Meet our CEO Coaches
Bringing business leaders
to the next level.
Cindy Hesterman | Vistage Chair
Who are Vistage CEO coaches?
Vistage CEO coaches — known as Chairs — are dedicated to improving the effectiveness and enhancing the lives of CEOs, business owners and key executives. They are accomplished business leaders and mentors, hand-picked from a cross-section of industries. At the peak of achievement in their own careers, each realized how much they could contribute as mentors. The guidance of a Vistage CEO coach creates a ripple effect that’s felt by leaders in the C-suite, employees in your company and members of your community.
Learn about becoming a CEO coach
Karl Sprague | Vistage Chair
What will having a Vistage CEO coach mean for you?
Benefit from a business leader and mentor who is proven, experienced and unbiased. Dedicated to serving your best interest. Vistage CEO coaches are committed to their own continual learning and development to ensure they proactively provide the most leading-edge tools, resources and knowledge for the growth of your business. The relationship Vistage members build with their CEO coach is a game-changer, professionally and personally.
It is proven. Vistage CEO coaches — more than 800 worldwide — help today’s top leaders reach their next level of success.
Take a moment to meet some of our Vistage CEO coaches
“As a Vistage Chair, I enable Owners and CEOs to effectively achieve their desired “End in Mind”.”
Bill Edgar
Gainesville / Ocala Area
Vistage Chair since 2011
Background
- Serves as Trustee for the College of Central Florida.
- Has over 40+ years of leadership and executive experience.
- Prior to becoming a Vistage Chair, Bill was a Franklin Covey Facilitator while serving as a senior management consultant.
- Has diverse industry experience, holding leadership roles in the logistics and warehousing industry, the sugar brokerage industry, insurance, commercial and residential real estate development, materials handling, automation, CRM organizations, and sales management.
- If you would like to reach out to Bill, please email him at bill@vistagencfl.com.
“Being a Vistage Chair allows me to help my Members build the Value of their Business by helping them to grow Personally and Professionally. Providing support and challenge for them on their Journey.”
Georganne Goldblum
Ft. Lauderdale Area
Vistage Chair since 2002
Background
- Top Producing Florida chair in 2011 through present.
- Honored as one of the top 25 most influential business women in South Florida in 2013.
- 25+ years of management experience as a Fortune 500 executive, management consultant, entrepreneur and private investor.
- MBA from the Stern School of Business.
- If you would like to reach out to Georganne, please email her at georganne@alliancepartnersllc.com
“The quest for excellence gives dignity to a person and character to a business.”
David Farrington
Jacksonville Area
Vistage Chair since 2018
Background
- Dave started out in investment banking following his undergraduate and graduate (MBA) education at Columbia University.
- During his years with EF Hutton, he originated many capital financing throughout the State of Florida, including Duval County.
- In 1989 he founded a fixed income information Internet services company whose market reach quickly spread internationally.
- After Reuters acquired the company in 2002, Dave turned his attention to outdoor recreation and serving on non-profit boards.
- Looking for a way to share his CEO experience and financial expertise in the private sector, Dave discovered Vistage in 2010.
- Since then, Dave has chaired three Vistage CE groups and coached more than 40 members with combined revenues over $1 billion.
- If you would like to reach out to Dave, please email him at david.farrington@vistageflorida.com.
“It is an honor to be a Vistage Chair and have the opportunity to know the outstanding men and women in my group. My vision is to inspire my members to dream more and become more every day and to achieve their goals. We make this journey to success together as a group with business wisdom, love and acts of kindness.”
Barbara Monti
Naples/SW Florida Area
Vistage Chair since 1996
Background
- Barbara Monti, President of Monti and Associates, Inc. and a Vistage Chair since 1996, has nearly 30 years experience as a business owner. Barbara began her business career as co-owner of a ski lift service business. Gryphon Corporation, Inc. based in Killington, Vermont serviced North America. She and her husband built this startup company and negotiated a lucrative sale to an European conglomerate at the end of just five years. Barbara was responsible for business development.
- She then started a marketing firm in Killington which she operated for 12 years. The Agency, Inc. focused on marketing for hospitality industry businesses. Her firm also produced statewide events to promote Vermont, created regional magazines and produced the “Taste Of Vermont Culinary Competition,” the leading competition in the United States at the time.
- Barbara then spent several years as the Communications Director at the world’s leading culinary college, The Culinary Institute of America. Under her leadership, the school’s publicity increased over 200% in one year. Barbara was one of six senior managers responsible for the operation of the college in the early 90’s.
- She joined forces with her husband in the mid-1980’s to establish Monti and Associates, Inc. a business consulting company which continues today. Barbara focuses on executive education and coaching and in 1996, she became a Vistage Chair and launched the first group in SWFL.
- One of the longest serving Vistage Chairs, Barbara has been continually recognized by Vistage Florida for membership retention and group size. 50% of her members have been in Vistage for 10 years or more and her group retention rated averages 88% over five years. Barbara has conducted nearly 9,000 hours of CEO and Key Executive One-To-One coaching sessions and has led nearly 600 executive group sessions.
- If you would like to reach out to Barbara, please email her at barbara@monti-associates.us
“Being a Vistage Chair provides me with the opportunity to share leadership lessons learned with my members by knowing what questions to ask of them.”
Rolfe Arnhym
Tampa / St. Petersburg Area
Vistage Chair since 2002
Background
- President and CEO of Arnhym and Associates, a Tampa, Florida based Management Consulting firm specializing in business development, marketing, community relations and leadership development.
- Served on the California Chamber of Commerce in Beverly Hills, Palm Springs, Long Beach and Pasadena.
- Honorary Life member of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association
- Former member of the Dean’s Circle College of Business Administration, University of South Florida, and on the Foundation Board of L. Moffitt Cancer Center, and numerous other Boards and Commissions
- A member of the Rotary Club of Tampa and the CEO Council and a recent Graduate of Leadership Tampa.
- Master of Business Administration from George Washington University and the University of Central Florida in 1976 and a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1953.
- Served in the U.S. Army for 20+ years, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and later as a Colonel in the Reserves.
- Author of Start Everything Finish Nothing. A book on Leadership, Lessons learned.
- If you would like to reach out to Rolfe, please email him at rolfe.arnhym@verizon.net.
“Vistage members are smart and savvy business people. They tap that wisdom to help one another tackle the most challenging problems and opportunities, resulting in better decisions by all.”
Linda Pfister
Orlando Area
Vistage Chair since 2004
Background
- 25 years of executive leadership and management experience, ranging from staff and line management to chief executive.
- Linda began her corporate career in publishing as Vice President, Product Development, for Harcourt Brace Jovanovich’s subsidiary, HBJ Media Systems. She later served in executive roles at Wilson Learning Corporation and Educational Testing Service, the latter including as President and CEO of the ETS Subsidiary, ETS K-12 Works.
- B.S. and M.A. degrees from Bowling Green State University and did doctoral work at The Ohio State University.
- Completed the University of Associates Laboratory Education Intern Program which focused on training design and facilitation.
“As a Vistage Chair, I have the privilege of working with some of the most interesting and motivated members of our business community. To be a part of the process that enables them to achieve their goals has been extremely rewarding.”
Mike Kady
Miami/Boca Raton/Stuart Area
Vistage Chair since 2009
Background
- Founded and still serves as President of KD Management Services, LLC, a firm specializing in the performance improvement of business executives and the companies they lead.
- Served as Chief Executive Officer of a publicly traded (Nasdaq) company and grew the business by more than 50% before negotiating the sale to a Fortune 100 company.
- Held executive positions in operations, engineering, finance, corporate planning and general management with two Fortune 500 companies.
- Served as an Associate Faculty Member at Indiana University – Purdue University in Indianapolis, teaching management courses in the business school.
- Earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Butler University.
- If you would like to reach out to Mike, please email him at mkady@kdmsllc.com.
“My mission as a Vistage Chair is to help my members achieve success, however they define it, professionally and personally. I do this by bringing together a diverse, smart, group of individuals who genuinely want to grow, be held accountable and help each other. My role is to ask thought provoking questions, facilitate productive group interactions and offer my own insights when I can add value to the discussion.”
Newell Holt
Palm Beach Area
Vistage Chair since 2012
Background
- Vistage members benefit from his 40 years of business leadership experience.
- Field of expertise includes roles as the leader of businesses ranging from $60 million to $3 billion in revenue, domestic including global, publicly owned, family, employee owned, and private equity owned. He has also been CEO of a non-profit trade association.
- If you would like to reach out to Newell, please email him at newell@newfutureconsulting.com.
Meet the Vistage Florida Chairs in Your Area
Click on your city to meet the Chairs in your area
- Meet the Chairs
- Daytona
- Ft. Lauderdale
- Gainesville / Ocala
- Jacksonville
- Miami
- Naples / SW Florida
- Orlando
- Palm Beach
- Panama City
- Pensacola / Ft. Walton Beach
- Sarasota / Venice
- Stuart
- Tallahassee
- Tampa / St. Petersburg
Meet the Chairs
Daytona
Joe Anderson
Vistage Chair since 1995
Background
- Has helped over 60 CEOs grow their businesses to a total over 7 billion a year in sales.
- Owns a firm in the flooring industry, has written several books, numerous articles, and spent 10 years as an award-winning professor at some of America’s leading business schools.
- Helps CEOs by asking the good questions, and by referring them to the other experts that sit around your own Vistage table. “All of us are smarter than any of us,” he says.
- Creates a safe harbor, where you can say anything you need to say, about any issue or opportunity you face.
- If you would like to reach out to Joe, please email him at jva2000@aol.com.
Ft. Lauderdale
Les Deck
Vistage Chair since 2005
Background
- Serves as Executive in Residence at FAU College of Business and President of the Delray Beach Chorale.
- Co-founder of the C Suite Breakfast Series.
- Experience includes C level and owner positions in manufacturing, distribution and service companies.
- Frequent blogger on subjects ranging from business to music.
- If you would like to reach out to Les, please email him at lesdeck@comcast.net.
Tom Evangelista
Vistage Chair since 2016
Background
- Tom Evangelista is a seasoned executive with a proven record of creating stakeholder value and wealth, by restructuring, re-positioning and enhancing company and product portfolios for profitable growth.
- He is known as a strategist and solutions-focused leader, skilled at driving change and delivering results across diverse cultures.
- He is a Vistage Group Chair in South FL and President of Wyngate Partners, an Advisory and Consulting management services firms focused on transformative growth solutions.
- Tom received his BA from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and MBA from Columbia University.
- He can be reached at tevangelista@vistageflorida.com
Denise Foley
Vistage Chair since 2016
Background
- Strategic executive leader with extensive experience in optimizing operational excellence, business and people development, with change agent talents, who delivers cost reduction, risk mitigation and process improvement opportunities, for small businesses to a Fortune 500 company.
- Vice President and Licensed General Contractor with Foley and Sons General Contractor, Inc.
- Held the position as Vice President of Payroll and Chief Procurement Officer for AutoNation, Inc. for 19 years.
- Skills include Leadership, Strategic Planning, Business Planning, Budgeting, Financial Efficiency, Cost Control, Staffing, Associate Development, Process Improvement, Policy Development and more.
- If you would like to reach out to Denise, please email her at foleydenise100@yahoo.com.
Tom Foster
Vistage Chair since 1995
Background
- Tom works with CEOs, managers, supervisors and teams in the areas of delegation, planning and communication skills.
- He spent fourteen years in the television production industry and another ten years with a large CPA firm.
- Tom Foster holds a B.A. in radio-television-film, and a Master's degree in communication, both from the University of Texas, Austin.
- Vistage Chair since 1995.
- Former trainer with Dale Carnegie Training.
- If you would like to reach out to Tom, please email him at tfoster@fosterlearning.org.
Georganne Goldblum
Vistage Chair since 2002
Background
- Top Producing Florida chair in 2011 through present.
- Honored as one of the top 25 most influential business women in South Florida in 2013.
- 25+ years of management experience as a Fortune 500 executive, management consultant, entrepreneur and private investor.
- MBA from the Stern School of Business.
- If you would like to reach out to Georganne, please email her at georganne@alliancepartnersllc.com
Mike Kady
Vistage Chair since 2009
Background
- Founded and still serves as President of KD Management Services, LLC, a firm specializing in the performance improvement of business executives and the companies they lead.
- Served as Chief Executive Officer of a publicly traded (Nasdaq) company and grew the business by more than 50% before negotiating the sale to a Fortune 100 company.
- Held executive positions in operations, engineering, finance, corporate planning and general management with two Fortune 500 companies.
- Served as an Associate Faculty Member at Indiana University – Purdue University in Indianapolis, teaching management courses in the business school.
- Earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Butler University.
- If you would like to reach out to Mike, please email him at mkady@kdmsllc.com.
Marcelo Lemos
Vistage Chair since 2018
Background
- Founded and still serves as President of Innovar Consulting Corp, a firm focused on Strategic, Performance, and Technology opportunities to accelerate growth.
- Marcelo has held senior executive positions in a broad range of companies, from Fortune Global 2000 companies to small technology startups, having acquired extensive experience in Information Technology, Manufacturing and Engineering.
- Associates describe Marcelo as a very creative, passionate, energetic team builder and leader. As per his own saying, his biggest accomplishments, and highest personal rewards, came from the team building experiences he participated in.
- His success in both mature and emerging markets produced elevated high growth results and profits in domestic and international environments.
- Marcelo’s education includes a Master of Business Administration from California Coast University and a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Argentina). He also attended the Executive Advance Management Program on International Business at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.
- He is bilingual in Spanish and English while having a working proficiency in Portuguese as well.
- If you would like to reach out to Marcelo, please e-mail him at marcelo.lemos@innovar.biz .
Greg Oram
Vistage Chair since 2014
Background
- Greg Oram was raised in London, England and now resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he chairs a Vistage Chief Executives group that comprises industry leaders in Broward County.
- Greg’s business career spans thirty years. His members benefit from his global perspective, as well as his leadership on various boards and foundations. He had a well-respected career in the business club industry, and has extensive ties to the Fort Lauderdale community, where he serves as a Chair for Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale.
- If you would like to reach out to Greg, please email him at gregoram@bellsouth.net.
Karl Sprague
Vistage Chair since 2003
Background
- President of Sprague Associates Inc., a management-consulting firm, which helps client companies deal with strategic and financial issues related to growth.
- He was an investment banker for eighteen years and advised middle market clients on a variety of transactions, including: acquisitions, sales, divestitures, management buyouts, and leveraged recapitalization.
- He is on the Board of Directors of the South Florida Business Forum and serves on the Board of Directors of 4Kids of South Florida, an organization committed to providing help to foster children and kids in crisis.
- B.A. from the College of William and Mary.
- If you would like to reach out to Karl, please email him at karl@karlsprague.com.
Gainesville / Ocala
Bill Edgar
Vistage Chair since 2001
Background
- Serves as Trustee for the College of Central Florida.
- Has over 40+ years of leadership and executive experience.
- Prior to becoming a Vistage Chair, Bill was a Franklin Covey Facilitator while serving as a senior management consultant.
- Has diverse industry experience, holding leadership roles in the logistics and warehousing industry, the sugar brokerage industry, insurance, commercial and residential real estate development, materials handling, automation, CRM organizations, and sales management.
- If you would like to reach out to Bill, please email him at bill@vistagencfl.com.
Lauren Douglass
Vistage Chair since 2019
Background
- Lauren is the President and Founder of What’s Happening Promotions, a marketing and branding firm.
- She is a visionary entrepreneurial local business leader who brings over fourteen years’ experience skilled in professional development, team building and project management.
- Lauren graduated in 2006 Cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
- She was the Golden Key International Honour Society Recipient.
- In 2017 she was also the Recipient of the Impact Award and the HPW Above Award and co-founded Flourish Children’s Foundation. The Flourish Children’s Foundation is dedicated to bringing empowerment to children and their families through compassion and community work.
- If you would like to reach out to Lauren, please email her at lauren@whpinc.com.
Jacksonville
David Farrington
Vistage Chair since 2018
Background
- Dave started out in investment banking following his undergraduate and graduate (MBA) education at Columbia University.
- During his years with EF Hutton, he originated many capital financing throughout the State of Florida, including Duval County.
- In 1989 he founded a fixed income information Internet services company whose market reach quickly spread internationally.
- After Reuters acquired the company in 2002, Dave turned his attention to outdoor recreation and serving on non-profit boards.
- Looking for a way to share his CEO experience and financial expertise in the private sector, Dave discovered Vistage in 2010.
- Since then, Dave has chaired three Vistage CE groups and coached more than 40 members with combined revenues over $1 billion.
- If you would like to reach out to Dave, please email him at david.farrington@vistageflorida.com.
George Robbins
Vistage Chair since 2002
Background
- George joined Vistage Florida in the fall of 2002 after a thirty-five year career in business leadership roles and currently chairs a Chief Executive group in the Jacksonville, Florida area.
- Sub-Deacon at his church and on the Board of Directors of The Association for Corporate Growth, the Rotary club of Mandarin, and the St. Johns River Water Management District.
- If you would like to reach out to George, please email him at george3@att.net.
Terrence “TJ” Kelly
Vistage Chair since 1988
Background
- Holds over 30 years of experience as an executive coach and business consultant, with ten years inside Fortune 100 companies.
- Recipient of the Florida Chairman of The Year Award
- Represented the United States as a leader during conference sessions at the 25thInternational Anniversary Celebration of The Executive Connections Conference in Sydney, Australia in 2011.
- Leadership Coaching Certification from Georgetown University, a Bachelor’s Degree from Eastern Michigan University, and a Master’s Degree from Michigan State
- An approved American Management Association (AMA) course instructor.
- If you would like to reach out to T.J., please email him at terrencekelly@mac.com.
Miami
Mike Kady
Vistage Chair since 2009
Background
- Founded and still serves as President of KD Management Services, LLC, a firm specializing in the performance improvement of business executives and the companies they lead.
- Served as Chief Executive Officer of a publicly traded (Nasdaq) company and grew the business by more than 50% before negotiating the sale to a Fortune 100 company.
- Held executive positions in operations, engineering, finance, corporate planning and general management with two Fortune 500 companies.
- Served as an Associate Faculty Member at Indiana University – Purdue University in Indianapolis, teaching management courses in the business school.
- Earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Butler University.
- If you would like to reach out to Mike, please email him at mkady@kdmsllc.com.
David Halpern
Vistage Chair since 2017
Background
- David has been a nonprofit professional for the better part of the last forty years.
- He began his career working for a YMCA program on Long Island.
- After sailing the Caribbean for three years, he settled in Miami in 1983 to attend the University of Miami.
- He met his Cuban wife here, married her in 1992, and spends quite a bit of time being grandpa to his five grandchildren.
- David studied business at MIT as an undergraduate, but got his degrees in Social Work from Adelphi University.
- He later obtained a second Master’s Degree in applied developmental psychology from the University of Miami.
- David discovered early on in his career, that many of the social service agencies he worked with needed as much help as their clients.
- He honed his business skills, and held several CFO positions as an employee, then later as a consultant. He was recruited for a few interim CEO gigs which he enjoyed tremendously.
- He is still active in the Miami nonprofit sector, planning and presenting at educational seminars for nonprofit professionals.
- If you would like to reach out to David, please email him at david@halpernconsulting.com.
Marcelo Lemos
Vistage Chair since 2018
Background
- Founded and still serves as President of Innovar Consulting Corp, a firm focused on Strategic, Performance, and Technology opportunities to accelerate growth.
- Marcelo has held senior executive positions in a broad range of companies, from Fortune Global 2000 companies to small technology startups, having acquired extensive experience in Information Technology, Manufacturing and Engineering.
- Associates describe Marcelo as a very creative, passionate, energetic team builder and leader. As per his own saying, his biggest accomplishments, and highest personal rewards, came from the team building experiences he participated in.
- His success in both mature and emerging markets produced elevated high growth results and profits in domestic and international environments.
- Marcelo’s education includes a Master of Business Administration from California Coast University and a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Argentina). He also attended the Executive Advance Management Program on International Business at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.
- He is bilingual in Spanish and English while having a working proficiency in Portuguese as well.
- If you would like to reach out to Marcelo, please e-mail him at marcelo.lemos@innovar.biz .
Naples / SW Florida
Barbara Monti
Vistage Chair since 1996
Background
- Barbara Monti, President of Monti and Associates, Inc. and a Vistage Chair since 1996, has nearly 30 years experience as a business owner. Barbara began her business career as co-owner of a ski lift service business. Gryphon Corporation, Inc. based in Killington, Vermont serviced North America. She and her husband built this startup company and negotiated a lucrative sale to an European conglomerate at the end of just five years. Barbara was responsible for business development.
- She then started a marketing firm in Killington which she operated for 12 years. The Agency, Inc. focused on marketing for hospitality industry businesses. Her firm also produced statewide events to promote Vermont, created regional magazines and produced the “Taste Of Vermont Culinary Competition,” the leading competition in the United States at the time.
- Barbara then spent several years as the Communications Director at the world’s leading culinary college, The Culinary Institute of America. Under her leadership, the school’s publicity increased over 200% in one year. Barbara was one of six senior managers responsible for the operation of the college in the early 90’s.
- She joined forces with her husband in the mid-1980’s to establish Monti and Associates, Inc. a business consulting company which continues today. Barbara focuses on executive education and coaching and in 1996, she became a Vistage Chair and launched the first group in SWFL.
- One of the longest serving Vistage Chairs, Barbara has been continually recognized by Vistage Florida for membership retention and group size. 50% of her members have been in Vistage for 10 years or more and her group retention rated averages 88% over five years. Barbara has conducted nearly 9,000 hours of CEO and Key Executive One-To-One coaching sessions and has led nearly 600 executive group sessions.
- If you would like to reach out to Barbara, please email her at barbara@monti-associates.us
Richard Schwartz
Vistage Chair since 2018
Background
- Took a startup with gross margins less than 10% to over 60% in 3 years. Co-led Series B capital raise of $12m. (Article One Partners, LLC)
- Turned around the poorest performing region in the company and drove new records in revenue and profits over a three year period. (Bridgeline Digital, Inc.)
- Saved $100M for one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical’s research and development organizations by creating an innovative business process that attacks the problems of attrition through comprehensive risk management assessment strategies. (Clock Tower Associates, LLC)
- Grew the revenue base in the Eastern Region and Canada from $7M to $15.5M, and increased gross margins from 10% to 45% over a two-year period. (Seer Technologies, Inc.)
- Started the Philadelphia region and grew the consulting business to a $7M revenue base the first year. (BSG Alliance/IT)
- Led the $8M information systems and technology consulting practice to $15M returning 20% pretax profits, restructuring 18 separate business to one, and directing operations through 5 major cities. (Laventhol and Horwath)
- If you would like to reach out to Richard, please email him at rickschwartz1948@gmail.com.
Damon Canfield
Vistage Chair since 2018
Background
- Damon has over 25 years of product development, business management and sales and marketing experience with GE Plastics.
- He launched NPI (New Path International) in 2000 as an end-to-end product development company with expertise in design, engineering and global manufacturing. As markets changed he added onshore and offshore manufacturing solutions, manufacturing consulting and Chinese market entry for bio-medical products and technologies. Damon sold NPI in 2013.
- Damon had the great fortune to have been recognized by Ernst and Young, Ohio’s Fast Fifty, the U.S. Army and numerous publications for his leadership, contributions and entrepreneurship.
- His education includes BS, Chemistry from Indiana University Bloomington. MBA Indiana University School of Business Bloomington.
- If you would like to reach out to Damon, please email him at dcanfield@vistageflorida.com
Orlando
Joe Anderson
Vistage Chair since 1995
Background
- Has helped over 60 CEOs grow their businesses to a total over 7 billion a year in sales.
- Owns a firm in the flooring industry, has written several books, numerous articles, and spent 10 years as an award-winning professor at some of America’s leading business schools.
- Helps CEOs by asking the good questions, and by referring them to the other experts that sit around your own Vistage table. “All of us are smarter than any of us,” he says.
- Creates a safe harbor, where you can say anything you need to say, about any issue or opportunity you face.
- If you would like to reach out to Joe, please email him at jva2000@aol.com.
Jim Downing
Vistage Chair since 2009
Background
- Has over 40 years of experience in management, marketing, finance and strategic planning in both large and small companies.
- Served as Co-founder and President of A/R Funding of Florida, an accounts receivable management and factoring company.
- Community involvement includes the Orlando Rotary Breakfast Club, is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and he has received the District Hands of Service Award.
- Served as Board Director of both the YMCA Metro Board and the Downtown Family Center Board,
- an Applied Economics Teacher for Junior Achievement and is a 1982 graduate of Leadership Orlando.
- Bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, a master’s degree from Rutgers University and a PhD from the University of Central Florida
- If you would like to reach out to Jim, please email him at jdowning4@cfl.rr.com.
Cheryl McDuffie James
Vistage Chair since 2017
Background
- For over twelve years, Cheryl has served as the Managing Director and CEO of Business Imaging, a leadership and change management firm where she helps clients maximize their human capital.
- Prior to becoming a business owner and Vistage Chair, Cheryl spent over twenty years gaining experience in the areas of Finance, Marketing, Sales, Consulting and Change and Process management.
- Her experiences were achieved in several industries including, Telecommunications, Pharmaceuticals/Biotech, Restaurant, and Consumer Foods.
- She has served as Course Instructor for Leadership and Organizational Behavior as well as Section Adjunct of Finance and Marketing for an undergraduate distant learning program.
- In addition, she served as a Business Contributor for a regional, quarterly magazine for professional women. She provides business and leadership development coaching for MWBE owners as well as other business leaders.
- Cheryl's educational credentials include: a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, a Masters of Business Administration, and a certification in Change Management, with a focus on the people side of change. She also is the recipient of multiple sales and leadership awards.
- If you would like to reach out to Cheryl, please e-mail her at cmjames@vistageflorida.com.
Linda Pfister
Vistage Chair since 2004
Background
- 25 years of executive leadership and management experience, ranging from staff and line management to chief executive.
- Linda began her corporate career in publishing as Vice President, Product Development, for Harcourt Brace Jovanovich’s subsidiary, HBJ Media Systems. She later served in executive roles at Wilson Learning Corporation and Educational Testing Service, the latter including as President and CEO of the ETS Subsidiary, ETS K-12 Works.
- B.S. and M.A. degrees from Bowling Green State University and did doctoral work at The Ohio State University.
- Completed the University of Associates Laboratory Education Intern Program which focused on training design and facilitation.
- If you would like to reach out to Linda, e-mail her at lindaapfister@gmail.com
Palm Beach
Les Deck
Vistage Chair since 2005
Background
- Serves as Executive in Residence at FAU College of Business and President of the Delray Beach Chorale.
- Co-founder of the C Suite Breakfast Series.
- Experience includes C level and owner positions in manufacturing, distribution and service companies.
- Frequent blogger on subjects ranging from business to music.
- If you would like to reach out to Les, please email him at lesdeck@comcast.net.
States Hines
Vistage Chair since 1989
Background
- Fifty years of executive management experience.
- Served as Vice President of Sales, Vice President of Engineering, Vice President of Manufacturing, President, CEO, and Chairman of The Board of various companies that he either founded or was asked to lead
- Held leadership roles in the aero/space, chemicals, insurance, jet engine component remanufacturing, materials handling automation, electronic component manufacturing, entertainment management, sales management, subsystems manufacturing, offshore assembly and golf club, and tennis racket manufacturing.
- Founded the consultancy, Vision 360, in 1989 and the CFO firm, My CFO in 2009
- If you would like to reach out to States, please email him at states@vistagepb.com.
Newell Holt
Vistage Chair since 2012
Background
- Vistage members benefit from his 40 years of business leadership experience.
- Field of expertise includes roles as the leader of businesses ranging from $60 million to $3 billion in revenue, domestic including global, publicly owned, family, employee owned, and private equity owned. He has also been CEO of a non-profit trade association.
- If you would like to reach out to Newell, please email him at newell@newfutureconsulting.com.
Greg Oram
Vistage Chair since 2017
Background
- Greg Oram was raised in London, England and now resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he chairs a Vistage Chief Executives group that comprises industry leaders in Broward County.
- Greg’s business career spans thirty years. His members benefit from his global perspective, as well as his leadership on various boards and foundations.
- He had a well-respected career in the business club industry, and has extensive ties to the Fort Lauderdale community, where he serves as a Chair for Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale.
- if you would like to reach out to Greg, please email him at gregoram@bellsouth.net.
Georganne Goldblum
Vistage Chair since 2002
Background
- Top Producing Florida chair in 2011 through present.
- Honored as one of the top 25 most influential business women in South Florida in 2013.
- 25+ years of management experience as a Fortune 500 executive, management consultant, entrepreneur and private investor.
- MBA from the Stern School of Business.
- If you would like to reach out to Georganne, please email her at georganne@alliancepartnersllc.com
Bob Fashano
Vistage Chair since 2019
Background
- Bob founded Alliance Advisory Group, Inc. in 1979. Alliance is a financial advisory company with offices in several cities in Upstate New York.
- He is also founder of Lead One Consulting, LLC a leadership development and coaching company.
- He is a certified facilitator for John Maxwell Company leadership programs, a member of The Executive Circle - a twenty-member international mentoring group of John Maxwell and part of the American Coaching Federation as a certified Executive Coach.
- Bob is the co-author of the book “The Power of Coaching” and is the author of his newest book, soon to be released “Lessons from the Porch”.
- Since moving to Palm County, he has become a trustee of the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, a member of Christ Fellowship Church, Palm Beach Yacht Club and Jupiter Country Club.
- If you would like to reach out to Bob, please email him at bfashano@yahoo.com.
Panama City
Art Kimbrough
Vistage Chair since 1995
Background
- An entrepreneur, community leader, business strategist, consultant, professional speaker, and corporate executive with a reputation for integrity and ingenuity
- Nationally known speaker, writer and consultant on radio, newspaper, and magazine media throughout NW Florida
- Co-Founder, President and CEO of Overstreet, LLC, a regional owner/manager/consolidator of funeral homes and cemeteries located in small to mid-sized markets in the southeast.
- Bachelors in Education from Stetson University and Graduate Studies from University of Georgia.
- Involved with several organizations including Chairman, Public Affairs Committee, Florida March of Dimes, Board of Directors for Florida Association of Chamber Professionals, Board of Directors for Mainstreet Marianna and more.
- If you would like to reach out to Art, please email him at art@artkimbrough.com.
Pensacola / Ft. Walton Beach
Kathy Anthony
Vistage Chair since 2010
Background
- Serving as the Northwest Florida Chair for Vistage Florida since 2010.
- Spent 23 years in the banking industry followed by serving 14 years as a Partner and Chief Operating Officer of a large regional CPA and consulting firm.
- Extensive expertise in firm administration, operations, marketing and human resources and played a major role in 12 mergers and acquisitions throughout her career.
- Served in leadership roles on numerous boards of directors, including, but not limited to: United Way of Escambia County, Five Flags Rotary, ARC/Gateway Division, Impact 100 Pensacola, Take Stock in Children, Pensacola Alumni Association and the Society of Human Resource Management.
- Awarded the Outstanding Woman Business Leader of the Year in 2008 by the Pensacola News Journal, named the 2012 Community Leader of the Year by the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce and received Vistage Florida’s 2017 Red Scott Award for outstanding performance as a Vistage Chair.
- If you would like to reach out to Kathy, please email her at kanthony@vistageflorida.com.
Sarasota / Venice
Kimberly Martinez
Vistage Chair since 2018
Background
- Kimberly Martinez is a former top Fortune 50 executive turned serial entrepreneur who has been listed on the INC 5000 list 5 times!
- Her goal as a Vistage Chair is to activate and facilitate focused dialogue and collaboration within a group of fully committed high performing execs who are unwilling to settle for anything other than peak performance in every area of their life. The purpose of our group is to inquire, challenge, support and inspire each other to achieve our collective goals.
- If you would like to reach out to Kimberly, please email her at kmartinez@bonitasint.com
Stuart
Mike Kady
Vistage Chair since 1989
Background
- Founded and still serves as President of KD Management Services, LLC, a firm specializing in the performance improvement of business executives and the companies they lead.
- Served as Chief Executive Officer of a publicly traded (Nasdaq) company and grew the business by more than 50% before negotiating the sale to a Fortune 100 company.
- Held executive positions in operations, engineering, finance, corporate planning and general management with two Fortune 500 companies.
- Served as an Associate Faculty Member at Indiana University – Purdue University in Indianapolis, teaching management courses in the business school.
- Earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Butler University.
- If you would like to reach out to Mike, please email him at mkady@kdmsllc.com.
Tallahassee
David Loveless
Vistage Chair since 2005
Background
Tampa / St. Petersburg
Rolfe Arnhym
Vistage Chair since 1995
Background
- President and CEO of Arnhym and Associates, a Tampa, Florida based Management Consulting firm specializing in business development, marketing, community relations and leadership development.
- Served on the California Chamber of Commerce in Beverly Hills, Palm Springs, Long Beach and Pasadena.
- Honorary Life member of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association
- Former member of the Dean’s Circle College of Business Administration, University of South Florida, and on the Foundation Board of L. Moffitt Cancer Center, and numerous other Boards and Commissions
- A member of the Rotary Club of Tampa and the CEO Council and a recent Graduate of Leadership Tampa.
- Master of Business Administration from George Washington University and the University of Central Florida in 1976 and a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1953.
- Served in the U.S. Army for 20+ years, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and later as a Colonel in the Reserves.
- Author of Start Everything Finish Nothing. A book on Leadership, Lessons learned.
- If you would like to reach out to Rolfe, please email him at rolfe@arnhym.com
Mack DeVine
Vistage Chair since 2005
Background
- Spent thirty plus years doing Crisis Management Turnarounds of private and publicly held corporations.
- Specialties include CEO executive coaching, executive development, leadership development, executive peer group facilitation, advising and mentoring.
- Proudly served his country as an officer in the US Army.
- B.S. in Finance and Accounting from Jacksonville State University, in addition to studying advanced Business Administration Courses at the University of South Florida and completing The Senior Executive Management Program at Harvard.
- If you would like to reach out to Mack, please email him at mackdevine55@gmial.com
Randy Greene
Vistage Chair since 2004
Background
- 30+ years facilitating CEO peer groups
- Former CEO of two public and numerous private companies
- Director of five SEC-reporting companies
- Deep experience in finance, wholesale distribution, manufacturing, real estate, governmental affairs and e-commerce
- Certified Financial Planner
- If you would like to reach out to Randy, please email him at rfgreene@aol.com.
Cindy Hesterman
Vistage Chair since 2002
Background
- 2004 recipient of the TEC/Vistage Robert Nourse Chair of the Year Award and the 2013 Red Scott Award.
- CPA with a diverse background as a financial and accounting executive with small entrepreneurial companies, as well as publicly traded companies
- Actively involved in numerous organizations including: ACG, AICPA, BTC, Christian Chamber of Commerce, and TBWCPA.
- If you would like to reach out to Cindy, please email her at Cindy@CindyHesterman.com.
Art McNeil
Vistage Chair since 2005
Background
- Over thirty-five years as a CEO, entrepreneur, executive coach, consultant, and author.
- Authored a #1 best-seller, The “I” of the Hurricane: How to Generate and Focus Corporate Energy
- Founder and former CEO of Achieve, one of America’s most successful organization and leader development companies and is the current managing director of the blog: www.LeadershipStrategyInsider.com
- If you would like to reach out to Art, please email him at art@artmcneil.com.
Richard Pellegrini
Vistage Chair since 2005
Background
- President, CEO and Owner of Pilgrim Associates
- Has over thirty-eight years of experience in corporate America, including 15 years of C-level positions and President positions with three internationally based manufacturing companies.
- He has extensive experience in management consulting and coaching business processing, and holds a unique, mature view of global, executive business needs.
- He has successfully enabled clients to understand, develop and process senior level restructuring changes for their business.
- If you would like to reach out to Dick, please email him at richard@pilgrimassociates.com.
Russ Van Zandt
Vistage Chair since 2012
Background
- Over twenty years of domestic and international experience as President or CEO, focusing on cardiac rhythm management, cardiovascular, general surgery, urology and respiratory care.
- His career includes 23 years with C. R. Bard Inc. where he was President of Bard Canada Inc., Bard Electro Medical Systems and Bard Vascular Systems.
- His six years with Datascope include responsibilities as President of Cardiac Assist and InterVascular. He has also been President and CEO of CardioLogic Systems, Inc, Life Recovery Systems, and ELA Medical Inc.
- He is currently on the Advisory Board of Directors of Life Recovery Systems, Medical Strategies International, and The Next Phase Consultancy and Veridien Corporation (Chairman since 1999).
- He is a regular contributor to Boomers Rock, an internet radio program on www.ftns.co and has his own weekly show on www.lifeimprovementradio.com.
- He is a Mentor and Counselor with SCORE as well as the principle of several internet marketing web sites under the name of Papa Van.
- He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from St. Michael’s College, a Master of Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University, completed course work for a Doctor of Business Administration at George Washington University as well as post graduate work at the University of Western Ontario and York University.
- He was an Adjunct Professor of Business at Fairliegh Dickinson University and also served as an officer in the United States Air Force.
- If you would like to reach out to Russ, please email him at rdvz@live.com
