ZLI - Key Persons

Andrew Haeger is a second-year dual-degree graduate student at the University of Michigan, pursuing both an MBA at Ross and a Masters in Sustainable Systems at the School for Environment and Sustainability. At Ross, he is one of the co-presidents of the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital club, which focuses on building and growing the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem both within Ross and across campus. He is also part of the student team that runs Michigan Climate Venture, an early-stage climate impact venture fund in its third year of operations. Upon graduating, Andrew seeks to move into the world of venture capital, a career he's sought since his teenage years and one he's explored during his time at Ross through internships with both Citi Ventures and Newlin VC. Stemming from his work with the endowment while earning a B.A. in Economics and Mathematics from Bowdoin College, Andrew launched his career at Cambridge Associates, an outsourced investment management firm for family offices, endowments, and foundations. From there, he worked in several operating roles at a late-stage cybersecurity startup and Reyes Coca- Cola Bottling, a beverage bottler and distributor, where he was responsible for identifying and implementing innovation projects within operations. Before returning to grad school, he also stopped in Montana to work a season as a fly- fishing guide on the Big Hole and Beaverhead Rivers.

Job Titles:

• Managing Director of Desai Accelerator

Angela Kujava is the Managing Director of Desai Accelerator, the University of Michigan's alumni startup accelerator. She specializes in design thinking and human-centered design methods, customer discovery, and storytelling, especially as they apply to entrepreneurship and innovation. Prior to Desai, Angela served as the Director of Innovation at a global application development firm where she led teams that worked to nurture, assist, and grow developing and maturing companies. In her first career, Angela was a financial planner, having earned the Certified Financial Planner ProfessionalTM and a Certified Investment Management Analyst® designations. Angela is a Masters of Design Methods candidate at the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago and earned an A.B. in Anthropology from the University of Michigan. She attained the Foundations in Creative Leadership, Leading for Creativity, Cultivating Creative Collaboration, and Storytelling for Influence certifications from IDEO.

Job Titles:

• President

Ann Lurie was born in Florida and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Florida. Before starting her family, she worked in public health and pediatric intensive care nursing in rural Florida and at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. She resides in Chicago where she is president of Lurie Investments and president and treasurer of the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Foundation. Following the death of her husband, Robert H. Lurie in 1990, Ann devoted herself to raising their six children while distinguishing herself as a benefactor to a number of important causes. She is lifetime member of the Board of Trustees of Northwestern University, and in concert with her commitment to medical research and child related medical issues, Ann endowed the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, where she continues to provide support and chairs the Advisory Board. In 2010, she was appointed Adjunct Assistant Professor, Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University. Also at Northwestern, she funded both the Diana, Princess of Wales Professorship in Cancer Research and a professorship in oncology at the Lurie Cancer Center and committed the lead funding for the Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center of Northwestern University. At Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, she endowed a chair in cancer cell biology and donated $1.3 million to fund the Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS research. Ann pledged $100,000,000 to construct the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, the 23-story technologically-advanced home of Children's Memorial which opened in June, 2012 and where she currently serves on the Board of Directors. Lurie Children's features 288 private patient rooms and is located adjacent to academic partners, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Prentice Women's and Northwestern Memorial Hospitals and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. In April, 2012, Ann led fundraising efforts and co-chaired the Gala Preview debut of Lurie Children's. At the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Ann funded the construction of the Robert H. Lurie Engineering Center and the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Tower. In an effort to promote a synergy between engineering and medicine, she endowed a faculty chair at the College of Engineering and contributed the major funding for the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Biomedical Engineering Building and the Robert H. Lurie Nanofabrication Facility. With Chicago businessman Sam Zell, she established the Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan Business School; and in tribute to her mother, also a nurse, she endowed the Marion Elizabeth Blue Professorship in Children and Families in the School of Social Work along with a matching challenge grant program to encourage the establishment of fellowships. Ann serves on the National Honorary Committee of the National Osteoporosis Foundation and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, where she funds The Lurie Prize, an annual $100,000 award that recognizes the outstanding achievements of a promising young scientist in the area of biomedical research. Her gifts have enriched both the social services and the arts in Chicago. She is founder and former president of the Board of Directors of Gilda's Club, Chicago. She endowed the Lurie Garden and provided cornerstone funding for the Joan and Irving J. Harris Dance Theater, both at Chicago's Millennium Park. Ann's lead gift launched the Greater Chicago Food Depository Campaign. She funded the Lurie Family Spay/Neuter Clinic and the Lurie Family Classroom at One Step at a Time Camp sponsored by Children's Oncology Services of IL, Inc. and permanently endowed a Christmas party for needy children and low-income seniors at St. Vincent DePaul Center. She provided capital funding for the green roof atop the headquarters of Access Living. She sponsors 5 musicians who perform with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the training arm of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. For nearly twelve years beginning in 2001, Ms. Lurie founded, funded and personally administered AID Village Clinics, Inc., a comprehensive health care initiative which offered medical care and public health services, all free of charge, to a population of approximately 100,000 semi-nomadic pastoralists, primarily Maasai, in rural southeastern Kenya. Ann's commitment to global philanthropy includes support of the UK charity, Riders for Health, which creates and sustains health care delivery systems in Africa. In cooperation with Save the Children and ONE Love Africa, she funded construction of 30 rural schools in Ethiopia. She supports and serves on the board of Ancient Egypt Research Associates, a US-based archaeological excavation on the Giza plateau; the Trust for African Rock Art; conservation, education, reforestation and health initiatives of the Maasailand Preservation Trust; an HIV/AIDS initiative on the Burma/Chinese border; and funding for the WE-ACTx pediatric care program for HIV/AIDS patients in Rwanda. She provided transportation and funding for a Children's Memorial Hospital team to perform corrective surgery on pediatric patients with extra hepatic portal hypertension in Nepal; and supports the research and advocacy work of Human Rights Watch in the Horn of Africa, including establishing a regional office in Nairobi. Since 2010, Ann has funded 3 medical missions to Mulago National Referral Hospital in Uganda to treat Kenyan children with severe heart disease. In recent years, she has been honored with the Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Michigan, the Distinguished Philanthropist Award by the Chicago Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Jane Addams Making History Award from the Chicago History Museum and the Lifetime of Achievement Award from the Anti-Defamation League. In 2009, she received the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Award for Humanitarian Contributions to the Health of Humankind, the Doctor of Public Service from the University of Florida and the Doctor of Humane Letters from the Erikson Institute. In March, 2010, she received Research America's Raymond and Beverly Sackler Award for Sustained National Leadership. In May, 2011, she was chosen by the Chicago Consular Corps to receive the Global Citizen Award and in March, 2013, she received the Grant Goodrich Achievement Award, Northwestern University's prestigious award bestowed to an outstanding individual who greatly enhances the University through their professional accomplishments, commitment and service. This fall 2013, UNICEF will honor her with the UNICEF Chicago Humanitarian Award She has been recognized as a leading U.S. philanthropist by Worth, Forbes, Chicago Sun Times,Chicago Tribune, Chicago Life, a supplement to the New York Times, Crain's Business Chicago,Chicago Magazine, Town and Country, Business Week and the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Most recently, in the March 2012 issue, Chicago Magazine ranked Ann among the top in their listing of "The Power 100" and in their December 2012 issue, honored Ann as one of 5 "Chicagoans of the Year 2012."

Job Titles:

• Associate Director, Student Programs

At the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, Anne Perigo oversees the development and execution of student programs, directly managing the Michigan Business Challenge, the Michigan Investment Challenge, and the Pinkert Healthcare Accelerator. She arranges for U-M student team participation in intercollegiate competitions and coaches teams competing in business plan competitions and venture capital competitions. Additionally, she holds advising office hours with students and alumni. Anne was previously the managing director for the Master of Entrepreneurship degree program, a former joint initiative of the Ross School of Business and College of Engineering. Prior to joining the University, she held positions in education with Ann Arbor Public Schools, and in commercial lending with NBD Bank (now JPMorgan Chase). Anne has also accrued experience through volunteer work, including grant writing and coordinating collaborations between Ann Arbor Public Schools, University of Michigan faculty, and local arts organizations. She currently serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors of the New Enterprise Forum, where she coaches local entrepreneurs seeking funding; and as advisor to student organizations including Sling Health and UpRound Ventures. Anne is a proud alumna of the University of Michigan with a BBA from the Ross School of Business.

Job Titles:

• Co - Founder
• Investor, Artist

Brad Keywell is an accomplished American entrepreneur, investor, artist, author, philanthropist and professor. He is the founder of Uptake, an industrial insight software company, named ‘Startup of the Year' by Forbes in 2015. He is a co-founder of several companies, including Groupon (NASDAQ:GRPN), MediaOcean (global operating system for media buying - acquired by Vista Private Equity), Echo Global Logistics (leader in technology-enabled transportation - NASDAQ:ECHO), and Tempus Labs (precision healthcare AI software company). Brad is an early investor in, and advisor to, many high-growth technology companies, including Sprout Social, Udemy, Fiverr, Crowdrise, Reverb, TastyTrade, Benzinga, Team Liquid, GoPuff, Coffee Meets Bagel, Hireology, Ovia Health, SoCore Energy, Snapsheet, Square, Roots, and Zeel. In 2019 Brad founded the WNDR Museum in Chicago, an immersive art + technology experience now expanding to 5 US locations. WNDR has twice been named one of the country's best immersive museums by USA Today. In 2010 he founded Chicago Ideas, a weeklong ideas conference with 500+ world-class thinkers and disruptors on stage attracting over 30,000 attendees, and now a wide-ranging innovation platform. Keywell received the 2011 Entrepreneurial Champion award from the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center. He was named one of the nation's Top Ten Collegiate Entrepreneurs in 1991 by the Association of Collegiate Entrepreneurs and received the 2000 Conrad Hilton Distinguished Entrepreneur Award from Loyola Marymount University. He was named one of the "Internet 100" by Crain's Chicago Business. He was the keynote speaker at the 2004 National Conference of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization. Keywell served on the Board of Trustees of Columbia College, the nation's largest secondary education institution dedicated to the fine arts, and was a member of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. He has served on the Board of Directors of Warrior Productions, a documentary filmmaker whose principal produced Hoop Dreams. He has served as a Trustee of the University of Michigan Hillel Foundation. He is a participant in both the Renaissance Weekend and the TED Conference. He is a member of the Chicago chapter of the Young Presidents' Organization and serves as Chairman of the YPO Coaches Clinic, an international YPO event.

Job Titles:

• CEO
• Chairman
• Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tellurex Corporation of Traverse City

Clyde McKenzie is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tellurex Corporation of Traverse City, Michigan. Tellurex is an industry leader in product development around thermoelectric technology. He is also a co-founder of McKenzie Curtiss-Lusher & Associates LLC ("MC-L"). The firm works with privately owned businesses in management development, due diligence and strategic planning. In 2001, Mr. McKenzie was one of three principals that created Strategic Asset Management LLC ("SAM"). SAM invested in a series of real estate syndicates and other businesses in Europe and in the United States. SAM founded, and MC-L manages, Nexus Resources LLC, an oil and gas exploration company. In 2011, MC-L founded Blind Squirrel Partners LLC, a second oil and gas producer. In 2014, MC-L formed BSP II in a private offering and then organized Nexus, Blind Squirrel and BSP II under a holding company. That company is focused on oil and gas property acquisition and development in Western Oklahoma. Mr. McKenzie and his son, a Michigan graduate and attorney in Colorado, are building the McKenzie Family Partnership by acquiring diversified holdings in oil and gas, real estate and non-operating ownership in privately held industrial companies and early stage technology plays. Prior to his experience in forming and managing new companies, Mr. McKenzie was an executive in various capacities in commercial banking, in oil and gas exploration and production and in the natural gas pipeline and services industries for over 25 years. His last assignment in banking was as manager of the energy lending group of First Interstate Bank of Denver (now a Wells Fargo bank). He managed Business Development and, subsequently, Treasury and Finance reporting to the Chairman of Apache Corporation, one of the largest independent energy companies that explores for, develops and produces oil and natural gas worldwide (NYSE:APA). He was Chief Financial Officer of KN Energy, Inc., an integrated energy services provider, when KN acquired Kinder Morgan, Inc. (now the successor company). He has served as a director of a variety of both public and privately held energy companies and on the boards of energy industry and community organizations. Currently, he is an Emeritus Director of the Anti-Defamation League in the Rocky Mountain region. Mr. McKenzie resides in Boulder, Colorado and Empire, Michigan. He holds Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan where he and his wife, Harriet, have endowed a scholarship for in-state undergraduate students in financial need.

Job Titles:

• BBA

Job Titles:

• Entrepreneur - in - Residenc
• Entrepreneur - in - Residence

David Janssens is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Zell Lurie Institute at Michigan Ross. He returns to Michigan after spending 16 years in Silicon Valley. He has extensive experience in product innovation, startup leadership, raising capital, and building product teams. Along with his EIR role, he is founding another company that combines his passions for sustainable products, family, and the outdoors. David was the founder and CEO of Knit Health, a computer vision, machine learning, and sleep health startup acquired by Google. At Google, he was a senior product leader helping to grow Google's health, AI, and hardware products. David spent 8 years at IDEO where he founded the Digital Shop, a creative technology studio that launched cutting-edge products and research. After moving to Ann Arbor, David joined Excelerate America as a partner and Chief Product Officer to build a collective for small and medium-sized businesses. David holds a BSE in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, a BA in Physics from Kalamazoo College, and an MBA from the University of Cambridge. His work has been featured in Wired, Fast Company, CES, and others. Beyond building and advising startups, David races sailboats, seeks powder, and gets outside with his wife and two kids. Expertise: Raising capital Product development Human-centered design Product market fit Growing talent Building culture Early stage leadership Business & brand strategy

Job Titles:

• Research Director at CannonDesign
• Research Fellow

Dr. Felichism "Felix" Kabo is the Research Director at CannonDesign, a global and leading design firm. He has established and led multidisciplinary teams and groups doing externally funded innovative, highly interdisciplinary research. Felix has a track record of publications and leadership in research on the built environment. He is translating his work on the effects of built space on outcomes related to health, communication, collaboration, innovation, and team science to advance a research agenda at CannonDesign that is informed by the firm's Living-Centered Design (L-CD) ethos. L-CD fuses the best attributes of human-centered and systems-based approaches to help organizations and communities achieve more impactful and systemic change. Dr. Kabo has expertise in data collection using different modalities, from primary data collection using complex surveys and location-tracking technology, to secondary data analysis using large-scale administrative datasets and system-generated logs. He has tackled important societal issues by integrating spatiosocial theories with methods such as network analysis, statistical modeling, and Big Data approaches. Felix is working collaboratively with CannonDesign's internal and external stakeholders to both identify thorny problems and to develop research-based solutions. In addition to publishing papers in leading academic journals and policy outlets, Dr. Kabo has also shared his work with diverse stakeholders and communication channels, including local, state, and national media.

Job Titles:

• Program Manager, Alumni Engagement

Drea joined the Zell Lurie Institute in 2015, since that time she has championed the design and implementation of an arm of initiatives as the inaugural Program Manager for Alumni Engagement. In this role, Drea proudly creates lifelong learning experiences for this "a-Maize-ing" network of U-M alumni founders, C-Suite executives, and VCs. She is continuously motivated by the innovative and enthusiastic alumni constituents she has the privilege to work with. Drea's favorite programs to manage have been the Zell Alumni Summit, including a Detroit trek to explore the entrepreneurial ecosystem, from its roots of innovation to the revitalization brought about by startup growth and investments from notable U-M alumni, among others. Drea also reimagined the campus-wide Entrepalooza symposium, with her vision to showcase U-M alumni and student-founded food and agriculture businesses, including content sessions and a Food Fair to engage the community with these brands. Most recently, Drea launched a custom U-M ZLI Alumni Masterminds Group, with support from the dedicated ZLI Alumni Council, providing founders and VCs an opportunity to create meaningful relationships with other alums at similar business stages and industries, to share best practices, develop accountability partners and hit their next professional and personal milestones. Prior to the Zell Lurie Institute, Drea served two elected terms on the Alumni Association Board of Directors at her graduate alma mater, EMU, and as Chair of the Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts Alumni Chapter. She was an exhibit curator and coordinator of the oral history installation for the university-wide Capital Campaign kick-off. She was previously employed with a corporate aviation management LLC for several professional sports teams based in Detroit. Drea also held grant-funded positions and co-led the launch of a 501c3 organization. Drea brings expertise in program development and management and she values collaboration, with her commitment to creating high-quality experiences for diverse stakeholders in corporate and non-profit organizations and in higher education institutions. Drea holds an M.A. in Arts Management and a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Student Affairs and Academic Advising from Eastern Michigan University.

Job Titles:

• CEO
• Chairman
• Founder
• Founder, Chairman and CEO of Coherix

Dwight Carlson has been the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Coherix since 2004. Coherix was founded to transform the way parts are measured and manufactured, just as Mr. Carlson did as Founder and CEO of Perceptron for automobile bodies. Dwight founded Xycom in Flint, Michigan at the age of 24, not long after graduating from General Motors Institute in Flint. Mr. Carlson served as Chairman of the Michigan Industrial Technology Institute (ITI), and as Chairman of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center. The not-for-profit MMTC exists to enhance the global competitiveness of Michigan‘s small and mid-size manufacturers. In addition, Mr. Carlson co-founded and served as Chairman of the Auto Body Consortium (ABC, Inc.), formed to perform collaborative research between the Big Three automakers, the auto supply base, research universities, and federal research laboratories. He also served on the Advisory Board for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Advisory Board of the Engineering College of the University of Michigan, and co-chaired the National Coalition for Advanced Manufacturing (NACFAM) in Washington, DC. He is a member of the S.M. Wu Foundation board of directors. Dwight Carlson is an engineering graduate of the General Motors Institute in Flint, Michigan.

Job Titles:

• Marketing & Communications Manager
• Marketing and Communications Manager for the Zell Lurie Institute

Emily Wilhelm Reedy serves as the Marketing and Communications Manager for the Zell Lurie Institute. In this role, she is responsible for the Institute's internal and external communications. In partnership with the Executive Director and Managing Director, she develops and implements marketing and communication strategies to engage the Institute's community and broader partners. Emily has a background in advertising and design. Prior to joining the Zell Lurie Institute, she spent a decade in the creative industry working at Leo Burnett in Chicago, and then as a freelance art director and brand designer for a variety of agency and in-house clients. Emily is a proud alumna of the University of Michigan with a BA from the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design.

Job Titles:

• Faculty Director, Wolverine Venture Fund & Zell Early Stage Fund

Gordon holds a B.A. in economics from Bucknell University and a J.D. from The Albany Law School of Union University.

Job Titles:

• Faculty Director, Social Venture Fund

Gautam Kaul is the Robert G. Rodkey Collegiate Professor of Business Administration and Professor of Finance at the Ross School of Business (RSB), University of Michigan. He is the founding Managing Director of the Social Venture Fund (SVF) housed in the Samuel Zell and Robert H. Lurie Institute of Entrepreneurial Studies and the International Investment Fund (IIF) in partnership with the William Davidson Institute. Gautam has taught at the undergraduate, MBA, Global MBA, EMBA and PhD levels and executives all over the world. Gautam has been awarded multiple teaching awards, including the 2009 Victor L. Bernard Leadership in Teaching Award. Gautam has had extensive administrative experience. Among other responsibilities, he has served as Chair of the Finance Department, as Associate Dean of Research & IT, and has served on the Executive Committee for several years. Gautam has recently launched the Michigan Climate Venture (MCV) as a model for research-based education. From 2012-2018, Gautam served as the Special Counsel for Digital Education at the University of Michigan. He helped develop the University's digital education strategy and has in offered multiple Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to over two million learners worldwide. Gautam holds a master's in economics from the Delhi School of Economics and PhDs from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and the Booth School of Business, University of Chicago. Gautam has published extensively in the top journals in Finance on topics covering a wide spectrum of finance. He was awarded the Senior Faculty Research Award for sustained, exceptional, and continuing contributions to scholarly research in the field of business, and noteworthy contributions to building and maintaining a strong research environment at RSB.

Job Titles:

• Entrepreneur & Investor

Hal Davis invests in young companies with high growth potential and coaches young CEO's. He is also an active social entrepreneur - launching new arts programs and environmental initiatives. Hal was the Founder and CEO of BlueGill Technologies. Founded in 1996, the company grew to dominate the Internet billing software industry and was sold to CheckFree for $250,000,000 in early 2000. Previous to BlueGill, Hal was the senior marketing executive at several high-tech companies including Interface Systems (acquired by Tumbleweed Communications), KMS Fusion, and Covalent Technology, Inc. Hal serves on the boards of numerous organizations that have recently included: University of Michigan Biological Station, University Musical Society, The Ark, Arboretum Ventures, and the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. Hal received his MBA from the University of Michigan (1985).

Job Titles:

• External Events Program Specialist at the Zell Lurie Institute
• Program Specialist, Outreach & Community Engagement

Hannah Berasley serves as the Alumni and External events program specialist at the Zell Lurie Institute. Prior to joining the Zell Lurie Institute, Hannah worked diligently in arts and education as an event planner at the University of Michigan, a theater supervisor and instructor with Saline Community Education, a graphic designer at Eastern Michigan University, and as a part of the marketing and design team with Ann Arbor Summer Festival. She now owns her own business where she does creative independent contracting. She is passionate about creativity, connection, and supporting others.

Job Titles:

• CEO
• Chairman

Hans Koch is a 6x entrepreneur, CEO, and investor. Hans Koch served as the Chairman and CEO of MYXR, Inc, an augmented reality content creation and syndication platform. Hans is a serial entrepreneur and investor with over 35 years of experience defining new global industries. He has worked with thousands of brands, artists, celebrities, influencers, and cultural leaders. He has raised over $1B in financing over his career from high profile angels, VCs, and public companies. Hans has partnered with some of the top social media influencers and brands to create worldwide reach and marketing campaigns for clients. His award-winning online real estate service (Owners.com: sold to AOL) changed how people bought real estate forever.

Job Titles:

• Executive Chairman
• Managing Partner
• Executive Chairman and Managing Partner of Equinox Group

Harvey Spevak is the Executive Chairman and Managing Partner of Equinox Group - a high-growth collective of the world's most influential and differentiated lifestyle brands. Grounded in his vision to empower people to maximize their potential and their lives, Mr. Spevak is responsible for fueling continued success, building long-term strategy and identifying growth opportunities for Equinox Group's portfolio of brands including Equinox, Equinox Hotels, SoulCycle, Precision Run, Blink Fitness, Furthermore, PROJECT by Equinox, E by Equinox, Pure Yoga, Equinox Explore, and Variis by Equinox. Since 1999, Mr. Spevak has led the creative vision and strategic growth for Equinox - transforming four NYC fitness clubs into a global lifestyle brand and THE authority on high-performance living. In 2000, he led a management buyout of Equinox to two private equity firms, North Castle Partners and J.W. Childs. In 2006, he partnered with Related Principles to acquire and secure a significant minority investment from global consumer-focused private equity firm Catterton in 2017. Under Harvey's leadership, the company acquired SoulCycle in May 2011 with only six locations, having since grown its thriving community to nearly 100 studios globally today. In the same year, Mr. Spevak launched Blink Fitness, a premium and value-oriented fitness brand with over 100 locations now open or in development in the U.S., and the first American outpost of Pure Yoga, Asia's premiere yoga studio.

Job Titles:

• Program Coordinator for the Zell Lurie Institute at Michigan Ross
• Program Coordinator, Student Programs

Jasmine Jaggers serves as a student program coordinator for the Zell Lurie Institute at Michigan Ross. In this role she supports Zell programs including the Zell Entrepreneurs program, Zell internship program, Zell Lab for Technologies, Customer Acquisition Program, and more. Jasmine has a strong background in student engagement, holding positions in admissions at the University of Michigan and Washington University in St. Louis. Jasmine holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA), in Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis.

Job Titles:

• Managing Director

Jeff is an Adjunct Professor with the University of Michigan, with a joint appointment from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business and the College of Engineering. Jeff also serves as a member of the Advisory Boards for the Center for Entrepreneurship and the Zell Lurie Institute. Prior to joining as an adjunct, he served as chair of the Dean's Advisory Board for the Ross School of Business. Jeff retired in December, 2012 as a Director (senior partner) in McKinsey & Company's Washington, DC Office. He also served in the Firm's offices in San Francisco and Cleveland, where he was managing director from 1999 through 2005. As a McKinsey consultant for more than 30 years, Jeff has a breadth of experience serving CEOs and their leadership teams in strategy, operations and organization. He has served companies in North America, Asia and Europe across multiple industries, including electronics and high-tech, aerospace and defense, automotive, industrial products, basic materials, consumer goods and food. He also has worked extensively with the US Federal Government. Jeff's functional expertise is in operations. He has worked with top management teams of technology- and operations-intensive businesses to develop and align business and operations strategies, and to build leadership and front-line capabilities to deliver substantial improvements in strategic and financial performance. He co-founded McKinsey's Manufacturing Practice, and in 2012 led a major research effort on the Future of Manufacturing jointly with the McKinsey Global Institute. During his career, Jeff also led the Firm's Product Development and Supply Chain Practices, and served as McKinsey's Global Knowledge Leader for the Operations Practice, essentially the head of R&D across operations disciplines including product development, procurement, manufacturing, supply chain and service operations. Jeff has a passion for innovation and entrepreneurship. He has made multiple investments in start-ups and private-equity-owned companies, and currently serves on the boards of directors of four privately-held companies. He also started his own firm, Caithness LLC, and formed a partnership with Headwaters, a Pittsburgh-based investment bank, to serve family-owned businesses in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. While Office Manager in Cleveland, Jeff led McKinsey's work to help establish BioEnterprise, NorTech, and TeamNEO to drive economic development in Northeast Ohio. In 2011 and 2012 he led the Firm's work with the Cincinnati Business Committee to accelerate the innovation economy in Southwest Ohio, resulting the creation of Cintrifuse, where he is now a board member. Before joining McKinsey, Jeff worked for Chrysler Corporation as a test engineer and IBM as a systems engineer. He holds a Masters in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Job Titles:

• CEO
• Cofounder

Since retiring from P&G, Jeff launched Weedman Ventures, LLC, to consult with business professionals and startups. Jeff is currently the CEO/ Co-Founder of Sus Clinicals. A biotech company with the expertise to help healthcare partners significantly reduce the time and expense of qualifying new cancer-fighting drugs, medical devices, and diagnostics for human clinical trials, via an FDA-cleared innovative pre-clinical model. At P&G, Jeff held senior executive roles in Marketing, Sales, Finance, and General Management running consumer and institutional businesses in the U.S. and Canada. Jeff then founded and led P&G's Global Business Development-responsible for worldwide Acquisitions/Divestitures/ Joint Ventures, in/outbound Trademark/Patent Licensing, and leading P&G's Open Innovation Platform (Connect & Develop). Jeff negotiated and led the signing of deals (every 2.5 days for a decade) with companies, individuals, Universities, and Governments across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Jeff retired as Vice President of Global Business Development. As Co-Founder/CEO of Cintrifuse, Jeff led the development/creation of Cintrifuse, a Cincinnati-based innovation network designed to make the region a global destination for high-potential start-ups. Cintrifuse provides start-ups with preferred access to capital, space, and, most importantly, connections. Supported by the business, academic, and start-up communities, Cintrifuse initially raised a $55MM+ Fund of Funds, which invested in top-tier Venture firms with over $600MM in investable capital. He also secured a $16MM permanent mortgage-free urban campus (circa 1880s) in Cincinnati's urban renewal Over-The-Rhine core. Cintrifuse continues to proactively connect startups with companies that could be beta customers, investors, or acquirers, with V.C.s with early-stage capital and mentors/services.

Job Titles:

• Entrepreneur - in - Residence

Jim Price is a serial entrepreneur and lectures on entrepreneurial studies at Michigan Ross. For over two decades, he's launched and led several tech-enabled businesses, and delivered superior returns for his shareholders through multiple M&A sales and an IPO. For the past dozen years, Jim has also held a faculty post at Michigan Ross, where he teaches the startup craft to MBAs and mentors student entrepreneurs. His thought leadership is reflected in his frequent public speaking and his popular blogs on Business Insider and Huffington Post. Jim continues to actively advise startups, consult to corporate new-business initiatives and serve on company boards. Expertise: Screening new startup ideas Team formation Logistics of business formation Equity ownership and cap tables Business planning Understanding product-market fit Formulating business models Developing financial forecasts Go to market strategies Communicating with investors Pitching your Deal

Job Titles:

• President
• President and CEO of Autocam Corporation

John C. Kennedy has served as the president and CEO of Autocam Corporation since 1988 when he purchased the company. Today, Autocam Corporation boasts more than $280 million in revenues from operations around the globe. John's belief that all Autocam associates should share in the company's success with exceptional wage and benefit programs has helped Autocam become an employer of choice at all of its operations. The entrepreneurial success of Autocam has prompted John to become active in a number of educational organizations and institutes. He currently serves as a trustee of Grand Valley State University and an advisory board member of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business' Samuel Zell and Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. Kennedy also is a board member of Lacks Enterprises, the Van Andel Institute and the Acton Institute. Additionally, he is a founding board member of Grand Rapids University Prep Academy.

Job Titles:

• Chief Product Officer
• Leader

Jonn Behrman is an experienced leader and serial entrepreneur based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He specializes in digital advertising, technology, and operations. Jonn launched his first business, Beyond Interactive out of a dormitory at the University of Michigan in October of 1995. Mr. Behrman successfully grew Beyond Interactive to 300 employees and $100MM in annual billings before selling it to Grey Advertising. After leaving Beyond Interactive, Jonn founded two technology companies; SpiritShop.com a custom printing company focused on the K-12 market and uRefer, a software and marketing services company focused on helping businesses set up and manage referral marketing programs. He served as Chief Product Officer at Hook Logic which was acquired by Criteo. A Venezuelan native, he now resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Jonn graduated from the University of Michigan Business School with a Computer Information Systems and Marketing degree in 1996. Mr. Behrman is an Entrepreneur in Residence for Ann Arbor SPARK and a Managing Member of Beyond Hook Ventures.

Job Titles:

• Entrepreneur - in - Residence

As an Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Josh Botkin mentors students and faculty from across the University of Michigan who are interested in starting for-profit companies and social ventures. He also serves as a strategic innovation consultant, working with Global 500 companies, venture- and angel-backed startups, and nonprofit organizations to identify significant unmet needs and create new-to-the-world products, services and business models. Josh previously served as a Partner and Vice President at The Inovo Group, served as the VP of Product & Business Development at Better Rehab, and helped launch and manage an ‘internal startup' within a Fortune 500 corporation. He regularly guest lectures at Caltech and the University of Michigan, where he also trains surgeons and biomedical engineers as the Innovator in Residence at the Michigan Pediatric Device Consortium. Josh holds an MBA from Michigan's Ross School of Business and a BA from Columbia University. Expertise: Opportunity discovery & validation Business models Customer discovery Solution ideation Startup financing Deep tech startups Healthcare/Medtech innovation Futuring & foresight

Job Titles:

• Program Manager, Desai Accelerator

Katia Kassof supports the execution and development of the Desai Accelerator program, including managing the elite student internship program. She serves as project manager for work submitted by participant startups that is executed by internal and external multidisciplinary teams. Prior to joining Desai, Katia worked as a Program Coordinator at the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies where she managed the Dare to Dream Grant program for student startups and coordinated additional student programs that fostered innovation and entrepreneurship. Katia earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Michigan State University, with minors in Bioethics and Health Promotion. She will graduate in April 2024 with an MBA from the University of Florida Warrington College of Business.

Job Titles:

• Owner
• Member of Delta Sigma Theta
• Mentor / Student - Led Fund Directors

Katrina Turnbow is the owner and operator of Kanopi Social, a digital marketing firm, and the Detroit digital coach for Google. An acknowledged expert on digital media marketing, Katrina's career matured as the use of the Internet for business-to-business purposes exploded. Over the years, she has built a solid reputation for providing innovative solutions using digital methodologies, especially in high-pressure situations. Coupling her traditional corporate training with her unconventional love for technology, she has been able to merge the two through her business ventures. Due to her impactful teaching abilities, Katrina was tapped by Google to implement online and offline training to empower businesses and brands. As the Detroit Google digital coach, Katrina implements programming that focuses on decreasing the gap in the digital divide. She also has become a leader in the technology space, leading and shaping Detroit's tech ecosystems. She recently joined the Techstars Detroit Team in her most recent company expansion. Through her two companies, Katrina has her sights on continuing to open doors online for her clients and be a conduit for small and mid-size business growth in this age of Technology. Katrina is a member of Delta Sigma Theta, Jack and Jill of America, The Detroit Links, National Business League, Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council, Minority Business Development Association, and several other community service organizations. Expertise: eCommerce Shopify Google tools and applications Predictive analytics Social media strategy Content strategy Video marketing Customer journey mapping

Job Titles:

• Co - President
• Managing Director
• Managing Director and Co - President of Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC

Kenneth A. Buckfire, Managing Director and Co-President of Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC, specializes in the restructuring and refinancing of highly leveraged companies. Over the course of his career, he has advised clients in a broad range of industries, including telecommunications, energy, food products, building products, broadcasting and information services, and has also managed principal investments in distressed companies. Prior to co-founding Miller Buckfire in 2002, he was a Managing Director and Co-Head of the Financial Restructuring Group of Wasserstein Perella & Co. He has been a director and co-founder of several public and private corporations. Mr. Buckfire received his BA in economics and philosophy from the University of Michigan (1980) and his MBA from Columbia University (1987).

Job Titles:

• Marketing Executive

Kimberly Dillon is a marketing executive with a focus on innovation and trend forecasting. She has worked at a number of tech startups across multiple industries. She has appeared on TV as an industry expert and was named a "Marketing star" by Adweek and an "Entrepreneur to Watch" by Fast Company. Kimberly has spoken at a number of key conferences including Goop, SXSW, and NCIA. She sits on the Board for Our Academy and Rug Radio. She holds an MBA from the University of Michigan. Kimberly lives in Los Angeles, where she trades NFTs and Crypto in her free time and is working on her 42nd passport stamp. Expertise: Fundraising Finding product market fit Marketing on a shoestring

Job Titles:

• Co - Founder and Managing Director of Horizen Labs Ventures

Liat is co-founder and Managing Director of Horizen Labs Ventures (HLV), a Web3 advisory and venture investment company that was launched out of Horizen Labs. Liat co-founded and served as COO of Horizen Labs from its inception as a blockchain technology company until 2022. Before joining the Web3 space, Liat was the COO of Selina, a high growth start-up in the hospitality space. Before that, she was a Partner at Marker LLC, a leading Israel- New York based venture capital firm, where she continues to oversee their follow-on annex fund and legacy investments. Her years at Marker LLC were preceded by serving as the Executive Director of the Zell Entrepreneurship Program at IDC, the innovative venture creation program she helped grow and develop, that enables undergraduates in their final year of study at Reichman University to experience entrepreneurship hands-on; forming teams, developing ideas and launching them into funded startups. Many successful companies, including Gift's Project, Wibiya, Wibbitz, Bizzabo, Argus, Loox and Overwolf were founded out of the program. Today she continues her involvement by serving as the chairperson of the program and as managing director of the ZEP Fund LTD. that invests in Zell alumni companies. Liat holds a B.A. in political economy of industrial societies (economics and political science, cum laude) from the University of California at Berkeley, an LL.B. and MBA from Tel Aviv University, and an LL.M. in European Law from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands (cum laude). She became a member of the Israel Bar Association in 1999, after completing her internship at Kantor, Elhanani, Tal & Co. She attained practical experience in mergers and acquisitions and new ventures as an associate attorney at Naschitz, Brandes, Amir & Co., a position she held until joining Reichman University in 2005. In addition to Horizen Labs Ventures, Liat is a board member at Wristcam, Layer3 Labs and the Israel Democracy Institute. She is a member of Friends of IDC's advisory board and advises: WiSe, Weizman Institute's Entrepreneurship Program; Scola, the 81 Unit Entrepreneurship Program; the Sheba Entrepreneurship Program; and, I-Fair, an Israel-Nigeria Entrepreneurship Program.

Job Titles:

• Consultant

Marcel Gani currently consults with several venture funds to assist early stage companies in different high technology and clean energy areas. Prior to this, he taught accounting and finance at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University. Mr. Gani held the position of Chief of Staff of Juniper Networks, Inc., a California-based firm that builds high-end equipment for routing traffic across the largest Internet backbones. Juniper makes the "gear" for the major telephone companies and Internet service providers that handle the bulk of Net traffic. He joined Juniper as the company's CFO from 1997-2004. He was also responsible for Information Systems and Human Resources. Prior to joining Juniper Networks, Mr. Gani served as Vice President and CFO of NVIDIA Corporation, Grand Junction Networks, Primary Access Corporation, and NeXT Computer, Inc. He also worked as Director of Finance at Cypress Semiconductor. Prior to Cypress, he was a member of Intel's finance group for twelve years. Marcel Gani received an MBA from the University of Michigan (1978). He comes originally from Switzerland and currently lives in Atherton, California.

Job Titles:

• Administrative Assistant Senior
• Senior Administrative Assistant for the Zell Lurie Institute

Margaret Patterson serves as the senior administrative assistant for the Zell Lurie Institute. In this role, Margaret supports the leadership team, oversees general office functions, and provides events and meeting support. Margaret has dedicated the last fifteen years of her career to the University of Michigan, working within the Health System and Office of Research. She brings over 25 years of experience in both administrative support and customer service to the team at Zell Lurie. Margaret sits on many committees supporting the culture and health of the University of Michigan.

Job Titles:

• Entrepreneur - in - Residence
• Vice - Chair of NextEnergy 's Board of Directors

Maria Thompson is Entrepreneur-In-Residence for Arsenal Venture Partners. Ms. Thompson was President and CEO of T/J Technologies, Inc., a nationally recognized Michigan company for proprietary alternative energy technologies that she and her husband, Dr. Levi Thompson, co-founded in 1991. T/J Technologies was acquired by A123Systems Inc. in 2006. Combined, the organizations represent the largest lithium-ion R&D team in North America. A123Systems is one of the world's leading suppliers of high-power lithium-ion batteries. Applications include electric vehicles, hybrid electric and plug in hybrid vehicles, grid stabilization, power tools, defense and aerospace. A123Systems had a successful IPO in September, 2009. Maria A. Thompson ran the Government Solutions Group of A123Systems, Inc after the acquisition until she retired from A123 in 2010. She and her team worked to secure funding to build battery plants in Michigan. Under Ms. Thompson's leadership, T/J Technologies attracted national and regional recognition. In 2008, she was honored by the Washington DC based Minority Enterprise Executive Council as one of 25 Powerful Minority Women in Business. The Small Business Foundation of Michigan honored Ms. Thompson as a Small Business Entrepreneur Extraordinaire 2008. She was chosen as one of Crain's Detroit Business Most Influential Women for 2007. NASA Headquarters honored T/J Technologies with a "Special Recognition Award" presented by NASA Administrator, Dr. Michael Griffin. T/J Technologies was also named one of "50 Companies to Watch in Michigan" and Crain's Detroit Business chose the company as one of the "20 Largest Technology-Based Companies". Ms. Thompson was invited to speak to the U.S. House Committee on Small Business as part of the Small Business Administration's 50th Anniversary. T/J Technologies received the Nunn/Perry Award from the Department of Defense for its ultracapacitor development with Lockheed Martin. In 2000, Ms. Thompson was named one of Metro Detroit's Innovators by Crain's Detroit Business. Additional recognition includes awards from NASA Glenn Research Center, the Small Business Foundation of Michigan, and The Small Business Association of Michigan. Ms. Thompson is Vice- Chair of NextEnergy's Board of Directors, a member of Ann Arbor SPARK's Board of Directors, the University of Michigan Technology Transfer National Advisory Board, the University of Michigan Ross School of Business Zell Lurie Institute Advisory Board, The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute External Advisory Board, the Washtenaw Community College Foundation Board and United Bank and Trust, Washtenaw Market Board. She served for 6 years on the Advanced Technology Advisory Board for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and is a former member of several non-profit organization boards. Ms. Thompson earned a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan Business School. Prior to starting T/J Technologies, Ms. Thompson worked at Steelcase and IBM, where she earned numerous company awards.

Job Titles:

• Managing Partner
• Managing Partner and Founder of Umagination Labs

Mark R. Florence is Managing Partner and Founder of Umagination Labs (Umagination), a joint venture formed with IDEO, the largest product development service provider in the United States, and WPP, one of the world's top marketing, communications and advertising firms. The combined talents of IDEO and WPP enable Umagination to design and invent innovative new products, test, publicize and market them in a compelling fashion.

Job Titles:

• Attorney at Law
• Commercial Practice Partner With Pepper Hamilton LLP

Michael B. Staebler is a commercial practice partner with Pepper Hamilton LLP. He leads Pepper's SBIC practice and is co-chair of the firm's Funds Services Group. He also is a past member of the firm's Executive Committee. Mr. Staebler concentrates his practice in the formation and operation of Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs), venture capital and private equity funds, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance and governance. He is particularly experienced in the formation, management and operation of SBICs. Since 1994, he has assisted in the formation and licensing of approximately 175 SBICs, and also helped in the formation of numerous other private investment firms. He has regularly served as counsel to SBICs, venture capital and private equity firms, as well as public employee pension funds in connection with their investment activities throughout the United States. Mr. Staebler has served on numerous federal and state advisory committees concerning venture capital and economic development. He serves as a member of the board of directors of Ann Arbor SPARK and has recently served on the executive committee of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. He has been a member of the advisory committee to the Investment Division of the U.S. Small Business Administration concerning operation of the SBIC program. He also has served as a director of the Michigan Strategic Fund, a public agency that created and administered a wide variety of venture capital and economic development programs in Michigan. Mr. Staebler has chaired the SBIC and Venture Capital Subcommittee of the Small Business Committee of the American Bar Association. In 1992 and 1993, he served on an informal committee of the National Association of Small Business Investment Companies (NASBIC) to negotiate and draft new SBIC implementing regulations. From 1975 to 1980, Mr. Staebler served as president and chief executive officer of Michigan Capital and Service, Inc., a licensed SBIC located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, prior to its sale to NBD Bank, N.A. Mr. Staebler is an active participant in community affairs. He has served on numerous advisory boards of a number of academic units and institutes of the University of Michigan (including technology transfer, entrepreneurship, life sciences, public policy and law). He has served as a director for such civic organizations as the City of Detroit Building Authority, the Michigan Strategic Fund, United Community Services of Metropolitan Detroit, the American Heart Association of Michigan, and the Legal Aid and Defender's Association of Metropolitan Detroit. Mr. Staebler is a frequent speaker on venture capital, has conducted numerous seminars on the topic of organizing and operating SBICs, and for five years served on the faculty of NASBIC's Venture Capital Institute. Mr. Staebler is listed in The Best Lawyers in America. Mr. Staebler earned his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School in 1969, following his graduation from Harvard College in 1966 with a B.A., magna cum laude, in American history.

Job Titles:

• Entrepreneur - in - Residence

Mike is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Lecturer in Entrepreneurial Studies at the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies and oversees the Pinkert Healthcare Accelerator at the University of Michigan. Mike is an entrepreneur and investor who has focused on companies that address big problems in life sciences, medical devices, and health IT. Mike joined the University of Michigan from Flagship Ventures where he led the Midwest office for the venture capital firm with $1.4 billion in capital under management. Previously, Mike co-founded Converge Medical Technologies, an innovative neuromonitoring company, and was a Medical Innovation Center Fellow at the University of Michigan. Mike holds MD and MBA degrees from the University of Michigan, where he was Student Managing Director of the Wolverine Venture Fund and was awarded the David T. Shelby Award, and a BA degree in English from Duke University. Expertise: New venture explorations/Identifying areas for innovation Technology trends analysis Choosing a target market/Going to market Product/Market fit Setting value-creating milestones and growing Team building Startup funding and venture capital Navigating healthcare entrepreneurship including therapeutics, devices, health IT

Job Titles:

• Founder
• Founder and Manager of M Group
• Member of the Boards of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy
• Member of the State Bar of Michigan

As Founder and Manager of M Group, Mitchell is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Company. M Group is a privately held real estate and investment firm that acquires multi-family apartments and student housing. M Group has acquired or invested in over 240 properties totaling more than 21,000,000 square feet throughout North America. Mr. Mondry is a member of the State Bar of Michigan. He received his J.D. degree and M.B.A concurrently from the University of Michigan Law and Business schools, and he received a B.A. in English, with Distinction, from the University of Michigan.

Job Titles:

• Entrepreneur - in - Residence

Rashmi Menon is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Lecturer in Entrepreneurial Studies and Business Administration at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. As a seasoned Silicon Valley executive, Rashmi also provides strategic planning and product management consulting focused on bringing small company agility to big companies and big company scalability to startups. She also coaches entrepreneurs through the significant aspects of launching and scaling a business. She has launched numerous businesses and products within large corporations including The Walt Disney Company, Microsoft, and Yahoo!. She co-founded Green Resource Network and served as Vice President of Product Management at high-tech startups Zvents (acquired by eBay) and VideoGenie. Rashmi received a BA from Harvard University and an MBA from Stanford University. Expertise: Technical product development Technical team management

Job Titles:

• President
• President of Tomay Inc

Richard Rogel is the President of Tomay Inc. He currently serves on the board of AldabraII, a public SPAC, and on the board of Viewpoints, Inc. which is a new startup. He previously founded and served as chairman of Mobile Path Services, Inc. He was also the founder and CEO of Preferred Provider Organization of Michigan (PPOM). Before entering the medical management field, Mr. Rogel worked as a management consultant for Arthur Young & Co. and as a corporate finance associate in for Burnham & Co. For eight years, he owned and administered a multi-specialty medical center. In 1982, he founded PPOM, the first operational PPO in Michigan. This plan offered its services to more than 1,100,000 employees and dependents in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. PPOM won awards as Michigan's fastest growing private company and placed as high as 40th in the INC. Magazine 500. Currently, Mr. Rogel invests independently and has been the angel investor for Coolsavings.com, Geneworks, Inergi LLC, and several other companies. He is Past President of the University of Michigan Alumni Association, Co-Chair of Michigan's capital campaign, and on University President Coleman's Advisory Board. His other Michigan commitments include the Undergraduate Council, the Recruiting and Scholarship Committee, the Music School's Development Advisory Board, the Business School's Development Advisory Board, the School of Social Work's Development Advisory Board, and the Health System Advisory Board. Mr. Rogel is also the chairman of the Michigan Difference. He resides in Colorado where he helped found The Youth Foundation, serving on the Executive Committee and chairing the Education Committee. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Progressive Policy Institute. Mr. Rogel graduated as valedictorian from the University of Michigan Business School.

Job Titles:

• Chairman
• Chairman of the Board of TriMas Corporation

Mr. Valenti is Chairman of the Board of TriMas Corporation, a publicly traded billion dollar manufacturer of highly engineered precision products for industry. Mr. Valenti also serves as Chairman and C.E.O. of Valenti Capital and World Capital Partners, investment firms located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He is the former President of Masco Capital Corporation, and a 40 year veteran of Masco Corporation, a Fortune 500 manufacturer of homebuilding and home improvement products. Mr. Valenti is the former Chairman of the Investment Advisory Board of the $50 billion State of Michigan retirement system. In his nearly 20 year participation with the Advisory Board, Mr. Valenti spearheaded the State's initial investments in venture capital as well as a broad range of alternative investments. He served on the Harvard Business School Advisory Council, and also served on the Advisory Council at the University of Notre Dame. He serves on the Advisory Board, at the University of Michigan Business School Zell-Lurie Institute. Mr. Valenti is one of the 80 members of the Business Leaders for Michigan and serves as Chairman of the Business Leaders for Michigan, Renaissance Venture Capital Fund. Mr. Valenti was Crain's Newsmaker of the Year for 2007; recipient of the 2010 "Spirit of Michigan" award, presented at the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition and was presented the 2012 Crain's M&A Lifetime Achievement Award.

Job Titles:

• Managing Director
• Managing Director of the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies

Sarika Gupta is the managing director of the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies (ZLI) and lecturer of business administration at Michigan Ross. In this role, she manages the team and day-to-day operations of the institute, oversees the development and execution of ZLI's strategies and programs, advises student and alumni entrepreneurial teams, and engages with the entrepreneurial ecosystem at U-M and beyond. Sarika has extensive startup experience as a founder, manager, and mentor. She served as CEO of Dance Telephone - a group party game, COO of V-teractive - an online gaming startup, and Associate at MyBandStock.com - a digital platform for music fans. Previously, she was a Senior Quantitative Research Associate at Cambridge Associates - an investment management firm, and an Aviation Noise Consultant at Harris Miller Miller & Hanson - an environmental consulting company. Sarika holds a BSE in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan College of Engineering and an MBA from Michigan Ross. She serves as the VP of DEI for the Women in Business Alumni Association and sits on the LDFA Screening Committee for Ann Arbor SPARK.

Job Titles:

• President
• President of Chai Trust Company

Scott Peppet serves as president of Chai Trust Company, LLC, the private trust company that serves as the family office for Sam Zell and his family. Equity Group Investments (EGI), a division of Chai Trust Company, LLC, provides investment management services on behalf of Chai Trust. Before joining Chai, Scott was a professor at the University of Colorado Law School for nearly 20 years. Scott serves on the boards of companies in which Chai Trust and the Zell family have significant interests, including Equity LifeStyle Properties, a leading REIT owner of manufactured housing and recreational vehicle properties, and Equity International, Inc., a private investment firm focused on building real estate businesses in emerging markets. He was also a director on the board of Anixter International Inc., a leading global provider of communications, security, and wire and cable products, which sold in 2020 for $4.5 billion. He has also been involved in entrepreneurship-related philanthropic ventures sponsored by the Zell Family Foundation, including the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, the Zell Fellows Program at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, and the Zell Entrepreneurship Program at Reichman University in Israel. In addition, he writes about family enterprise and generational wealth. Scott holds a JD degree from Harvard Law School, a master's in finance from the University of Colorado Boulder - Leeds School of Business, and a BA from Cornell University.

Job Titles:

• Founder

Job Titles:

• Director, Student & Alumni Programs

Job Titles:

• Founder, Chairman CEO

Job Titles:

• Executive Director
• Michigan Ross Professor

Job Titles:

• Founder
• Managing Partner

Job Titles:

• Faculty Director, Zell Lurie Commercialization Fund

Job Titles:

• General Partner

Job Titles:

• Investment

The Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies advances the knowledge and practice of entrepreneurship and innovation through a broad range of activities, including programs, competitions, academics, symposia, and global community outreach. The Institute is the foremost resource for students and alumni of the University of Michigan as they pursue careers in entrepreneurship, venture capital, and corporate innovation.