FlowIntell: For women with undiagnosed menstrual pain, FlowIntell’s non-invasive at-home endometriosis screening kit and app provides rapid, affordable results and a connection to specialists and community forums for follow up support.

PETE Learning: PETE is an AI-powered learning platform that accelerates the course creation process for training and boosts learning effectiveness through a cost-efficient, customizable, and learner-adaptive solution.

RoomRite: RoomRite is the leading online resale marketplace for hotel room blocks. Through their proprietary marketplace, meeting planners and hoteliers can list and resell excess rooms from contracted blocks to other meeting planners.

Silicon Assurance: Silicon Assurance is a hardware security company that develops software to address security assurance and trust issues in silicon chips designed by semiconductor and system companies.

The annual competition, hosted by the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College every year since 2015, is Central Florida’s largest, most prestigious, and comprehensive business plan and pitch competition for startups. Open to all regionally headquartered startups, the annual competition is where teams battle for funding, exposure, and mentorship in front of the region’s top entrepreneurs, leaders, and venture capitalists. Participants compete for prize money before multiple distinguished judges panels, all of whom are successful investors and entrepreneurs. The competition continues to serve as the platform for Central Florida startup companies to gain exposure and funding.

Fast Facts About the Competition

• Two of our past 1st place winners were successfully acquired in 2020.
  Of the 34 companies that have been finalists for the competition since 2012, 27 are in business today. Together those 27 companies:
  Generated over $55 million in revenue.
• Raised $36 million in investment capital.
• Employ over 374 people.
• The unique partnership developed with our winners provides them with limitless potential to make a difference in Central Florida’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and in their industry as a whole.
• Companies indicate that they participate for investment, connections, coaching, networking, mentoring, and an intense, real-world immersive experience of pitching their company.

Mark W. Johnston is the Alan and Sandra Gerry Professor of Marketing and Ethics at the Roy E. Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College. Prior to receiving his doctorate from Texas A&M University he worked in industry as a sales and marketing representative for a leading distributor of photographic equipment. His research has resulted in dozens of published articles in a number of professional journals such as Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management and many others. Mark has been cited by the Journal of Business Research as one of the most important researchers in the area of personal selling and sales management. He continues to do research in sales and marketing ethics as well as sales force performance and motivation.

Mark has been retained as a consultant for firms in the personal health care, chemical, transportation, service, and telecommunications industries. He has consulted on a wide range of issues involving strategic sales force structure and performance as well as sales force technology implementation. In addition, he has worked with a number of companies’ worldwide on a range of business ethical issues and training. Mark also works with MBA students on consulting projects around the world for companies such as Tupperware, Disney, and Johnson & Johnson.

Finally, Mark has conducted a number of seminars around the world on a variety of topics including motivation, managing turnover in the organization, sales training issues, ethical issues in marketing, and improving overall sales performance. Mark continues to provide specialized seminars to top managers on strategic marketing issues.

For more than two decades Mark has taught Marketing Management working with thousands of students. His hands-on, real world approach to marketing management has earned him a number.

EAST ORLANDO

• Event Details: Happy Hour | Wednesday, June 7 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. | Irish 31, Oviedo
• Hosts: Diahann Smith ’16MBA & Lovelyn Findley ’19 ’21MBA

SANFORD/LAKE MARY

• Event Details: Networking (Family Friendly) | Tuesday, June 13 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. | The Yardery, Sanford
• Hosts: Josh Snyder ’10MBA & Michael Hawkins ’14MBA

DOWNTOWN ORLANDO

• Event Details: Networking | Wednesday, June 14 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. | Vault 38, 38 E. Pine Street, Orlando
• Host: Anthony Chessa ’20MBA, Carmen Rasnick ’13HH ’16MBA, & Tadar Muhammed ’17MBA

DR. PHILLIPS

• Events Details: Happy Hour | Thursday, June 15 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. | American Social
• Hosts: Manny Agon Kresky ’08MBA & Alexandra Manrique ’07MBA

Lieutenant General (retired) Mark Hertling retired from the military in 2013. For several years he served as a Senior Vice President and advisor at the Leadership Institute at AdventHealth. His book, Growing Physician Leaders, provides leadership lessons for those in the healthcare industry. He has taught his course at several healthcare systems, and there are now over 1200 physician, nurse and administrator graduates.

Mark served for 38 years in the US Army as a tanker and cavalryman, commanding at every level from tank platoon to Field Army. He finished his Army career as the Commanding General of US Army Europe in 2012, where he over 60,000 soldiers and partnered with the Armies of 51 nations. He served over three years in combat, including Commanding the US Army’s 1st Armored Division (1AD) and Task Force Iron in Northern Iraq for 15 months during the surge.

Mark received a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Military Academy in 1975, and he holds three master’s degrees: a masters of kinesiology from Indiana University’s School of Public Health, a masters in military arts and sciences from the Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies, and a masters in international relations and security studies from the National Defense University in Washington, DC. In 2019, Mark received a Doctor of Business Administration from the Crummer School of Business at Rollins College, defending research addressing physician leadership in the healthcare industry.

After retiring from the Army, LTG Hertling was appointed by President Obama as one of 25 members to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sport and Nutrition. In 2021, he was appointed by President Biden as one of eleven commissioners on the American Battle Monument Commission. He also serves as an advisor to the non-profit organizations “Mission: Readiness” in California, and “Operation Gratitude” in Washington DC. He served for five years as an adjunct scholar at West Point’s Modern War Institute, and he currently is a member of the Dean’s Alliance at the School of Public Health of Indiana University. He teaches MBA students here at the Crummer School of Business at Rollins College as an adjunct professor of strategic leadership. He is the senior military and national security analyst for CNN/CNN International.

Mark is married to his best friend, Sue. They have two sons, two terrific daughters-in-laws, and five grandsons.

Mary Conway Dato-on, is Professor of International Business and Social Entrepreneurship, George D. & Harriet W. Cornell Chair, Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College, USA. She is a Fulbright Garcia-Robles Scholar whose research covers social entrepreneurship, nonprofit branding, international marketing, cross-cultural consumer behavior, gender and ethics. She has published 20+ peer-reviewed journal articles, five book chapters, 10+ cases, and 40+ professional conference papers. Additionally, Mary leads efforts to promote social entrepreneurship, including a board position on Rally: The Social Enterprise Accelerator, as the inaugural Faculty Director for the Rollins Impact Hub, and as a leader in developing The Global Links Initiative – a public–private partnership with reach in four countries.

Thursday, March 23
Crummer Venture Plan Competition Finals
5:30 p.m. | Bush Auditorium & Virtual

All alumni and community members are welcome to attend the finals of Central Florida’s largest, most comprehensive, and most prestigious business plan and pitch competition! Be there as the three remaining startups pitch their plans live before a panel of distinguished judges for a chance at over $100,000 in prize money and in-kind services. If you enjoy the tv show “Shark Tank,” like networking, or are interested in connecting with Central Florida’s vibrant entrepreneurial community, then this is a must-attend event! Click here to register to attend the Venture Plan Competition Finals. >>

Friday, March 24
Crummer Social: Graduates of the Last Five Years
6:30 – 9:30 p.m. | Dave’s Boathouse Patio, Cornell Campus Center

Calling all Crummer alumni who graduated during the last five years! Join us poolside for sips, eats, and treats as you reconnect with your classmates and reminisce about your Crummer days. Catch up with old friends, make new connections, and celebrate your class alongside your family and friends. Complimentary wine, beer, and appetizers will be available.

Saturday, March 25
Complimentary Professional Headshots
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET | Outside Crummer Hall

Is it time to update your LinkedIn profile image? Do you need headshots for speaking engagements? Make sure you stop by Crummer Hall for your complimentary professional headshots. No sign up required; first come, first served.

Crummer Back to School in 60 Minutes
1 – 5 p.m. | Crummer Hall & Zoom

Sit back, relax, and learn! Get back into the Crummer classroom for fun, interactive Back to School sessions featuring our amazing professors. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience their thought leadership in action!

• 1:00 p.m. The Global Links Initiative with Dr. Mary Conway Dato-on. Discover The Global Links Initiative, a cross-cultural training program that advances the social entrepreneurial skills of female scholars from emerging countries, who in turn, educate students as they mentor female entrepreneurs. Learn about its impact in Brazil and India, its future, and its connection to the Rick & Susan Goings Foundation with special, virtual guests Rick Goings, Chairman of the Rollins Board of Trustees, and Elinor Steele ’01MBA, Special Advisor to the Rick & Susan Goings Foundation.
• 2:00 p.m. Design Thinking with Dr. Keith Whittingham. Design thinking is a “systemic, intuitive, customer-focused problem-solving approach that organizations can use to respond to rapidly changing environments and to create maximum impact”. As one of the first MBA programs to make this a required part of our core courses, Crummer is further positioning graduates for success and value creation in their careers. In this session, we will explore the key concepts that distinguish Design Thinking from traditional “brainstorming” activities. Additionally, we will explore some recent design-based projects that Crummer students have carried out in a Global Sustainability context.
• 3:30 p.m. Family Business with Mike Kazazis ’07MBA. Regardless of the size, family businesses have long been and continue to be an economic engine. In this session, we’ll provide an introduction to issues specific to family enterprises such as governance, ownership structures, succession planning, conflict management, and inter-generational dynamics. Special guest David Duda, recently retired president and CEO of A. Duda & Sons, Inc. will be our guest for this engaging session.
• 4:30p.m. Emotional Intelligence with Dr. Kimberly Jentsch. Emotional Intelligence, or EQ, is as important to a leader’s success as is cognitive ability. Come back to school for a 60 minute session that will summarize key findings from research on emotional intelligence and demonstrate an activity for building your emotional intelligence skills.

Crummer Cocktail Hour
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. | Rice Family Pavilion

Join us for cocktails and conversations at the beautiful Rice Family Pavilion. Mix and mingle with fellow alumni and guests and reconnect with faculty and staff while enjoying complimentary appetizers and a cash bar.

Online registration is closed. On-site registration will be available and walk-ins and guests are always welcome! 

Lieutenant General (retired) Mark Hertling retired from the military in 2013. For several years he served as a Senior Vice President and advisor at the Leadership Institute at AdventHealth. His book, Growing Physician Leaders, provides leadership lessons for those in the healthcare industry. He has taught his course at several healthcare systems, and there are now over 1200 physician, nurse and administrator graduates.

Mark served for 38 years in the US Army as a tanker and cavalryman, commanding at every level from tank platoon to Field Army. He finished his Army career as the Commanding General of US Army Europe in 2012, where he was over 60,000 soldiers and partnered with the Armies of 51 nations. He served over three years in combat, including Commanding the US Army’s 1st Armored Division (1AD) and Task Force Iron in Northern Iraq for 15 months during the surge.

Mark received a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Military Academy in 1975, and he holds three master’s degrees: a masters of kinesiology from Indiana University’s School of Public Health, a masters in military arts and sciences from the Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies, and a masters in international relations and security studies from the National Defense University in Washington, DC. In 2019, Mark received a Doctor of Business Administration from the Crummer School of Business at Rollins College, defending research addressing physician leadership in the healthcare industry.

After retiring from the Army, LTG Hertling was appointed by President Obama as one of 25 members to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sport and Nutrition. In 2021, he was appointed by President Biden as one of eleven commissioners on the American Battle Monument Commission. He also serves as an advisor to the non-profit organizations “Mission: Readiness” in California, and “Operation Gratitude” in Washington DC. He served for five years as an adjunct scholar at West Point’s Modern War Institute, and he currently is a member of the Dean’s Alliance at the School of Public Health of Indiana University. He teaches MBA students here at the Crummer School of Business at Rollins College as an adjunct professor of strategic leadership. He is the senior military and national security analyst for CNN/CNN International.

Mark is married to his best friend, Sue. They have two sons, two terrific daughters-in-laws, and five grandsons.

DISNEY / UNIVERSAL

• Event Details: Happy Hour | Thursday, February 23 | 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. | Scat Cat’s at French Quarter
• Hosts: Manny Agon Kresky ’08MBA, Katie Gottsch ’04MHR ’08MBA ’21DBA , Michael Wallace ’19MBA, and Alexandra Manrique ’07MBA

WINTER PARK

• Event Details: Coffee/Breakfast and Networking | Friday, February 24 | 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. | The Coop at Winter Park
• Hosts: Paige Greninger ’01MBA and Nicole Perez ’17MBA

EAST ORLANDO

• Event Details: Happy Hour | Friday, February 24 | 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. | Marlow’s Tavern Waterford Lakes
• Hosts: David Yong ’18MBA and Anthony Chessa ’20MBA

Dr. Stefanie D. Meyer-Goodwin

Dr. Stefanie D. Meyer-Goodwin has worked in the mental health field for over a decade. She earned a Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling and Certificate in Family and Relationship Counseling from Rollins College and a Doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Capella University. She currently serves as the Clinical Director for The Meaningful Life Center, overseeing their evidence based complex trauma program.

In this role, Stefanie is responsible for training and developing a team of 20 clinicians ranging in experience from graduate interns to seasoned professionals with over 10 years of experience. In addition to her current role, Stefanie is an Army veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and a supporting professor in the Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Rollins College. Stefanie is passionate about multicultural and social justice issues in the counseling field and focuses her research and presentations on improving multicultural awareness and professional competency.

Tiffany Pratt

Tiffany Pratt joined Orlando Health in July 2018 and currently serves as the Assistant Vice President of Team Member Experience, Engagement & Retention. She has over 15 years of healthcare human resources experience ranging from recruitment, retention/engagement, leadership development and employee relations. In her current role, she is responsible for creating a people strategy of engagement by executing innovative programs and practices to transform the workforce culture.

Recently, Tiffany led a team to receive the Modern Healthcare Best Places to Work Award in 2020 and 2021 – despite many challenges during the pandemic. Prior to joining Orlando Health, Tiffany worked as the Employee Engagement Director for JPS Health Network in Fort Worth, Texas, where she increased team member engagement from the 24th to 90th percentile in just three years, and achieved Modern Healthcare Best Place to Work in 2017 and 2018.

While at Orlando Health, Tiffany has received the 2019 40 under 40 Award by the Orlando Business Journal. Tiffany earned her Master of Science in Human Resources from Western Carolina University and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Winthrop University. She has dual HR certifications with the Society of Human Resources Management and the Human Resources Certification Institute. Tiffany is a former executive committee member on the board of directors for the Seminole County Public Schools Foundation. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering in the community with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, event planning and spending time with family and friends.

Audra Romao

Audra Romao, SPHR is the Chief People Officer of the Orlando Magic. She oversees the People Team and Office Services for the “team behind the team.” Audra started with the Magic as the Assistant Director of Human Resources in May 1999. Since then, she’s held various titles as she rose through the organization, being named as the Chief People Officer in June 2015.

Audra earned a BS degree in human resources management from Cabrini University. Romao received her MA degree in human resources management from Rollins College in 2000. Audra truly enjoyed her time at Rollins, and it was there that she learned about the opening at the Orlando Magic. Audra serves on the Crummer Leadership Advisory Board and is an active Mentor in the Crummer Mentoring Program.

Audra and her husband, Lou, reside in Orlando with their beloved English bulldogs, Noah and Louna.

Jarrod Strickland

Jarrod Strickland is the Executive Director of NAMI Florida, an organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life of individuals and their families affected by mental illness through education, support and advocacy. Over his 20 years of experience, Jarrod has developed a diverse range of leadership skills that he acquired through his time in the military and in the healthcare and nonprofit industries.

Cameron Dawson is the Chief Investment Officer for NewEdge Wealth an ultra-high net worth and high net worth private wealth manager. She has been with the firm since May of 2021 and prior to that was the Chief Market Strategist, Managing Director for Fieldpoint Private. Cameron has been in the finance area for over 10 years having worked at Bank of America and US Trust as well.

Cameron graduated from Rollins in 2010 as the Valedictorian with majors in Economics and Theater. She graduated from the Crummer Graduate School of Business with honors in 2012 where she also received the prestigious Ed Moses Scholarship Award for Outstanding Potential in the Field of Finance.

Dawson is also a regular contributor on CNBC and a variety of financial podcasts and talk shows.

Click here to watch Cameron Dawson’s Crummer Connections: Podcast & Video Series episode (Season 1, Episode 2).

Moderator

• Dan Biller, Ph.D. – Professor of Economics, Crummer Graduate School of Business

Speakers

• Alexandre Tombini, Ph.D. – Chief Representative of the BIS Office for the Americas, Former President, Central Bank of Brazil, 2011-2016
• John Welch, Ph.D. – Research for Emerging Markets Inc, Professor U P Mackenzie, IPEA Fellow, e REM Inc
• Diego Petrecolla, Ph.D. – Investigador IIEP, Profesor Universidad de Buenos Aires

Bill Grimm is the executive-in-Residence for Negotiation and Entrepreneurial Finance at Crummer, joining the full-time faculty in 2009. After practicing law as a corporate and securities lawyer for more than 40 years, he teaches Negotiation in Business, Raising Capital for Entrepreneurial Ventures, and Commercializing Technology (co-teaching with Dr. Pete McAlindon). He served as outside general counsel and on the boards of directors of numerous companies in Central Florida. He was counsel to these companies in numerous mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings and securities offerings to venture capital firms, private groups and individuals. He has a degree in mechanical engineering, an MBA and a Juris Doctor’s degree and served in the US Navy as the Supply Officer on a destroyer, the USS Strong DD-758.

Jacob Hancock is an adjunct instructor at Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College and the Executive Director of Seeds Innovation, a team of innovators utilizing Design Thinking to solve complex challenges for global organizations. As both a practitioner of Design Thinking and a student of the craft, he unites the worlds of theory and real-life application. His driving passion is to empower students at Crummer to think about challenges differently and create novel solutions relevant to an ever-changing world.

Dr. Timothy O’Brien is a Marketing academic and practitioner. As an executive in Orlando, FL he has worked with both Fortune Enterprises and Startups to help improve their digital and experiential marketing strategy. He currently works as the SVP of Business Development at EventLink. In addition, Dr. O’Brien owns and operates a Once Upon a Child retail franchise.

Dr. O’Brien earned an Executive Doctorate in Business Administration from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL. His primary research focus is within Entrepreneurship and Digital Marketing and loves to work with firms who are focused in bridging the gaps between digital and physical customer relationships. Dr. O’Brien is an instructor at Rollins College, University of Central Florida, and Flagler College.

Currently, Stanton G. Reed is the interim campus president for Osceola, Lake Nona, and Poinciana campuses part of Valencia College. Prior to serving as interim campus president, he served out a three-year commitment as college wide faculty President-Elect, President, and Past-President (2018 – 2021). Stanton is a tenured business and accounting professor and serves as a facilitator for the Valencia College Peace and Justice Institute and Bridges for Success program cohort Molding Men for Tomorrow (MM4T).

Stanton has served as Vice President of Finance/Chief Financial Officer for Hospice of the Comforter, Executive Officer/Treasurer of Southeastern Conference of Seventh Day Adventist. Additionally, he has served as Associate Vice-President of Finance/Chief Operating Officer Non-Academic Programs for Oakwood University, Director of Business Development for Orlando Regional Healthcare System (now Orlando Health), and Chief Financial Officer for Loma Linda University School of Medicine.

Stanton is a graduate of Oakwood University (HBCU) in Huntsville, Alabama, where he majored in accounting and business administration. He earned a Master of Business Administration from Crummer Graduate School of Business Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. He is a retired Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the State of Florida. Over his career of 40 years of service, he has worked and taught in the fields of education, business, and accounting.

Moderator: Eduardo Goldszal, PhD – Partner at MEER Tax

Speakers

• Paulo Sergio Tenani, PhD – Professor of International Finance, Fundação Getulio Vargas | Head of Research, Aqua Wealth Management |  São Paulo, Brazil
• Antonio Leite, PhD – Professor, Nova School of Business & Economics | Lisbon, Portugal
• Dan Biller, PhD – Executive-in-Residence for Economics, Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College | Winter Park, FL, USA
• John Welch, PhD – Founder, Research for Emerging Markets (REM), Inc., Executive Director, Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce

• Amie Dugan ’93, VP, Organizational Development, Special Olympics North America
• Kim Axel Lopdrup, Corporate Director / Retired CEO, Red Lobster
• Stanton Reed ’93MBA, Interim President, Valencia College
• Ashley Ridgeway-Washington ’15MHR, Former Interim, VP HR Christus Health

Amie Dugan serves as Vice President, Organizational Development for Special Olympics North America and leads the Organizational Development team which provides guidance and oversight to all SONA Programs (comprised of United States, Canada, Caribbean), from ensuring compliance to facilitating the operational and programmatic advancement and excellence of all Programs.

In addition to overseeing the Organizational Development team, some of Amie’s specific areas of specialty include CEO searches and CEO on-boarding, executive coaching and leader mentorship, Board Governance training and consultation, organizational capacity building strategy, strategic planning, leading practices/centers of excellence building, professional and leadership training and development, facilitation, curriculum development, risk management, enterprise risk management, business operations and continuity, crisis communications, brand/communications/marketing, fundraising, special event planning, and diversity, equity and inclusion. She serves as the global leadership and program excellence lead for Special Olympics North America.

Amie has experience ranging from the grassroots to international levels of the movement during her 27 years’ experience with Special Olympics.

Prior to this role, she served as the Director of Marketing and Communications Special Olympics North America from 2012-2017 – a role she established. Prior to that, she served as Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Special Olympics Florida for fourteen years.

In those roles Amie oversaw marketing, communications, media, social media, digital media, crisis communications, risk management, brand and more, including national and World Games. She has served on Special Olympics’ global brand task force, co-chaired the United States Leadership Committee’s marketing and communications committee, served as a member of the Special Olympics USA management team, and continues to serve on the Special Olympics (Intl.) Risk Management and Insurance Task Force.

Amie began as a Special Olympics volunteer in 1994, and has been a local management team member, coach and Unified partner over the years. She is a second-generation Special Olympics volunteer as her mother was a coach and County Coordinator in Michigan. Amie was inducted into the Special Olympics Florida Hall of Fame in 2011.

Prior to Special Olympics, she worked for the Walt Disney World Company and the Juilliard School of Music, and was a volunteer with multiple performing arts organizations.

She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Rollins College and holds a MMBA as well as a certificate in nonprofit management, multiple leadership institute program certificates, and has designed and led numerous Special Olympics Leadership Academies.

Amie is an instructor for the nonprofit governance certificate program and custom consultation programming at The Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership at Rollins College. She is a BoardSource certified nonprofit consultant, working with an array of U.S and international boards of directors.

Amie volunteers as a WISE (Women in Sports and Events) Within mentor, is a member of the Board of Directors for Girls on the Run (Central Florida), is a member of the Greater Orlando Organizational Development Network, and continues to volunteer with Special Olympics.

Kim Lopdrup retired from Red Lobster in August 2021 after leading the brand for 14 years as President or CEO. He led three turnarounds, each under a different owner. Red Lobster is the world’s largest seafood restaurant company and was named to Forbes magazine’s most recent lists of America’s Best Large Employers.

Since separating from Darden Restaurants in 2014, Red Lobster built an outstanding team and improved its food, service, convenience and value. All of Red Lobster’s seafood is now traceable, sustainable and responsibly sourced. Off-premises sales have grown five-fold behind the introductions of Touchless Delivery, Rapid Red Curbside Pick-up and online ordering/payment. My Red Lobster Rewards now has over 10 million members and was named to Newsweek’s 2021 list of America’s Best Loyalty Programs.

Kim previously served as President of the Specialty Restaurant Group and New Business for Darden Restaurants, leading their Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Eddie V’s, Bahama Breeze and Yard House brands as well as Darden’s International Division and Consumer Packaged Goods business. Prior to that, he led Red Lobster as President for seven years, where he comprehensively revitalized the brand with initiatives such as the award-winning Today’s Fresh Fish program, wood-fire grilling, Bar Harbor Image remodels and a new logo – resulting in industry-leading guest satisfaction and record profits.

Before joining Red Lobster, Kim served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, North America, for Burger King Corporation. He led that company’s 8,500 North American restaurants to record guest satisfaction scores in both company-owned and franchised restaurants, contributing to a turn-around of declining same-store sales.

Earlier, Kim spent 16 years with Allied Domecq Quick Service Restaurants (since renamed Dunkin’ Brands), the franchisor of Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins. He turned around Dunkin’s previously declining coffee business as that brand’s Product Marketing Manager for Beverages. Later, as Vice President of Marketing, he managed Dunkin’s iconic “Time to Make the Donuts” ad campaign starring Fred the Baker. Finally, as Chief Executive Officer of Allied Domecq’s 3,500-unit international division, he dramatically accelerated growth and took that business from record losses to 82% above its previous profit record in just three years.

Kim began his career in brand management at Procter & Gamble, working on Folgers and High Point coffees and Citrus Hill orange juice.

He serves on the boards of Wawa, Inc. (since 2006); Bob Evans Restaurants (since 2017); and Kalera (since 2020). He recently agreed to become the next Chairman of Kalera’s Board. He previously served on the boards of Rubio’s Restaurants (traded on NASDAQ), 31 Ice Cream (traded in Japan) and Hiram Walker & Sons, Ltd. (a Canadian company). He also served on the board of Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida for 12 years, being named Board Member of the Year in 2011 and receiving National Service to Youth awards in 2010 and 2015. He is currently co-chair of Project Opioid. Orlando Business Journal named Kim a “CEO of the Year” in 2016 and Florida Trend included him on their most recent list of the 500 most influential people in Florida. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the College of William and Mary in 1980 and an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School in 1984. He is married and has four children.

Currently, Stanton G. Reed is the interim campus president for Osceola, Lake Nona, and Poinciana campuses part of Valencia College. Prior to serving as interim campus president, he served out a three-year commitment as college wide faculty President-Elect, President, and Past-President (2018 – 2021).

Stanton is a tenured business and accounting professor and serves as a facilitator for the Valencia College Peace and Justice Institute and Bridges for Success program cohort Molding Men for Tomorrow (MM4T).

Stanton has served as Vice President of Finance/Chief Financial Officer for Hospice of the Comforter, Executive Officer/Treasurer of Southeastern Conference of Seventh Day Adventist. Additionally, he has served as Associate Vice-President of Finance/Chief Operating Officer Non-Academic Programs for Oakwood University, Director of Business Development for Orlando Regional Healthcare System (now Orlando Health), and Chief Financial Officer for Loma Linda University School of Medicine.

Stanton is a graduate of Oakwood University (HBCU) in Huntsville, Alabama, where he majored in accounting and business administration. He earned a Master of Business Administration from Crummer Graduate School of Business Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. He is a retired Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the State of Florida. Over his career of 40 years of service, he has worked and taught in the fields of education, business, and accounting.

Ashley Ridgeway-Washington most recently served as the Human Resources executive overseeing global People and Culture operations in the technology and telecommunications sector at AVC Technologies. Prior to that, she served as a VP of Human Resources at CHRISTUS Health. In addition to her full-time role, Ashley is an independent human capital consultant, executive coach, trainer, and keynote for various industries.

Ashley earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business and Juris Doctor from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in 2003 and 2009. She also earned a Master of Human Resources Strategy from Rollins College in 2014. Although she no longer practices have been an active member of the Florida bar since 2010.

Ashley serves the community through membership in the North Dallas Suburban Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, Allies in Service, and the American Heart Association North Texas Health Alliance. She also serves on the Coppell, TX YMCA Board of Management and National Healthcare Diversity Council Board of Directors.

Ashley continues to build her brand as a Human Resources strategist, engagement Influencer, and thought leader in the Human Resources space but gets her greatest sense of accomplishment from being “mom” to Aniyah (age 18) and Ace (age 9).

Dr. Jim Johnson, Nancy Siebens Binz ’55 Chair of International Business, took guests on a journey around the world through a beer tasting experience. Participants tasted 6 different beers (see below) that covered the range from light and fruity to dark and sweet.

• Wheat Beer: Hoegarden Witbier OR Paulaner Hefe-Weizen, Blue Moon
• Lager: Peroni Nastro Azzuro, Corona (not Light), Red Stripe
• Pilsner: Pilsner Urquell OR Warsteiner, Heineken, Stella, Grolsch, Bitburger
• Pale Ale: London Pride, Bass, Abbot Ale, Boddington’s Pub Ale
• Red Ale: Smithwick’s Red Ale, Kilkenny Irish Red Ale, Fat Tire (American Amber Ale)
• Stout/Porter: Guinness Draught Stout, Murphys Draught Stout, Sierra Nevada Stout

Other types of beer that were discussed included Lambic, Saison, Abbey Ales, and Strong Ales.

Associate Professor Keith Whittingham traced the journey of coffee from the farm to the cup, with an emphasis on factors that impact aroma and flavor. Guests got a glimpse into the formal cupping process and the coffee flavor wheel.

Guests who wanted an interactive version of the experience, purchased the below Artifx Cafe varieties to join the tasting.

• Tacana Select-organic Vienna Roast Arabica
• Tierra Monterverde- Vienna roast Arabica
• Monterverde Natural-Light Roast Costa Rica Coffee

Artifx Cafe can be purchased via its website.

Spanish “Eggnog” Coquito Ingredients
(makes about 2 liters)

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 can cream of coconut
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 1.5 cups of rum
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
• Star anise for serving
• 3 eggs yolks
• 1/2 cup of sugar

More about Diahann Smith ’17MBA

Diahann Smith, Florida Dairy Farmers Director of marketing and Business Development, community volunteer and enthusiastic cook.

Diahann Albarrán Smith, a consumer marketing professional with more than 20 years’ experience. Diahann has local, regional and international marketing experience. She began her career at the Orlando Sentinel where she helped launch the Spanish-language El Sentinel and committed to working with the Central Florida Hispanic community where she is an active volunteer. Florida Dairy Farmers recruited Diahann to grow its Hispanic marketing outreach in Florida. She also worked with sister organization the U.S Dairy Export Council, to help market U.S. dairy in the Caribbean. In her current position as Director of Marketing and Business Development for Florida Dairy Farmers, she develops and executes marketing plans and partnerships to promote Florida dairy farmers and the health benefits of dairy. Diahann has volunteered for over 15 years with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando where she not only serves on the board, she leads the 25-person Chamber Ambassadors program. She also serves on the Alumni Board for the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College where she completed her executive MBA. Diahann enjoys running, baking, and cooking. While not a trained chef, Diahann “plays” one TV where she regularly shares her recipes in national and local TV shows as well as online. She lives in Orlando with husband Jim and their two kids Ethan and Eliana.

Comedian, Attorney, Runner and Do-Gooder

Mike is a clean observational comic who counts as his influences Demetri Martin, Steven Wright, and Jerry Seinfeld. He performs regularly at the Comedy Zone in Jacksonville, Florida and at other clubs and venues nationally. Mike is a Jacksonville transplant from Washington D.C. He is a father of five who became a comedian after rising to a level of success as both an attorney and an ultra-marathoner. In other words, Mike has a short attention span. His material is largely self-deprecating and draws on the trials and tribulations of being a little bald guy in a big person world and his role as a father, husband, lawyer and a runner. Mike’s material is fresh, regularly updated, sometimes intellectual and sometimes stupid, but always clever. His comedy sets are fast-paced, provocative and engaging. So, they are nothing like this biography.

Blake Robinson is the Business Librarian at Olin Library, Rollins College, which he joined in 2019. Blake works with students, faculty, and staff of the Crummer Graduate School of Business, along with Crummer alumni, to meet their research and information needs. Prior to Rollins, Blake worked in various academic, public, and government libraries in North and Central Florida.

Brinsley Lewis is an experienced, transformational HealthCare Executive who has served as a hospital CEO for over 20 years with both non-profit and for-profit national health systems – Advent Health, Trinity Health, and Kindred Healthcare. He has a diverse background in operations, clinical, business development and strategy, with a track record of positioning organizations competitively and producing stakeholder value.

Born on a small island in the Caribbean, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Brinsley started out his career as a respiratory therapist. He received a Bachelor’s in Biology, holds an MBA and is a Fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives. He is recognized as pro-active, innovative, community-minded, and committed to servant leadership, people-development, and teamwork.

As a CEO, Brinsley has led hospitals ranging from 200 to 2600 employees, and medical staffs up to 750 physicians. As an energetic and relationship-driven transformational leader, Brinsley ensures that the appropriate leadership team is first assembled. Then through continuous mentoring, collaboration and leadership development, a high-performing team emerges. Evidence-based leadership tools are deployed, with heavy emphasis on Associate and Medical staff engagement. Shortly thereafter, the organization will begin to experience a significant up-tick in all of its metrics.

As a change-agent, Brinsley understands the complexity of change and how to lead this transformation.
As the industry continues to transform, care will be delivered differently in the future. This transition requires strategic business development, horizontal collaboration, and communication skills. Care sites will need assistance in making the shift while feeling valued, and Brinsley is there to lead the way.

Dr. Omayra Mansfield is an emergency medicine physician. She is the Chief Medical Officer at AdventHealth Apopka and AdventHealth Winter Garden. She is the immediate past Chief of Staff of AdventHealth Celebration and is a proud graduate of the AdventHealth Physician Leadership and REACH Leadership courses. Dr. Mansfield co-authored The Trust Transformation, a workshop that helps participants transform and improve the relationships in their lives by building a foundation of trust. Her primary areas of interest are improving the physician and patient experience as it relates to improving provider wellbeing, patient adherence to care, and clinical outcomes, and she has lectured extensively on these topics. She is married to Frederick, a pediatric anesthesiologist with USAP-Florida. Together they enjoy the adventure that is raising their daughter Elizabeth and son Alexander who regularly remind them to savor the little joys in life. They stay healthy doing Crossfit and running together.

Jerry Senne is Vice President of Value-Based Care & Population Health at Orlando Health. Orlando Health is a $3.4 billion integrated healthcare system in Central Florida that operates: nine hospitals, 200+ sites of care, 700 employed physicians, urgent care facilities, free-standing ERs, healthcare pavilions, home care, imaging centers and a full range of health services.

Jerry is responsible for a team managing 182,00 lives in value-based care arrangements with five national health insurers, Medicare Shared Savings, and Disney Worldwide Services– the largest direct-to-employer arrangement in the U.S.

In five years, Orlando Health’s value-based arrangements have produced savings of over $120 million and have returned over $60 million to ACO partners.

Prior to joining Orlando Health, Jerry was SVP of Evolent Health helping healthcare systems develop strategies for value-based care and managing under risk.

Jerry was the Founding CEO of Health First Health Plan, a successful provider based health plan in Central Florida serving Commercial and Medicare Advantage patients. In addition, he served as Chief Strategy Officer and CEO of the 500 bed tertiary flagship hospital of the Health First System.

Dr. Keenan Yoho has spent more than a decade working with senior management leading change in both commercial and public sector environments. Dr. Yoho’s research and applied work is focused on supply chain cost modeling and operations management to achieve enterprise-wide outcomes under conditions of uncertainty and resource scarcity.

Dr. Yoho served as Senior Special Advisor to U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) from 2012 to 2014. During this time Dr. Yoho worked with a special team reporting directly to the Commander, USSOCOM that was charged with crafting and executing a plan for posturing special operations forces (SOF) for the next three decades. Dr. Yoho has advised several U.S. and international organizations to include IBM (semiconductors), General Motors (autos), General Mills (foods), Intel (semiconductors), Rockwell Automation (machine automation), BASF (chemicals –Germany, US and Mexico), Merck, KGaA (chemicals – Germany), Ryerson (steel processing & distribution), Qualcomm (designer/supplier telecommunications technology), and Polioles SA de CV (chemicals – Mexico), the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Transportation Command in the areas of operations management, supply chain management, continuous improvement and organizational transformation.

Prior to joining the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College, Dr. Yoho was an associate operations researcher at the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, California where he led projects to improve the operational effectiveness of the U.S. military during war. Dr. Yoho was recently an assistant professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California where he received 4 consecutive teaching awards including the School’s highest award for excellence in teaching and impact beyond the classroom. Dr. Yoho has published in the International Journal of Production Economics, International Journal of Operations and Quantitative Management, Journal of Cost Analysis and Parametrics, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, and the Journal of Operations and Supply Chain Management.

Dr. Yoho holds a Ph.D. in Operations Management, M.B.A. in Operations Management, and M.S. in Industrial Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also holds a B.A. in Religion with a concentration in Chinese and Japanese Buddhism from Temple University.

Just outside Orlando in Winter Park is the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College, a graduate school distinguished by its renowned faculty, intimate class size and applied approach to learning. It touts top MBA rankings from Bloomberg Businessweek and Forbes magazines and is among a select group of business schools carrying AACSB International graduate-level accreditation, including the first accredited Executive Doctorate in Business Administration program in the state. The school also houses its renowned Centers of Excellence, which include the Center for Leadership Development, the Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship, the Center for Management & Executive Education, and the Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership and the Crummer Alumni Association.

Founded in 1885, Rollins College is Florida’s oldest college. Located in Winter Park, near Orlando, Rollins is consistently ranked as one of the top regional universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to full-time undergraduate programs in the College of Liberal Arts, Rollins offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs for working adults through its evening program at the Hamilton Holt School and graduate business degree programs through its Crummer Graduate School of Business. Rollins serves approximately 3,200 degree-seeking students annually. For more information, visit www.rollins.edu.

The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) of Central Florida is comprised of executive healthcare professionals committed to providing the experiences needed to achieve management excellence. We encompass nine counties – Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Brevard, Volusia, Indian River, Okeechobee, St. Lucie and Lake County.

The Mission of the Chapter is to be the professional membership society for healthcare executives; to meet its members’ professional, educational and leadership needs; and to advance healthcare leadership and management excellence through professional interaction and promoting social collegiality.

The Purpose of the Chapter is to provide an organized structure for members and others in the field of healthcare management that will enable them to work together on problems of interest; to conduct educational programs and further the professional knowledge of its members; to serve as a resource to related healthcare associations; to promote channels of communication between the Chapter, and other organizations; to promote the purpose of, and membership in, the ACHE; and to help advance the mission of the ACHE.