SEFOF 2019

Charlie is Managing Director at Family Office Exchange, focused on consulting, has been active for 20 years in the family office community. In the FOX Advisory Group FOX, he helps clients devise holistic strategies and tactics that support multi-generational wealth, often through a family office. Prior to FOX, Charlie was Chairman of the Management Committee at the single- and multi-family office Ashbridge LLC / Ashbridge Investment Management, LLC. He has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, other publications, and spoken at industry events. He received a J.D. from the Washington College of Law, M.A. from American University, and B.A. from Bates College.

Louise serves as Piedmont’s Senior Trust Officer with primary responsibilities of client service and business development. As a member of Piedmont’s senior leadership team, Louise contributes to the strategic discussions regarding the controlled growth and direction of the firm. In addition, as a licensed North Carolina attorney, Louise acts as a legal resource for company matters and all client teams.

Prior to joining Piedmont, Louise was in the private practice of law in Greensboro specializing in trusts and estates at Adams Kleemeier Hagan Hannah & Fouts (now Nexsen Pruet, LLC) and Schell Bray PLLC. She also served as Director of Advancement at Canterbury School in Greensboro.

Louise earned a B.A. with Honors in Economics and a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a North Carolina Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law and a Series 65 license holder.

Jennifer M. Eaton is a Partner and Senior Client Advisor at Ballentine Partners. In her work with families, Jennifer draws on her extensive legal knowledge and wealth planning skills to assist families to define, articulate and achieve their various planning goals. She also enjoys working directly with families on non-estate and tax planning matters and spends significant time working with next generation family members.

Prior to joining the firm, Jennifer was a Vice President and Senior Family Wealth Advisor with GenSpring Family Offices for more than nine-years where she worked with wealthy families on a range of subjects including the oversight of tax and estate planning issues, philanthropic endeavors, family governance matters, trusteeship, and coordination of the flow of information with outside professionals.

Jennifer is an active member of the Florida Bar and was an estate and tax planning practitioner and Partner at a boutique law firm in Coral Gables, FL until 2006. In her legal practice, Jennifer worked with high net worth families to identify and solve for her clients’ unique and often complex estate planning and asset transfer goals and objectives.

Jennifer earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law and attended the University of South Carolina where she received a B.S. in Criminal Justice. Jennifer is a founding member and the current Vice Chair of Impact the Palm Beaches, a women’s giving circle benefiting charities in Palm Beach County. Jennifer is an active member of the Palm Beach and Martin County Estate Planning Councils. Additionally, she is a member of the Elder Law, Real Property, and Probate and Trust Law sections of the Florida Bar.

Richard Johnson is a tax partner with the law firm Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP. For nearly 30 years, large family-owned and closely held businesses, high net worth individuals, family offices, and tax-exempt organizations have relied on Richard for practical tax, business, and estate and trust planning solutions. Richard formed the first private trust company under Tennessee law and has been responsible for forming or served as local counsel for more than half of Tennessee's private trust companies. He drafted new legislation updating Tennessee’s private trust company law, which greatly expanded the definition of a private trust company.

Richard was one of only two attorneys in Tennessee to receive to receive a top ranking (Band 1) in the 2017 edition of the Chambers High Net Worth guide. He is a member of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and serves on the Family Office Exchange's Thought Leadership Council. Richard has been recognized since 2001 by Best Lawyers in America for his experience in Tax Law and Trusts & Estates. Best Lawyers named him Nashville's Lawyer of the Year in Tax Law in 2017 and 2015, and in 2012 the publication honored Richard as Nashville Lawyer of the Year in Trusts and Estates. Richard has served as Chairman of the Tax Sections of both the Tennessee Bar Association Tax and the Nashville Bar Association. Additionally, he is a fellow of the Nashville Bar Foundation, and he is recognized as a "Mid-South Super Lawyer."

Richard earned his J.D., with honors, from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1986 and his LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida in 1987. He earned a B.A., cum laude, in Accounting from the University of Mississippi in 1983. Richard is a Fellow in the American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel and the former chairman of the tax section of the Tennessee Bar Association.

Kim T. Kusilek is COO of HRK Group, Inc., a single-family office, and HRK Trust Company, a private trust company chartered for the Andersen Windows Family. HRK provides integrated financial services to fourth through sixth generation family members. Kim’s primary responsibilities are to organize and execute the Financial Services for each family member, which includes tax planning and compliance, financial reporting, investment accounting and reporting, and risk management. In addition, she acts as an advocate and trusted advisor for all her clients in their pursuit of financial prosperity.

Kim worked in the Tax Department at Andersen Windows before joining HRK in 1996. She began her career at KPMG.

Kim has a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant. Kim is married with two children and in her free time enjoys hiking, kayaking, sport activities, gardening, and reading.

Spence Maners serves as CFO of Bassaidai, Inc. located at the Carlton Family Offices in Nashville, Tennessee. He has served in this position since January 2010. His prior appointments include the CFO of Fisk University (2005 - 2010) and external auditor for BDO/Crosslin Associates (2002 - 2005), both located in Nashville.

Spence, a certified public accountant earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Mississippi in 2002. He and his wife, Katie, have two daughters, 12 and 9 years of age.

David joined the family office for the Foster family in 1981 and was promoted to President in 1991. The family office was formed in 1977 when the Foster family sold their steel business and decided to continue together as a family. Today, the Foster family is comprised of eighteen households spanning second through fifth generations. David oversees the family’s investments, educational programs, generational planning, philanthropy and taxes.

David also provides consulting services to family offices through FAM Legacy Solutions. These services center around providing value to family members. Areas of focus for the consulting services includes the formation of family offices, creating governance structures and educational programs for family members.

Charitable activities include: Member of the Board of Directors of the Private Investor Coalition, Trustee of the YMCA Retirement Fund, Member of the investment committee and finance committee of the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, Member of the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, Chair of the investment committee of the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Bryn Mars Monahan is thrilled to pair her knowledge of business operations, and the challenges of family enterprise, in a meaningful way. As founder of Bryn Mars Consulting, she focuses on the intersection of business and family, providing structure for governance, leadership, and education, particularly as it relates to succession and the Rising Generation. Bryn is a fourth generation family member, and sits on her family's Board of Directors, as well as the board of their Family Office Consulting Company, Fam Legacy Solutions. She is a thought leader in the family office space, and has been featured as a speaker at countless organizations. She is also on the advisory board for numerous organizations, including Chair-elect for SEFOF 2020. Bryn recognizes the importance of independence as a defining feature of her lifestyle, and uses that value to drive her forward.

Steve Smitherman has over 17 years of family office experience. He is Vice President of The Family Private Trust, LLC and The Family Office, LLC where he manages client family relationships, private trust company and family office operations. His areas of focus include client/beneficiary relationships, financial reporting, technology, tax, and estate planning.

Steve’s prior speaking experience includes panel discussions for Southeastern Family Office Forum and Family Office Exchange on the topics of family office operations, trustee/beneficiary relationships and private trust company operations.

Steve is a Certified Public Accountant and earned BA degrees in Business and Marketing from Belmont University in Nashville, TN. He is a member of the Tennessee Society of CPAs and a founding member of Society of Leaders in Development (SOLID). He also volunteers with several organizations, including CPA Dads and Father’s Heart.

Gary Sorrentino is a Managing Director for J.P. Morgan Asset & Wealth Management (AWM), and is the Global Head of Client Cyber Awareness and Education.

For over 12 years, Gary was the Chief Technology Officer for AWM’s global technology infrastructure initiatives, where he managed its Data Privacy program and was responsible for Infrastructure, Application and End User Technology Production Support. In 2014, he assumed his current role as the lead for AWM’s Cybersecurity efforts. He has since developed a firm-wide “Protect the Client” Cyber program designed to raise cybersecurity awareness among employees and clients.

With almost 40 years of experience in Information Technology, Gary has served in various other IT leadership positions in firms across the financial services industry. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan in October 2005, Gary was Head of Global Infrastructure and Head of Technology Efficiencies at Citi Private Bank, where he was responsible for Global Infrastructure Support and strategic technology initiatives. Other roles he has held include Global Technology CFO at Credit Suisse and North America IT Controller at UBS.

Mr. Taylor serves as President & CEO of The Springs Company, the Family Office for the Close Family of Fort Mill, SC, whose legacy business was the textile giant, Springs Industries. The Springs Company (TSC), founded in 1967, supports 33 adult family members in G3-G5, with another 17 already in G6. Additionally, it oversees an expansive real estate portfolio, a number of wholly-owned operating companies, and a sizable passive investment portfolio. Within the real estate portfolio, the Company remains active in development of multi-family apartments, Class A office, retail and mixed-use properties.

Mr. Taylor has led The Springs Company for 27 years, coming to Springs after a 10-year career at First Union National Bank. In addition to serving on all internal boards, he serves on the boards of several privately held companies: Biltmore Farms LLC, The Beach Company, Central Realty Holdings, and previously Thomas Rutherfoord, Inc. He has served as Board Chair of both Charlotte Regional Partnership and Saint Mary’s School (Raleigh), and on the boards of Kanawha Insurance Company and Wachovia Bank of South Carolina. Mr. Taylor is a member of World President’s Organization. He is a graduate of Washington & Lee (BS in Commerce) and Wake Forest (MBA).

He resides in Charlotte with his wife, Lee. They have two grown daughters.

As Director of Family Financial and Estate Planning for the owners of Simmons Foods & Affiliates, Inc., Anne works closely with family members and their advisors to serve this multi-generational family in its various financial planning activities. Prior to her role with the Simmons family, Anne worked as an accountant in the Sonoma County wine industry. She spent her childhood in Anchorage, Alaska and attended university in northern California. She is an advocate for effective financial education and teaches personal finance to high-school students. Anne has been married to Preston for twenty-five years and they have two children, Eleri (age 17) and Elliott (age 13).

Anne is a CFP® practitioner and has a M.S. in Personal Financial Planning. She is a member of the Family

Firm Institute and the Financial Planning Association.

Amelia Renkert-Thomas is the founder of Renkert Thomas Consulting LLC, the author of Engaged Ownership: A Guide for Owners of Family Businesses (Wiley, 2015), and a Professor of the Practice of Family Business at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Renkert Thomas Consulting LLC works with family enterprise owners on issues related to strategy, ownership, and governance. Amelia brings technical expertise, multi-disciplinary training, and extensive experience to governance design; business operations and strategy; law; and family systems and organizational development.

A tax, trusts and estates attorney by training, Amelia co-founded Withers Consulting Group LLC in 2013, and prior to opening her consulting practice, was a Partner at the international law firm Withers Bergman LLP, where she co-chaired the firm’s Family Office Group.

Amelia comes from multi-generational businesses on both sides of her family. Amelia succeeded her father and served as President of Ironrock, Inc.—a fifth-generation family-owned and managed producer of ceramic tile and thin brick located in Canton, Ohio—from 1990 to 2002. She remains closely involved with Ironrock as a director and officer. Her maternal grandfather founded Fisher-Price Toys.

Amelia lives in Rougemont, NC. She received her B.A. from Yale College, her J.D. from Harvard Law School, and her LL.M in Taxation from the Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Amelia is a member and former director of Attorneys for Family Held Enterprises (afhe).

James Roberts, after a successful career in technology sales, began coaching sales leaders to help them realize greater success, both in their personal and professional life. He helped form an organization to assist non-profit leadership teams in the areas of performance and governance and, with his leadership team, developed material that has been utilized by leadership teams worldwide. It was at that time he met the authors of the Style of Influence® (“SOI”) assessment and began utilizing it in his consulting engagements. Since 2010, James has been the CEO of iDynamx, LLC, where he has worked with companies, educational institutions and non-profit organizations, guiding them to have best conversations so they achieve maximum results.

David R. York is an Attorney, Certified Public Accountant and Managing Partner with the Salt Lake City law firm of York Howell & Guymon. David practices law in the areas of estate planning, tax, business planning, and non-profit entities. He is a Fellow with the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and is the Dean of Legacy with the Purposeful Planning Institute. David has extensive experience in designing and implementing advanced wealth planning strategies for high net worth clients. David has spoken to hundreds of public groups and professional organizations, including the TedXSaltLakeCity, Q Commons, the Hawaii Tax Institute the Purposeful Planning Institute, Investments and Wealth Institute, Valmark Member Summit, the Southeastern Family Office Forum and the Million Dollar Roundtable.

He is the co-author of two books, Entrusted: Building a Legacy That Lasts and Riveted: 44 Values that Change the World, which after its release was the #1 Business Ethics book on Amazon. He also created the game Experience RivetsTM, which helps individuals, families and businesses identify their unique and shared core values to assist them with holistic wealth transfer, effective estate planning and team building. He has also written for Trusts & Estates Magazine, Estate Planning Magazine and Investments and Wealth Monitor. In 2017, YHG was recognized as an Inc. 5000 Company.

David currently serves on the Board of Directors of Holding Out HELP and Healing Nations. He lives in the Salt Lake City, Utah area with his wife Mindy and their five children, Emma, John, Samuel, Hudson and Avery. He enjoys biking, skiing, softball, writing and photography.

Dr. Ron Braund is a family business consultant, behavioral health professional, mission leader and author. He is currently president of Family Business Transitions, facilitating family owned business leaders in generational transfer and succession planning to achieve personal & philanthropic goals. His clients include the owners of Chick-fil-A, family foundations, corporate executives and athletes. He partnered with professional golfer and U.S. Ryder Cup Captain, Paul Azinger, to implement a successful team-building strategy in America’s victory over the European Ryder Cup Team at Valhalla.

Within the global mission community, Ron has facilitated strategic planning, team building support, member care counseling and critical incident debriefing. His personal focus has been to support the needs of orphans & neglected children through direct care and transition programs. He is committed to serving collaborative networks which implement strategies for foster care programs and country specific family-based solutions.

Ron has over 30 years experience as a Marriage & Family Therapist. He hosted a daily radio program, Marriage & Family Today, in association with Moody Broadcasting.

He is the author or co-author of four books including Understanding How Others Misunderstand You; The Strong-Willed Child or Dreamer?, and Cracking The Code: The Winning Ryder Cup Strategy, Make It Work For You.

Ron and his wife, Ginger, reside in Marietta, Georgia.

Roy Jones is currently a principal at Seven Hills Strategies, LLC, an Atlanta-based strategic consulting firm. With Seven Hills, Roy will serve as a coach and advisor drawing upon his experience and business acumen developed over a decades-long career.

Most recently, Roy served Chick-fil-A, Inc. as the Executive Director of the Cathy Family Office. Roy was recruited by Dan Cathy, the Chairman and CEO, in 2014 to build a dynamic team of professionals to serve both the family’s multiple households and Chick-fil-A, Inc. Roy led the team that provided a variety of services to the Cathy family, including estate planning and administration, financial planning, income and estate tax, private foundation governance, family governance, real property and investment management, risk management, and other services. He also served as the captain of a “Dream Team” of Chick-fil-A leaders and external consultants that was charged with delivering a comprehensive plan and structure for Chick-fil-A to remain privately owned by the Cathy Family for generations to come.

Roy initially honed his family office management skills leading the Family Office of Henry F. “Hank” McCamish from November 1998 through January 2004. As part of the McCamish team, Roy served as the Chief Investment Officer, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel of the McCamish Group. He also served as the President of McCamish Foundation. The Foundation focused on entrepreneurial investing, with all gains being given to Christian, educational, and humanitarian causes.

Roy practiced law for 14 years in a firm that he co-founded. His practice specialized in commercial real estate transactions and development, private equity, estate planning, deal structure, and financing complex transactions. For the last several years of his legal career, Roy functioned as primary advisor to several extraordinary families and gained intimate exposure to the inner workings of private companies, successful families, investment strategies, and intergenerational planning.

From 2004 to 2014, Roy was a founding Director of three private equity funds. With those funds, he built on the experience he had gained as a founding member of both the Advisory and Investment Committees of Greenspring Associates, a Baltimore based PE fund that now manages more than $8.7 BBL of committed capital.

Throughout his career, Roy has served on the Boards of multiple private companies and non-profit entities. He currently serves on the SEFOF Advisory Committee; FOX Executive Council ‘04; as a Director and Investment Committee Member of Elmwood Management (the Herschend Family Office); and as a Trustee of the Eagle Ranch Foundation.

Roy is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Washington and Lee University. After college, he led a successful start-up in Richmond, Virginia then returned to Atlanta to attend Emory University School of Law. He was on the Law Review, graduated with distinction, and received Order of the Coif honors. In 2000, Roy was admitted to practice before The Supreme Court of the United States of America.

A native Atlantan, Roy married his best friend and college sweetheart, Carter, more than 40 years ago. They have two grown sons and worship at The Church of the Apostles. Roy leads a weekly mentoring group/bible study with millennial men and also enjoys hiking, shotguns, and cooking on his Big Green Egg.

Mark Conklin is the founder of Wise Counsel Inc., and is committed to transforming families, leaders and organizations. In July 2018, Mark retired from his role as Director, Staff Leadership Development at Chick-fil-A Inc. where he focused on the strength and sustainability of the CFA staff leadership pipeline.

As a prolific thought leader for over two-decades, Mark helped Chick-fil-A become one of the world’s most admired and respected brands. His career with the company included work in Field Operations, Leadership Development, and Talent as the company grew from $400 million to over $10 billion in sales. In 2002, he assumed responsibility for Chick-fil-A leadership development programs and designed, developed, and delivered a range of leadership programs to create effective servant leaders who could operate successfully in a high growth, global, diverse work environment.

Prior to joining Chick-fil-A, Mark spent eight years working in higher education and also served stateside and overseas on active duty as a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army.

Mark is a frequent public speaker and has consulted on a range of leadership topics for families, businesses, and non-profit organizations. Most recently, he is leveraging his years working along-side the Cathy family at Chick-fil-A to help enterprising families intentionally steward their ownership, family, and business roles.

A summa cum laude graduate of Nyack College, Mark holds a Master of Divinity degree with a Marriage and Family Therapy concentration from Alliance Theological Seminary. He is also a graduate of Harvard Business School and is a doctoral candidate in Global Leadership Studies.

Mark has served on the board of trustees for Cross International, Focus on iThemba and his local church elder board. He is a Trustee Emeritus at Strong Rock Christian School and currently serves on the board of the With Open Eyes Foundation. A native of Pennsylvania, he and his wife, Joy, have been married 35 years and have two adult children, JohnMark and Sarah and a son-in-law John. Joy and Mark reside outside of Atlanta, GA.