retail Lockbox, Inc.’s operations headquartered in Seattle.  He co-founded Retail Lockbox, Inc. in 1994 with the help of his partner, Walt Townes.  Prior to founding Retail Lockbox, Inc., Craig was a Senior Sales Executive with Unisys Corporation, an international provider of computer and system solutions.  As a Seattle native, Craig holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Washington School of Business.  He also serves on numerous boards that include the Board of Directors of the Washington Roundtable, the Community Development Roundtable, and is the past President of Tabor 100, a non-profit organization which focuses on creating initiatives for CEOs of minority-owned businesses.

Walt Townes, Vice President and Co-Founder

As Vice President, Walt Townes is responsible for providing and implementing strategic leadership to achieve the company’s long-term goals and initiatives.  He co-founded Retail Lockbox, Inc. in 1994 along with current President and CEO, Craig Dawson.   Recently Walt acquired ABC Scanning and Imaging, a scanning and digital imaging provider based in Los Angeles, CA, where he serves as the President and CEO.  As a Seattle native, Walt holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Washington School of Business.  He has a strong background in operations management with a focus on building teams who deliver consistent quality and responsive customer service, and has successfully operated service based businesses for over 25 years.

Sue West, VP Operations

As Vice President of Operations, Sue West is responsible for managing the operational activities of the company and implementing the organization’s policies and procedures in the operations functions.  She formerly held the position of Director of Business Development, where she negotiated and managed business relationships, and identified new opportunities to capture additional business.  As a Seattle native, Sue holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Washington School of Business.  She has successfully led many large teams through significant changes in both strategic direction and technology shifts, and her experience covers a myriad of operations, marketing and finance assignments in the telecommunications industry.

Joan Dawson, Chief Financial Officer

As Controller and Chief Financial Officer, Joan Dawson is responsible for managing the financial reporting and planning of the company, and implementing internal control systems.  Prior to her employment at Retail Lockbox, Inc., Joan was an Assistant Director of both Accounting and Administration at Safeco Insurance in Seattle.  As a native of the Pacific Northwest, Joan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington.  She is involved in several local, non-profit organizations including the Children’s Hospital Parent Advisory Board, the NW Sarcoma Foundation, and the University of Washington Alumnae Board.

Shelly Barnett, Chief Information Officer

As Chief Information Officer, Shelly Barnett is responsible for implementing the technology strategy of the company, and manages the technology components of Retail Lockbox, Inc.’s business solutions.  Prior to joining Retail Lockbox, Inc., Shelly held positions at Mentor Consultants, Unisys Corporation, Shared Medical Systems, DDI, and Interax.  As a Pennsylvania native, Shelly holds a Bachelors of Science in Mathematics and has completed advanced classes in Physics, Operations Research, and Computer Science, all from the Florida Institute of Technology.  He is an expert in the field of payment processing and has experience in developing systems in a multitude of languages, as well as previously managing his own consulting company for 25 years.  Shelly has designed and implemented check processing solutions for First Wachovia Bank, Chase Bank, Bank of America, Harris Bank, Bank of New York, and the Bank of Montreal, and has over 30 years of experience in the technical and banking fields, hospital systems, and retail sales systems.