Staff Bio

Mark Mosley - Controlling Member of Elite Welding Academy/ Board Member United Group Services Mark has been the controlling owner of Elite Welding Academy since 2006 and of United Group Services since 1982.

Dan Freese - EWA Managing Member / C.E.O. – United Group Services Dan Freese has over 30 years in construction management and has been the President of United Group Services since 2003 and partial owner of Elite Welding Academy October 2013

Jackie Montgomery – President of EWA Jackie received a Master of Science, Accounting and a Master of Business Administration from Northeastern University. Jackie joined Elite Welding Academy in 2021 and brings over thirty years of experience in business and operations management. After 11 years with a big four accounting firm, Jackie’s career has spanned senior management roles in finance, operations, and compliance departments of both public and private companies

F. Michael Rice CWI/ CWE Director of Instruction Mike has over 20 years of pipe welding and pipefitting experience and at least 7 years of instructional experience. He is an OSHA Outreach Trainer for construction and holds numerous welding certifications. Mike is also certified as an ASNT Level II VT and Scaffold Training Institute Trainer. He is the Testing Supervisor and Manager for our AWS Accredited Test Facility. He has been trained as an NCCER instructor and is a member of the American Welding Society. He began teaching at Ohio’s Elite Welding Academy in December of 2012

Genois Thomas – Executive Director Genois received a Master’s of Business Administration from Texas Southern University and a Bachelor of Administration from American InterContinental University in Human Resources.  Genois has over 26 years of extensive administrative, director, and executive experience, joining Elite Welding Academy in 2015

Gail Goode - Financial Aid Director Gail received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Cincinnati in Education.  Gail has an extensive background in Administration as a manager, supervisor, and Title IV Administration as financial aid director in both non-profit and for-profit institutions, joining Elite Welding Academy in 2016

Mike Senay - Lead Welding Instructor     Mike Senay has over 35 years of pipe welding and fitting experience and at least 15 years of instructional experience. He has held supervisory positions while employed at Untied Group Services. Mike holds numerous welding certifications including a 30 hour OSHA card through United Group Services.  He has been trained as an NCCER instructor and is a member of the American Welding Society

CINCINNATI CAMPUS

Mark Jamison - OSHA Trainer      Mark has been an employee of United Group Services as a pipe welder for 20 years and an Authorized OSHA Outreach Trainer.  He began working with Elite Welding Academy in 2014.  He has various welding certifications through United Group Services.  He has worked in the field and in the shop environment

CINCINNATI CAMPUS

M. Ben Woolwine – Welding Instructor Ben is a certified pipe welder. He has been an employee of United Group Services as a pipe welder for over 5 years.  Ben graduated from the Elite Welding Academy in October 2014. Ben is a former figure skater of 20 years also with over 15 years of teaching experience

 CINCINNATI CAMPUS

Gaffin, John, - Instructor John has 37 years of experience in the construction industry. During this time, he has held these positions and certifications – structural ironworker, pipefitter, pipe welder, AWS Certified Welding Inspector, AWS Certified Welding Educator, NCCER Certified Pipefitting and Pipe Welding Instructor, Fabrication Shop Foreman,  QA-QC manager, and Site QC. Joining in 2022

CINCINNATI CAMPUS

Arrowood, Tim – Instructor, Tim has 5 years of pipe welding experience. Ross graduated from Elite Welding Academy where he started his pipe welding career in the industry before returning to Elite Welding Academy and joining the team has a level 1 instructor joining in 2022

CINCINNATI CAMPUS 

Brockman, Ross – Instructor, Ross has 7 years of pipe welding experience. Ross graduated from Elite Welding Academy where he started his pipe welding career in the industry before returning to Elite Welding Academy and joining the team has a level 1 instructor joining in 2022

CINCINNATI CAMPUS

Angela Ginn-Administrative Angela Ginn has over 15 years of case management experience with the State of Texas Family Service Department.  Over 27 years of social service skills with the State of Texas, a graduate of Ole Miss, BBA-Marketing.  Joining Elite Pipe Welding Academy December 2019

HOUSTON CAMPUS

Garcia, Susan – Assistant Director of Financial Aid Susan Received an associate degree in Business Management from Kaplan University.  She has 10 years of experience working as a financial aid advisor plus 8 years managing a financial aid department for several for-profit colleges and universities. Joining July 2021

HOUSTON CAMPUS

Michale Frazier - Lead Instructor Michale Frazier has over 24 years of pipe welding and fabrication experience, and one (1) year of experience as a Saturday welding school instructor with Untied Group Services in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Michale has held a piping foreman’s position for several industrial companies and fabrication shops.  Have numerous welding certifications on SubArc, GMAW, FCAW, SMAW, GTAW, & Orbital Welding. Also extensive knowledge in welding alloys, such as INCONEL, HASTELLOY, CHROME, NICKEL, COPPER-NICKEL, DUPLEX, ALUMINUM

HOUSTON CAMPUS

Zachary Farley,  Instructor/Admission/Placement, Zachary Farley has 3 years of pipe welding experience.  Zachary graduated from Elite Welding Academy where he started his pipe welding career with Turner Industry before returning to Elite Welding Academy and joining the team as a level 1 instructor

HOUSTON CAMPUS

Daniel Martin, Admission Administrator, Daniel has14 years of recruiting and marketing in various fields,  10 years as Department of Human Services field supervisor, Been a member of NLC for the past 5 years for the leadership of an America joining Elite Welding Academy November 2019 

CINCINNATI CAMPUS

Andrew Kessinger, Lead Instructor Andrew has 15 years of experience in welding pipe and structural.  He is a shop foreman at a major manufacturing company, has OSHA 10 certification, worked with boilermakers, and has 15 years experience in MIG TIG and stick, joining Elite Welding Academy 2018

SOUTH POINT CAMPUS

Tony Koukos, Instructor Tony worked with McGinnis INC he was a welder fitter from 85-01 and welder fitter at AK steel from 2001 to 2018 and works with Pickett concrete as a welding and fabrication for 30 plus years also has his own welding business Koukos welding in South Point Ohio, joining Elite Welding Academy in 2019

SOUTH  POINT CAMPUS

 Renzi, Jessica, Administrative Assistant/Placement, Associate’s in Education Morehead State University and Ashland Community and Technical College.  She has an extensive background in administration as a business owner, manager, and administrative assistant in various fields.   She also has an educational background as a substitute teacher for the Russell Independent School District, joining Elite Academy 2020

SOUTH POINT CAMPUS