2014 FEF Speakers

Thomas W. Abendroth, Partner, Schiff Hardin LLP

Tom is a partner in the Chicago law firm of Schiff Hardin LLP and practice group leader of the firm's Private Clients, Trusts and Estates Group.  He concentrates his practice in the fields of estate planning, federal taxation, and business succession planning.  Tom is a 1984 graduate of Northwestern University School of Law, and received his undergraduate degree from Ripon College, where he currently serves on the Board of Trustees.  He has co-authored a two-volume treatise entitled Illinois Estate Planning, Will Drafting and Estate Administration, and a chapter on sophisticated value-shifting techniques in the book, Estate and Personal Financial Planning.  He is co-editor of Estate Planning Strategies After Estate Tax Reform: Insights and Analysis (CCH 2001).  Tom has contributed numerous articles to industry publications, and served on the Editorial Advisory Board for ABA Trusts & Investments Magazine.  He is a frequent speaker on tax and estate planning topics at banks and professional organizations.  In addition, he is a co-presenter of a monthly teleconference series on estate planning issues presented by the American Bankers Association.  Tom has taught at the American Bankers Association National Graduate Trust School since 1990.  He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. 

David M. Bauer, Chief Financial Officer, Lubar & Co.

Dave Bauer has been the Chief Financial Officer and a partner with Lubar & Co, a Milwaukee based single family office, since 2005. He is involved in the private equity activities of the firm and is on the board or working closely with the portfolio of companies including American Pasturization, Chem Design, Shared Imaging, Lake Express, Erdman, Drilltec, Rockland Industrial Products, and Zero Zone.  Prior to this, he was the CFO for Facilitator Capital Fund, a Wisconsin-based Small Business Investment Company.  He started his career with Arthur Andersen where he eventually led the Wisconsin transaction advisory services practice.  
 

Sheryl Eighner, Partner, PwC

Sheryl is a partner in the Personal Financial Services (PFS) group in Chicago.  She has been providing income tax compliance and planning and financial planning services to her clients for over 15 years.   
 
Sheryl's client base consists of private equity principals and partners, family offices, corporate executives and small business owners.  Sheryl not only advises on income tax planning, but also cash flow, wealth transfer, succession, liquidity and insurance planning.   
 
Sheryl has presented many financial planning and tax technical presentations throughout her career, wether they are in client "workshop/webcast" settings, or through outside organizations such as Women Leaders in Financial Services, National Association of Stock Planning Professionals and state CPA societies.
  

Abigail Geary, Assistant Vice President, Marsh Private Client Services, Family Office Group

Abigail Geary is currently a Senior Client Advisor in Marsh’s Private Client Services, Family Office
Group serving clients nationwide. Abigail specializes in professional and management liability
insurance and risk for single and multi-family offices, private trust companies and individual
trustees, as well as not for profit organizations. Abigail works hands on with her clients to
understand their varied and unique needs and with the insurance markets to best address those
needs. Abigail plays an integral role as a resource within the Private Client Services division of
Marsh. She is a member of PLUS and is working toward the RPLU professional designation.
 

Jenny Hager, Director of Strategic Asset Management, The Duchossois Group, Inc.

Jenny Hager works in the family office for the Duchossois Family in Chicago.  Jenny is Director of Strategic Asset Management, a division of The Duchossois Group, Inc.  In addition, Jenny is Assistant Treasurer, Compliance Director and Trust Officer of Travers Trust Company LLC, a private trust company chartered in South Dakota.

Prior to joining the Duchossois family office in 2012, Jenny worked at Harris myCFO as a manager in their tax group with a focus on servicing single family offices.

Todd Heemsoth, President, Hale Solutions, Inc.

Todd Heemsoth is founder and president of Hale Solutions, Inc. a technology consulting firm that specializes in helping its clients improve business processes with technology. He has more than 20 years of experience as a CPA, information technology consultant and software architect. Todd works closely with his clients to understand their unique needs and tailors solutions that deliver greater simplicity, agility and business value.

Todd founded Hale Solutions, Inc. in 2004 and since that time has helped many single and multi-family offices adopt new technology, change business processes to gain efficiencies, design software bridges to connect disparate systems and develop automated systems that perform financial, investment and performance reporting. Hale Solutions is a Microsoft Gold Certified partner.

Lyndy R. Januszewski, CPA, Managing Consultant, Sikich, LLP

As a registered Certified Public Accountant working in the Technology division at Sikich since 2007, Lyndy Januszewski bridges the gap between accounting and technology to ensure businesses, non-profits, and governments alike increase profitability, improve efficiencies, and achieve results.  Currently, Januszewski serves as a Managing Consultant at Sikich and is responsible for managing projects and leading team members in their commitment to provide clients with exceptional service.  These projects are mainly related to Microsoft Dynamics GP, an enterprise resource planning software for middle market companies.

Rebekah Kohmescher, CFP, CPA, Managing Director & Director of Investment Operations, Altair Advisers LLC

Beka has been providing tax and investment consulting to wealthy families and individuals since 1999. As a Founding Partner and Managing Director of Altair Advisers, Beka helps clients develop investment plans, recommends managers and tracks investment performance. In her role as Director of Investment Operations, Beka works to increase communication between various groups at Altair, creates efficient workflow patterns and facilitates projects
to develop new tools and reporting capabilities for both clients and employees. She assists with creating policies related to compliance and information filing with the SEC. She also manages the Consultants, Investment Operations and Client Reporting and Operations.
 

John Meade, Assistant Vice President, AIG

John Meade, Assistant Vice President, AIG, currently oversees the middle market Financial Institutions Portfolio for the New York and Atlanta Regions. In this role, John handles all aspects of AIG’s financial lines strategy spanning Asset Management, Real Estate, Private Equity, Lending and Insurance Companies and leads AIG’s team of underwriting professionals dedicated to these segments. John continues to assist in the implementation of key strategic initiatives within the Financial Institutions space. 
 
John transitioned to this role from his position as Team Leader for the Asset Management team, handling the Atlanta, Boston and Philadelphia Regions. John began his career with AIG in 2011 and held various positions of increased responsibility within the Financial Institutions division during this time.

 

Tania Nield, Ph.D., Founder and CEO, InfoGrate, Inc.

Dr. Tania Neild is the Founder and CEO of InfoGrate, Inc., a consulting company specializing in information technology solutions for the financial services sector. Dr. Neild has established successful web-based information exchange solutions for clients from the Fortune 100 down to start-ups. InfoGrate supports all aspects of holistic information management, including technology specifications, tool selection and design, data feed integration, operations, data warehousing, reporting, and maintenance.
Dr. Neild’s extensive web deployment experience enables her to consult on complex issues such as crossing applications for general ledger systems, analyzing security master attributes, modeling or tracking relationships, and managing tax or partnership accounting. Within technology infrastructure, InfoGrate has deep domain expertise with the design, customization, and implementation of new technologies and services to align strategic business objectives with tactical requirements, including compliance, disaster recovery, file management, security checks, and vulnerability assessments.
 

Joe Oleksak, CRISC, QSA, Information Technology Consulting Principal, Plante Moran

Joe has more than 16 years of information systems security and information technology audit experience in both our Family Office and Financial Institutions practice. Joe’s experience includes: IT strategic planning, IT risk assessments, IT audit, global/local network security projects, web application security, PCI compliance, SOC reviews, incident response planning and business continuity and disaster recovery management.  Joe is a member of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), and the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC)². He attends and presents at multiple security and industry conferences annually and is a member of both the Indiana Bankers Association Information Technology Committee and the Illinois Bankers Association Technology Committee. Joe is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified in Risk and Information System Controls (CRISC), and a PCI Qualified Security Assessor (QSA). 
 

Mark Rogozinski, President, Rockit Solutions, LLC

Mark Rogozinski brings more than 20 years of experience in various senior-level positions, with a particular focus on the ultra-high net worth space. Mark is a Managing Director of Rockefeller & Co. and President of Rockit Solutions, LLC, an outsourced solution that provides wealth data aggregation and financial reporting solutions for single-family and multi-family offices, high-net-worth individuals and financial institutions. Prior to joining Rockit in 2009, Mark was a Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at WealthTrust, where he was responsible for acquisition development and strategic relationships with other wealth management firms. Before joining WealthTrust, Mark was a partner and Chief Operating Officer for Homrich & Berg, Inc., where he was responsible for the direct management of client service, technology, operations and finance. Mark has also served as the Chief Operating Officer at Lydian Wealth Management and Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Atlantic Trust Pell Rudman.  

Melissa Seibert, Partner, BakerHostetler

Melissa Siebert concentrates her practice in employment litigation, class and collective action litigation, and employment law counseling. Melissa's combined legal and human resources/business experience allows her to provide effective and efficient counsel on a variety of strategic and day-to-day issues, including the interaction between the FMLA, ADA and workers' compensation, restrictive covenants, company-wide policy creation and implementation, employee investigations, discipline and termination, and employment agreements. She also has substantial experience representing employers in labor matters, both as in-house and outside counsel. Melissa focuses on class and collective action litigation, representing employers involved in significant EEOC "pattern and practice" investigations/lawsuits, and putative class/collective actions under the FLSA, the FCRA, and state laws.

 

James J. Steffel, Partner, Warner Norcross & Judd LLP

Mr. Steffel serves as the Chairman of Warner Norcross and Judd’s Family Office Industry Group.  His practice focuses on high net worth succession and estate planning that frequently involves family entities, including the creation and maintenance of family offices.  He recently spent two years helping a firm client roll-out its Multi-Family Office Subsidiary, while leading a dedicated Family Office Team as a Senior Wealth Advisor.  Mr. Steffel has presented numerous seminars on estate and succession planning and he spent over a decade practicing law in a family business setting.  He is preeminently rated by Martindale and Hubbell and he has been selected as a member of Best Lawyers in America, Leading Lawyers and Michigan Super Lawyers.   Mr. Steffel received a B.S. in Business from Ferris State University, attended the University of Notre Dame London Law Center, and graduated in the top 10 of his class at both the University of Toledo College of Law (J.D. and Member of Law Review) and the University of Miami Law School (LL.M. in Estate Planning).

Sophia Stratton, Chief Financial Officer, Levy Family Partners

Sophia Stratton is the Chief Financial Officer of Levy Family Partners, a position she has held since January 2006, and currently serves as CFO and Treasurer of Levy Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition vehicle listed on NASDAQ. Prior to that time, Ms. Stratton was Controller for the Levy family’s restaurant operations. In these capacities, Ms. Stratton established the accounting and tax policies, practices and procedures at the parent and subsidiary levels of the Levy family investment portfolio, including operating, real estate, and passive entities. In addition, she oversees treasury, human resources and benefits, risk management, purchasing, investment performance, IT, forecasting, estate and tax planning. She is a Manager of Levy Family Partners, a member of its Investment Committee, and has provided consulting services to several portfolio companies. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Stratton was a Chief Financial Officer in the health care industry, preceded by a senior management position at Crowe Horvath, an international consulting and public accounting firm. While at Crowe, Ms. Stratton developed, managed and marketed tax, business assurance and operational consulting services.

Doug Wiescinski, Partner, Plante Moran

Doug has more than 30 years of experience in information technology. His background includes systems design and development, technology planning, technology selection and contract negotiations. Doug serves a diversity of clientele including Family Offices providing strategic technical assistance in initiatives such as business process redesign, outsourcing analysis, network planning and integration. Doug is a member of the Society For Information Management (SIM), and a member of Automation Alley. Prior to joining Plante Moran, Doug was in charge of the business systems consulting services for Ernst & Whinney (now Ernst & Young) in western Michigan. He holds a BS degree in Management Information Systems from Ferris State University. In addition, he is a Certified Systems Professional (CSP).
 

FOX Facilitators and Speakers

Heather Asher, Senior Relationship Manager - Family Office Market

Heather Asher is a senior relationship manager for Family Office Exchange (FOX). Part of FOX’s family office team, she provides a variety of member services and supports the specific needs for family business-owning members. She also works on FOX’s Next Generation Network by engaging younger family members with education and networking.

Before joining FOX in 2008, Heather served as strategic marketing and events manager at Aon Corporation for seven years. While at Aon, Heather planned and executed more than 100 large-scale events and created the marketing and project execution for Aon’s South America Division. Earlier, she worked on Capitol Hill for a U.S. senator and in the foreign policy department at a lobbyist organization. She also has previous experience working in a Chicago-based family office.

Amy Hart Clyne, Executive Director Market and Content Development

Amy Hart Clyne is Executive Director of the Family Office Exchange (FOX) Market and Content Development team where she works on delivering market-centric solutions to both Family and Advisor Members of the firm.  She is an executive with extensive experience in private wealth management serving ultra high net worth individuals. A strategic and tactical professional, Amy is skilled in developing strategy, marketing and communications programs to both members of senior management teams and as an advisor to industry leaders in private wealth management. Specific areas of expertise include strategic planning, client management and advisory, strategic marketing and research planning, internal sales and training meetings, client events and seminars, relationship management, and new product launch.
 
Amy provides over 25 years of experience in the ultra high net worth marketplace.  She rejoined Family Office Exchange in 2012 after working as a consultant to some of the country’s leading private wealth management firms such as Silver Bridge Associates, Atlantic Trust and private family foundations over the last dozen years.  She was the Marketing Director of The Chase Manhattan Private Bank serving the United States and Latin America for 7 years.  Prior to joining Chase, Amy worked in Marketing and Training at Bankers Trust Private Bank and served as a Portfolio Manager for Lehman Management Company, a subsidiary of Lehman Bros. Kuhn Loeb, for 6 years.  Amy is characterized as a disciplined, results-oriented and highly collaborative leader with well-developed client and market assessment capabilities.

Mariann Mihailidis, Managing Director, Councils

Mariann Mihailidis serves as managing director and consultant to family office members of the Family Office Exchange. In her role she oversees the management of all domestic family office relationships. As a practicing tax and estate-planning attorney, she develops strategies in wealth transfer issues, taxes, and corporate structures. Ms. Mihailidis has served as an executor and trustee, and her fiduciary responsibilities included administrative, legal, and accounting duties of various trusts and estates.
 
Prior to joining FOX in 1996, Ms. Mihailidis worked in one of America’s leading family offices for four years as an accounting manager for the family’s investment partnerships and operating companies.
 

Alexandre Monnier, President

Alexandre Monnier is President of Family Office Exchange (FOX), a global organization that helps wealthy families and their advisors master the unique challenges inherent to wealth ownership.  He oversees FOX globally and has extensive experience in creating, marketing, and delivering premium services to families of wealth in the wealth management, private aviation and healthcare industries – in the US and internationally. 
 
He joined FOX from PinnacleCare, a leader in private health advisory services, where he led the development of the business in the U.S. and in Europe.  Earlier Alexandre ran Skyjet, Bombardier Aerospace’s private jet charter business.  Previously he spent 10 years as a management consultant serving firms internationally.  He started his career in finance with Societe Generale.
 
Alexandre is a graduate of ESCP Europe, one of Europe’s leading business schools.  He has been a member of Young Presidents’ Organization since 2005.
 

Dawn M. Rose, Director of Human Capital

Dawn collaborates with senior management to implement human capital strategy at FOX, including organizational design, talent acquisition, performance development and assessment, employee/labor relations, compensation, benefits, and legal compliance. She joined FOX from the University of Chicago, where she served as the Director of Human Capital for faculty and staff in the Department of Surgery. She has more than 15 years of experience in human resources and earned her Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification from the HR Certification Institute in 1998. She graduated with her Juris Doctor from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2007, where she also earned a Certificate in Labor & Employment Law. She has volunteered as a pro bono attorney for Equip for Equality, The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired, and the Illinois Lawyers’ Assistance Program, as well as serving on boards with the American Cancer Society – Chicago Chapter, The Chicago Lighthouse, and Sixty Inches from Center, a nonprofit organization that documents, archives, and engages with the visual arts community in Chicago.

Karen Rush, Director, Membership

Karen Rush is a relationship manager for Family Office Exchange (FOX). She is part of the advisor team that works to increase membership and provide member services. Formerly events manager, she was responsible for planning all external FOX events, including forums, workshops and regional events.
 
Prior to joining FOX in 2005, Ms. Rush spent 10 years at a large, multi-generational family office as the communications coordinator. She worked directly with the family office and family members to develop a family meeting process and younger generation education program.
 
Ms. Rush received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Southern Illinois University.

Jo Wellman, Senior Relationship Manager, Family Office Market

Jo Wellman is a relationship manager for Family Office Exchange. She is part of the family office team that works to increase membership and provide member services.
 
When Ms. Wellman joined FOX in 2001, she brought with her 10 years of marketing and client relationship management experience. She was the co-owner and manager of Wellman Equipment Inc., her family’s business, and she has worked for Capstone Financial Advisors and West Suburban Hospital. In addition, she has 15 years of experience teaching business education courses at the high school and community college levels.  
 

 

 

Permission Groups
Family Office - Council Member
Family Office - Member
Family Office - Subscriber
Family Office - Discussion Only
Thought Leaders Council Member
Wealth Advisor Member
FOX Public Network - Other
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