Michael joined the Marine Corps shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks and served on active duty for eight years, which included a deployment to Afghanistan with an infantry company as the artillery forward observer. After leaving active duty, Michael attended New York University’s Stern School of Business graduating with an M.B.A. in finance, with a specialization in entrepreneurship & innovation.

While attending business school, he founded the FourBlock Foundation to help bridge the gap between returning service members and the business community. Under his leadership, FourBlock expanded to twelve cities across the country, educating and serving hundreds of transitioning veterans each semester.

Michael is currently the Executive Director for the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, where he leads a team that utilizes innovative educational technologies to deliver best-in-class transition programming to veterans nationally. He has co-authored three books; Mission Critical: Unlocking the Value of Veterans in the Workforce, and two editions of a military transition guidebook titled Business Networking for Veterans. He is currently a term member at the Council on Foreign Relations and was recognized as one of the HillVets Top 100 Veteran Innovators of 2016. Michael is also currently serving in the Marine Corps Reserves as the executive officer for 3rd Battalion, 14th Marines. He was previously the battery commander of the unit in Chattanooga, TN, that sustained a homegrown terrorist attack in July 2015.

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Michael joined the Marine Corps shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks and served on active duty for eight years, which included a deployment to Afghanistan with an infantry company as the artillery forward observer. After leaving active duty, Michael attended New York University’s Stern School of Business graduating with an M.B.A. in finance, with a specialization in entrepreneurship & innovation.

While attending business school, he founded the FourBlock Foundation to help bridge the gap between returning service members and the business community. Under his leadership, FourBlock expanded to twelve cities across the country, educating and serving hundreds of transitioning veterans each semester.

Michael is currently the Executive Director for the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, where he leads a team that utilizes innovative educational technologies to deliver best-in-class transition programming to veterans nationally. He has co-authored three books; Mission Critical: Unlocking the Value of Veterans in the Workforce, and two editions of a military transition guidebook titled Business Networking for Veterans. He is currently a term member at the Council on Foreign Relations and was recognized as one of the HillVets Top 100 Veteran Innovators of 2016. Michael is also currently serving in the Marine Corps Reserves as the executive officer for 3rd Battalion, 14th Marines. He was previously the battery commander of the unit in Chattanooga, TN, that sustained a homegrown terrorist attack in July 2015.

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General Charles C. Krulak served 35 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. His last position was as Commandant of the Marine Corps and as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He commanded a platoon and two rifle companies during two tours of duty in Vietnam and then held a variety of command and staff positions. These included Deputy Director of the White House Military Office, Commanding General, 6 th Marine Expeditionary Brigade during Desert Storm, Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, and Commanding General, Marine Forces Pacific.

During his military service, General Krulak was awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star Medal, three Bronze Star Medals with Combat “V”, two Purple Heart medals, the Meritorious Service Medal, the French Legion d’Honneur Commandeur rank, and many other decorations and medals.

Upon his retirement from the Marine Corps, General Krulak joined MBNA America Bank as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MBNA Europe Bank, Ltd. After four years in this position, he returned to the United States and served as Vice Chairman, MBNA America Bank as Head of Corporate Development, Mergers and Acquisitions. General Krulak retired from MBNA in June, 2005.

General Krulak then joined several Corporate Boards and the Boards of two professional sports teams — the Cleveland Browns and Aston Villa FC, a Premiership soccer team in the UK.

General Krulak was introduced as the 13th President of Birmingham-Southern College on March 21, 2011, and retired as of June 30, 2015. In addition, General Krulak is an advisor to the Center for Naval Analysis, Human Rights First and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham and The Altamont School, also in Birmingham.

General Krulak is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and has a Master’s Degree in labor relations from George Washington University. He also holds an Honorary Doctorate of Military Science, from Uniformed Services, University of the Health Sciences; and Honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters from both Pace University and Birmingham-Southern College.

General Krulak is an active speaker at various national and local events and has published numerous articles related to Education and Human Trafficking.

General Krulak and his wife of 53 years, Zandi, have two sons and five grandchildren.

Missy is a Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations at The Coca-Cola Company. Missy’s primary focus is on partnerships with the United Nations and the New York City-based global stakeholder community and public policy organizations.

Missy came to Coca-Cola from the U.S. Department of Commerce where she served as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary and advisor to the Secretary on all key Department-related matters, including his interaction with the business community. Missy began her work in the Obama Administration at the U.S. Department of Energy as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Secretary. Her experience also includes managing Vice President Joe Biden’s 2008 Senate campaign and Attorney General Biden’s first campaign in 2006.

Missy also worked in New York City as an attorney at Greenberg Traurig, LLP after serving the Clinton Administration in the White House and at the U.S. Department of State. She also was as a Legislative Aide to New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. A native of Delaware, Missy graduated from Georgetown University and Brooklyn Law School.

Jo Ann Ross is a broadcast network sales veteran who has served in various sales roles at CBS over the last 25 years. Ross, the first woman to serve as sales chief of a broadcast network and the longest-running sales head in broadcast television, was promoted to President and Chief Advertising Revenue Officer, CBS Corporation in August 2017. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the company’s multiplatform advertising sales effort. Ross previously served as President, Network Sales, CBS Television Network since October 2002, responsible for overseeing all sales for CBS Entertainment, Sports, Daytime, News and Late Night. In addition to her new responsibilities, Ross will continue to run the Network sales team in its many operations. She reports to Leslie Moonves, Chairman and CEO, CBS Corporation.

Before being named president of the sales division, Ross served as Executive Vice President of Sales at CBS (September 1998-2002), responsible for oversight of all sales for CBS’ primetime schedule. She also played a major role in creating new ways to sell Network programming, including reality, scripted, news and late-night genres. She joined CBS in 1992 as Vice President of Olympic Sales, in charge of Network sales for the Lillehammer Winter Olympics in 1994 and the Nagano Winter Olympics in 1998.

Prior to joining CBS, Ross was with the ABC Network for three years, where she sold daytime before being named a Prime Account Executive. Before that, Ross worked at the media buying firm Bozell, starting as an assistant buyer and working her way up to Senior Vice President, where she ran the network buying department.

She was inducted into the DTC Hall of Fame in 2015 and Broadcasting & Cable’s Hall of Fame in 2013. For many years running, Ross has been one of The Hollywood Reporter’s “100 Most Powerful Women in Entertainment,” and she has been selected to the “AdWeek 50” list of the most indispensable executives behind the CEO from marketing, media and tech. Additionally, she was included on the list of power women in Variety’s 2018 Women’s Impact Report; she was named the Women in Sports and Entertainment “Woman of the Year” in 2005; and in September 2002 she was named one of Advertising Age’s “Media Mavens,” an annual compilation of the industry’s top media stars.

A cancer survivor, Ross has been a longtime supporter of MSKCC’s annual Cycle for Survival. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the John A. Reisenbach Foundation and The Ad Council.

Kevin is an attorney with a private practice in New York City. His practice focuses on representing veterans’ organizations and minority owned businesses. Kevin is responsible for FourBlock’s financial reporting. In addition, Kevin is a former project manager in support of the Small Business Innovative Research Programs.

In his sixteenth year at Columbia University’s School of General Studies, Curtis Rodgers is vice dean, overseeing the offices of admissions, financial aid and communications. During his time at Columbia University, Rodgers has gained broad experience identifying a variety of top-performing, adult, returning and veteran students, and developing innovative enrollment and retention strategies for these distinct populations. Rodgers was awarded a gold medal for his student recruitment campaign from the Council of Advancement and Support of Education; an award of distinction for recruitment publications from the Creativity 28; and a merit award for best admissions print advertising in U.S. AD Review. Before coming to Columbia University, Rodgers was a marketing manager for AT&T.

Rick Miners is an entrepreneur, author, and expert in the areas of personal and professional growth and transition. Rick has an extensive background in leading both emerging and established companies. He co-founded and was President of FlexCorp Systems, a human capital business process outsourcing firm. The company had 1,000 employees and was named by INC. Magazine as one of the Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies in the U.S. (number 119) in November, 2005. The company was sold in 2006.

Prior to founding FlexCorp, he was the managing partner of the executive search and transition advisory firm of SEDLAR & MINERS, which focused on the recruitment of senior executives.

He previously was President of Goodrich and Sherwood, a global human resources consulting firm, where he held successive positions of General Manager of the Executive Search practice; General Manger of Outplacement; General Manager of the Executive Coaching practice; and Chief Operating Officer. Rick is the co-author of two nationally acclaimed books, Don’t Retire, REWIRE! 5 Steps to Fulfilling Work that Fuels Your Passion, Suits Your Personality and Fills Your Pocket and ON TARGET: Enhance your Life and Ensure Your Success, both which support his belief that people need tools to assist them through growth and transition.

Miners has lectured at universities, industry forums, and not-for-profit organizations on strategic workforce issues and his new retirement model, REWIREMENT®. He advocates that employers and employees need to upgrade their thinking if they are to better capitalize on the aging demographics. He has appeared multiple times on The Today Show, CNN, PBS, Wall Street Week and radio programs discussing “Future Workforce” issues. His earlier business experience includes management positions at American Home Products, Tetley, Inc., and Avon Products.

He is a resident member of the New York Athletic Club. An Army veteran, he serves on the Executive Committee of American Legion Post 754, which resides at the New York Athletic Club. Miners is Executive Advisor of the FourBlock Foundation, a not for profit organization that provides career services to military veterans. He is also on the Board Directors of the Xavier Society for the Blind and the Print Club of New York Rick grew up in Rumson, New Jersey. He is a graduate of Wake Forest University, and has served as a member of the Board of Advisors of the University’s Calloway School of Business and Accountancy and continues to serve as an Alumni-in-Admissions volunteer for the University.

He resides in New York City with his co-author spouse, Jeri Sedlar.

Richard L. Stehl is the Chairman of the Board of Otterbourg P.C. and manages a specialty practice group which includes corporate, real estate, banking and finance areas. Mr. Stehl represents institutional lenders, banks, finance companies, hedge funds, factors and insurance companies in connection with the documentation of domestic and international secured lending arrangements, including asset-based, cash flow, middle market, leveraged, unitranche, and first and second lien loan transactions. Mr. Stehl also frequently represents secured lenders in bankruptcies, workouts, reorganizations, and portfolio and business unit acquisitions and dispositions.

Mr. Stehl has represented Boards of Directors, as well as their various committees, and advises on corporate governance and similar matters. He has, among other corporate representations, negotiated and documented executive compensation and management incentive packages, employment agreements, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, and executive exit agreements. He often advises companies on technology transfer, data security and privacy matters. Mr. Stehl has been involved in various corporate, licensing, financing, protection of proprietary information and other representations for technically oriented companies, as well as for companies whose principal assets involve intellectual properties.

Prior to joining Otterbourg, Mr. Stehl served as the Law Clerk to the Honorable Leif M. Clark, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Texas. He has published legal articles in the areas of bankruptcy law, secured lending and management and is an active member of the Association of Commercial Finance Attorneys, the Turnaround Management Association, the Association for Corporate Growth and the New York State Bar Association. Mr. Stehl is a frequent speaker on topics relating to secured financing.

Mr. Stehl received his law degree from St. John’s University in 1992 and his LL.M. degree from New York University Law School in 2001. Mr. Stehl also holds an M.B.A. degree from The Hofstra University School of Business. He is a member of the bars of the states of New York and Connecticut.

Mr. Stehl is deeply involved in many charitable causes. He is a member of the Board of Governors of Opportunity International, a microfinance charity which promotes entrepreneurialism and economic growth in Third World countries. He serves as a Director of Four Block, a charitable organization that trains and assists veterans to successfully transition from their military careers to the private sector. He is also an active member of Hope for the Warriors, Needlers Foundation, National Jewish Health Foundation and Ort America, among others. In 2014, Mr. Stehl was honored with the Community Achievement Award by Ort America.

For over 20 years, Darren has worked as a management consultant and a business development strategist specializing in providing companies with business to business software solutions to drive innovation and improve profitability. Darren currently works at LinkedIn where he manages responsibilities for several strategic customers in North America across several sectors.

Prior to LinkedIn, Darren was a member of several Big Data, B2B Software, Strategic Consulting companies where he held responsibilities for new market and new customer business development. Prior to his Software career, Darren was a strategy consultant in the US and Europe. Darren attended the Harvard Business School where he earned an MBA. Prior to HBS, Darren attended the US Military Academy at West Point, NY where he earned a BS degree in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering and served in the US Army’s Aviation Branch. He is a veteran of the 1st Gulf War where he served in Saudi Arabia and Iraq for operations Desert Storm and Shield.