Guest Speakers
Oscar Feldenkreis is the Chief Executive Officer and President of Perry Ellis International, Inc., a leading global fashion house representing a diverse portfolio of lifestyle brands. Our core and licensed brands consist of: Perry Ellis®, Perry Ellis America®, An Original Penguin by Munsingwear®, Callaway®, PGA Tour®, Ben Hogan®, Cubavera®, Savane®, Rafaella®, Laundry by Shelli Segal®, Farah®, and Nike® Swim.
Oscar has been immersed in all aspects of the organization since joining the company in 1980, and takes great pride in the development of the business coupled with his personal and long standing industry relationships. He served as the company’s Chief Operating Officer beginning in 1993 and was elected Vice Chairman of PEI’s Board of Directors in 2005. In April 2016, he was appointed CEO and President providing the company’s strategic foundation and direction, resulting in increased operational and financial performance enhancing shareholder value. Oscar’s entrepreneurial spirit, visionary leadership and transformative approach to the future has enabled the company to flourish recently celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Additionally, he devotes his time and energy to various civic and philanthropic commitments. He is a member of the YPO/WPO, and belongs to the United Way of Miami-Dade’s Tocqueville Society. Oscar has received various charitable awards such as the 2010 K.I.D.S. Achievement Award from Kids In Distressed Situations, Inc., the recipient of the 2012 National Father’s Day Committee’s Father of the Year Award, and was Apparel Industry Honoree for the 2016 Ronald McDonald House New York Annual Gala.
Presiding over the Greater Miami Chapter of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces is a labor of love. He also supports the Kosher Food Bank, sits on the Miami Dade College advisory board for the Miami Fashion Institute, and is an active advisory board member for the Jay H. Baker Retailing Center, of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. He serves on the American Apparel and Footwear Association Board, the U.S. Advisory Board for the U.S. Istituto Marangoni and most recently appointed to the board of the Nicklaus Children’s Foundation.
Oscar has been married to his wife Ellen for 37 years and resides in Miami Beach, Florida. They have three beautiful daughters: Jennifer Hardoon, Erica Lichy and Stephanie Tauber.Adoring grandparents to granddaughters, Hailey, Elizabeth, Miriam along with grandsons, Henry, Moshe, and Meir. He is proud of his Cuban heritage, strong faith and believes in the importance of instilling generational family values. He is a tennis enthusiast, an avid sports fan and takes pleasure in boating and cycling.
Following her graduation with honors from the University of Florida School of Law in 1975 (one of just 17 women in a class of about 250), Ms. Ungaro practiced law in Miami, Florida where in 1981 she became a partner in Tew, Critchlow, Sonberg, Traum & Friedbauer, P.A. She subsequently joined Sparber, Shevin, Shapo & Heilbronner, a prestigious local law firm, as a partner. She practiced law mainly in the area of complex commercial litigation, including in the areas of securities, corporate and tax law. From 1987 to 1992, Ms. Ungaro served as a trial judge on the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida.
Judge Ungaro was appointed to serve on the federal U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in 1992, after being nominated by President George H.W. Bush and being confirmed by the U.S. Senate. In her time on the federal bench, she presided over and ruled in numerous major civil and criminal cases.
During her tenure on the federal bench, Ms. Ungaro served on national, regional and local committees responsible for court administration. Most notably, she served for eight years as a member of the Judicial Resources Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States, the committee responsible for making compensation and other human resource-related recommendations to the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. She also served as Chair of the southern District of Florida’s Clerks Committee and the Magistrate Judges Committee from time to time.
After 29 years of federal service, Ms. Ungaro announced her retirement from the federal bench to join the prestigious law firm Boies Schiller Flexner LLP. She has published articles in the areas of administrative law, legal ethics, and civil procedure. She is the recipient of the ORT Jurisprudence Award and has been recognized on several occasions by other organizations for her achievements in the law and service to the community.
Ms. Ungaro serves on the board of directors of Longeveron, Inc., a publicly traded company registered on the NASDAQ. She also has numerous community involvements. Among others, she served on the Florida Supreme Court Race and Bias Commission, and she currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Family Learning Partnership, a non-profit that supports needy families with educational and related resources, and participates on a voluntary basis (having formerly participated in her judicial capacity) in CARE Court, a court-assisted reentry program for moderate and high risk offenders recently released from prison.
Mr. Sammy Saka is a leader in business as well as the community. Mr. Sammy Saka is the Vice President at Sakar International/Vivitar, a global consumer electronics and accessories company which licenses more than 40 entertainment brands that include a diverse portfolio of products, as well as the lifestyle brand, Vivitar, and the Altec Lansing brand, a company with a deep legacy in audio. Sakar re-established Altec as a market share leader. Mr. Saka rose though the company over many years, eventually heading international imports. Today, he continues to be the liaison for all international exports, expanding globally to South America, Europe, Canada, and Asia.
Mr. Sammy Saka is currently the Chairman of Hillel Yeshiva’s Board of Directors. In 2003 he became President of Hillel Yeshiva. As President, Mr. Saka embarked upon a new era. He endeavored to raise the level of education and made administrative changes that had a positive impact on the school. He guided the efforts to enhance Hillel’s facilities with the creation of new indoor and outdoor playgrounds for the Early Learning Center, a new Ashkenazi Midrash in the High School, a state-of-the-art music room, the refurbishment of school bathrooms, a new student lounge in the High School, and a professional level baseball field.
Mr. Saka is a pillar in the community and responsible for much of the exponential growth of the Jersey Shore Jewish community.
Russell showed an early interest in the public markets when his grandfather taught him how to read the stock tables as a child. After losing both his parents at a young age, Russell learned the value of self-sufficiency and perseverance as he invested and paid his way through college. Russell’s career began at Dawson-Samberg Capital Management. At the age of 26, Russell started his own long/short equity hedge fund within the firm. With $10m of initial backing, Russell successfully grew the Southport Millennium family of funds to a total AUM of $3b (2000-2009). During this time, Russell ultimately became Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dawson-Herman Capital Management. The fund’s areas of focus were the technology, consumer, media, healthcare, industrial, and commodity sectors.
Russell then founded Herman Capital Management, the predecessor to White Pine Capital Management. After analyzing the changing dynamics in the public equity markets, Russell started early-stage private market investing in 2012. While maintaining a multi-asset class portfolio, Russell has become an active investor in the startup community. Through fund investments and direct equity participation, Russell enjoys working with and advising his network of fund managers and founders.
Other than spending time with his beloved family and various charitable organizations, you can usually find Russell in the surf, rolling on two wheels, or somewhere in the mountains.
Sheriff Shaun Golden is the 76th elected Sheriff of Monmouth County and is the Chief Executive of the agency which consists of four divisions: Law Enforcement, Communications, Special Operations, and Corrections, as well as, the administration of the Monmouth County Police Academy and the Office of Emergency Management, which played the lead role in efforts related to Superstorm Sandy. Under Sheriff Golden’s leadership, the Office offers over 30 community safety programs including volunteer programs, programs for children and veterans, and rehab programs.
Prior to being elected sheriff in 2010, Mr. Golden served as undersheriff and was responsible for the Monmouth County 9-1-1 Communications Center and the communications and computer networking equipment for both county and municipal agencies. A lifelong resident of Monmouth County, Sheriff Golden is experienced in law enforcement and public administration. He was a career law enforcement officer for 25 years, graduating number one in his class at the Monmouth County Police Academy. He has also worked as a certified paramedic, volunteer firefighter, and EMT.
Sheriff Golden is an adjunct professor at Monmouth University with the Department of Political Science and Public Policy and has completed the prestigious Mid-Atlantic Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (MA-LEEDS). He serves on several community-oriented boards. He has been the recipient of multiple awards, including the Good Scout Award from the Western Monmouth Council of Boy Scouts.
Mr. Carey Lathrop is a Partner and the Chief Operating Officer of Credit at Apollo Global Management. Carey joined Apollo in October 2022, after more than 30 years at Citigroup, having last served as the Global Co-Head of Markets. Carey held multiple leadership positions during his tenure at Citi, including COO of Citibank N.A. and Chair of the Citigroup Business Practices Committee, among others.
Carey is a former member of the US Treasury Borrowing Advisory Committee of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, a position he held from December 2012 through April 2018. His responsibilities included providing market feedback on a regular basis to the Treasury Department on a variety of fundamental and technical debt-related topics.
Carey earned an M.B.A. degree from Harvard Business School and a B.S. degree from Stony Brook University.
Mr. Eric Carney is the President & CEO at Monmouth Medical Center and Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus. Prior to Monmouth, he served at Barnabas, where he led efforts to develop an ambulatory network and an outpatient laboratory network. He also served as project lead for the Cyberknife vault project and was service line leader for Oncology and Neurosciences.
Carney began his career at RWJBarnabas Health more than 20 years ago as a respiratory therapist. He served in numerous positions of increasing responsibility across the health system, leading to his position today. He earned a bachelor’s degree in management science from Kean University and a master’s in Healthcare Administration from Johns Hopkins University. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Eric is a resident of Howell.
Steve Kassin founded Infinity Real Estate in August 2005 and is currently a managing partner there. Infinity is a privately owned developer, owner, and manager of high-quality real estate, headquartered in New York City. Under Mr. Kassin’s leadership, Infinity has acquired or developed commercial property representing over $1.5 billion in direct investment transactions across more than 75 projects and honed its expertise in the urban multi-family, lodging, and retail sectors. In October 2015, Steve was named “Fifty Under 40” in Globe Street’s Real Estate Forum publication. He is also an active participant on various industry panels and guest lectures at NYU Stern School of Business and at other educational institutions. Steve currently serves as an NYU Stern Real Estate Advisory Board Member, NYU Alumni Council Chair, NAIOP Advisory Board Member, and ICSC Next Gen.
Dr. Patrick F. Leahy became Monmouth University’s 10th president in 2019. Under his leadership, Monmouth has enrolled the most academically qualified and diverse incoming classes in the school’s history, serving an increasing percentage of Pell Grant-eligible and first-generation students. . On the graduate level, Dr. Leahy has championed two new doctoral programs, the Doctor of Occupational Therapy and the Doctor of Social Work in Human Rights Leadership. He has also worked to greatly expand the athletics program.
Leahy’s external leadership positions include a two-year term on the board of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and as a member of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s Higher Education Restart Advisory Group. Prior to Monmouth, Dr. Leahy served a successful seven-year term as president of Wilkes University, where he supported the introduction of 20 new academic programs, the university’s first honors program, the launch of the university’s first Ph.D. program and expanded the athletics program.
A native of Towson, Maryland, Dr. Leahy holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Georgetown University, and two master’s degrees from Cornell University in business administration and in labor relations, where he was both a Fried Fellow and a CEED Fellow. In 2009, he earned a Doctor of Education degree from the University of Pennsylvania, focusing his dissertation research on organizational change in higher education. Dr. Leahy and his wife, Amy, have four children: Grace, Molly, Jack, and Brian.
Dax Dasilva is the creative mind behind Lightspeed Commerce and Age of Union. Founded in 2005, Lightspeed is a one-stop commerce platform for merchants around the world to simplify, scale, and provide exceptional customer experiences. The platform transforms and unifies digital and physical operations by enabling multichannel sales, expansion to new locations, global payments, financial solutions, and connection to supplier networks.
Dasilva was appointed Executive Chair of Lightspeed’s Board of Directors on February 2, 2022. Prior to that, he led the company’s operations as Chief Executive Officer.
Age of Union is a non-profit environmental alliance that supports and makes visible a global community of changemakers working on-the-ground to protect the planet’s threatened species and ecosystems. Launched in October 2021, the non-profit was formed following Dasilva’s 2019 release of his book Age of Union, a compelling guide for igniting today’s changemaker. Grounded in four pillars—leadership, culture, spirituality, and nature—the book advocates that the time for change is now and that our choices are the catalyst. This mission comes to life through an environmental alliance for the guardianship of the world’s ecosystems in debut projects spanning five countries.
As the third-generation Canadian, Stephen Bronfman is driven by a deep sense of duty and commitment to community. Stephen is Executive Chairman of Claridge Inc. Under his leadership, Claridge has distinguished itself by its entrepreneurial spirit and a flexible investment structure. The company manages a diversified global portfolio of investments in the form of private placements, third party-managed funds and real estate. The company’s holdings reflect an optimal mix of economic and geographic sectors.
Stephen Bronfman has been actively heading a group of local Montreal business community leaders, in a plan to bring Major League Baseball back to the city. In June 2019, the MLB Commissioner announced that the Tampa Bay Rays organization was authorized to engage in discussions with the Montreal Baseball Group to explore a sister city concept that would allow the team’s home season games to be shared between cities.
Stephen Bronfman’s sustained philanthropic commitment has been an important part of his life since his youth. Through the Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Family Foundation, the sectors of focus are the Montreal community, environment, culture, entrepreneurship and Jewish identity. He sits on the boards of several non-profit organizations, chairs major fundraising campaigns, and initiates a host of projects, which have so far distributed more than $100 million to Quebec and Canadian charities. He mobilizes private and public partners to ensure the effective and sustainable long-term implementation of each project.
He is married to Claudine Blondin and they have four children.
Julie Gniwisch is the founder and CEO of Delmar International, a leading international diamond and jewelry business. Born in the Carpathian Alps, as a baby she was hidden from the turmoil of the Holocaust sweeping Europe, and eventually fled to Canada, where she grew to raise a family of her own. Julie’s heart was set on the jewelry business, and her passion for pearls led to her founding Delmar in Montreal, QC, in the basement of the Gniwisch family home. Delmar continued to grow, amassing over fifty retail partners and delivering innovative designs that gained international renown. Together with her husband, Julie raised six children and today she is an active philanthropist and proud grandmother of over 100 grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Daniel is a seasoned entrepreneur, executive and investor. For the past 15 years, Daniel has built, acquired and grown several tech businesses that have enjoyed huge commercial successes, including: Adaware (formerly Lavasoft), Lulu Software and UpClick amongst others.
In March 2018, Adaware and its group of Companies proudly announced a merger with the French company Avanquest, a subsidiary of Claranova to form a strategic partnership and create a new global internet player. After developing this partnership even further and taking it to even greater international level, Daniel made the decision in November 2021 to sell his shares and move onto his next venture.
Mr. Assouline’s passion for tech started early. He sold his first commercial software program at the age of 13 (a game) and sold his first software business to Sanyo at the age of 16. He worked at Dell for 7 years where he was promoted thru the ranks in sales, marketing and technology.
For the past ten years, Daniel has acquired and developed many high profile real-estate projects, in both the residential and commercial sectors in Canada, the United States and Mexico and continues to expand his real-estate portfolio.
Daniel holds an MBA from Queen’s University in Canada and is bilingual in English and French, as well as, fluent in Spanish.
As a well-respected Philanthropist, Daniel gives generously to many charitable organizations with his time, support and his ongoing dedication and involvement in the community through fund raising, mentoring and other initiatives.
Paul Levy is a former trustee of the University of Pennsylvania and former overseer of Penn Law School, who publicly resigned in April 2018 in protest of the University’s treatment of law professor Amy Wax. His resignation letter provided a spirited defense of academic freedom and intellectual diversity, and garnered regional and national media attention from the Wall Street Journal and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
A private equity expert and former lawyer, Mr. Levy founded the New York-based investment firm JLL Partners in 1988 and now serves on the management committee. Previously, he was a managing director at Drexel Burnham Lambert, where he oversaw the firm’s restructuring and exchange offer business in New York. He has served as the CEO of Yves Saint Laurent, Inc., New York; vice president of administration and general counsel of Quality Care, Inc.; and an attorney with Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP.
Mr. Levy is a noted philanthropist who, along with his wife Karen, established the Levy Scholars Program and funded the construction of the Levy Conference Center, among other gifts, at Penn Law. At Lehigh University, Mr. Levy created and funded the Levy International Scholars Program to introduce outstanding high school graduates to the Lehigh community. He has supported organizations that span the arts, education, healthcare, Jewish Studies, and social services: Mr. Levy has served as the director of BioClinica, Inc.; as a trustee of the National Constitution Center; and as the chair of the George Jackson Academy Board of Trustees. His wife serves on the board of Rockefeller University and The Juilliard School.
He received his B.A. from Lehigh University, where he graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He earned his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and a certificate from the Sorbonne Institute of Political Science in France.
Mr. A.J. Steigman grew up in Coral Springs, Florida. Steigman, a childhood prodigy, was an international chess champion, and one of the best chess players in the United States. In high school, Steigman contracted Lyme Disease and almost died. He had to take a year off from school. He credits chess in helping his mind recover from the disease. Steigman went on to win in the 2002 US Junior Open one year after being diagnosed. Steigman has been an advocate of chess. He was involved in the development of Emory University’s award winning chess program, and has donated to the World Chess Hall of Fame and Sidney Samole Museum in Miami, Florida. He was also involved in a community service program where he played inmates in high security prisons.
Mr. Greg Hauptner has been afilm producer, author, director, motivational speaker, screenwriter, playwright, and a stuntman. He has been devoted to helping build character in young people, both on and off the screen. In 2003, that devotion went from an idea to a reality when he founded G-Star School of the Arts. His Vision was to provide students with the opportunity to obtain a college-prep education, move on to college, and encourage them to ignite their creative sparks, while exploring new career opportunities through hands-on training in the film, animation, and performing arts industries.
Mr. Ricky Wade is a McDonald’s franchisee of 30 restaurants in Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties. In his commitment to reinforcing positive lifestyle habits, he is vice president of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida and an advisor to The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beaches. He is currently the Executive Committee Board member for the Urban League of Palm Beach County and Board Member for Palm Beach State College, The Honda Classic, The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Foundation, and a Governing Board Member of Good Samaritan Medical Center, Inc. Mr. Wade is the Vice President of the South Florida Marketing Association, the NFLA Florida Representative, the NFLA Chair for the Atlanta Field Office Alignment Council, and he is also a member of the RTB Board. His business presence and personal involvement enriches his communities. His time is dedicated to overseeing his business and giving back to the community.
For over 50 years, Stuart Bernstein has been a recognized leader in real estate development and investment in the Mid-Atlantic region, with the focus of his business efforts centered in the Washington, DC area. In 2001, he was appointed by President George W. Bush to represent the United States as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark, where he served with distinction until January, 2005. Currently, Mr. Bernstein serves on the Board of Trustees of the Council of American Ambassadors, he is a member of the Council of the Woodrow Wilson Center, a member of the International Council of CSIS, a Society of Fellows member of the Aspen Institute, and on the Board of the US Diplomacy Center Foundation.
Family and philanthropically oriented, Jacqueline Goldman grew up with a French background and a Parisian upbringing. Following in the footsteps of her parents and grandparents, who were leaders in various philanthropic activities, it was quite natural for her to become a leader in her own right in communal endeavors in Israel, New York, and Florida along with her husband, Nathan Goldman, obm.
Mrs. Goldman is passionate about her family and Israel. Mention Israel and she speaks about it in almost mystical terms, conveying an intense feeling of dedication and loyalty – all of which she considers the hallmark of a Jewish heritage.
She is a child of the Holocaust, having lost 27 members of her family in Auschwitz. She sees Israel as a glorious hymn of survival for the Jewish people. Through the past sixty plus years, she has been instrumental in supporting many causes to ensure Israel’s survival, especially Magen David Adom, through fundraising, chairing numerous galas, and serving on the National and International Boards. She received the AFMDA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.
Together with her husband Nathan, she built the gateway to the Kotel in Jerusalem. She has also received an Honorary Doctorate from Bar Ilan University. Among the organizations she has supported are Israel Bonds, Jerusalem Foundation, US Holocaust Memorial Museum, United Jewish Appeal, Council for a Beautiful Israel, Simon Wiesenthal Center and Israel Tennis Center.
For her good works and achievements, Mrs. Goldman has been recognized by Chaim Hertzog, Abba Eban and Menachem Begin for her nobility of spirit and sterling qualities of intelligence, loyalty, dedication and of course, a delightful personality.
Dave Aronberg is the State Attorney for Palm Beach County, Florida, and a former member of the Florida Senate. He was elected to the Senate in 2002 as its youngest member, and served for eight years.
Prior to serving in the Senate, Aronberg worked as a lawyer in both the public and private sectors. He was serving as the Florida Attorney General’s “Drug Czar” in 2012, when he announced his candidacy for Palm Beach County State Attorney. He was first elected to the office in November 2012, and re-elected, without opposition, on May 6, 2016.
Gary Bailey grew up in South Africa and started his career with Wits University in Johannesburg. He established himself as a Manchester United goalkeeper in the late 1970s following the retirement of Alex Stepney. He was considered to be one of the best goalkeepers in England in the early- to mid-1980s. During his time with Manchester United, Bailey won the FA Cup medals in 1983 and 1985.
Nancy Goodman Brinker was born to a Jewish family in Peoria, Illinois, the daughter of Marvin L. and Eleanor Goodman. In 1968, she received a B.A. from the University of Illinois. In 1982, Brinker established Susan G. Komen for the Cure, after a promise to her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer. Since its inception, the nonprofit organization has raised over $1.9 billion for research, education and health services, making it the largest breast cancer charity in the world.
Wenfred Dorsey holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ministry, with an emphasis on youth ministry. Mr. Dorsey also has a Masters Degree from Webster University in Counseling and Psychology. He was inducted into the National Honor Society for Religious Studies, Theta Alpha Kappa, and is a lifelong member. He also holds an International Certification in Life Coaching. He is a talented motivational Speaker, Life Coach for people battling addiction, and has made it his life-long mission to ease the suffering of those who are disadvantaged or struggling in one way or another.
Wenfred Dorsey resides in Palm Beach County with his wife and three daughters.
Bruce Gendelman, who grew up in Milwaukee and now lives in Palm Beach County, has been a hobbyist artist since the third grade. He has a special passion for photography and painting, and turned to art as an important means of expression. His art is now exhibited in the National Museum of Jewish History.
Mr. Gendelman is also the owner and CEO of Bruce Gendelman Insurance Services, the leading national authority on liability insurance.
Dr. Elizabeth Gundersen is a family medicine doctor in Boca Raton, Florida, and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Bethesda Hospital East and Boca Raton Regional Hospital. She received her medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, and has been in practice for 19 years.
Dr. Gunderson also serves within the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine as the Director of the Ethics Curriculum, Director of the Geriatrics & Palliative Care Clerkship, Associate Director of the FAU Internal Medicine Residency Rotation in Geriatrics & Palliative Care, and as a Learning Community Advisor. Dr. Gundersen is dedicated to training well-rounded, quality-minded, and patient-centered physicians.
Jeff Greene was born in 1954 in Worcester, Massachusetts, to a working class, Jewish family.
Greene worked many jobs to put himself through college at John Hopkins University, graduating in three years with a B.A. in economics and sociology. Later he attended Harvard Business School, where he earned his Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree in 1977.
Greene began investing in real estate while still in business school, and he built a successful real estate business from being a mere busboy at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach. The success of his company and the return on his investments, eventually put Greene on The Forbes 400 list.
Born and raised in New York, Leone was exposed to the hospitality industry at an early age, having been raised in a family that owned and operated five local motels and two restaurants. He went on to study accounting in college to follow in his uncle’s footsteps and became a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Leone joined The Breakers in 1985 as Controller and climbed up the corporate ladder until, in January 2016, Leone was appointed CEO of Flagler System, Inc. and The Breakers Palm Beach, Inc. respectively. He is married and is the father of four sons.
Brian Mast was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he attended South Christian High School. In 2016, he obtained his A.L.B. from Harvard University’s Harvard Extension School, studying economics with minors in government and environmental studies.
Mr. Mast served in the United States Army from 2000-2011, and has won the Bronze Star Award, Purple Heart Award, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and The Army Commendation Medal.
Michelle McLean (born in 1972 in Windhoek, Namibia) is a Namibian actress, writer, model and beauty queen, who was crowned Miss Universe in 1992. She was 19 years old when she represented Namibia, and became the first (and so far only) woman from Namibia to win the crown. In 1992 Michelle founded the Michelle McLean Children’s Trust in Namibia, which focuses on the education and care of under-privileged children.
Major General Ronald D. Silverman earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his DDS from the Kornberg School of Dentistry. For more than 40 years, Silverman brought his medical expertise to the United States Army. A true embodiment of perseverance and strength, Silverman was recognized with some of the highest military awards one can receive. He was awarded a Bronze Star and two Distinguished Service Medals, which is the third highest military award. Now, retired, Major General Ronald D. Silverman lives with his wife in Palm Beach, Florida.
Robert Weinroth is a 26 year resident of Boca Raton, with an extensive background in business, public service, and community involvement.
In 1975, Robert Weinroth earned his Bachelor of Science and Business Administration from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1978, he earned his J.D. from New England School of Law.
In November 2018, Commissioner Robert Weinroth was elected to the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, representing District 4.
After receiving a $300 scholarship to attend Beth Israel Hospital’s nursing school, Lois Silverman Yashar received her nursing degree in 1961. In 2005, she became the first woman chair of the Board of Directors at BIDMC, and has served on virtually every lay leader committee at the medical center, including most recently its philanthropic arm, the Foundation. With an award-winning professional career that spanned more than 30 years in business, Mrs. Yashar founded CRA Managed Care, a provider of services to reduce insurance claims costs, and The Commonwealth Institute, a non-profit committed to helping women entrepreneurs and senior executives build successful companies.
Family and philanthropically oriented, Jacqueline Goldman grew up with a French background and a Parisian upbringing. Following in the footsteps of her parents and grandparents, who were leaders in various philanthropic activities, it was quite natural for her to become a leader in her own right in communal endeavors in Israel, New York, and Florida along with her husband, Nathan Goldman, obm. Mrs. Goldman is passionate about her family and Israel. Mention Israel and she speaks about it in almost mystical terms, conveying an intense feeling of dedication and loyalty – all of which she considers the hallmark of a Jewish heritage. She is a child of the Holocaust, having lost 27 members of her family in Auschwitz. She sees Israel as a glorious hymn of survival for the Jewish people. Through the past sixty plus years, she has been instrumental in supporting many causes to ensure Israel’s survival, especially Magen David Adom, through fundraising, chairing numerous galas, and serving on the National and International Boards. She received the AFMDA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. Together with her husband Nathan, she built the gateway to the Kotel in Jerusalem. She has also received an Honorary Doctorate from Bar Ilan University. Among the organizations she has supported are Israel Bonds, Jerusalem Foundation, US Holocaust Memorial Museum, United Jewish Appeal, Council for a Beautiful Israel, Simon Wiesenthal Center and Israel Tennis Center. For her good works and achievements, Mrs. Goldman has been recognized by Chaim Hertzog, Abba Eban and Menachem Begin for her nobility of spirit and sterling qualities of intelligence, loyalty, dedication and of course, a delightful personality.
Rabbi Adi, the youngest of nine children, was born and raised in Baltimore, MD. In 2001, Rabbi Adi joined Chabad of SW Broward as an intern and has been serving the local Jewish community ever since. He received his Rabbinical ordination from the West Coast Rabbinical Seminary in Los Angeles, California. In addition to co-directing Chabad at Monterra with his wife, Malky, Rabbi Adi holds the position of Director of Jewish Life at the Posnack Fischer High School.
David Shteif is an American entrepreneur, digital marketing expert. and innovator. He is a serial entrepreneur who has founded and sold more than a half-dozen companies, including Revenue Enhancement Group, MediaTrust, Direct Media Buyers, and others. Shteif has a background in media buying and emerging media technology solutions. During his career, he held the positions of CEO, president, and managing partner. Shteif is considered one of the best-known entrepreneurs in Florida, who entered digital marketing in 1999 and pioneered media buying and email list building. As of 2013, he serves as the managing director of Digital Media Solutions, a digital media company
Cindy Arenberg Seltzer is the first President/CEO of the Children’s Services Council of Broward County. In that role, she has carefully guided the development of the organization, which was created by the voters of Broward County in September, 2000, and reauthorized by the voters in 2014. She works hard to dramatically transform young lives through supporting proven programs delivered by more than 100 provider agencies that achieve measurable outcomes, while ensuring transparency and accountability for the CSC. Her leadership and advocacy on behalf of the children of Broward County has made a real difference for all Broward residents, and especially for Broward’s children.
Mr. Lowell is a nationally recognized financial and administrative executive, specializing in large scale business operations, financial control, financial reporting, and operating efficiency. He is the COO of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County and a recipient of the Patriot Award from the US Department of Defense.
Mr. A.J. Steigman grew up in Coral Springs, Florida. Steigman, a childhood prodigy, was an international chess champion, and one of the best chess players in the United States. In high school, Steigman contracted Lyme Disease and almost died. He had to take a year off from school. He credits chess in helping his mind recover from the disease. Steigman went on to win in the 2002 US Junior Open one year after being diagnosed. Steigman has been an advocate of chess. He was involved in the development of Emory University’s award winning chess program, and has donated to the World Chess Hall of Fame and Sidney Samole Museum in Miami, Florida. He was also involved in a community service program where he played inmates in high security prisons.
Mr. Ring is a Democratic politician and former tech startup executive from Florida. He served in the Florida Senate from 2006 to 2016, representing areas in Broward County. He was the Democratic nominee for Chief Financial Officer of Florida in the 2018 election.
Dr. Peress is the Medical Director of Boca Fertility, and a survivor of the famous Operation Entebbe, a successful counterterrorist hostage rescue mission carried out by commandos of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) at Entebbe Airport in Uganda on July 4, 1976.
Mr. Dreier was born in Poland in 1925. He describes his life in Cracow, Poland as “normal” up until 1939, when his youth was upended by the second World War. He spent years in the concentration camps, where he credits his passion for music for helping him survive. After liberation by the American army, he spent a few years in Italy and then moved to the US, where he met his wife there and started a successful business. Today in his 90s, Mr. Dreier says he is enjoying a second youth. He is the Founder of the Holocaust Survivor Band, performs at concerts which he organizes, and speaks around the world. He uses his music to spread awareness of the Holocaust and to ensure “never again.”