Board of Governors

Paul M. Sallarulo 

Chairman of the Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship Board of Governors

Paul Sallarulo is President and CEO of Nexera Medical Inc., a developer and distributor of antimicrobial textile products worldwide. As the company’s principal government contact, Paul was responsible for Nexera receiving the first certification in Europe for an antimicrobial mask, in addition to the first certification of a predicate device antibacterial respirator mask issued by the FDA.

Paul has an extensive financial career in capital markets and investment banking, holding senior positions from January 1990 to April 2006 with Raymond James, Wachovia Securities, Prudential, Meridian Capital Markets, and CoreStates Capital Markets. 

He was appointed Commissioner of the North Broward Hospital District by Florida Governor Jeb Bush for two four-year terms and served as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners and Chairman of the Executive Committee. He oversaw four major hospitals, 38 clinics, 6,000 professionals, and a budget in excess of $2 billion. He served as Chairman of the Audit Committee, Legal Review Committee, Joint Conference Committee, Broward Health Foundation, Community Relations Committee for Broward General Hospital, Community Relations Committee for Imperial Point Medical Center, and he currently serves on the Liberty Health Foundation Board in Jersey City, New Jersey.

In January 2006, The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) appointed Paul to serve on the Medicaid Reform Technical Advisory Panel. The panel was created by the Florida Legislature in House Bill 3B and will advise AHCA on various implementation issues with Medicaid reform. The panel is intended to be a source of advice for AHCA as the state moves forward to implement Florida’s groundbreaking reform plan in Broward and Duval counties. In 2007, Governor Charlie Crist selected Paul to join his transition team to serve on the Citizens Review group for the Office of Financial Regulation. 

Paul served on the Board of Directors of Basinate Industries, Board of Directors of Ubii Corporation, Board of Southwest Charter Foundation, Inc., and Board of Renaissance Charter School, Inc. At NSU he has served on the Board of Trustees, International Alumni Association (President), and the Dental Medicine Advisory Board. He was inducted as the first Honorary member into Sigma Beta Delta Society – International Honor Society in Business, Management and Administration, and he was on the Board of Directors of the Symphony of the Americas and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Tower Club. Paul has served on the following Boards: Board of Directors of Foss manufacturing, Board of Directors and Executive Board of Winterfest, American Diabetes Leadership Council Board, National Advocacy Leadership Board – American Diabetes Association, Board of Directors of the Heart Center of Excellence Foundation, Leadership Circle of United Way, Chairman of the American Red Cross of Broward County, Board of Directors of the Museum of Discovery and Science, Board of Directors of Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center, Board of Directors of the Tower Forum, Member of the Planning and Zoning Board of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County Personal Advisory Board Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale Marine Advisory Board, Kids Voting USA – Florida State Board of Directors, and the Economic Development Advisory Board. He was Co-Chair of 100 Men Who Care, which raises money for many charitable organizations. Paul was also knighted in 2015 by St. John’s of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus Fourth degree, and a member of the Order of Alhambra.

Paul was Co-Founder of Broward Bank of Commerce and served on the Board of Directors. He was Chairman of the Budget Committee, Strategic Planning Committee and Nominating Committee. He also served on the Marketing Committee, Loan Committee, ALCO Committee, and Compensation Committee. Paul assisted in the sale of Broward Financial Holdings, the parent company of Broward Bank of Commerce for $33.96 million to Home BancShares, parent company of Centennial Bank in 2014. He currently serves on the Regional Board of Directors of Centennial Bank and serves on the Loan Committee and Strategic Planning Committee. 

Paul is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award – Nova Southeastern University 1996. In 2018 the Broward Special Olympics created the Annual “Paul Sallarulo Honorary Board Member of the Year Award” to be awarded to an Honorary Board member for exemplary performance. In 2019 he received the Florida State Volunteer Recognition Award by the Florida Knights of Columbus. Sallarulo was Chairman of The Special Olympics of Broward County, and he has been an advocate for people with physical and mental challenges for more than 48 years. He has assisted in raising over $20 million for Special Olympics and other charities. He and his children, Patrick and Samantha, are the founders of the “Sallarulo Race for Champions,” which raised over $10 million in the last ten years for Special Olympics. He served on The Board of Directors of the Mental Health Association of Broward County. He was presented with the “Volunteer of The Year” award by The Broward County Advisory Board for Persons with Disabilities and The Broward County Disability Affairs Section, and the “2006 Volunteer of The Year” award by The Broward Special Olympics. He was recognized for outstanding advocacy, contributions, and achievements that bring increased awareness of disability-related issues. In 2011, The Broward County Board of County Commissioners appointed Paul to The Advisory Board for Individuals with Disabilities. He served as Chairman of the Children’s Fund at the North Broward Hospital District. He also served on the Advisory Board of Best Buddies. Paul and his family received the “2016 Family of the Year Award” for their contribution to the Special Olympics. He also received the “2016 Jack Crutchfield Award” for Outstanding and Distinguished Service to Special Olympics by the Florida State Special Olympics. 

In 2008, Governor Charlie Crist recognized Paul with the Point of Light Award for Outstanding Volunteerism. “By choosing to devote his energy to the Special Olympics, Paul has helped brighten the lives of many persons with disabilities in Broward County,” said Governor Crist. “I applaud his leadership and dedication to helping athletes and volunteers do their best and understand the importance of teamwork.”

Paul graduated with an A.A.S. degree from SUNY Adirondack, a B.B.A. degree in Business Administration from Baruch College, Dean’s List, in New York City, and an M.B.A. from Nova Southeastern University with honors (4.0 GPA).

Sallarulo has co-authored and published the following articles: 

• “Spread Creates Opportunity That’s Not Readily Apparent,” in Credit Union Times, February 11,   1991. 
• “How Your Investments Measure Up – Interest Rate Risk and ALM Strategies,” in Executive Journal, New York, October 1991. 
• “Opportunities in FNMA ‘FLEX’ ARMs and FHLMC ‘WAC’ ARMs,” in Credit Union Times, New York, April 4, 1991.
• “Riding The Yield Curve,” in Credit Union Times, July 5, 1995. 
• “A Portfolio Strategy and Laddered Portfolios as A Passive Investment Strategy,” in Credit Union Times, May 10, 1995. 
• Contributing Author “Residential Mortgage Lending,” 1995, Marshall Dennis.
• Acknowledgment By Roberta Guigerio for her book “The Do’s and Don’ts of Hypoglycemia,” 2011.

Marta T. Batmasian

Investments Limited

Since her arrival in the United States, Marta Batmasian has demonstrated a true immigrant spirit by getting involved and excelling in the fields of education, business, politics, and community service. Born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey, as a Christian Armenian, Marta's dream was to emigrate to the U.S., where minority groups were given the opportunity to integrate easily and pursue their dreams.
 
After graduating from Esayan Lycee, in Istanbul as a valedictorian of her class, she was admitted to the prestigious Robert College, founded as a branch of Columbia University in Istanbul. In her junior year, the family relocated to the Netherlands, where Marta attended Leiden University prior to her departure to the United States to complete her education.
 
She then attended Emerson College in Boston, where she received a B.A. in English with honors. Marta continued her graduate studies by enrolling in Brandeis University’s joint Master’s and Ph.D. program in Near Eastern Studies. Upon completion of her studies, she became superintendent of a small school, then an adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts for eight years until she moved to Boca Raton, Florida. She subsequently received an M.B.A. from Barry University in Miami.
 
Marta’s Board Directorships and community charitable involvements are extensive. She has founded and funded many community endeavors, including Children's Science Explorium, Tri­ County Rescue Shelter, League of Education Awareness of Holocaust (LEAH), People Reaching Out to Provide Education and Leadership (PROPEL), Garden of Humanity, and many others.
 
Her Board memberships include South Florida PBS, Florida Atlantic University, Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR), National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR), and NSU Florida/H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship. She has received numerous awards and recognitions, including College Club Achievement Award for Excellence in Business and Education (1983), Junior League of Boca Raton, Volunteer of the Year (1997), One Community (formerly known as National Conference of Christians and Jews) (2009), Outstanding Person and Leader – OPAL award by Rotary Club for community service (2011), Ellis Island Medal of Honor (2018), and several others.
 
Marta owns Investments Limited with her husband – a real estate investment company that owns and manages shopping centers, apartment communities, and office buildings. She resides in Boca Raton, Florida, and has two sons and three grandchildren.
 
Board Directorships, Memberships, and Affiliations:

• National Association for Armenian Studies and Research, Board Member, 1971-Present 
• Armenian Assembly of America, Life Trustee, 1971-Present
• Armenian General Benevolent Union of America, Member, 1971-Present
• Florida Atlantic University, College of Arts and Letters, Advisory Board Chair, Founder of FAU Ambassadors of the Arts and Theater Lab, 2002-Present
• NSU Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship, Board of Governors, 1998-Present 
• Children's Science Explorium, Founder, Chair, Vice-Chair and President, 1988-2001
• Children's Museum of Boca Raton, Executive Board Member, 1988-1991
• Tri-County Animal Rescue and Humane Society, Founding Member, Board of Directors, Vice-Chair and Honorary Board, 1996-Present
• YMCA of Boca Raton, Board of Trustees, Founder of Y's Women's Club, 1987-2001 
• Caldwell Theater Company, Board Member, Director, Founder of Theater Guild, 1987-2009
• League of Educational Awareness of Holocaust (LEAH), Founding Member, Board Member and Advisor, 1996-2010
• Palm Beach Cultural Council, Director, 1998-2003; Chairman of the Board, 2003-2006 
• Center for Family Services, Auxiliary Board Member, 1993-2000
• PROPEL (People Reaching Out to Provide Education and Leadership), Co-Founder, Director, and Trustee, 2001-Present
• FAR (Fund for Armenian Relief), Executive Board Member, 2005-Present Junior League of Boca Raton, 1985-Present
• Boca Raton Symphonic Pops, Board Member, Founder of Professionals for Pops (Pro-Pops),  
• 1987-2001
• Centre for the Arts at Mizner Park, Board of Directors, 1995-2008 
• Together Against Gangs (TAG), Founder and Board Member, 1995-2005
•  Boca Raton International Club, Founding Member, 1983-1992
• South Florida PBS, Board of Trustees, including Chair, PBS Foundation, 2003-2019
• St. David Armenian Church Parish Council Chair, 2015-2017; National Delegate, 2017-Present 
• Florida Department of Education, Task Force for Holocaust Education, 2005-2020
• Creator of Garden of Humanity to promote peace and eradicate genocides and hatred, 2015- Present
• Founder of Walk of Recognition: annual event recognizing community leaders with Boca Raton Historical Society, 1996-Present
• Boca Raton Literary Society, Founding Member, 1991-1996
• Creator of Garden of Humanity to promote peace and eradicate genocides and hatred 2015- Present
• Founder of Walk of Recognition: An annual event recognizing community leaders with Boca Raton Historical Society 1996-Present
• Boca Raton Literary Society, Founding Member 1991-1996

Other Involvements, Past and Present Memberships, and Committee Works Include:

• Boca Raton Historical Society Boca Raton Regional Hospital American Heart Association Boca Raton Museum of Art
• Daughters of Vartan Masonic Lodge (1985-2010) Cystic Fibrosis Association
• Humanitarian Society 
• KIND (Kids In New Directions) American Cancer Society March of Dimes
• Florence Fuller Child Development Center Take Charge Parkinson's
• Lynn University Excalibur Society Children's Place At Home Safe Miami City Ballet
• St. Paul's Lutheran School PTO St. Andrews School PTO Haven
• George Snow Scholarship Fund Alzheimer's Association
• COAF (Children of Armenia Fund) HOPE

Melanie Dickinson

President and Publisher of the South Florida Business Journal

A Journalism graduate of the University of Maryland who first worked for the Washington Journalism Review, Melanie Dickinson has spent her career in publishing. Born in Philadelphia and raised in South Florida, her next journalism position was with the Miami Herald.

In 1997, Melanie joined the Philadelphia Business Journal, part of the American City Business Journal (ACBJ) network. Six years later she was named advertising director and then publisher of the company’s Birmingham Business Journal.

Melanie returned home to Florida in 2008 to lead the South Florida Business Journal (SFBJ). As President and Publisher of the largest business-to-business publication in the region, Melanie’s leadership and drive to deliver breaking news and in-depth business stories designed to foster growth for the local business owners and executives has resulted in multiple industry awards for the South Florida Business Journal’s editorial and design teams.

At the SFBJ, Melanie led the charge to turn the traditional, weekly print publication into a daily news operation that provides business owners and executives with the breaking news and resources needed to grow their businesses.

In 2013, she also oversaw the redesign of the print publication and the SFBJ’s website. The cutting-edge design and complete makeover of the SFBJ website now allows for easy consumption of the latest news across multiple platforms.

Under Melanie’s leadership, the publication has shown double-digit increases in print subscribers and online readership, making the SFBJ the number one news source for the region’s robust business community. Never was this more evident than in 2020, when the newspaper’s circulation soared 15% during a time when most newspapers struggled to boost circulation. 

She has also been lauded by ACBJ for leading one of the 43-newspaper chain’s most diverse newsrooms. This did not happen by chance, as Melanie was committed to diversity and inclusion long before similar efforts began to resonate with many companies.

Diversity has always been important to Melanie, who diligently worked to diversify all of her departments, starting with her department heads. This has led to a newsroom that now produces a publication, website and award programs that are more reflective of the diverse communities it serves.

Serving and connecting with local business leaders is also one of her priorities. A recent example of that is the launch of South Florida’s Leadership Trust, a network that provides an opportunity for influential business leaders and entrepreneurs to connect with peers in South Florida and across the nation. This helps build their brands and grow their reach through content creation and thought leadership opportunities.

Additionally, Melanie’s passion for recognizing and elevating the achievements of women in business led to her pioneering the Women’s Leadership Group.

This invitation-only women’s membership organization allows CEOs, presidents and business owners the opportunity to share their successes, challenges and ideas with other women in a supportive and confidential setting. Now in its fifth year, the group’s members include some of the region’s most impactful disrupters and true captains of industry. The program has been so successful that it has been replicated in other ACBJ markets.

Melanie truly believes that it’s programs like these that help businesses grow and be successful, while strengthening our local community and economy.

She also believes that the overall collaboration between all three counties is what makes South Florida such a vibrant region. This is reflected in the SFBJ’s award programs and editorial features, such as the South Florida Ultimate CEO or South Florida’s Power Leaders 250, highlighting the strength of our region as one community. 

Melanie’s commitment to the community can be seen in her work with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami, Habitat for Humanity, The Education Fund, the American Cancer Society and United Way, among the many charitable organizations that Melanie is involved with and supports.

Additionally, Melanie advocates for business and the growth of our region via her board positions and leadership roles with the Broward Workshop, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, Miami-Dade Beacon Council, The Commonwealth Institute, Florida International University, and Nova Southeastern University’s H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship.

Carmen Finol

Real Estate Professional, Brokers LLC

Real estate professional, Carmen Finol is committed is to informing, educating and empowering Latinos to make wise investments when buying properties in South Florida. Carmen advises clients and offers seminars on how to invest in residential real estate in Florida wisely. An expert in relocation including corporate and international relocation, she also connects Latinos with experts on the legal, tax, corporate and immigration aspects of real estate investing in Florida. Prior to joining Brokers LLC, she was an agent with Berkshire Hathaway.

From 2014 to 2017, Finol was the President of America Developing Smiles (ADS), a 100% women-run volunteer organization that supports the international non-profit Asociacion Damas Salesianas to provide education, health, and wellbeing assistance to children and families in 23 Latin American countries.

Finol earned an MBA from Florida International University, and an advanced degree in Law and a Bachelor of Engineering from Universidad Rafael Belloso Chacín. In 2008, Carmen was named Woman of the Year by CAMACOL (Latin Chamber of Commerce). 

Anurag Gupta

Board Member, Executive Advisor and Investor

Mr. Anurag Gupta is a C-Suite executive with nearly 30 years of experience in US based global corporations. He has extensive expertise in leading businesses internationally in both start-up and established business environments.

Mr. Gupta currently serves on the Board of Directors of Roseburg Forest Products, Inc., a multi-billion dollar leading manufacturer and marketer of wood products in USA, Canada and Asia with an approximate market value of $4 billion. He is the Chairman of the Board Strategy & Risk Committee.

Mr. Gupta is also a Board Member Elect on the Board of Kraig Bio Labs, an innovative and aggressive biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of spider silk.

Mr. Gupta is an investor and Advisor on the Board of Drive My Way, Inc., a post-revenue start-up company in digital recruiting marketplace with Series A Financing completed in 2022.

Mr. Gupta is an investor and on the Board of Directors of Targatek, a pre-revenue start-up company revolutionizing the way team leaders lead through its Performance Automation Platform. 

Additionally, Mr. Gupta has served as Executive Advisor and Director on the Board of Directors of SGS & Co., a brand impact company in the CPG space that was part of Onex (PE firm) portfolio companies.

Mr. Gupta’s previous corporate roles include serving as CEO of Global Data Services at TBG, AG, a Private Equity firm with $5 billion AUM (Assets Under Management) where he helped Acquire DTN business from Schneider Electric.

As Executive Vice President of CMS Division at IHS Markit (NASDAQ listed: INFO), and now acquired by S&P Global, Mr. Gupta led multiple global business lines along with corporate strategy and technology development for the company. During his tenure, the company acquired over 25 businesses across multiple industry verticals.

As President of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region at BrightPoint, Inc (NASDAQ listed: CELL) and later at Ingram Micro (NYSE listed: IM), Mr. Gupta was responsible for running a business of $2.7 billion in revenue across 30 countries in EMEA. He was also the head of Investor Relations at BrightPoint, Inc. and was recipient of the Stevie Business Award for  the Best Investor Relations Program.

As CEO of Teamcall Ltd., a Motorola Joint Venture Company which Mr. Gupta formed in mid-1990s, he pioneered the launch of Mobile technology and business in India.

Mr. Gupta has had the privilege of participating in ringing the opening and closing bells at NASDAQ Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange 4 times in the past 12 years.

Mr. Gupta graduated Magna Cum Laude and earned his Bachelors in Electrical Engineering in 1987 and his Masters in Electrical Engineering in 1990 from the University of Toledo, Ohio, USA where his Master’s Thesis was funded by NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Masters of Business Administration in 1994 from the Stuart School of Business, at Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, USA.

Michael HoShue

Director for Commercial and Hospitality, HotWire Communications Ltd.

Born in Miami, Florida, Michael HoShue has worked in the telecommunications industry for 27 years at various companies including TCI, Adelphia, Comcast, Cox Communications, and more recently at Hotwire Communications. At Hotwire, as their Director for Commercial and Hospitality, he leads a team of sales executives and account managers in bringing internet, phone, IPTV and colocation services to business customers over Hotwire’s world-class network. He is married and has two sons.

Michael graduated from Nova Southeastern University with his M.B.A. Prior to that he earned his B.S. at Palm Beach Atlantic University and an A.S. at City College for Broadcasting.

Michael received special Congressional Recognition from Congressman Ruben J. Kihuen, Congresswoman Dina Titus, Congresswoman Jacky Rosen, and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto for Vice Chairing the College Readiness Bootcamp. He is currently on the Susie and Alan Levan NSU Ambassador Board and the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship Board of Governors.

Prior to COVID-19, Michael volunteered in the community for the Boys and Girls Club, the American Cancer Society, and the Boca West Children’s Foundation along with his son, who is a student at American Heritage Boca/Delray.

Notable Achievements

• Decreased employee churn from a 70% average to 18% in the first 18 months of employment with Cox
• Helped Comcast meet year-end TV subscribers goal by leading a project in converting unauthorized users
• Helped launch Comcast Business in 2009 in the Palm Beach area as the first Field Sales Manager with four sales reps, before leaving as the top Field Sales Manager each year out of four with over 40 sales reps.
• Special Congressional Recognition from Congressman Ruben J. Kihuen, Congresswoman Dina Titus, Congresswoman Jacky Rosen, and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto for Vice Chairing the College Readiness Bootcamp.
• Board member for Asian Community Development Council in Las Vegas
• Board Member at NSU Susie and Alan B. Levan NSU Ambassadors Board
• President of NAMIC S. Florida (National Association Multi-Ethnicity in Communications)
• Sales Leadership Council Member
• United Way Ambassador for Las Vegas
• Mentored future leaders in Florida and Las Vegas
• WICT (Women in Cable Telecommunications) Customer Service Award

Andrew Koenig

President, CITY Furniture

Andrew Koenig graduated with degrees in Finance and Accounting from Elon University in 2005 and received his M.B.A. in Entrepreneurship from Nova Southeastern University Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship. Andrew began his full-time career with CITY Furniture in January 2006 in the Receiving Department unloading furniture on containers, and has worked his way up through the company and in almost all divisions of the company. He spent a significant time streamlining the Operations Department in the first eight years of his career to become one of the industry’s best. Currently, Andrew is serving as President of CITY Furniture, overseeing all departments of the business.

Shortly before joining CITY Furniture, Andrew studied Lean Philosophy at Toyota’s headquarters in Toyota City, Japan. After learning from Toyota and other Lean companies in the United States and abroad, Andrew introduced Lean Thinking to City Furniture in 2007.  Ever since, CITY Furniture has been on a Lean Journey to create a culture of mutual trust and respect, teamwork and a deep sense of urgency to continuously improve. Since the implementation of Lean, the company has seen many major breakthroughs in turnover reduction, operational process improvement, customer experience, safety, associate satisfaction, strategic planning, financial success and much more. The journey is never over, and Andrew and the senior team are working very hard to implement Lean Thinking which has been named "The CITY Furniture Operating System (CFOS), throughout the company.

Andrew is married to Deana whom he met at NSU while studying for his M.B.A., and has three children. Andrew is the son of Keith Koenig and nephew to Kevin Koenig, the founders of Waterbed City in 1971, which ultimately converted to CITY Furniture in 1994.

Susie Levan

President and CEO, Susie Levan & Associates, Inc.

Susie Levan is a renaissance woman, serial entrepreneur and spiritual warrior, with many passions and talents. From 1972 until 1988, at a time when women were still fighting to have a career, Susie Levan was the EVP and COO at a male-dominated NYSE company. However, in 1988, Levan was shaken to the core after her kidnapping and near-death experience.

Susie is an inspirational, compassionate and powerful woman who, through her near-death experience and many struggles, discovered her divine purpose and has dedicated her life’s work to empowering other women to live their best lives. 

In 1999, driven by the desire to support and empower women, she created the 501c3, Work-Life Balance Institute for Women, as well as founded and published BALANCE Magazine. Through her bimonthly Women’s Wisdom Circle, for over 20 years, she has taught hundreds of professional women meditation and practical tools to live a life of purpose, amplify their greatness and restore their power. 

A serial entrepreneur, in 2012, she started buying $1 million+ dollar waterfront homes in Fort Lauderdale to remodel, stage and flip. She has flipped over 10 homes successfully. 

On November 19, 2019, she released her book, “Getting to Forgiveness – What a Near-Death Experience Can Teach Us About Loss, Resilience and Love” which was #1 on the near-death experiences category for Amazon when released. With a powerful foreword by multi-GRAMMY® award-winning artist Gloria Estefan, this fast-paced, riveting true story of how Levan emerged a stronger soul after her kidnapping and near-death experience is a must-read for women of any age. Levan blends practical advice and engaging thought-provoking lessons learned, making them relatable and actionable. Net proceeds of book sales are being donated to non-profit organizations in Broward County.

Susie is not only an author, but is also a certified non-denominational pastoral counselor, hypnotherapist, teacher of meditation, life coach, and Reiki master/teacher.

Susie created two meditation CDs with GRAMMY-nominated new-age musician Steven Halpern. As a transformational leader and change agent, she speaks frequently on metaphysical and spiritual principals to book clubs, business groups and organizations.

Cherilyn Murer

Founder, President and CEO of Murer Consultants, Inc.

Cherilyn G. Murer, J.D., C.R.A., President and CEO of CGM Advisory Group LLC and the founder, President and CEO of Murer Consultants, Inc. (a firm she sold in January 2017), has been an active voice in the advancement of quality, cost-effective health care and higher education for more than three decades. Ms. Murer received a Juris Doctor degree with honors from Northern Illinois University College of Law and coupled it with her previous operational experience at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, to create the innovative business model and launch Murer Consultants.

The author of seven books published by McGraw Hill Education Publishing, Ms. Murer is a sought-after consultant, lecturer, educator and author. Her focus on helping clients navigate the complex regulatory, strategic and financial issues facing healthcare and higher education in these transformational times has influenced multi-hospital health care systems, academic medical centers and large physician group practices with a focus on strategic positioning, operational and governance restructuring, consolidations and acquisitions, regulatory compliance and financial management. Private and public board appointments include Sterling Partners’ private equity portfolio company Surgical Solutions LLC Board of Directors, the Advisory Council for the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy, the Illinois Board of Higher Education, two gubernatorial appointments to the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees, Chairman of the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees, and Vice Chair of the Lebanese American University Board of Trustees. In December 2020, Ms. Murer was unanimously elected to Board of Directors of the Sinai Health System, Chicago, a multi-hospital and clinics integrated service model. Additionally, in January 2021, Ms. Murer joined the Board of Advisors for Healthwell, a healthcare-focused special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) which completed its IPO on August 3, 2021 and is listed on Nasdaq as HWELU. Ms. Murer is currently the chair of the Real Estate Foundation, which serves as the real estate venture and acquisition entity for Northern Illinois University.

In addition to her leadership and expertise in healthcare and higher education, Ms. Murer is a passionate advocate for the arts, holding appointments on the Executive Editorial Board of Chicago Woman magazine, along with multiple terms on the Luminarts Cultural Foundation and Union League Club of Chicago boards. Ms. Murer also serves as Board of Governors Vice Chair of the School of the Art Institute: Chicago, the Ryan Opera Center of the Chicago Lyric Opera Company, and the NSU Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale. She was also pleased to accept the invitation to serve on the Board of Governors of the Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University, Florida.

Ms. Murer, who is fluent in French, holds dual citizenship in the United States and Italy, and owns homes in Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale and Costa Brava, Spain.

Jeffrey M. Ostrow

Managing Partner, Kopelowitz Ostrow Firm, P.A.

Jeff Ostrow is the Managing Partner of Kopelowitz Ostrow P.A. He established his own law practice in 1997 immediately upon graduation from law school, and has since grown the firm to 35 attorneys in three offices throughout South Florida. In addition to overseeing the firm’s day-to-day operations and strategic direction, Jeff practices full time in the areas of consumer class actions, sports and business law. He is a Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ rated attorney in both legal ability and ethics, which is the highest possible rating by the most widely recognized attorney rating organization in the world.

Jeff often serves as outside General Counsel to companies, advising them in connection with their legal and regulatory needs. He has represented many Fortune 500® Companies in connection with their Florida litigation. He has handled cases covered by media outlets throughout the country and has been quoted many times on various legal topics in almost every major news publication, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Miami Herald, and Sun Sentinel. He has also appeared on CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, ESPN, and almost every other major national and international television network in connection with his cases, which often involve industry-changing litigation or athletes in Olympic swimming, professional boxing, the NFL, NBA and MLB.

Jeff is an accomplished trial attorney who represents both plaintiffs and defendants, successfully trying many cases to verdict involving multimillion dollar damage claims in state and federal courts. Currently, he serves as lead counsel in nationwide and statewide class action lawsuits against many of the world’s largest financial institutions in connection with the unlawful assessment of fees. To date, his efforts have successfully resulted in the recovery of over $500,000,000 for tens of millions of bank and credit union customers, as well as monumental changes in the way they assess fees. In addition, Jeff has served as lead Class Counsel in consumer class actions against some of the world’s largest airlines, clothing retailers, universities, health insurance carriers, technology companies, and oil conglomerates, and he has also served as Class Action Defense Counsel for some of the largest advertising and marketing agencies in the world, banking institutions, real estate developers, and mortgage companies.

In addition to the law practice, Jeff is the President of ProPlayer Sports LLC, a full-service sports agency and marketing firm. He represents Olympic Gold Medalist swimmers, World Champion boxers, and select NFL athletes, and is licensed by the NFL Players Association as a certified Contract Advisor. At the agency, he handles all player-team negotiations of contracts, represents his clients in legal proceedings, negotiates all marketing engagements, and oversees public relations and crisis management. He has extensive experience in negotiating, mediating, and arbitrating a wide range of issues on behalf of clients with the NFL Players Association, the International Olympic Committee, the United States Olympic Committee, USA Swimming and the World Anti-Doping Agency.  He has been an invited sports law guest speaker at New York University and Nova Southeastern University, and has also served as a panelist at many industry conferences.

Jeff received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Florida and a Juris Doctorate from Nova Southeastern University. He is a member of The Florida Bar and is fully admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Florida, Eastern District of Michigan, Northern District of Illinois, Western District of Tennessee, Western District of Wisconsin, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Jeff is also member of the Public Justice Foundation, American Bar Association, and the founder and President of Class Action Lawyers of America.

Jeff is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, the most prestigious group of trial lawyers in the United States. Membership is limited to attorneys who have won multi-million-dollar verdicts. Additionally, he has been named as one of the top lawyers in Florida by Super Lawyers® for several years running, honored as one of Florida’s Legal Elite Attorneys, recognized as a Leader in Law by the Lifestyle Media Group®, and nominated by the South Florida Business Journal® as a finalist for its Key Partners Award. Jeff is a recipient of the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business Administration Gator 100 award for the fastest growing University of Florida alumni-owned law firm in the world.

When not practicing law, Jeff serves on the Broward County Courthouse Advisory Task Force, in addition to his seat on Wayne Huizenga School of Business Board of Governors. He is also the Managing Member of One West LOA LLC, a commercial real estate development company with holdings in downtown Fort Lauderdale. He has previously sat on the boards of a national banking institution and a national healthcare marketing company. Jeff is a founding board member for the Jorge Nation Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that partners with the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital to send children diagnosed with cancer on all-inclusive Dream Trips to destinations of their choice.

Ari L. Roloff

Director of Business Development, Southeast Region, Crowe

Ari Roloff brings vast experience in management of both public and private company consulting services, as well as professional service marketing and business development in all industries. He is the Director of Business Development for the Southeast Region at Crowe.

Prior to joining Crowe, he served as National Director of Business Development for CBIZ/MHM where he was responsible for developing market-facing initiatives that built CBIZ/MHM's South Florida brand and provide opportunities for growth, both for the firm and its clients. As Vice President of an international recruiting and consulting group providing solution-driven projects in law, finance, accounting, compliance and risk management services. He successfully built up and led the Florida operations of this multibillion-dollar global company. Ari has also been a Vice President with a global legal services company and ran over five markets in the State of Florida.

Ari spends a significant amount of time developing business relationships in all industries, especially the banking, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity. To that end, he actively participates in organizations that support entrepreneurship and the finance community. Ari’s experience working with emerging and established companies has made him a trusted advisor to entrepreneurs and organizations seeking advice on growing their businesses and developing their internal resources.

Professional Memberships

• Miami Finance Forum, Board
• Association for Corporate Growth, Board
• Finance Executive Institute, Advisory Board Member
• Broward Bank of Commerce, Advisory Board Member

Education

• Nova Southeastern University, Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance
• Nova Southeastern University, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

Tony Segreto

Consultant, Ambassador, Speaker

Tony Segreto is one of the most experienced and trusted news anchors in South Florida history. He was an integral part of the NBC news team for 40 years, first joining WTVJ in 1968 as an intern. Throughout his tenure, he worked as a photographer, producer, reporter, and anchor for both sports and news. During his 40-year broadcast career (both local and national), Tony interviewed two sitting Presidents, Gerald Ford and George H. Bush, heads of state, and some of the world's greatest athletes and celebrities. That list includes Olympians Jessie Owens, Bob Beamon, Carl Lewis, Mark Spitz and Greg Lougainis, among others. He extensively covered the careers of Muhammad Ali, Don Shula including the 1972 undefeated team) and Dan Marino.

He covered events around the globe, from Olympic Games to decades of Super Bowls, World Series, NBA Championships and Stanley Cups, PGA events, Grand Slam Tennis events, and Horse Racing. In 1996 for the Summer Olympics, Tony was one of the few selected to run with the Olympic Torch as it made its way to Atlanta.

His career also included time in the play-by-play booth as the voice of the Miami Hurricanes Football team during their rise to prominence, which included two National Championship Games. While spending time in the world of sports, Tony also interviewed heads of state and celebrities from around the world, including Jessie Jackson, Senator Bill Clinton (on his campaign to the Presidency) Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez, Bob Hope, Jackie Gleason, and many others.

Tony covered world events, including Pope John Paul's visit to Cuba. He also covered Presidential Inaugurations in Washington and State of the Union Addresses.

Tony was also a familiar face as part of the broadcast team, serving as on-air host on the Nationally Syndicated George Michael Sports Machine from 1989 to 2007. In 1995, he was honored by the South Florida chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) with the prestigious Silver Circle Award, recognizing over 25 years of excellence in broadcast journalism. In 2003, he was inducted to the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce’s Sports Hall of Champions for a lifetime contribution to sports. Tony was inducted into the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

Tony is enthusiastic about the community in which he lives and works, and is involved in numerous charitable organizations. He serves on the Board of Forever Family, and he is a former Board Member of The Community Foundation of Broward, The Boys and Girls Club of Broward, and 211Broward. Tony is also a past member of the Dan Marino Foundation for Autism Board of Directors, from the Foundation’s inception in 1992 to 2007.

Tony is also active in higher education. He’s worked extensively with his Alma Mater, the University of Miami, in different roles, including being part of an elite team preparing for the 2025 Centennial Celebration for the University. At NSU, prior to his current appointments to the Board of Governors, and the Sports Advisory Board, he served as a member of the Board of Trustees. He also has an Athletic Scholarship in his name at Nova Southeastern University.

He is extremely active in the South Florida Sports community, previously serving as a PR Ambassador for the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee, and twice having the distinction of presenting the official South Florida Super Bowl bid to all 32 NFL Owners. He also serves as a member of the Orange Bowl Committee.

Tony’s experience does not end there – he has an extensive business background, serving on the Board of Directors of BBX Capital Corporation and as a liaison for special projects for Ultimate Software. Tony is also one of the founding partners of Tony Segreto Sports, a company geared solely toward youth athletics, with the primary focus on bringing sportsmanship, character, balance, and positivity back onto our fields. He also is launching a new podcast, “The Baby Boomer Report,” focusing on the Baby Boomers who still have “game” to inspire those entering into a new phase of their lives. Tony and his wife, RoseAnn, reside in South Florida and are the proud parents of a son who is a graduate of Notre Dame, now working for Delta Airlines in Atlanta, and a daughter who is currently a Junior at Florida State University.

Ryan Shea

President, Right Management’s Florida/Caribbean Region

Ryan Shea brings client-first focus to his multifaceted role in leading business performance, growth and strategic innovation throughout Right Management’s Florida/Caribbean operations. He began his career with Right Management in 2009 with the accounting team, and he oversaw the implementation of an updated accounting system. He quickly moved into sales and continually exceeded his goals, grew into sales management and inspired the team to surpass their sales quotas, and then he became an EVP of Right Management in 2015.

In October of 2019, Ryan was promoted to President of Right Management Florida/Caribbean. He is responsible for the growth and development of the Florida/Caribbean region. Under Ryan's leadership, there has been tremendous growth in their outplacement business, thus overseeing additional team members and creating new consulting solutions to capitalize on the demand. During this time, Ryan has been an inspirational leader, driving activity and successful outcomes for associates and clients. Right Management’s Vision is to “Guide and Inspire,” and Ryan leads from these beliefs.

Previously Ryan worked with Regions Bank, where he was a Corporate Credit Analyst and Portfolio Manager. While he was there, he analyzed public and private middle-market-size companies ($10-$300 million in annual revenues) to determine loan amounts and investments for working capital, acquisitions, recapitalization and real estate financing purposes, and managed those investments. Before that, Ryan worked with Woodbridge Holdings (formerly know as the Levitt Corporation) and Merrill Lynch.

Ryan received a dual Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Real Estate with a minor in Economics from Florida State University in Tallahassee. In 2008, Ryan received his Master’s degree in Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University. Ryan is a 2011 graduate of Right Management’s global Emerging Talent Program.

A proven leader in his profession and community, Ryan is highly committed to our Florida community. In addition to serving on the Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship Board of Governors, his involvements are many:
• Past President of HRABC, Human Resource Association of Broward County
• Past chair of Young Leaders of United Way of Broward
• Past employment committee member of Mission United of United Way – Dade and Broward
• Past Board Member of Jack and Jill Children’s Center
• Supporter of Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) Florida
• Tocqueville donor in United Way of Broward County
• Six Pillar Committee – Co-chair of Talent Hub for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance
• IMPACT member and donor for the Memorial Healthcare Foundation
• City of Fort Lauderdale Tee Ball Coach
• Florida International University Master's of Science Human Resource Management (MSHRM)
• Executive with Heart chair of the South FL American Heart Association annual Broward Heart Walk

Bob Swindell

President and CEO, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance

Bob Swindell was named President and CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance in 2009. He joined the Alliance as the Senior Vice President of Business Development in 2003. The Alliance is Broward County's official public/private economic development partnership that brings together the County’s business community and 31 municipalities for the purposes of accelerating economic and job growth.

The Alliance assists local, national, and international companies already doing business here, or those prospective companies considering a move to Greater Fort Lauderdale. Bob and his team market and promote Broward County as a highly desirable business location to attract high-skill/high-wage jobs in targeted industries, diversifying the local economy.

A lifelong Broward resident, Bob has served in several business and community leadership roles. Prior to his position with the Alliance, for 18 years Bob was President of Champion Manufacturing, a Pompano Beach and Fort Lauderdale-based industrial supply company serving the Southeastern United States.

In 1989 Florida Governor Bob Martinez appointed Bob as a Commissioner for the Florida Board of Harbor Pilot Commissioners. Bob was, and continues to be, the youngest member to ever serve as a Pilot Commissioner. Governors Chiles, and Bush reappointed Bob, and he served as the Board Chairman and Vice Chairman during his terms. In November 2012, Bob was appointed to the Board of Pilot Commissioners for a two-year term by Governor Rick Scott.

In 1992, during the impact of Hurricane Andrew, Bob chaired the local Board of the American Red Cross for two years. He serves on several professional and community Boards now, including CareerSource Broward, United Way of Broward County, Junior Achievement of South Florida, Winterfest, and he is a past-Chairman of the FEDC (Florida Economic Development Council). Since October 2005, Bob has served on the Florida Atlantic Research and Development Park Authority (FARDA) as an appointee of the Broward County Commission. In February 2019 Bob was elected Chairman of the FARDA Board. He also served on the Board of Directors for NAIOP and Enterprise Florida.

Bob has received numerous awards and accolades for his service to the community. In 2011, he was named a Business Leader of the Year by the Leadership Broward Foundation. In June of 2013, Governor Rick Scott presented Bob with the Governor’s Business Ambassador Award at the Annual meeting of Leadership Florida. He was recognized by the Greater Hollywood Chamber of Commerce for Outstanding Community Service in February 2014.

The American Red Cross also honored Bob in 2015 with their Humanitarian Award. In 2016, Bob was named by the Florida Economic Development Council as Florida’s Economic Development Professional of the Year. He was recognized by the Seafarers’ House as the Business Leader of the Year in 2017. In 2018, Bob was inducted into the Broward Schools Alumni Hall of Fame. In October of that same year, Bob was inducted into the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber’s Business Hall of Fame and was recognized as an Ultimate CEO by the South Florida Business Journal.

David E. Wezdenko

Blue Leaf Ventures

David Wezdenko is the Co-Founder and CEO of Blue Leaf Ventures, a micro venture capital firm. Blue Leaf invests in and provides advisory services to early-stage companies that are working to solve big problems and improve people’s lives. Blue Leaf’s portfolio is predominately focused in the financial, education, and healthcare sectors. David is active in several nationally based entrepreneurial organizations including Techstars, Astia, Angel Capital Association, and Keiretsu.

Wezdenko is currently an independent trustee for the Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company family of mutual funds and the National Philanthropic Trust, the largest public charity in the United States. He has previously served on the boards for JP Morgan Private Investments Inc., Urban Pathways New York – a homeless outreach and service organization, and the Junior Board for Biggs & Littles NYC – a not-for-profit that provides mentoring services for underserved youth.

With over 35 years of infrastructure, regulatory, and business transformation experience in the financial services industry, Wezdenko has held several C-suite and senior roles in asset management, wealth management, and investment banking practices at JP Morgan, Evercore, and Fidelity Investments. He also served as a senior auditor with PricewaterhouseCoopers. David is a graduate of Boston College, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.

David has a passion and steadfast commitment to education, especially for underserved communities. He is active in several not-for-profits, including the Woman’s Business Development Council which is dedicated to providing the training and education necessary for women to thrive in business, and Breakthrough Collaborative – an organization established to provide empowering educational experiences for traditionally underrepresented students on their path to college. Wezdenko also spearheaded the launch and offering of the Financial Literacy Program for Catholic Charities of Palm Beach, Florida.