2015 FOX Financial Executives Forum Speakers
Jason Brown, CEO, Archway
Jason founded Archway Technology Partners in 2002. He holds overall responsibility for all aspects of the firm as broad as strategic growth and as detailed as daily company operations. Jason has overseen the growth of the company from one person to today where the firm employs over 100 highly skilled team members across three separate businesses in three locations.
From 1995 to 1997, Jason worked for Arthur Andersen Business Consulting in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he worked on developing and implementing Enterprise Resource Planning software (ERP) systems. In 2001, Jason founded a hedge fund named The Pioneer Group. During this time Jason developed a software application to manage the partnership accounting and back-office accounting functions for hedge funds. In August 2002, Jason closed The Pioneer Group and founded Archway.
Jason holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University in Mechanical Engineering.
Kevin Bormann, Managing Director, Financial Administration, Ascent Private Capital Management
A CPA and CFA Charterholder, Kevin began his 18 year career as a senior auditor at the global accounting firm of Ernst & Young. Before joining U.S. Bank, for nearly a decade he served as Chief Financial Officer for two closely held family office entities. In those critical positions, he managed treasury, accounting, financial analysis, tax and estate planning on behalf of the private owners and their families. He also supported the administration of a private foundation, and conducted due diligence on various investments and divestitures.
A graduate of Texas A&M University, Kevin earned bachelors and master’s degrees in accounting. He has been active in serving on the board and volunteering his financial and audit expertise to a private school in his community.
Eileen M. Friestad, President and CEO, CWP Management, Inc.
Eileen Friestad is President and CEO of CWP Management, Inc., family office for the descendants of Frederick George McNally, one of five children of Andrew McNally, who founded Rand McNally & Co. in 1868 with William Rand. The McNally Family were the majority owners of the company for almost 100 years until it was sold in 1997. Eileen has over 25 years of experience in the family office industry, all of it in the small family office space. Eileen has been with the McNally Family for 12 years. The office is headquartered in Chicago serving 10 adult households and 32 individuals from the fifth, sixth and seventh generations. CWP provides a broad range of services to the family with a focus on financial planning and reporting, estate and tax planning, accounting and tax compliance services as well as investment planning with the support of an outside investment advisory firm. Eileen is primarily responsible for the management oversight of all functions of the office, including human resources, risk management and technology. Eileen reports directly to a board comprised of five members of the family’s fifth and sixth generations.
Gregory Johnson, CIO and CTO, Fiduciary Counselling, Inc.
Mr. Johnson is the Chief Technology Officer and Chief Information Security Officer for a large single-family office. He has held previous positions at other companies as Sr. Security Consultant and Vice President of Technology Strategy. He has worked in IT and security for many years in a variety of roles. When not working, he enjoys photography, gadgets, home automation and reading.
Julie McKinley, President and CEO, Fiduciary Counselling, Inc.
FCI serves as a single family office for a private, historic U.S. based family. As president and CEO of FCI, Julie leads the FCI team of investment, trust, tax, client service, and legal professionals to provide services and counsel to the family.
Prior to joining FCI in February 2011, Julie served as Managing Director of the Wealth Advisory Group at Northern Trust Company in Chicago. Julie led a team of portfolio managers, trust administrators, private bankers, and financial consultants who handled some of the largest irrevocable trusts at the firm. The team also handled the majority of senior executives and directors of the company.
Julie was one of two senior executives at Northern selected to implement the bank’s new Wealth Advisory and Private Client Services platform in 2006. Prior to that assignment, Julie ran Northern’s banks in Winnetka, Glenview, and Park Ridge, Illinois. Julie ran the trust and investment sales group in Chicago from 2000 to 2003. Her prior assignment had been as a wealth strategist, bringing new trust and investment relationships to Northern.
Prior to joining Northern in 1991, Julie worked at Harris Bank in Chicago and Dunphy-McKinley Associates, an insurance firm in Evanston, Illinois. Julie graduated from St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, where she majored in English literature and humanistic studies.
David Barrickman, Sales Leader, SunGard
David joined SunGard Investran in 2005. Spent 5 years on the Professional Services team as a Sr Manager, leading implementations across 6 different family offices. Current chair of SunGard Family Office User Group (27 firm participants). Joined the sales team in 2010, current Team Lead for Family Office and Private Equity Sales.
Craig Cook, President, Oakbrook Solutions
As co-founder and President of Oakbrook Solutions, Craig Cook brings over 30 years’ experience in technology-based solutions for wealth management providers. Cook leverages his technology skills, knowledge of business and operations, and the subject matter expertise of the firm to deliver solutions to Oakbrook clients. Having worked previously with the largest financial institutions, Cook is able to quickly assess and manage complex problems for his clients. These clients come from various areas of wealth management, family offices, registered investment advisors, trust companies, and regional banks.
Prior to co-founding Oakbrook Solutions in 1999, Cook started his own consulting practice in 1996, Cornerstone Software, focusing primarily on trust systems applications. Prior to that he held positions at Wachovia, Sovran (Bank of America), and Broadway & Seymour where his management skills and business expertise were developed and fostered. Cook was hired as assistant manager of Trust Systems at Sovran and managed a group of business analysts supporting the trust business and oversaw integration of a participant recordkeeping solution. During his tenure at Broadway & Seymour, Cook was hired as a project manager to oversee development of enhancements of AMtrust. During his early experience with Wachovia, Cook was hired as programmer trainee in Trust Systems and was promoted to senior programmer analyst before leaving in 1989. Cook designed and coded enhancements, implemented income collection and participant recordkeeping applications, and was responsible for the daily trust batch. Cook holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Business Administration and also completed MBA coursework at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Cook serves on the Board of Trustees for Friendly Avenue Baptist Church and is also involved heavily with the Spartan Club at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Steven M. Feather, Controller, Moreland Management Co.
Steve Feather is the controller for Moreland Management Company, a single family office in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. Steve joined Moreland Management Company in December of 2000 after working with a regional accounting firm in Columbus, OH. Steve is a graduate of Ohio State University with a dual major in Accounting and Finance and received his MBA from Cleveland State University.
Mark Harder, Partner, Warer, Norcross & Judd, LLP
Mark K. Harder is a partner with the law firm of Warner Norcross & Judd LLP and serves as Chair of the firm’s Family Office Practice. He concentrates his practice in estate planning and administration for high net worth individuals and in the representation of family offices, family owned businesses, and their connected families.
Mr. Harder is a Fellow in the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel and is listed in Best Lawyers in America and Michigan Superlawyers. He was named 2010 Lawyer of the Year for Trusts and Estates in Grand Rapids, Michigan by Best Lawyers in America and was recognized as a 2010 Thought Leader in the Law by the West Michigan Business Review. He served as Chair of the State Bar of Michigan’s Probate and Estate Planning Section and from 2003 to 2010 was the Chairman and Reporter for the Michigan Trust Code Committee that led the effort to draft and enact the Michigan Trust Code. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area. He is the co-author of Estates and Protected Individuals Code with Reporters’ Commentary published by the Institute for Continuing Legal Education and is an active speaker for Michigan’s Institute of Continuing Legal Education and other professional organizations.
Mr. Harder received his B.B.A., with high distinction, from the University of Iowa College of Business Administration, and his J.D. with highest distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law.
Brittney Saks, Tax Partner/ US Personal Financial Services Leader, PwC
Brittney leads a group of over 350 experienced tax and wealth management professionals, specializing in designing strategies to preserve and enhance their client’s wealth and help them build value and manage risk. She provides income tax, trust and estate tax consulting and compliance services, which include equity based compensation, investment, business succession, charitable giving, and retirement planning strategies to business owners, corporate executives and wealthy families.
Brittney also leads PwC’s Private Wealth Services offering which brings the comprehensive suite of tax, assurance and advisory services to family office clients. Much of Brittney's time is spent working with high net worth families and their family offices with tax, wealth transfer, business succession, and other strategic family wealth planning issues. She has extensive experience and specialty knowledge in working with business owning families and the multi-generational and governance issues they face. Brittney is the lead engagement partner and trusted adviser to some of the largest and most complex family office clients in the US.Brittney also leads the production of the annual PwC Guide to Tax and Wealth Management, and has authored numerous other publications over the years all focused on high net worth family planning. She also consults and provides interviews and articles for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune and numerous other forms of media.
Tyler Deaton, Senior Advisor Policy and Taxation Group
Tyler is an experienced lobbyist, consultant, and spokesperson, providing clients with a strong public voice and a strategic bipartisan approach. He is known as someone who can work on both sides of the aisle and successfully navigate negotiations between Republicans and Democrats on complex issues.
Tyler has worked on legislation ranging from market-driven healthcare reform solutions to long-term capital finance and transportation projects. His experience also includes building successful bipartisan advocacy programs in the areas of education reform, immigration reform, and civil rights.
Tyler is a member of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee and the Concord Republican Committee. He studied political science at Wheaton College in Illinois. Tyler and his fiancé James split their time between Concord, New Hampshire and Washington, DC.
Jake F. Seher, Senior Partner, Capital-Context
Mr. Seher's practice focuses primarily on federal government affairs with a particular emphasis on Congress and the legislative process. He provides counsel on issue management, legislative strategy, coalition development and political analysis. His background includes nearly ten years on Capitol Hill as a staff member in the office of Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE), and as a member of the Finance Division of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Mr. Seher was Legislative Director at the law firm of O'Connor & Hannan, and served as Senior Legislative Adviser for over a decade at Venable, LLP.
With over 30 years of Washington experience, Mr. Seher has successfully demonstrated his solid understanding of the legislative and executive branches of government by effectively identifying policy trends as well as prioritizing key legislative and regulatory issues for his clients. Good judgment and business acumen have allowed Mr. Seher to represent Fortune 500 corporations, national trade associations, and major stock exchanges. Mr. Seher has extensive experience involving public policy issues affecting Family Offices. Under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act passed in 2010, he successfully advocated the SEC exemption from registration for family offices. In 2012 he further advocated and secured No-Action relief for family offices from CFTC registration. Mr. Seher has a proven record of excellence in advising board level management regarding public affairs issues.
Family Office Exchange Speakers
Kelley Ahuja, Director of Human Capital
Kelley serves as Family Office Exchange’s Director of Human Capital. In this role, she serves on the Senior Management Team and holds a broad range of accountability across all aspects of the employee life cycle (recruitment, on-boarding, performance management, employee relations & transition management) as well as driving FOX’s organizational development and compliance initiatives.
With a passion for aligning people, processes, product and vision, Ms. Ahuja has over 20 years of experience in fast-paced, entrepreneurial environments at both private and not-for-profit organizations. Kelley has leveraged her leadership experience in the areas of strategic workforce planning, organizational development, talent and culture, and compensation and benefit administration at closerlook, inc. – a nimble marketing agency in Chicago, the Institute of Food Technologists, a 20,000 member scientific society, as well as at the venerable Lyric Opera of Chicago. Each experience has enabled her to help the organization go from good to great by identifying, developing, rewarding, and leveraging the right talent.
Sandra Ditore, Senior Business Development Manager
Sandra Ditore, Senior Business Development Manager for Family Office Exchange (FOX) which is a leading provider of research, advice and education to families of exceptional wealth. FOX serves more than 350 ultra-wealthy families and 150 multi-family offices and advisory firms across 20 countries. In her role, Ms. Ditore is responsible for identifying prospective family and advisor members, assessing their needs and priorities, and ensuring they have a deep understanding of the benefits of FOX membership. In addition to new member acquisitions, Ms. Ditore is responsible for identifying and securing sponsorship for FOX forums and educational workshops.
Ms. Ditore has more than 20 years of experience in sales and marketing. Before joining FOX in 2002, Ms. Ditore was a senior account manager for a Chicago-based healthcare communications firm, where she developed marketing strategies for global pharmaceutical brands. Prior to this, she held research and marketing positions at several Wall Street investment banking firms, including Drexel Burnham Lambert, Dean Witter Reynolds, and Dillon Read & Co.
Ms. Ditore is on the Executive Leadership Team for the Family Firm Institute (FFI) Midwest Chapter. Her involvement includes the development of educational programming for Midwest members.
Steven Draper, Senior Consultant
Steven Draper is a Senior Consultant at Family Office Exchange (FOX). He focuses on the “business’ side of family offices as well as wealth management advisor clients. The emphasis is on solutions to support the integrated financial platform that is key for the Family Enterprise Framework. Steven is also active on the family office research side at FOX to ensure the members have the best available information, resources and solutions to help them streamline the family office processes and technology.
In previous consulting positions, Steven has been involved in single and multi family office assignments ranging from establishing the basic processes, technology and infrastructure required to operate the family office business through to the implementation of a sophisticated, integrated platform that included CRM, portfolio and partnership accounting, cash management, financial planning, risk management, data warehouse, account aggregation and flexible, on-demand reporting.
Steven has worked for over 25 years in the wealth management, private wealth and family office business in the USA, UK, Switzerland and the Middle East. His skill set covers a broad range and includes: strategy and operations for single and multi family offices; new business and operational structures; process re-engineering and modeling; suitable technology and latest developments; negotiations of contracts with vendors; program/project management of operational change projects and technology install; writing proposals, plans, standards, procedures and guidelines.
Mariann Mihailidis, Managing Director
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.
Linda Shepro, Managing Director, Investment Initiatives, Networks
Linda leads the education and community building endeavors among CIOs, CEOs and wealth owners focused on investments. She oversees the FOX Networks team that has created robust peer exchanges addressing issues and challenges faced by members. Previously she was CFO of a large Midwestern family office, creating groundbreaking tools for back office and reporting during its start-up phase. She served on the direct investment screening committee, working closely with the portfolio’s management teams and outside family co-investors. Linda was cofounder of Shepro Braun Systems whose flagship product, Total Return, provided comprehensive back office solutions for family offices and hedge funds.