Advisor, Coach, Consultant, Mentor

It is hard for you to know all the questions
let alone all the answers.

Find value in your Advisor relationship.

Wisdom from 30+ years of business experience.
Real-world experience as top corporate executive or successful small business owner.
Empathy for challenging issues in difficult situations.
Devoted to supporting you and your business dream.
Connected to business community to help solve specific needs.

Find the best path forward. Select from our network of highly experienced, thoughtful advisors who fit your business needs.

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Describing the Advisors

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CEO Roundtable Advisor

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Becoming a Better Leader

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Member Testimony

Advisor Specialties

Our Advisors work independently. Business engagements are available and must be arranged separately with each individual.

Engage an Advisor

Our Advisors provide support for a broad range of business areas.

Gordon Arnold

MP, Arnold & Saunders, LLP
Don Baird

Operations and sales Executive
George Connelly

Attorney, Chamberlain Hrdlicka
John Curtiss

Technology Sales and Marketing
Ralph D’Onofrio

Fmr Exec Pennzoil Products
Henry Florsheim

Former Managing Dir KHOU
Noel Graubart

Formed Graubart & Co.
Geoff Griffith

Former President Gulfmark Energy
Jim Griffing

Founder Griffing & Co, P.C.
Rich Hall

Business Advisor, CEPA
Richard Hendee

Fmr Banking Executive
Gary Henderson

SBA Banker
Jim Iden

Building Scalable Companies
Herbert Kalman

Accounting and Finance
Mary L. Kole

Former Energy Executive
Clint Kripki

Energy Risk Management Leader
Melvin Maltz

Multi-faceted Executive
Gerald Merfish

Chairman, Merfish Supply
Philip (Phil)Morabito

Founder & CEO, Pierpont
Ned Mueller

Lockheed Martin & NASA Exec
David Neuberger

Former CFO/Controller
Michel Prive’

Fractional VP of Sales
Donnie Roberts

Wealth Advisor
Ibrahim Saleh

Fractional CFO
Rick Schissler

Serial Entrepreneuur
John Sweney

CEO of Brookwoods Group
Austin Tenette

KPMG and EY
Joseph Tung

Member, Grable Martin Fulton PLLC
Ken Wells

MD, MBA
Rand Wall

Employer Healthcare Benefit Programs

Ideal Client:

Not for Profit Experiencing Change
Organizational Evolution
Communication Strategies
Marketing Plans
Project Prioritization
Managerial Coaching

Background and Experience:

Henry has more than three decades of managerial experience and accountability. He thrived in a 24/7 universe overseeing the delivery offer comp accurate real-time news and information in
a changing business environment that involved reordering priorities, workflows, and strategies in a continually more competitive universe. Through the transition, he was continually involved in supporting the Houston community.

Henry Florsheim was President and General Manager at KTRK-TV, the ABC-TV owned station in Houston, for over two decades. His tenure bridged a technological revolution that fundamentally affected every aspect of the broadcast operation. Throughout the transition, Henry led a 200 plus person team that expanded its primary product—local news—changed the technical hardware and workflows in the building, and coached a team to adopt new sales and production skill sets.

Believing that localism was key to the success, Henry embraced community events. He helped forge partnerships with the Houston Marathon, and the City of Houston Freedom Over Texas July 4th celebration. He maintained the Station’s tradition of broadcast the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Parade and helped bring the Houston Symphony and Houston Art Car Parade to viewers. He helped oversee a 24/7 operation that responded to a string of natural disasters that included Tropical Storm Allison and Hurricanes Ike, Rita, and Harvey. He served as the point person in the very public retransmission battle with Time Warner Cable in 2000.

During his tenure, the Station was awarded Lone Star Emmy Awards for both Station and News Excellence. He currently serves on the Boards of Interfaith Ministries of Houston, and the DePelchin Children’s Center. He is a former board member of the Houston Food Bank and Theatre Under the Stars. He served as a Board member of the Texas Association of Broadcasters.

Education and Background:
Henry is a graduate of Brown University with a BA in American Civilization. He started his career in news and spend time at stations in Providence, Rhode Island, Chicago, and three different broadcasters in New York. His 33 years with ABC-TV included a decade in news management in New York, six years as News Director of WABC-TV

While Real Estate Development has been his main area of activity, Noel Graubart has been an entrepreneur/owner of a variety of business ventures for more than 50 years. He has extensive experience in finance, marketing, leasing, construction, management, manufacturing, and long term planning.

BUSINESS EXPERIENCE

1966 – Present – Formed Graubart & Co., I.M.E. Company, Central Park Associates, J.M. Noel Homes Inc. N.R. Martin Homes Inc.

Most of these firms have been involved in construction, marketing and management of approximately 3,000,000 square feet of commercial property and 1,000 single and multi-family units. Activities have been mostly in Houston, Texas, with a branch office in Austin. Activities included site selection, construction financing, permanent financing, design layout, marketing, interaction with subcontractors, leasing, management etc.

1967 – Mr. Gleem Car Wash Systems Inc. – Built, owned and operated a full-service car wash selling Texaco gasoline and related products.

1990 – Southwest Retirement Ltd. – Formed to operate a retirement home with 183 rooms catering to individuals who lived independently, required Supportive Living help or needed care involving Alzheimer’s disease.

* Participated as an Expert Witness in a variety of matters involving Real Estate issues

1960 -1966 – Divco Wayne Corp. Manufacturers of trucks, school buses, hearses, ambulances, and mobile homes. Vice President of financing division, which handled customer financing and leasing arrangements as well as dealer inventory financing. Experience in turning around a losing manufacturing facility after 22 months of consecutive losses.

1954-1960 – Vice President – Conditional Sales Credit Corp. – Time sales financing and leasing of a variety of income-producing machinery and executive aircraft. Responsible for sales, marketing, credit criteria, internal bank lines of credit. Located in New York but operated nationally.

EDUCATION

1957 – New York University – Graduate School of Business Administration – M.B.A. in Banking and Finance

1953 – Syracuse University – B.S. in Finance and Real Estate.

1967 – Licensed Real Estate Broker State of Texas

PAST & PRESENT AFFILIATIONS

* Instructor of Real Estate at Society of Advanced Real Estate Subjects at Texas A&M University * Vice President Greater Houston Builders Association * International Council of Shopping Centers * Houston Apartment Association * Society of Industrial & Office Realtors * Texas Association of Retirement Communities * Board of Neighborhood Centers Inc./Baker Ripley * Board of Healthcare & Nursing Education Foundation * National Board of Governors American Jewish Committee * President Jewish Federation of Greater Houston * Board Republic Bank Post Oak * Prostate Cancer Committee of American Cancer Society

Business Advisor, CEPA
Recognized as one of “Top 15 Coaches in Houston, 2022”

Ideal Clients

Privately owned businesses with revenues between $2M and $100M
Owners looking to exit or transition their business in 5 years or less
Owner that is committed to increasing the value of their organization in a fiscally responsible way
Family owned businesses

Business Advisory Expertise

Rich is a Business Advisor and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) that focuses on the three primary pillars for owners’ success – Personal, Financial, and Business goals. His expertise is helping the owner and leadership team to rapidly increase the value of their business, so it provides the resources to achieve the owners’ personal and financial dreams. This may include preparing for a future exit or transition, identifying appropriate options for rapid value expansion, or simply helping the owner where they are and how to get where they want to be.

He provides expertise as needed in the following roles:

Small and medium sized business valuations
Business attractiveness and exit readiness assessments
Business value acceleration
Leadership development
Succession planning

Business and Career Background

Rich is the founder of Rich Hall Group, a business advisory and services firm. He has extensive experience in the small and medium-sized business world including rapid turnarounds for privately owned businesses. Representative successes are:

Business advisor for a family-owned start-up in the medical services industry. Client achieved 50% profit growth YoY and is expanding nationwide.
Former President of a global 68-year family-owned business that he led the transformation from stagnation and financial distress to record profits and revenue in the same year.
Executive at a 25-year family-owned software company in a very mature market. He transitioned the company to a world-class service organization (as measured by Net Promoter Score) that was a key driver of a very successful exit.
Key leader of a small, outsourced services company to participate in an exit event within first year of hire. Result was a triangular merger that achieved a robust exit for the investors.

Rich is a giver by heart and strives daily to help all those he encounters to achieve their vision of success. He currently chairs 2 CEO Roundtables for business owners through Silver Fox Advisors and facilitates 2 Mastermind groups of small business owners located nationwide.

Education, Certifications, Awards, and Key Associations

Rich earned his Bachelor of Science in Management Science from Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). He earned his MBA at the University of Houston in the evenings and weekends while working a full-time job. In addition, Rich is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), and a Birkman Certified Professional (premier personality assessment tool).

In 2021, Rich was awarded Silver Fox’s “The A. Butch Madrazo Engagement Award”. In 2022, Rich was recognized as one of the Top 15 Coaches in Houston by Influence Digest.

Rich’s volunteer activities include being a mentor for military veterans and spouses through Veterati. He is an executive volunteer with the Prison Entrepreneurial Program (PEP), an MBA-like entrepreneurship program, to help prepare felons to achieve lifelong success after parole.

Visit his blog at richhallgroup.com to learn more.

Ideal Clients – (New clients are being accepted)

Businesses seeking conventional financing (including SBA Loans) for working capital, lines of credit, business expansion, fixed asset (equipment and real estate) acquisition and/or refinancing, purchasing a business, or a complete debt restructure.
Small to mid-sized business in any type of business segment with revenues from $1.0 million to $50.0 million which are located in the greater Houston, Texas marketplace.
Business owners seeking financial assistance, directional guidance, general business advice and solutions to business questions, problems, and challenges.

Financial Services Industry Executive with years of experience working with and listening to small business owners’ desires, ideas, plans and concerns and developing well thought-out and researched solutions that meet their individual needs or accomplish their respective goals in a mutually agreed upon manner that can actually become reality.

Proven track record in the following areas:

Business Plan Development	Effective Negotiating	Working with Financial Institutions
Financial Management	Relationship Building	Strong Analytical Skills
Organization Improvement	Strategic Thinking and Planning	Dealing with Difficult Situations
Budget and Forecast Modeling	Setting up Advisory Boards

Business and Career Background

Richard has worked for large national financial institutions as well as regional and local community banks. He has held positions as Regional President, Senior Vice-President, Department and Group Manager, and National Marketing and Sales Director, and Branch Manager. Financial services groups reporting to Richard have included small business banking, international and domestic private banking, executive and professional banking, consumer banking, indirect auto, student lending, central credit, mortgage lending, workout solutions, and community development.

As Director, President, or Officer with over 30 different organizations, Richard has a long history of serving in leadership capacities in the non-profit and community service sectors. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Silver Fox Advisors and President of the Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund. He was the first non-attorney to Chair a State Bar of Texas Committee and a local Houston State Bar Grievance Committee. He is also a life member of two public service entities. He has received numerous awards including the Independent Bankers Association of Texas’ President’s Award.

Horizon Associates, Inc.
P.O. Box 55
Katy, TX 77492

CPA/Business Owner

During his over 50-year career, Herb has had various roles including Partner with three National Accounting Firms. Twice started a local accounting firm to be the springboard for mergers, acquisitions, and the eventual sale of the accounting business. Experience also includes role of CFO with a start-up publicly traded company and a start-up private company. Currently on the Board of Directors of a distribution company.

Skills and Abilities

Accounting and Auditing – Audited private and public companies. Herb can be valuable as member/chair of the audit committee as well as a resource to the CFO in connection with the impact of changes in accounting principles.
Growth through acquisition– Herb has participated in numerous company acquisitions and business sales both as a principal and as an advisor.
Organic growth – Herb has grown accounting firms through the addition of services and key people.

Professional Organizations

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants
Houston Chapter of Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants
National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts
The ESOP Association (served on finance committee)
Founder – Houston Chapter, Private Director’s Association
Silver Fox Advisors

Volunteer Organizations

Congregation Beth Yeshurun, Board of Trustees and Budget Chair, 2004-2014, Treasurer, Vice-President and member of Executive Committee 2014-2017. Formed and served on audit committee. Currently Chairman of audit committee and member of the Board of Trustees.

Speeches/Seminars

Speeches at ESOP Association conferences:

A Journey in Re-leveraging.
Corporate Governance – Views from an Appraiser, a Trustee, and a Banker.
Advanced Accounting Issues for ESOP Owned Companies.
How to Get More Value From Your Appraiser.

Speeches to Merger and Acquisition Forum, Houston

Seller Due Diligence.
Employee Stock Ownership Plan as an Exit Strategy.

Seminars to Houston Chapter of Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants

Principals of Business Valuation.
Employee Stock Ownership Plan as an Exit Strategy.
Exit Strategies for Privately Owned Business.
Managing an Accounting Practice.

Speech to National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA)

Valuing ESOP Owned Companies.

Speeches to University of Houston Bauer School of Business Alumni

Employee Stock Ownership Plan as an Exit Strategy.
Exit Strategies for Privately Owned Business.
The Annual Business Check-Up. How Good Corporate Governance Adds Value.

Specialties

Advisory Boards
Leadership Development
Operations Management
Strategic Planning

Background and Experience

After 30 years of working in line and staff positions in multi-national corporations, Mary Kole started a consulting practice focused on assisting leaders of public and private companies with the development and implementation of strategies to achieve company or organization objectives. Her recent clients have included integrated energy, engineering services, power generation, business consulting, software development and service companies as well as non-profit organizations. Mary is a professional Business Leadership Mentor and former Chairman, President and Vice President of the Silver Fox Advisors.

With multi-national energy companies, she held various positions of increasing responsibility including General Manager, Global Operations where she led a global organization responsible for transportation of refined products via ships, barges, pipelines, and railcars, for inventory levels throughout the supply chain, for a recycled-oil processing plant and for ship bunkering operations in the Panama Canal. As Manager of Retail Marketing, she managed an organization with profit & loss responsibility for supplying a network of 2000 retail service stations including service station acquisitions and divestitures, real estate sales, credit exposure, brand presentation, advertising, and retail imaging.

As President of Industry Model Enterprise LLC, an organization she created, she led 140 employees from 14 oil companies to develop a breakthrough vision for streamlining the industry’s mid- and back-office processes through a standardized, web-enabled solution.

Mary also managed a commercial trading business, directing a team of refined products and feedstocks traders engaged in short-term and long-term trading, purchase and sale agreements. She held the position of Accounting and Finance Manager where she supervised a team that provided financial analysis, accounting, and back-office support for crude and refined products physical, futures, and options trading.

Earlier in her career, Mary served as a Market Research Analyst with a major Japanese motor company, designing and conducting market research studies for current and future car models.

Mary holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish, both from the University of Southern California. Having lived in Mexico City as a child, she is fluent in Spanish.

Ideal Clients

Mid to Large businesses with premise square feet of 20,000 or greater that pay their own Energy costs
Large real estate portfolios, manufacturing, multi premise facilities, Schools, Cities and Towns
Companies in deregulated Energy Markets (TX, NJ, NY, OH, IL, PA – Main ones)
Leaders who face disruption in their organization and want to develop a goal setting and accountability model
Leaders who are committed to learning and growing professionally and personally

Management Leader charged with the responsibility to direct the work of multiple sales teams who are responsible for providing solutions and services through both channel partners and directly to clients.

Proven track record in the following areas:

Channel Partner Strategy Sales Accountability/Performance Disruption Management

Energy Risk Management Coach/Leadership Development Collaborative Relationships

Clint is currently utilizing his 25 years of experience as a Senior Director of Sales to make contributions to establishing and exceeding sales goals, developing strategic initiatives with increasing sales and management responsibility in collaboration with executive management. Clint consistently and persistently demonstrates leadership insights to develop and increase market innovations and maximize profitability.

Business and Career Background

Nesbitt Burns/Bank of Montreal where he was responsible for developing a risk management plan for small and medium-sized businesses across Canada.
OM Technology as the Project Lead to develop an Electricity Exchange with a variety of stakeholders including the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Roles in business development and risk management advisory at GFI, Spectron and Choice Environmental
Developed, from the ground up, a large-scale commercial aquaponic farming venture.
Mantis Innovation which enables him to make a significant positive impact for his company, his clients, and his team through his core competencies of teamwork, decision-making, and leadership skills.

Education and Certifications

Clint earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with Double Honours in Economics and Philosophy from the University of Saskatchewan and went on to receive a Master of Science degree in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is also a Certified Ziglar Coach and trained Yoga Teacher.

Ideal Clients

Public and private companies in energy, healthcare, technology, professional and financial services
Mid-sized to large businesses with revenues of $5 million or more
Industry and executive leaders who are seeking to build their corporate reputation and partner on strategic integrated communications campaigns

Seasoned Executive with a history of demonstrated entrepreneurial leadership and proven results for clients across numerous industries through strategic integrated communications, media relations, community engagement, and thought leadership.

Proven track record in the following areas:

Public Relations	Entrepreneurship	Leadership Development
Investor Relations	Media Relations	Crisis Communications
Strategic Communications	Corporate Communications	Reputation Management

Phil has more than 37 years of experience in public relations and marketing, beginning with a Madison Avenue PR firm in New York City before founding Pierpont Communications in Houston. He has led Pierpont to represent the country’s most influential brands across a diverse range of industries. Phil has grown a company that provides proven results by leveraging Pierpont’s insights, expertise and relationships.

Business and Career Background

Philip Morabito, CEO of Pierpont Communications, founded his company in 1987. A born entrepreneur, Phil hired his first employee in 1992 and now oversees the largest independent integrated marketing and PR firm in the southwest – with offices in Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and New Jersey – and was named a 2006 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in Houston.

Prior to starting Pierpont, Phil was a Senior Account Supervisor at Robert Marston & Associates in New York City. He managed major accounts with large budgets including Spalding Sports Worldwide, Pillsbury, Levi Strauss, Dean Witter, Control Data Corporation, and The Marriott Corporation.

Passionate about education, Phil has been an adjunct professor at the University of Houston since 1988, and today teaches a course in integrated marketing communications in the Graduate School of Business. He recently established the Advisory Board for the Valenti School of Communication at the University of Houston and serves on the Board of Directors.

Education and Certifications

Phil earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from the University of Charleston, where he is actively involved with the Board of Trustees, and an MBA from the University of South Florida. Phil was recognized as the Houston Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO in 2018, and under his leadership, Pierpont has been named a Best Place to Work a total of 12 times. The firm is a five-time Houston 100 company, among other prestigious recognitions. Phil was also selected as the 1999 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Greater Houston Partnership CEO Roundtables for small businesses. Locally, he serves as an advocate for charitable organizations through his involvement with the San Jose Clinic, Theater Under the Stars (TUTS), Houston Technology Center and John Paul II Catholic School. Phil also contributes as a member of several professional organizations including the International Association of Business Communicators, American Marketing Association, Public Relations Society of America, Silver Fox Advisors, and Vistage International.

Ned Mueller is a highly effective leadership professional, who rapidly and astutely identifies critical organizational issues, system drivers, and essential dependencies to build and implement effective programs.

Mr. Mueller is Founder and CEO of Mueller Consultants LLC, a Veteran-owned business providing sound and effective Operational Risk Management and Senior Leadership insight and guidance to Business Owners and C-level Management. Mueller Consultants brings in-depth and highly effective operational backgrounds in Aviation, Aerospace, Maritime, Nautical, and Oil & Gas Surface and Subsurface environments. We bring “Technology to Business and Sound Business Fundamentals to Technology.” Ned is also a certified Six Sigma Black Belt Professional and Change Management Specialist.

Upon graduating from the U. S. Naval Academy with a B.S. in Marine Engineering, Ned received his commission as a Marine Corps Second Lieutenant in 1976. Subsequent to completion of The Basic School at Quantico, Virginia and flight training, he was designated a Naval Aviator in 1978. During his career as a Marine fighter pilot, he held a number of leadership positions in operational squadrons. A graduate of the U.S. Navy’s Fighter Weapons School (Topgun) and Test Pilot School and member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, he also completed course requirements toward a Master’s in Aviation Systems from the University of Tennessee. His active service included flight instructor duties during the introduction of the F/A-18 in the early 1980’s and heading F/A-18 flight test at Patuxent River, Maryland from 1990 to 1993. During this tour, Ned served as lead government representative establishing the F/A-18E/F Integrated Test Team. Mr. Mueller served in combat as an augment pilot to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 232 in Desert Storm and as Commanding Officer of VMFA 312, deployed aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), during Operation Deliberate Force.

After retiring from the Marine Corps in 1997, Mr. Mueller joined Lockheed Martin and led contractor tasks on NASA’s X-38 International Space Station Crew Return Vehicle Prototype at Johnson Space Center (JSC). Until February 2005, Ned served as Advanced Vehicle Manager for Lockheed Martin Space Operations in Houston, Texas. In addition to the X-38 project, his responsibilities have included tasks associated with: Orbital Space Plane; Crew Escape System; STS-107 Columbia Mishap Investigation and Recovery Efforts; and Space Shuttle Program Return to Flight Activities. Subsequent to the STS-107 tragedy, he performed additional duties as Columbia Task Force (CTF) Johnson Space Center (JSC) Representative, responsible for coordinating JSC’s technical, institutional, and programmatic interfaces with the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB). After completion of his duties with the CTF, Mr. Mueller assumed added responsibility as Management Panel Representative for NASA’s Return to Flight Task Group, which was charged with independently assessing NASA’s compliance with CAIB report recommendations. He subsequently worked for ARINC, headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, to develop opportunities and establish company capabilities in aerospace, transportation, energy, security, and public safety sectors for Houston and the Western Gulf Coast region. During late 2006 Ned joined GB Tech, Incorporated, a high technology, and aerospace firm headquartered in Houston, Texas, region with additional activities in the contiguous United States and overseas. He subsequently assumed responsibility for all operations and business development as Vice President and General Manager, Operations.

Ideal Clients

Business owners struggling with revenue generation and sales management
B2B Small to mid-sized business with revenues from $1MM to $50MM positioned for growth at topline, their profitability, and their leadership team
Leaders who are committed to change

Seasoned Executive

Focused on process and execution, Michel is accomplished dynamic executive with 25+ years of experience successfully leading diverse organizations selling products and services to the aerospace, defense, industrial, marine and energy industries with proven track record establishing compelling visions, effective sales strategies, and building teams to achieve profitable growth.

Through recessions, fast expansions periods, ERPs, and CRM successful implementations Michel learned a lot from colleagues and made a lot of friends in the process.

Proven track record in the following areas:

Technical Product and Service Sales
International Biz development
Channel Management
Sales Management
CRM Implementation
Profitable Editda growth
Organization Development
Marketing differentiation
Change Acceleration
Public Speaking
Recruitment of Salespeople
Process Improvement

Michel is currently using his 25+ years of experience as a VP of international and local sales for small and Fortune 500 companies, to assist owners and leaders of various size businesses to build or fix their sales organization to achieve their expected profitable growth. As a fractional VP of sales imbedded in his clients, Michel performs all expected functions of a VP of sales. His clients become positioned to get to their next level to successful short-term and long-term goals.

Business and Career Background

When Michel left Teledyne Marine, he was Global Vice President of Sales and marketing for the interconnect division – leading his team to double digits year-on-year growth, 4 x Ebitda from the original state when Michel joined five years before. This achievement was executed while implementing new ERP systems, CRM, and sales processes which leads his team to this success and over $100M.

Prior to joining Teledyne, Michel was leading the Aerospace and defense sector sales effort at Matrix Technology located in Markham Ontario a $15M electromechanical distributor managed IASI his engineering firm for 10 years. These businesses were sold in 2011 to new owners, Michel stay on board until Teledyne asked him to join, merge and market diversify several companies and raise their performance.

Prior to Joining Matrix Technology Michel worked at Raychem (Now TE Interconnect) where he successfully built his career internationally in France, India, Canada, UK from engineering to EMEA Aero Def Sales & Marketing director.

Education and Certifications

Michel earned a Mechanical engineering degree (Automation & Robotics) from Lille (France) AFPA. Additionally, Michel completed multiple university courses in Finance, public speaking, management, and multiple professional sales training programs. Michel frequently writes and public presents educational topics on Sales and networking for SMB business owners.

Ideal Clients

Small businesses with annual revenues from $1MM – $25M
Owner is committed to growing revenues and building a strong organization top to bottom
Owner is willing to establish their personal purpose with the business including their future exit from the business

Experienced entrepreneurial/business owner with over 40 years of quantifiable achievement with start-up as well as established businesses. Business background in the purchase, development and final disposition of multiple businesses; as well as the turn around and leading of strategic business units. BBA with specialty in Real Estate/Finance from University of Texas at Austin and JD from Bates College of Law (UofH)

AREAS OF MENTORING

Company Formation / Start-up Consulting
Business / Enterprise Turnarounds
Strategic / Creative Marketing / Planning
Human Resources Management
Margin Improvement
Contract Review and Negotiation
Relationship and Team Building
Family-Owned Businesses

Business and Career Background

Rick grew up in a family-owned business whose core business became the largest of its kind in North America. The business expanded into other fields which allowed Rick the opportunity to grow into many different positions. He served as director of sales/marketing for over 200 stores, as well as general manager for various business units. When the family business expanded into real estate, he worked his way up from a leasing agent, property and construction manager to become Vice-President of Real Estate operations which oversaw over 100 properties in multiple cities.

The second half of Rick’s career, if you will, started when at the age of 30 he struck out on his own. Rick purchased, started, built and later sold several businesses. Founder and principal of electronics firm that specialized in development and marketing of proprietary chip-based products. First, he led a group of investors who purchased a 70-year-old regional sign business. His next business he started with a partner and a total capital contribution of $1,000.00. The company developed and manufactured automation products for conveyor controls, POS and time and attendance. Rick directed sales/marketing efforts including market planning, distribution network setup and ongoing sales fulfillment.

When he sold his interest in the electronics business to his partner, he started an administrative management company. The company offered outsourcing for insurance, accounting and purchasing management to a number of small business clients. Rick also financed and help a young entrepreneur start a technology service company that provides business technology to small-medium sized professional businesses in the Houston area.

Rick has been a Silver Fox Advisor for 15+ years working as an advisor/mentor with start-ups and small businesses in different fields. He also currently mentors 3 business roundtables sponsored by the Silver Fox Advisors, two of which are made up of area non-profit businesses. His radio show, The Weekly Business Hour, is broadcast every week on Lone Star Community Radio and its video/podcast is distributed world-wide.

ORGANIZATIONS & ACTIVITIES

Active in community affairs – served as President and Vice-President of multiple community associations; Trustee of private foundation; past member of the Board of Trustees Houston Museum of Natural Science and Chairman of Technology Committee; past Chairman of the Board (2013) and Director of Greater Houston YMCA and past Chairman of Facilities and Human Resources Committees, as well as annual Partners of Youth Campaign and Capital Campaign; Deacon, elder and trustee at Windwood Presbyterian Church

Active in business groups – Past Director of State and National Trade Associations; Past President of college business fraternity Houston alumni group; member in good standing of Texas Bar Associations; past member of Business Development Committee and Emerging Business Council of Greater Houston Partnership; currently a director of Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce and head of their business roundtable group.

Austin Tenette is a certified business coach with the FocalPoint Coaching organization and serves as the Entrepreneur-in-Residence to the HCC Northeast campus. In coaching middle-market businesses to success, Austin focuses on the three drivers of profitable, sustainable and exponential growth:

* Strategic Direction and Execution,

* Customer Experience, and

* Team Dynamics

Prior to Focal Point, Austin was a successful business development executive with two of world’s largest professional services firms, KPMG and Ernst and Young, working with global organizations on their business transformation initiatives.
SELECT CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Leadership and Change

Executed the financial, strategic, and operational success of a $40M business unit with over 300 client relationships, 1,700 employees and 15 managerial direct reports in four branch offices.

Earned global recognition for improving unit’s operating profit by 32% in less than 10 months by reducing indirect costs, implementing strict cost controls, and instituting price increases. Improved client retention by 20%, reduced unbilled labor costs by over 40%, while identifying and exploiting market segmentation opportunities.

Organizational Enablement

Created Corporate Strategy function for a $1 billion revenue services firm, collaborating with business-unit leaders and staff to provide an analytic perspective to strategy development sessions and strategic

initiatives. Led all corporate and business-unit strategy development and implementation activities.

Created the Company’s first-ever five-year strategic plan and led the annual update process; acquired eight security systems integrators, which became the core of the “differentiation” and “security solutions” strategy; company was sold via an industry roll-up at a 26% premium.

Created Board-level and C-suite networks to engage key decision-makers in peer-to-peer dialogue and identification of evolving business trends, while accelerating awareness and sales of service offerings.

Business Development

Execute global professional services firm’s account strategy framework in the energy vertical, focusing on clients’ business issues and strategies, to successfully pursue and win several multi-million dollar advisory and assurance engagements.

Top performer among thirteen peers, in developing/managing new business. Grew annual portfolio from $3M to over $7M in less than three years. Adept at growing new business within existing client group by building new buyer relationships and cross-selling of service lines.

Austin is a native of Southern California and holds a BBA in accounting and earned an MBA in Finance from UCLA.

Ideal Clients

Funded start-up and mature growth companies
High net-worth investors seeking development opportunities
Business owners seeking to strategically pivot

Experienced Client-Focused Entrepreneurial Attorney who brings over 20 years of business and legal experience to the table. Joseph’s career began with investment banking and venture capital then advanced through an appellate judicial clerkship, a regional and national law firm, a global oilfield services company, his own firm, and recently joined Grable Martin Fulton to establish a Houston office for innovative law firm specifically designed with the entrepreneurial business client in mind by leveraging technology to eliminate overhead such as expensive office space and support staff while allowing efficient and cost-effective service with top-tier quality.

Practice Areas & Skills Include:

Corporate Structure	Transactions & Contracts	Strategic Planning
Business Litigation	Intellectual Property	Real Estate
Human Resources	Employment Law	Mergers & Acquisition
Risk Management	Leadership Development	Construction
Technology	Securities	Franchises

Business and Career Background

Prior to Gable Martin Fulton and his own practice, Joseph was Senior Legal Counsel for Schlumberger, where he was responsible for the Gulf Coast, Northeast, and Integrated Project Management business units. He started as Legal Counsel for the Engineering, Manufacturing, and Sustaining segment and supported Schlumberger’s intellectual property legal department. Prior to Schlumberger, Joseph was an associate attorney with the Chicago-based law firm of Seyfarth Shaw, LLP and the Houston-based law firm of Porter Hedges, LLP. Upon graduating law school, he was a financial analyst for Founder’s Equity Group and served as a briefing attorney to Justice Tim Taft of the First Court of Appeals.

Education and Awards

Joseph earned his law degree from Southern Methodist University where he won numerous advocacy awards and was named Outstanding Advocate by the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas, where he was a member of the two-time national championship debate team. Joseph has also served on numerous non-profit boards and has coached and mentored hundreds of students over 20 years in speech and advocacy competitions with schools including Bellaire High School, The Kinkaid School, and Thurgood Marshall School of Law. In addition to the Silver Fox Advisors, Joseph is active in the business community as a member of the Houston Business Network™ and Network in Action.

Joseph is passionate about representing his clients. He believes entrepreneurs and businesses should have the best possible representation without having to bet the business on legal fees when faced with opportunities and challenges alike. His experience has molded his approach to the practice of law where solutions are preferable over conflict and listening is more important than arguing.

Ideal Clients

Global Enterprises in Healthcare, life sciences, aviation, and technology verticals
Seeking a unique perspective from a distinguished physician and business executive with medical, business, boardroom, social & community experiences

Seasoned Executive with extensive corporate health experience, spanning clinical medicine, health benefits, public health, and pharmacy. He is an experienced board member with global, strategic, and operational expertise applicable to multiple markets. He has served as chairman of multiple boards and board committees. He is a frequent speaker at global health conferences and universities on healthcare policy, population health, and corporate health/benefit strategies.

Business and Career Background Ken’s business career of 30+ years delivering tailored healthcare services and corporate wellness programs around the world ensures a seasoned, even visionary, perspective on how companies build successful businesses. His advanced clinical skills, and extensive, up-to-date knowledge of contemporary medical practices and healthcare trends, bring subject matter expertise. His ability to integrate the objective with subjective, plus a strategic mindset, commercial orientation, technology interests, and disciplined fiscal approach, contributes to boardroom deliberations and decisions. His acumen gained from oversight roles within international, complex, and extremely dynamic organizations is being leveraged in boardroom guidance to senior leaders. He has earned a boardroom reputation as collaborative, thoughtful, focused, and knowledgeable. He is a diversity candidate embracing diversity.

Dr. Wells is currently on the Board of Directors of Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston; he serves on both the Audit and Quality Committees. He is also on the board of the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio and a member of the Academic Affairs Committee. Throughout the past two decades, he has served on nine other not-for-profit boards and six different advisory boards, gaining experience on many committees, including executive, governance, nominations, HR, and quality.

Ken founded Alken Health Resources as an administrative resource to provide medical direction and health consulting services to Fortune-size companies. He has developed and managed dozens of national and international health management programs for clients, delivering substantial savings and efficiencies. He has advised a global conglomerate, major energy, insurance companies, top U.S. municipality, hospitals, NASA, and the nation’s largest railroad, in their efforts to develop innovative health solutions to improve quality and control costs.

Cash management	Reducing working capital	Financial reporting
System implementation	Efficient internal controls	Audit issue resolution
Acquisitions and divestitures	Cost accounting systems

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Describing the Advisors

Advisor Specialties

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Our Advisors provide support for a broad range of business areas.

Gordon Arnold

MP, Arnold & Saunders, LLP

Don Baird

Operations and sales Executive

George Connelly

Attorney, Chamberlain Hrdlicka

John Curtiss

Technology Sales and Marketing

Ralph D’Onofrio

Fmr Exec Pennzoil Products

Henry Florsheim

Former Managing Dir KHOU

Noel Graubart

Formed Graubart & Co.

Geoff Griffith

Former President Gulfmark Energy

Jim Griffing

Founder Griffing & Co, P.C.

Rich Hall

Business Advisor, CEPA

Richard Hendee

Fmr Banking Executive

Gary Henderson

SBA Banker

Jim Iden

Building Scalable Companies

Herbert Kalman

Accounting and Finance

Mary L. Kole

Former Energy Executive

Clint Kripki

Energy Risk Management Leader

Melvin Maltz

Multi-faceted Executive

Gerald Merfish

Chairman, Merfish Supply

Philip (Phil)Morabito

Founder & CEO, Pierpont

Ned Mueller

Lockheed Martin & NASA Exec

David Neuberger

Former CFO/Controller

Michel Prive’

Fractional VP of Sales

Donnie Roberts

Wealth Advisor

Ibrahim Saleh

Fractional CFO

Rick Schissler

Serial Entrepreneuur

John Sweney

CEO of Brookwoods Group

Austin Tenette

KPMG and EY

Joseph Tung

Member, Grable Martin Fulton PLLC

Ken Wells

MD, MBA

Rand Wall

Employer Healthcare Benefit Programs

Gordon Arnold

Don Baird

George Connelly

John Curtiss

Ralph D’Onofrio

Henry Florsheim

Noel Graubart

Geoff Griffith

Jim Griffing

Rich Hall

Richard Hendee

Gary Henderson

Jim Iden

Herbert Kalman