A SERVER'S JOURNEY - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Chief Executive Officer of the Veloz Group

Adam Mendler is the Chief Executive Officer of The Veloz Group, where he co-founded and oversees ventures across a wide variety of industries: Beverly Hills Chairs, a leading office furniture e-tailer; Custom Tobacco, a one-of-a-kind cigar customization e-commerce platform; and Veloz Solutions, a technology consulting and software development practice. Adam remains active in each portfolio company, providing strategic guidance and support. Adam also provides business thought leadership as a speaker to businesses, universities and non-profit organizations; as the host of the podcast Thirty Minute Mentors; as an expert regularly cited in national media outlets; and as an advisor, consultant, coach and board member. Adam utilizes his professional, entrepreneurial and managerial background developed through a unique set of experiences. Adam created both the Lessons in Leadership series in Thrive Global and the Thirty Minute Mentors podcast, where he regularly elicits insights from America's top leaders. Adam has conducted over 300 one on one interviews with leading CEOs, founders, athletes, celebrities, influencers and generals / admirals. Adam has also written extensively on leadership, management, entrepreneurship, marketing and sales, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and The Huffington Post. Adam has worked for D.E. Shaw & Co., then the largest hedge fund in the world, and for Credit Suisse; for the strategic planning groups at William Morris Endeavor and Universal Pictures; at TWC Sports Management, a leading sports agency; and on a successful presidential primary campaign. Adam has served as the Executive Producer of Virtually Israel; as a Strategic Partner and Advisor to Here Media; as a consultant to the LAUSD; and has been an advisor to the accelerator Fusion LA since its inception. Adam graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Southern California, earning a B.S. in Business Administration and a B.A. in Political Science, and earned an M.B.A. from the UCLA Anderson School of Management, where he received the UCLA Anderson Fellowship Award. Adam teaches a graduate-level class at UCLA on teamwork and leadership and serves as Chairman Emeritus of the USC Alumni Entrepreneurs Network. Adam also serves on the board of the UCLA Master of Applied Statistics program; has served on numerous USC alumni boards; and is a founding member of the UCLA Anderson CEO Forum. A Los Angeles native and lifelong Angels fan, Adam loves sports, classic movies and TV, politics, physical fitness and backgammon.

Job Titles:

• Founder and President of Paving
• Member of the Cherokee Tribe
• President, Paving the Way Foundation
• Writer, Co - Director and Producer

Jan Edwards is the founder and President of Paving the Way Foundation, an organization that is a fierce disruption in the cycle of child trafficking around the globe. This is accomplished through educational and training programs that empower communities to break the cycle. Jan spent over 25 years as an executive in sales and marketing working with organizations like Time Warner, Bright House, the United Nations and other international groups, before taking on the worldwide initiative to prevent children. Paving the Way has educated over 13,000 youth and adults the past 3 years. Ms. Edwards has been featured on NBC, multiple podcasts and iHeart Radio as an influencer on prevention education was awarded Orlando Magazines Women of The Year and Women on the Rise Community Impact Leader 2019 and American Haitian Art Network 2020 Community Advocate for her organizations work. Jan is the writer, co-director and producer of the award-winning film, Trapped in the Trade, which was featured on CNN. Jan is a member of the Cherokee Tribe - she was adopted out of the tribe to an extremely loving and caring couple. Her father was a Navy Pilot and Naval Commander and her mom was Registered Occupational Therapist and founding member of the American Hand Society. She knew her whole life she was adopted and part Cherokee. It wasn't until 5 years ago that she connected with her heritage and her birth family, discovering the level of abuse in the tribe, that she had unknowingly escaped. Her drive and determination to make a difference in the world is a product of both nature and nurture, as she is a descendent of Chief Dragging Canoe, the last Chief to fight for our land in the east. He was a brilliant strategist and committed to preventing the extermination of the Cherokee people and I'm committed we end child trafficking around the globe.

Jeff James was born and raised in College Park, GA. He later graduated from Emory University in 1984 with Bachelor's of Arts in Psychology and Religion and West Georgia University in 1988 with a Master's of Education. Jeff is a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, Emory Glee Club, Emory Christian Fellowship, and Emory Student Advisors. He started working with students with learning differences at Woodward Academy (1976 -1980) and Squirrel Hollow Camp (1981-2017) as reading/math tutor, supervisor, Recreation Director, Assistant Director. Jeff worked 1 year at Crisp Academy in Cordele, GA as Director of Learning Disabilities program. He then went on to work at The Bedford School in Fairburn, GA as teacher, coach, counselor, Assistant Director, Headmaster and currently Head of School. Jeff loves to travel and had a solo flight in plane at age 18. In the past, he spent 6 weeks traveling throughout Europe and 7 weeks traveling in Australia & New Zealand.

Job Titles:

• Interim Manager / Grand Opening Supervisor at Chick - Fil - a

Kyle was born in St. Petersburg, Florida and soon moved to Clermont, Florida before he was even a year old. His father was a military background and was an absolute renaissance man, while his mother retired from her career to raise he and his brother, showing true commitment and care. He grew up battling Tourettes syndrome, which threw numerous obstacles at him all throughout his adolescence. Still, he was always active and involved with many sports, including Skateboarding and Basketball. Kyle later graduated from UCF's Rosen College of Hospitality (2nd in the world for hospitality) with a Bachelors in Hospitality Management. Here he was able to learn from great industry leaders from all over the world. Although Chick-fil-A has been his only job, he has experienced a lot within his 8 year tenure. He's been able to open an astonishing 21 Chick-fil-A locations, including high profile stores like the first locations in New York City, Las Vegas, Portland, upstate New York, and even a food truck in Hawaii which was the first contact Chick-fil-A has had in Hawaii. Kyle is currently serving in a home office role as an Interim Manager, who steps into the place of an owner for incorporated locations. He is currently running a mall location in the heartland of Texas (Brownwood). This is the 27th location he has worked at with Chick-fil-A! After fulfilling his 2 year commitment for Chick-fil-A inc. as an Interim Manager and GOS, Kyle will be taking his talents to the NorthWestern United States to settle down as an operator of his own location in the Portland or Seattle area. Kyle is newly married to his lovely wife, Samantha, as of January 30th, 2020. They are accompanied by their two dogs Lila (toy poodle) and Noodle (golden doodle).