STRATEGICA - Key Persons

Jack D. Burstein - Chairman, President

Job Titles:
  • Chairman
  • Investor
  • Manager
  • Member of the Management Team
  • President
Jack Burstein is a successful investor/manager of numerous large and privately held ventures. He is Chief Executive Officer of Strategica. Mr. Burstein served as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of American Capital Corporation, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TransCapital Financial Corporation and Chairman of Transohio Savings Bank, the largest thrift in Ohio. Mr. Burstein is an active investor and real estate developer. He is a certified public accountant and was previously a senior partner in the firm of Schechter Beame Burstein Price & Co. He also worked at the national firm of Seidman and Seidman. In addition, Mr. Burstein previously served as Chairman and President of City National Bank of Miami. His experience includes the following: raised or committed approximately $5 billion in debt and equity funds. led the strategic and executive management of an acquisition program that grew the TransCapital Corp. organization to some $6 billion in assets and 2,000 employees. organized and led various investment groups. Notable transactions included the Southeast Banking Venture and the City National Bank Venture, which resulted in substantial investment returns. organized, structured, consulted and served as financial advisor to many business ventures in various industries, including real estate, manufacturing, financial services and foreign investments. Some of the special projects Mr. Burstein organized or for which he developed the operating strategies, included: mergers and acquisitions in excess of $7.5 billion investment programs and strategies business plans cost containment and reduction plans due diligence compensation plans hedging programs system analysis and recommendations financial engineering to optimize reporting, borrowing, capital raising or income tax benefits Mr. Burstein is active in community and professional organizations, including service as Chairman of the Florida Friends of Bar Ilan University, former Chairman and present board member of the Hebrew Academy, and founder and board member of Mount Sinai Medical Center. He also is a member of the Dade County, Florida, New York and American Institute of CPAs.

Jason Burstein - VP

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Management Team
  • Vice President

Mel Schuster - Managing Director

Job Titles:
  • Managing Director
  • Member of the Management Team
  • Investment Banker, Real Estate Developer
Mel Schuster is an experienced investment banker, real estate developer, real estate financier and venture entrepreneur. Mr. Schuster cofounded and comanaged real estate partnerships engaged in the acquisition, design, financing, construction and marketing of large-scale condominium developments in Florida. These partnerships developed and sold many thousands of condominium apartments and for a number of years were the largest and most successful condominium developers in South Florida. In addition, Mr. Schuster has, as a principal, developed large land subdivisions, shopping plazas, and single-family developments. Mr. Schuster has been a real estate entrepreneur and also led the management and administration of large development/construction/sales entities. Mr. Schuster is a licensed Florida real estate broker and acts as a Florida mortgage broker. Mr. Schuster has been a philanthropist having been one of the original contributors to the Miami Philharmonic orchestra as well as donating to many other worthwhile causes. Mr. Schuster has been a Grand Founder of the University of Miami for many years.

Scott G. Kranz - Managing Director

Job Titles:
  • Managing Director
  • Member of the Management Team
  • Principal
  • Pincipal, Managing Director / Principal
Scott Kranz is a managing director and principal of Strategica, a national merchant banking organization whose principals have completed financings in excess of $30 billion. Mr. Kranz is a cum laude graduate of Rutgers University and received an MBA degree from Rutgers Graduate School of Business. He is active in community and professional organizations and has had the distinct honor of serving six consecutive terms on the national board of directors of the International Association of Financial Planners, holding positions as treasurer and executive committee member. He is the past chairman, president and founder of the South Florida IAFP Chapter. Mr. Kranz served as a director of the Association for Corporate Growth, South Florida Chapter, and is a director of the Turnaround Management Association, South Florida Chapter. Mr. Kranz is a frequent lecturer and author for numerous financial services industry events.

Steven R. Cook - EVP

Job Titles:
  • Executive Vice President
  • Member of the Management Team
is executive vice president of Strategica. Mr. Cook has experience in corporate finance as an investment banker, as the chief financial officer of a large public company, and as a practicing CPA. With Strategica, Mr. Cook is actively involved in identifying/assessing financial opportunities, financial due diligence, structuring/closing transaction and managing investments and relationships. Mr. Cook also manages internal financial administration for the firm. Mr. Cook served as chief financial officer of American Capital Corporation and Transcapital Financial Corporation and had various board and management positions with the Companies' subsidiaries during 1984 - 1992.