CFO Mastermind Group
Because Great Minds Don't Always Think Alike!
Interested in addressing the CFO forum? Please let us know and we'll consider your request.
Our guest speakers are among the most talented in the industry. It would be our pleasure to put their extensive experience to work for you.
Elliott Resnik
CEO and Board Director
Speaks at September 2021 Forum
Elliott Resnik is a 40-year consumer products veteran helping companies create and realize value. After an early stint at General Mills, Inc., most of his career has been as a CEO growing numerous gift and home décor companies in the 20 to 250-million-dollar revenue range.
He’s successfully scaled revenue and infrastructure in his own company (Giftco, Inc.), other private businesses (Luminara Worldwide, Trice Construction, Pinch Provisions, US Robotics, and private equity portfolio companies (Enesco, Winning Streak Sports). He has significant experience in omnichannel marketing, international sourcing, M&A, and operational transformations where he’s turned chaotic companies into more professional organizations and helped them prepare for exit.
Elliott prides himself on being a collaborative leader who works closely with the team and boards of directors to achieve a shared vision. He is proud to announce that the only blog he has ever written is, “The Financial Group is the Most Underinvested Group in the Company” in support of the September 22nd discussion.
Elliott holds a BS in Business Administration from the University of California at Berkeley, and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
Kevin La Croix
Advisor, Speaker, Educator
Former Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, Publicis Groupe
Speaks at February 2021 Forum
Kevin LaCroix is an Executive Vice President at RT ProExec, Beachwood, Ohio, a division of R-T Specialty, LLC. OakBridge is an insurance intermediary focused exclusively on management liability issues. Kevin is also the author of the Internet weblog, The D&O Diary, which the New York Times called “influential” and the Wall Street Journal described as “widely followed.”Kevin LaCroix is an Executive
Specialties: Liabilities of directors and officers of public and private companies; D&O insurance; securities laws; corporate governance Kevin is a graduate of the University of Virginia and of the University of Michigan Law School. Kevin has been involved in directors’ and officers’ liability insurance issues for nearly 35 years. He began his career as a coverage attorney and partner at the Washington, D.C law firm of Ross, Dixon & Bell. More recently, Kevin served as President of Genesis Professional Liability Managers, a D&O underwriter, and part of the Berkshire Hathaway group. called “influential” and the Wall Street Journal was described as “widely followed.”
Kevin served on the Board of Trustees of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS) from 1999 to 2005, and as its President in 2004. In 2008, Kevin received the PLUS Founder’s Award for “lasting and outstanding contributions” to PLUS. In 2015, Kevin was selected by industry professionals in Advisen’s annual Executive Risk Awards as Industry Legend of the Year.
Kevin speaks frequently on D&O issues, and in the recent past has spoken at conferences sponsored by PLUS, Stanford Law School, Fordham Law School, the University of Connecticut Law School, among others. Kevin’s comments on D&O issues have appeared in numerous publications, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Business Week.
Kevin is a graduate of the University of Virginia and of the University of Michigan Law School.
Specialties: Liabilities of directors and officers of public and private companies; D&O insurance; securities laws; corporate governance
Rishad Tobaccowala
Advisor, Speaker, Educator
Former Chief Strategy and Growth Officer , Publicis Groupe
Speaks at February 2021 Forum
Rishad Tobaccowala is an author, speaker and advisor with four decades of experience specializing in helping people, organizations and teams re-invent themselves to remain relevant in changing times.
Rishad’s best-selling book “Restoring the Soul of Business: Staying Human in the Age of Data” was published globally by Harper Collins in January 2020 and focusses on helping people think, feel and see differently about how to grow their companies, their teams and themselves in transformative times. The Economist Magazine called it perhaps the best recent book on stakeholder capitalism.
Rishad speaks on change, future trends and transforming work forces to a range of
industries from technology (Google, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, LinkedIn), to media ( NY
Times, Conde Nast, Univision), to blue chip firms ( Walmart, Procter and Gamble, H&R
Block, Bayer) to Industry Associations (Blue Cross Blue Shield, US Olympic Swimming,
Radio Advertising Bureau). Rishad also teaches programs on Change Management,
Upgrading Your Mental Operating System and How to Lead with Soul for many firms
and guest lectures at The University of Chicago and Northwestern.
Rishad’s advisory clients include global firms such as Publicis Groupe and many executives
at Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 companies, private equity organizations such as Growth
Catalyst Partner, Venture Capital firms such as Greycroft and technology platforms such as
Crisp, Trendline and many more.
Rishad spent nearly four decades at Publicis Groupe an 80,000-employee firm comprising companies like Epsilon, Sapient, Digitas, Leo Burnett, Saatchi and Saatchi, Starcom and
Zenith dedicated to delivering marketing and business transformation. Before Rishad
stopped being a full-time employee with Publicis Groupe in 2019 he served as its Chief
Strategy and Growth Officer and served on its Management Committee.
Rishad has also been the Chairman of Digitas and Razorfish, two of the largest marketing transformation agencies in the world with over 11000 employees.
Over his 38-year career Tobaccowala has worked across almost every area of marketing
and strategy including brand advertising, media, database, direct and interactive marketing.
As a pioneer in digital marketing, Tobaccowala helped create one of the first interactive
groups and digital agencies 25 years ago and has helped launch a series of initiatives over
the years from groups focused on gaming, social, mobile and search engine marketing.
Starcom IP, Play, Giant Step, SMG Search and Denuo are some of the brands Tobaccowala helped incubate.
Tobaccowala was named by BusinessWeek as one of the top business leaders for his
pioneering innovation and TIME magazine dubbed him one of five “Marketing Innovators.
He is the Ad Age Interactive Hall of Fame and has received a lifetime achievement silver
medal award from the Chicago Ad Federation.
Rishad is also is chairman of The Tobaccowala Foundation, which helps over 10,000 people
gain better access to health and education in India.
Tobaccowala holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Bombay and
an MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago with which he
remains closely involved.
William Himmelstein
Founder, CEO and Managing Broker
Tenant, Advisory Group, LLC
Speaks at March 2021 Forum
Bill Himmelstein, CCIM, CNE, is the Founder, CEO, and Managing Broker of Tenant Advisory Group, LLC. Bill has been a tenant representative broker for 20 years, and started Tenant Advisory Group in July 2008 after gaining experience at several of the major commercial real estate firms in Chicago. He has completed over $1B in commercial transactions, with his typical clients including professional service firms, technology-based businesses, manufacturers and private practice physicians.
Bill has been a guest professor at UIC, DePaul and Columbia College. He has spoken in
front of crowds as large as 5,000 people. He has spoken on behalf of the City of Chicago,
as well as to the American Bar Association. Bill hosted a digital real estate show through
Advisor TV and was a founding member of both the Coleman Circle for Entrepreneurs and
the Chicago Leadership Alliance. Bill is part of a team developing over $150M in hotels
across the country. He has also invested in and served on the advisory board of over a
dozen early stage technology based companies.
Bill prides himself on acting with a high level of integrity, accountability, responsiveness and determination in achieving the best possible deal terms for all of his clients. In 2017, Bill was named one of The Most Influential Commercial Real Estate Brokers in Chicago by Crain’s.
Bill’s expert advice and market knowledge has also been featured in over a dozen news
articles, podcasts and radio interviews. Bill graduated from Washington University in St.
Louis with a BSBA in marketing and management and a minor in psychology.
Charles Coe
Coe Financial Group
Speaks at October 2020 Forum
Founder and President of Coe Financial Group, Chad Coe, is a highly respected business coach, a trusted wealth manager, an insightful connector of professionals, a compassionate philanthropist, an author, a speaker, a facilitator, and an auctioneer.
Chad's generosity seems to know no limit. As founder and president of Special Kids Network,
a fundraising arm for several charitable organizations that assist children with special needs,
Chad sees the bigger picture of life. He contributes value to physically challenged children by creating opportunities through which they can find enjoyment and feel part of a loving and
caring community.
As a forward thinking and supportive coach and speaker, Chad consistently puts people in
position to succeed. He helps business professionals navigate today's "Relationship
Economy" with confidence and dignity. Chad teaches people to step up to make quality introductions on the behalf of both parties, and he is always willing to share his insights and
provide guidance.
Chad Coe leads by example, lives with passion, and inspires others to do the same. The
quality that best describes CHAD COE is versatility. He is a highly respected business
coach, a trusted wealth manager, an insightful connector of professionals, a compassionate philanthropist, an author, a speaker, a facilitator, and an auctioneer. His unique ability to
align people with their goals in the peer-to-peer setting, challenge each other, and create
their own success has earned him the moniker of “The Mastermind.” When it comes to
strong, decisive, and empathic leadership, nobody lives it,teaches it, and develops it like
Chad a real difference maker!
In his book, “The Power of Peopletizing: Networking your Way to an Abundant Life,” Chad
writes about overcoming obstacles, asserting oneself positively in the world, and giving
back. These themes, which have defined him along his own journey and helped him build a
highly profitable financial services enterprise, form an important cornerstone of his
leadership keynote. Through his Strategic Mastermind Groups, Chad continues to set the
example, encouraging others to embrace adversity, assume accountability, and grow.
Chad’s generosity seems to know no limit. As founder and president of Special Kids
Network, a fundraising arm for several charitable organizations that assist children with
special needs, Chad sees the bigger picture of life. He contributes value to physically
challenged children by creating opportunities through which they can find enjoyment and
feel part of a loving and caring community.
Forward thinking and consummately supportive, Chad consistently puts people in a position
to succeed. He helps business professionals navigate today’s “Relationship Economy” with confidence and dignity, stepping up to make quality introductions on the behalf of both
parties, and always willing to share his insights and provide guidance. Chad Coe leads by example, lives with passion, and inspires others to do the same.
This is a link to Chad’s business profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/coefinancial/
You can reach Chad and/or Coe Financial Group at 847-282-3170.
James Harkness
Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP
Speaks at July 2020 Forum
Attorney, James Harkness is a Partner at Swanson, Martin & Bell. His practice areas include commercial and business litigation, class actions, federal banking regulation disputes, manufacturing and distributor/subcontractor disputes, trade secret litigation, non-competition litigation, Uniform Commercial Code litigation, military contractor disputes, telecommunications, construction litigation, and employment law, at both the state and federal levels. Jim has participated in jury trials and conducted numerous bench trials, arbitrations and mediations in state and federal court to obtain favorable judgments and directed verdicts.
Jim’s achievements include dismissal of claims against large corporate entities in the Illinois Supreme Court, dismissals and summary judgment rulings of all claims against large
commercial clients in state and federal courts, enforcing copyright entitlements in federal
court, obtaining a $900,000 judgment at trial, on counterclaim, with dismissal of all claims
against venture capital client in federal court and dismissal of all claims in class action
against a billion dollar business, and the successful defense of a manufacturer at trial. He is
also a certified arbitrator in DuPage County, Illinois, as well as serving in numerous
positions as Chairman of DuPage County Bar Association Committees and as a Director on
the Board, and as Section Council on the Illinois State Bar Association. He previously was
an active, invited member of the American Inns of Courts, DuPage Chapter.
Domenic Rinaldi
Sun Acquisitions
Speaks at April 2019 Forum
Domenic Rinaldi is the President and Managing Partner of Sun Acquisitions. He was awarded the professional designation of Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and is considered an expert in the field of business brokerage. He is a seasoned executive who brings over 30 years of proven experience in merger/acquisition, sales, service, marketing and operations to the business brokerage arena.
Domenic’s career began at Sprint Corp, where he spent 13 years in sales and operations.
As VP of their Hospitality Division he led a national organization to $250 million in annual
revenue. His experience as Chief Operating Officer of an e-commerce travel company
offered the opportunity to grow a Silicon Valley startup into an international solutions
provider. Additionally, Domenic’s small business experience running a New York City
technology company gave him first hand knowledge of the challenges facing business
owners. It was at this privately held company he learned the business of raising venture
capital and driving a small company to profitability, which ultimately resulted in an
acquisition.
Domenic is recognized by colleagues and associates as a leader with determination and
integrity. He has helped countless business owners sell their businesses while maximizing
value. Personally, he has served on the boards of several non-profit organizations and
started a citywide program serving under-privileged school children.
Dennis Chookaszian
CNA Insurance Companies
Speaks at October 2018 Forum
Dennis Chookaszian is the retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CNA Insurance Companies.
He served from 1992 until 1999. He also served as chairman of the executive committee of CNA from 1999 to 2001. From 1990 to 1992, Mr. Chookaszian served as CNA’s president and chief operating officer, with responsibility for all property and casualty, life, health and investment operations.
Mr. Chookaszian joined CNA in 1975 and served as chief financial officer until 1990 when
he was named president. He also served as chairman and CEO of mPower Inc, an Internet financial advisory service, from 1999 to 2001. Prior to joining CNA, he was a management consultant with Deloitte for eight years working on various financial and systems related assignments.
Mr. Chookaszian served as chairman of FASAC (Financial Accounting Standards
Advisory Council) which provides guidance to the FASB (Financial Accounting
Standards Board) on accounting matters for five years and completed his term in 2012.
He was also a member of the FCAG (Financial Crisis Advisory Group) which was the
international commission that was created to develop recommendations to solve the
financial reporting problems associated with the financial crisis of 2008.
During his career, he has served as a director on the boards of thirteen publicly traded
corporations and fifty private corporations. He is currently a director of four public
companies including the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the world’s largest financial
futures and derivatives exchange, Career Education, a private post-secondary
education provider, Maxar Technologies, a space satellite technology company, and
Pillarstone Capital, a real estate investment trust. He also serves as a director of a
number of private corporations and has served as an arbitrator in eleven diverse cases
and an expert witness in twelve cases.
Mr. Chookaszian is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of
Business and teaches courses in Corporate Governance. He also teaches a course in
International Corporate Governance at Cheung Kong University in China, Shanghai
Advanced Institute of Finance in China, and at IIPM in India.
Mr. Chookaszian is a member of the national board of the Boy Scouts of America, a
trustee of Northwestern University, a member of the advisory board of the University of
Chicago Booth School of Business, and a member of the advisory board of Kellogg
Graduate School of Management. He is also a director of Northwestern Memorial
Hospital and president of the Foundation for Health Enhancement.
Mr. Chookaszian has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Northwestern
University, an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth Graduate School of Business,
and a master of science degree in economics from the London School of Economics.
He is a Certified Public Accountant, a Chartered Global Management Accountant,
Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter, and a Certified Management Consultant as
well as a member of the directors’ table of Beta Gamma Sigma, an honorary fraternity.
In 2010, Mr. Chookaszian received the Outstanding Director Award from the Financial Times Outstanding Directors Exchange.
Bob Lambert
Samurai Business Group LLC.
speaks at September 2017 & April 2023 Forums
Bob Lambert is a founding partner of Samurai Business Group LLC®, a leading training and consulting firm specializing in improving performance with sales and sales management training to professionals engaged in B-2-B business development and sales.
He has over 35 years experience in strategic business development, marketing sales and sales management for Global 50, Fortune 500 companies as well as being the founder of four successful entrepreneurial start-up companies.
Mr. Lambert has successfully coached, mentored, & trained people throughout his career.
Several have gone on to become top executives with Fortune companies or found
successful entrepreneurial firms. Many of Samurai’s clients have experienced two to three
times increases in their sales revenue.
A vastly popular presenter, Bob's speaking engagements include: Harvard Business School
- Alumni Club, Wharton Business School - Alumni Club, University of Chicago – Booth Roundtables, University of Michigan, Ross Graduate School Alumni, S.C.O.R.E. C12, and
Vistage. He has spoken at numerous conferences, seminars for private & public companies, professional and faith based associations and small to medium business groups.
Mr. Lambert serves on the board of advisors at DePaul University – Center for Sales
Leadership, where his Samurai Buying Decision Model© is taught as part of their
undergraduate and MBA curriculum in professional sales. Additionally 36 other universities
have incorporated the Samurai BDM into their sales curriculum.
Bob attended Ferris State University majoring in Advertising & Marketing, Served in the US
Navy.
Larry Kaufman
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
speaks at May 2017 Forum
Larry Kaufman is an Area Vice President for Arthur J. Gallagher (BSD), Senior Sales Leader and Rainmaker. Larry has been a Global Published LinkedIn Public Speaker/Trainer for over 9 years. He has presented to FEI, FENG, CFOLG, CEO Associations, Vistage (Vistage Approved Speaker), Renaissance Executive Forums, TMA (Turnaround Management Association), AM&AA (Alliance for Merger & Acquisition Advisors), M & A Firms, Private Equity Firms, The Real Estate Industry, Hospitality/Hotel Industry, REIA (Real Estate Investment Association). He has also presented to Board Members, Human Resource Executives, ITA (Illinois Technology Association), the Manufacturing and Distribution industry, Construction Companies, Engineering Firms, Electrical Contractors, Commercial Flooring Companies, Banks, Insurance and Law Firms. He also works with C-Level Outplacement Organizations helping executives leverage LinkedIn to find their next executive level position.
Larry has been in sales and sales leadership roles for the past 28 years. He has hired and developed inside and outside sales forces in healthcare, banking to consulting firms in the BPO and the accounting industry as well. Larry has also worked on his own helping small, mid-market to larger companies recruit talent to their organizations and helping them with corporate introductions to expand their client base.
To read more about Larry please visit his LinkedIn profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrykaufmanlinkedinspeaker/ or contact him at Larry_Kaufman@ajg.com
Richard Janezic has been helping companies grow, renew and improve for more than 25 years. His experience includes early-stage firms through Fortune 250 multinationals in healthcare, finance, business services and technology sectors. He brings practical executive,
advisory, and board level perspectives from companies in scenarios ranging from turnaround through high growth and scale. This cross-industry, broad scenario experience combined with executive, angel investing and consulting roles gives him the unique insights to quickly identify risks and opportunities. Rick's engineering and business training gives him deep quantitative and qualitative skills to analyze problems, and synthesize strategies and plans that have delivered superior shareholder value.
Rick is a growth and change expert. He was founder of a business advisory practice, and
has led multiple unit and business turnarounds and transformations. His responsibilities
have included internal and external startups, growing a $100M revenue line, and leading
teams to improve their statistical rank from worst to first. He is working on his first book
about business, change and growth. He is an executive coach and board advisor for
Wisconsin-based Pendio Group.
Rick holds a BS Engineering from DeVry University, with graduate business coursework at Wharton, Chicago Booth and Stanford. He is the father of 3, an avid reader, and an
occasional golfer.
You can contact Rick at 414.248.2318, email: rick.janezic@pendio.io; via twitter: @rjanezic, linkedin: linkedin.com/in/richardjanezic or Pendio's website: pendio.io.
"Josette specializes in taking already successful business leaders and their teams to the next level of performance. Josette’s passion is challenging leaders to understand every aspect of their company, evaluate what makes them unique, and leverage the
talents of each individual team member. Her top-down approach to coaching has a cascading affect on the entire organization. When employees see their leaders re-energized and armed with the fundamentals of leadership, teamwork and personal effectiveness, the whole company and its bottom line grows." Josette has been a repeated guest to the CFO Mastermind Forum. To find out more about her or Goldberg Executive Coaching services, please visit their website at http://www.goldbergexecutivecoaching.com/
Rob is a recognized relationship capital and organizational culture strategist to business leaders. Author of the recently released Book: "Standard of Trust Leadership: Transforming Business Cultures Through Purpose, Performance, and Relationship Capital."
A trusted resource and advocate for standards of Relationship Capital (RC) assessment,
capture, measurement, and utilization. Since 2005, he has played a significant role in the
creation of industry standards and best practices for the capture of RC. As a relationship
builder with 25+ years of large-account new-business development experience, Rob and his
teams created new business clients that generated revenue & profits for iGATE, Capgemini Financial Services, Headstrong, Keane, Romac International and IBM.
Rob’s business experience resulted in a passion; enabling business leaders and their
companies to build and maintain high performing cultures of purpose, mastery, and earned relationship capital that results in distinction, revenue, and profitability. Some of the
business challenges he addresses are: 1. Loss of clients/customers or sales 2. Low levels
of engagement with employees 3. Low levels of innovation 4. Lack of long-term competitive advantage 5. Frustration in breaking down the functional silos
You can contact Mr. Peters at 847 698-3614 or visit their website at StandardofTrust.com.
"Dan Wallace has nearly 25 years of experience helping companies create and realize value. He has worked with both mature and early-stage companies in more than 40 consumer and B-to-B sectors, both as an advisor and as a C-level executive. His experience as a strategy consultant, operating executive and investment banker gives him a unique perspective and the ability to identify opportunities, create and implement plans to pursue them, and turn the results into shareholder value.
Dan began his consulting career at The Boston Consulting Group and subsequently held
senior positions in two boutique strategy consulting firms. He later founded his own
business advisory practice, through which he provided interim leadership to several
companies, helping them accomplish significant business transformations. In one instance,
he led a family-owned specialty finance company through a turnaround that produced a 6x
gain in shareholder value in 24 months. Early in his career, Mr. Wallace was a Vice
President of Corporate Finance at Sutro & Co. Incorporated (now part of RBC Wealth Management), where he completed both sell- and buy- side M&A transactions, LBOs and
IPOs.
Dan holds a BA from Whitman College and an MBA from the Harvard Business School."
You can contact Dan at (630) 803-6625 or visit their website at The Traction Group. Dan
has been a repeated guest at the CFO Mastermind Forum.
For the first time in history, beginning in 2014, there will be a federal requirement to offer prescribed health coverage or potentially pay a penalty. • Is your company required to offer coverage? • Are you a small employer or an applicable large employer? • Do you know the legal definition of a full-time employee? • What happens if you fail to meet the new law’s requirements? • When will these penalties go into effect? • Which employers are eligible for a premium tax credit? Join HRInsights and Michelle Binks to find out the answers at the October CFO Mastermind Forum on Wednesday, October 16th, 2013; and what specifically it means for the CFO and your business.
Michelle Binks, Director of Human Resource Services for HRInsights, has over 20 years of diversified human resource experience including benefit programs, federal and state
employment compliance, compensation structure / analysis, recruiting, handbook
development / redesign, and training. Her background encompasses a multitude of
industries including manufacturing, marketing, information technology, medical practices
and financial services to name a few. Michelle leads our HR Advisor team, giving our clients personalized, customized HR advice and guidance.