National Advisory Board
The National Advisory Board is made up of prominent Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship alumni throughout the country. The board provides an external point of view that provides the College with vital resources to connect with important external constituencies for information, financial support, expertise and information.
MEMBERS
Donald C. Brown (Chair)
Retired, Chief Financial Officer
FedEx Freight
Donald C. Brown retired in 2017 as Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration, and CFO of FedEx Freight. Mr. Brown is a board member at The Davey Tree Expert Company and Roadrunner Transportation Systems. Mr. Brown graduated from Kent State University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Business Administration where he majored in accounting.
Sandra Volpe (Vice-Chair)
Retired, Senior Vice President
Strategic Planning, Communications &
Business Development Solutions
FedEx Ground
Sandra Volpe retired as the Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning, Communications and Business Development Solutions at FedEx Ground, headquartered in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Ms. Volpe earned her bachelor’s degree from Kent State University and her MBA from the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Graduate School of Business.
Robert M. Archer
Board Chairman & Owner
Kent Watersports
Robert M. Archer is Board Chairman and owner of Kent Watersports and its branded companies O’Brien International, Connelly Skis, HO Sports Company, Liquid Force, Absolute Outdoor, Barefoot International, Nash/Hydroslide, Arbor Snowboards and Aqua Sports (Houjie, China). Mr. Archer received his MBA degree from Kent State University in 1961.
Joseph Artiste
President
ZOOM! Branding Group
Joe Artiste is President of ZOOM! Branding Group and previously served as President of Smart Business Network. Mr. Artiste graduated from Kent State University in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management.
Shampa Banerjee
Chief Product & Technology Officer
Canela Media
Shampa Banerjee is a Kent State Ph.D. graduate and the Chief Product and Technology Officer at Canela Media. Dr. Banerjee holds a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Kent State University and a master’s degree in physics from Case Western Reserve University and the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur.
Gary Brahler
First Vice President - Investments
Morgan Stanley
Gary Brahler is First Vice President of Investments at Morgan Stanley. He is a former Principal in the Polcar, Brahler, Heil, Belden Wealth Management Group. Mr. Brahler is the Immediate Past Chair of the Kent State University Foundation Board and graduated from Kent State University in 1989 with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in marketing.
Dennis Cuneo
Managing Partner
Fisher & Phillips LLP
Dennis C. Cuneo is the Managing Partner of the Washington D.C. office of Fisher & Phillips, LLP. He serves on the Boards of AK Steel (NYSE: AKS) and BorgWarner (NYSE: BWA). Mr. Cuneo graduated from Kent State University in 1973 with a Master of Business Administration.
Renée DeLuca Dolan
President / Founder
Contempo Design + Communications
Renée DeLuca Dolan is Founder and President of Contempo Communications and Publisher of Cleveland Business Connects (CBC) magazine. DeLuca Dolan graduated from Kent State in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts in Telecommunications.
Timothy D. Eippert
CEO
Stratus Unlimited
Timothy D. Eippert is the CEO of Stratus Unlimited, previously MC Sign, which he purchased in 1994. He serves on the Kent State University Alumni Foundation Board and is a member of the Ashtabula Chamber of Commerce, The Executive Committee (TEC), and is a member of the President’s Council. In 2004, Eippert was named Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year and was featured in Crain’s Cleveland Business 40 Under 40. Mr. Eippert graduated from Kent State University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a double major in marketing and management.
Jan Focke
Senior Vice President
Credit Products Senior Manager
PNC
Focke holds an MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in finance from Kent State University. At PNC, Focke leads a group of professional bankers providing financial solutions to owner-managed businesses in northeastern Ohio, with a focus on middle market, large corporate and heavy equipment lending. Focke has led numerous teams during her banking career in Cleveland, working in large corporate, middle market and small business banking.
Janet Womack Haughn
Haughn & Associates, Inc.
Janet Haughn represents Haughn & Associates, Inc., an independent full-service insurance agency founded by Michael W. Haughn. H & A specializes in commercial and personal risks, bonds, benefits and life products for both individuals and businesses in 40 plus states. She was formerly the President of Rogers Jewelers and Vice President of H.J. Wilson Company. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Southeastern Louisiana University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Merchandising and Marketing.
Arthur Karas
President
C&K Industrial Services, Inc.
Arthur Karas is a recognized leader in the industrial and environmental service industries. As a senior executive and experienced industry professional, he provides leadership, insight and innovative solutions for his clients in these fields. His firms provide a myriad of specialized services for industry and community infrastructures.
Angelo J. Kinicki
Co-Founder and Vice President
Kinicki and Associates, Inc.
Dr. Angelo Kinicki is Emeritus Professor of Management from the W.P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University where he held the Weatherup/Overby Chair in Leadership. Kinicki graduated from Kent State University with a Management Science degree in 1977, MBA in 1979 and DBA in organizational behavior in 1982.
Matthew E. Likens
President & CEO
GT Medical Technologies
Matthew E. Likens is President and CEO of GT Medical Technologies. Formerly, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Ulthera Division, Merz Pharma GmbH. Likens graduated cum laude from Kent State University in 1975 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in marketing.
Gregory A. Long, CPA
Retired, Managing Partner
Long, Cook & Samsa, Inc.
Gregory A. Long is a retired Co-Founder, President, and Managing Partner of Long, Cook & Samsa, Inc. Mr. Long graduated from Kent State University in 1971 with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a double major in accounting and business management.
Brian Powers
President & CEO
Crawford United Corporation
Brian Powers is President and CEO of the publicly-traded Crawford United Corporation, where he also serves as a member of the Board of Directors. He was previously President of City Council in Lakewood, Ohio. Mr. Powers holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Bowling Green State University and a juris doctor degree from Harvard Law School.
R. Louis Schneeberger
Board Member
Several Companies
Mr. Schneeberger is a board member to several companies with a focus on growth by acquisition and logistics-based businesses. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Panther Premium Logistics. His earlier roles included Chief Financial Officer roles for Olympic Steel and OM Group, as well as one of the largest private international producers of commercial explosive products, Austin Powder Company. He has been engaged in several business turnarounds, as well as being involved in 100+ acquisitions and the sale of 30+ companies, both public and private. Mr. Schneeberger graduated from Kent State University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in accounting.
Michael D. Solomon
Entrepreneur, Investor, Advisor
In 2010, Solomon served as the Board Chairman of Within 3 Corporation, a Cleveland-based medical industry software company from 2010 to its successful financing with Insight Partners, a leading private equity firm. He is currently an investor and board member of NewGen Surgical, a sustainable products company serving the operating rooms in hospitals worldwide. He was a member of the Kent State Board of Trustees from 2011 to 2020 and endowed the Michael D. Solomon Entrepreneurial Speaker Series in 2002, which is still very active today. He graduated from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.
Gary P. Trinetti
President
Garick, LLC
Mr. Trinetti is the President of Garick, LLC. Mr. Trinetti received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing from Kent State University in 1976. Mr. Trinetti is a former Trustee and Board Member of Clean-Land Ohio and The Green Industry Expo. Garick was recognized as an INC 500 company in 1986 and a Weatherhead 100 company in 1988 and 1989.
Jeffrey L. Tushar
Retired, Senior Vice President, Finance
Aramark
Jeffrey Tushar ’85 is the Retired Senior Vice President, Finance at ARAMARK Corporation. He currently serves on the Board of Directors at The Suter Company in Chicago as a business advisor for Bain Consulting and as an executive board member at Boy Scouts of America. He graduated from Kent State University in 1985 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting.
James R. Unger
Retired, Chairman of the Board of Advisors
Miller Transfer
James R. Unger joined Miller Transfer in 1971 where he has held various positions serving as Treasurer and Executive Vice President before becoming the President in 1996. Mr. Unger graduated from Kent State University in 1967 with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in management science.
David Webster
CEO
CPM Holdings, Inc.
David Webster is Chief Executive Officer of CPM Holdings, Inc. based in Waterloo Iowa. Mr. Webster graduated summa cum laude from Kent State University in 1985 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance.
EMERITUS BOARD MEMBER
John S. Brinzo
Retired, Chairman & CEO
Cliffs Natural Resources
John S. Brinzo is the retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cliffs Natural Resources (NYSE-CLF). He graduated from Kent State University in 1964 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in marketing and earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Case Western Reserve University.