Our Team
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
BOARD OF ADVISORS
The Staff
Richard Lackey
Chairman & Founder
Mr. Richard Lackey is a serial entrepreneur with a unique background that includes several years in emergency medical response and medical missions as well as almost three decades as an active trader and fund manager. He has appeared as an expert in the field in magazines, and on radio and television.
Mr. Lackey has held eight different securities licenses spanning equity, options and futures markets. Mr. Lackey has served as the Managing Director for five private funds. His expertise in emergency response management as well as the inefficiencies of markets led him along with a world-class team of experts to create the World Food Bank. The World Food Bank is responsible for establishing the world’s most valuable commodities as the world’s newest and potentially safest asset class. Mr. Lackey is also passionate about utilizing the World Food Bank as a solution for the inefficiencies that exist between small farmers and regional and global markets.
Mr. Lackey has authored three books on technical analysis and investment management and is a co-developer of the market prediction software, PTI. In addition to leading the World Food Bank, he regularly consults for startup companies needing innovative solutions, marketing direction, or board leadership.
Professional History: Managing Director, Greatwater Fund, LP Managing Director, Greatwater Investment Management, Inc. Principal, The Falls Resort at Manuel Antonio, SA Founder, Global Food Exchange™, Ltd Founder, Global Food Share, Inc. CEO, Predictive Technologies International, Inc. Present Board Positions: Colorado Nanotechnology Initiative Emerging Global Leaders Summit Titi Conservation Alliance Past Board Positions: American Heart Association American Cancer Society O. Youth Soccer League Leadership Program of the Rockies Authored: Wall Street’s Ten Greatest Myths, 2004, McGraw-Hill Technical Analysis for Traders, 1998, Independent Traders Press Trading the 50% Rule, 1999, Independent Traders Press Education: 2010 Cornell University Hotel Finance and Management 1989 University of Georgia Bachelors Marketing and Management 1987 Harvard University Certification in Fund Analysis 1986 Athens Tech Institute Advanced Emergency Medical Technician 1985 Georgia Real Estate Schools Real Estate
General (Ret) Dennis J. Reimer
Board of Directors
General Reimer served 37 years in the United States Army retiring as the 33rd Chief of Staff U.S. Army in 1999. Reimer’s career in the U.S. Army spanned the era between Vietnam and the military transformation that started at the end of the Cold War. A two tour veteran of Vietnam Reimer spent over eight years of this time overseas. As a Major he served as the Aide-de-Camp for the then Chief of Staff Army General Creighton W. Abrams. He has commanded at all levels from Company to Army and rounded out his leadership experience with staff assignments at various levels primarily in the operations field. In 1982 Reimer was selected for promotion to Brigadier General. His next three assignments were Commander III Corp Artillery Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Operations Officer in the Republic of Korea and Commanding General Fourth Infantry Division at Fort Carson. In 1988 he was selected for promotion to Lieutenant General and served as the Plans and Operations Officer for the Army during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Upon completion of that assignment he was selected for promotion and assigned as the Vice Chief of Staff for the United States Army in 1990. In 1995 he was selected as the 33rd Chief of Staff United States Army and subsequent to that served as the Commanding General Forces Command and was responsible for all Army active and reserve components forces in the United States.
Former Chief of Staff U.S. Army Professional History: President DFI Government Services, INC., 33rd Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army (June 20, 1995 to June 21, 1999) Board Memberships: Mutual of America Life Insurance Company Director and President, Detica Federal Inc. IDT Spectrum Inc. Detica Inc. Former Chairman, VirtualAgility, Inc. Microvision Inc. DRS Technologies, Inc. Serco Services Inc.
Julie Fellows
Board of Directors
Julie Fellows, current CEO and Founder of J.A. Fellows and Associates, provides CEO and board advisory services, developing strategies which maximize enterprise value while mitigating risks in complex environments. Prior roles include senior executive positions in financial services industry, leading transformational change initiatives in enterprise risk management and global regulatory program development, implementation and management, as well as growth initiatives for private-equity-backed firms.
Brad Busse
Board of Advisors
Brad Busse is President of Busse Ventures LLC. Busse Ventures is an entity Mr. Busse formed to manage his business interests and investments. Most recently, Mr. Busse provided senior industry coverage across all industry groups for RBC Capital Markets, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Royal Bank of Canada, from April 2012 to February 2014. Previously, Mr. Busse was Co-Head of the U.S. Communications, Media & Entertainment (“CME”) Group for RBC Capital Markets from January 2007 to April 2012, where he was responsible for the management and strategic development of the CME Group’s business, which includes mergers & acquisitions, equity and debt capital formation and financial advisory engagements. Mr. Busse joined Daniels & Associates in 1985 after receiving broad experience in finance and accounting. After briefly serving in the Cable Television Group, he took responsibility for building the Telecommunications Group, which completed more transactions in the wireline, wireless and telecom infrastructure sectors than any other investment bank during his tenure. Mr. Busse was President and one of two lead principals at Daniels & Associates when it was acquired by RBC Capital Markets in January 2007. Mr. Busse began his professional career at Arthur Anderson & Co. in 1980 and, subsequently, became a financial manager for a $1 billion energy concern. He received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Denver and an MBA from Regis College. Mr. Busse served as chairman of the PCIA Foundation (1999 – 2001), a leading wireless industry foundation, and was appointed by Governor Bill Owens to serve on the Colorado Commission on Science & Technology (2000-2006). In 2010, he was appointed by Governor Ritter to the Colorado Commission on Early Childhood Leadership and was reappointed by Governor Hickenlooper in 2012. Mr. Busse is a member of the Executive Advisory Board of the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver which he chaired for three years (April 2009 – April 2012) and is on the Board of Trustees of Mile High United Way which he chaired for two years (July 2008 – June 2010). He also served as Chairman of the Million Dollar Roundtable Council for United Way Worldwide from 2002 to 2007. Mr. Busse also chairs the CEO Roundtable of EPIC (Executives Partnering to Invest in Children) and is an active member of Colorado Concern, which is a non-partisan association that addresses issues which impact Colorado’s economy and lifestyle and whose membership includes most of the top business executives in Colorado.
Professional History: President of Busse Ventures LLC Co-head of U.S. Communications, Media and Entertainment for RBC Capital Markets President and Principal at Daniels & Associates Chairman of PCIA Foundation Served on Colorado Commission on Science & Technology Education: University of Denver, BA Regis University, MBA
Melissa Coel
Board of Advisors
Gourmet, LLC, which provided event catering, in home cooking classes (private or group), menu design and nutrient analysis.
In 2012, Melissa took a one-year sabbatical to expand her knowledge of food and nutrition. She traveled around the world exploring international cuisines and served as a private yacht Chef. Her discoveries broadened her horizons and strengthened her creativity in menu planning for a variety of cultures.
In 2014 Melissa relocated her business to Denver, Colorado where she spent the last five years working as a consultant in the culinary and healthcare industries. She has undertaken numerous projects including developing therapeutic menus for Kindred Healthcare Corporate Hospital Division, acting as the Interim Food Service Director of a 250 bed acute care hospital and Business Development Manager for a Food Service Equipment company. One of Melissa’s favorite endeavors during this time was working with clients as a food innovation consultant to develop new and unprecedented solutions for the food service industry. Melissa has created menu items for clients in both event catering and prepackaged forms.
Melissa continues to seek out exciting opportunities to utilize her vast knowledge and experience in the culinary and nutrition field to help clients and communities eat better and in turn, lead better lives.
Justin Culver
Board of Advisors
Justin Culver’s belief in the power of simple, innovative technology solutions, combined with a deep involvement in local and international philanthropic projects, has driven his work for more than a decade. Technology should either be invisible or beautiful – Scully
Culver founded many technology companies starting back in 2000 and has since been a serial entrepreneur in many verticals from real estate to blockchains and cryptocurrencies.
It is his interest in philanthropy which spurred Mr. Culver’s travel to countries ranging from Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Africa, Singapore as well as parts of Europe where he has participated in projects designed to create jobs in communities where there is opportunity.
A Denver resident and a Colorado native who is active in the start-up and real estate communities, Mr. Culver also raises two young sons, Josiah and Cyrus. He was raised in Colorado, where he graduated from the Colorado School of Mines in 1999 with a degree in mechanical engineering and computer science. He has continued his learning at MIT studying blockchain technologies.
Doug Holladay
Board of Advisors
The career trajectory of Doug Holladay has been unique and varied with its blend of public service, finance and business, non-profit work, and more recently, teaching and journalism. J. Douglas Holladay is a co-founder of Park Avenue Equity Partners, L.P. with offices in New York and Washington. Park Avenue Equity Partners is a private equity fund which makes equity investments in operating companies with revenues between $50-350 million. Prior to founding Park Avenue, Mr. Holladay was Chairman of the Thornton Group, LLC, which he co-founded in 1995 to make opportunistic direct equity investments in a range of smaller companies. While Mr. Holladay continues as an active investor in Park Avenue, the main focus of his time is on several important not-for-profit efforts, including PathNorth, which helps business owners and CEOs define success more broadly, the Buxton Initiative, an interfaith dialogue organization, PlayPumps, focused on clean water in Africa, and ABC² (Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure), working to find a cure for brain cancer. Mr. Holladay was formerly a senior officer with the international investment banking firm, Goldman, Sachs and Company, headquartered in New York. At Goldman Sachs, he worked in the Investment Banking Division on a range of matters, strategic and administrative as well as on certain international transactions with a governmental component. While with Goldman Sachs, he served as founding President of One to One Mentoring Partnership, an initiative of the New York financial community to bring imaginative solutions to some of our nation’s most pressing urban youth challenges. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Mr. Holladay held senior positions in both the White House and the Department of State. After working under White House Chief of Staff, James A. Baker III, Mr. Holladay was appointed by the President to the rank of Special Ambassador, charged to coordinate major aspects of the U.S. public response to the challenges posed by South Africa prior to the dramatic release of Nelson Mandela. Mr. Holladay holds degrees from the University of North Carolina, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Oxford University in England and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Virginia and a guest lecturer at Williams College. He currently teaches at Georgetown University and writes a regular column for the Washington Post. Mr. Holladay was a White House Fellow finalist and played Division I Varsity Lacrosse as a UNC undergraduate.
Professional History: Co-founder of Park Avenue Equity Partners, L.P. Chairman and co-founder at Thornton Group, LLC Senior Officer at Goldman Sachs Special Ambassador at the White House Founder of the non-profit PathNorth Education: University of North Carolina University of Oxford Princeton Theological Seminary
Ernest Kakwano
Board of Advisors
He has 50 years’ experience in senior business Management in Uganda, East and West Africa. Starting as a Finance Officer for Kilembe Mines Uganda, a subsidiary of Falconbridge of Canada, he was exposed to the hard commodities export market of copper and cobalt. Later he joined the soft commodities market as Marketing Manager Total Oil East Africa, before working for The Coffee Marketing Board of Uganda as General Manager, and later Managing Director Uganda Coffee Development Authority. The two roles exposed him to the West Africa and other coffee regions of the world. He served for two terms as Board Member of the International Coffee Organization (ICO) London. He is now Chairman and founder, IGL Uganda, doing grain export and financial services.
Micah Kohls
Board of Advisors
Upon Micah’s undergraduate graduation in May 2007, his passion for entrepreneurship led him to found US Capital Funding, a distressed real estate acquisition firm. Seeing opportunity amidst market despair, he began purchasing residential real estate in mass. Over the next 8 years, the company turned over 500 residential units and in addition developed a rental pool now valued at over eight figures. Following his entrepreneurial spirit and love for basketball — in 2009 he started a sports agency to represent professional. After a high school basketball career during which Micah received the prestigious “Gatorade Player of the Year” for the state of Nebraska, he received a full scholarship to University of Nebraska–Omaha. After two years in Omaha, Micah transferred to Colorado Christian University (CCU), in Denver, where he met his wife, Kari.
Professional History: Founder at US Capital Funding Education: Colorado Christian University, BA
Gwen Martinez
Board of Advisors
As a member of the Ila Tribal Council in Zambia and in collaboration with Tribal Chiefs, created a Trust tasked with tribal empowerment and livelihood programs to safeguard the community in tribal-corporate relations. The Trust enables strategies to foster conditions through which sustained and self-determined social and economic development is achieved to protect the cultural history and sovereignty of the tribe. Furthermore, spearheaded activities related to agribusiness and rural development and identifying alternative livelihoods through community participatory approaches.
25 years’ experience and a proven track record of creating commercially viable projects with operational experience in the United States, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Switzerland. A keen eye to identify and seize opportunities leading from concept to sustainability, e.g. introduction and leader of business team in Texas of cable tension membrane structures utilizing HDPE from South Africa to the US market. This virgin product gained full market acceptance over-period of 18 years. Transformed US based company from concept through start-up to $ 2.5 million in annual sales within three years. Provided the marketing leadership that grew the US parent company through the amalgamation of three like companies into one called Trico-USA Inc. Conceived, developed and implemented the sales and marketing plan of Trico-USA Inc. took the product national through a strategic Distributor/Dealer program.
In addition, has grown several businesses through effective business planning, financial profit and loss oversight, creative sales techniques and innovative marketing. In particular, successfully spearheaded private company that helped win and support bids for international conventions in Geneva held in Zimbabwe. Managed the logistics and protocol of heads of state and delegates representing up to 135 countries with events
ranging from 100-7,000 people.
Please see her LinkedIn Profile for more information –
Yohannes Tilahun
Board of Advisors
Yohannes is the former CEO at General Electric-Ethiopia. As the CEO he represents GE in the country and collaborates with the local GE businesses to drive incremental growth, and to develop key relationships with customers, business partners, as well as the governments and local authorities. Before joining GE, Yohannes Tilahun was the Senior Director for Strategy & Chief Technology Officer at the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC). The Mission of the Ethiopia’s Investment Commission (EIC) is to promote and facilitate investments in Ethiopia. As Head of Strategy & Chief Technology Officer, Yohannes acts as a special advisor to the Director General (CEO) of the EIC as well as other senior Government ministers on priority focus areas for greater economic development through private sector involvement. A native of Ethiopia, Yohannes has returned after more than 15 years of experience on Wall Street in the United States, with expertise in business management, corporate strategy, finance, and data analytics. During his career he has worked for Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Wells Fargo and the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency. Yohannes has been featured in publications such as Diversity Inc. Magazine, St. Louis Post-Dispatch Newspaper, and Addis Life Magazine. In addition, he was featured in a four part TV series on Leadership and Success broadcast worldwide and was voted as one of the top 100 diverse executives under age 50 in the United States by Diversity MBA Magazine. Yohannes is very active in his community and is passionate about giving back. He is currently the Board Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ethiopia. He is also Board Member of Alsam(Largest FMCG company in Ethiopia) and Techno style(Largest furniture Manufacturing Company in Ethiopia). He formerly served on the board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters in St. Louis and currently serves on the board of directors for the School of Business at the University of District Columbia in Washington, DC. Yohannes holds a Masters of Business Administration degree and a Bachelor of Science degree, both in Finance, from the University of the District of Columbia as well as additional certifications from Securities Industry Institute (SII), Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and Georgetown University.
Professional History: Former CEO at General Electric-Ethiopia Senior Director for Strategy & Chief Technology Officer at the Ethiopian Investment Commission Education: MBA, University of the District of Columbia BS in Finance, University of the District of Columbia
Dr. Rajiv Shah
Board of Advisors
Previously, Dr. Rajiv Shah led the efforts of nearly 10,000 staff in more than 70 countries around the world to advance USAID’s mission of ending extreme poverty and promoting resilient, democratic societies. Under Dr. Shah’s leadership, USAID applied innovative technologies and engaged the private sector to solve the world’s most intractable development challenges. This new model of development brings together an increasingly diverse community—from large companies to local civil society groups to communities of faith—to deliver meaningful results. Dr. Shah led President Obama’s landmark Feed the Future and Power Africa initiatives and has refocused America’s global health partnerships to end preventable child death. Feed the Future, alone, has improved nutrition for 12 million children and empowered more than 7 million farmers with climate-smart tools they need to grow their way out of extreme poverty. In April 2014, USAID launched the U.S. Global Development Lab to harness the expertise of the world’s brightest scientists, students, and entrepreneurs. At the same time, the newly formed Private Capital Group for Development forges a more strategic relationship between private capital and development. Dr. Shah also managed the U.S. Government’s humanitarian response to catastrophic crises around the world, from the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. Through an extensive set of reforms called “USAID Forward,” Dr. Shah worked with the United States Congress to transform USAID into the world’s premier development Agency that prioritizes public-private partnerships, innovation, and meaningful results.
He currently serves on the boards of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, as well as participates on the National Security Council.Dr. Shah served as Undersecretary and Chief Scientist in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he created the National Institute for Food and Agriculture. Prior to joining the Obama Administration, he spent eight years at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he led efforts in global health, agriculture, and financial services, including the creation of the International Finance Facility for Immunization.
Previously, Dr. Shah served as Undersecretary and Chief Scientist in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he created the National Institute for Food and Agriculture. Prior to joining the Obama Administration, he spent eight years at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he led efforts in global health, agriculture, and financial services, including the creation of the International Finance Facility for Immunization.
He is a graduate of the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, and the Wharton School of Business. He regularly appears in the media and has delivered keynote addresses before the U.S. Military Academy, the National Prayer Breakfast, and diverse audiences across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Dr. Shah was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He has served as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, been named to Fortune’s 40 Under 40, and has received multiple honorary degrees.
Professional History:
- President at The Rockefeller Foundation
- Administrator, USAID Executive, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Undersecretary & Chief Scientist, USDA
Education:
- Wharton School of Business
- University of Pennsylvania Medical School
- University of Michigan, Undergrad
Richard Lackey
Chairman & Founder
Mr. Richard Lackey is a serial entrepreneur with a unique background that includes several years in emergency medical response and medical missions as well as almost three decades as an active trader and fund manager. He has appeared as an expert in the field in magazines, and on radio and television.
Mr. Lackey has held eight different securities licenses spanning equity, options and futures markets. Mr. Lackey has served as the Managing Director for five private funds. His expertise in emergency response management as well as the inefficiencies of markets led him along with a world-class team of experts to create the World Food Bank. The World Food Bank is responsible for establishing the world’s most valuable commodities as the world’s newest and potentially safest asset class. Mr. Lackey is also passionate about utilizing the World Food Bank as a solution for the inefficiencies that exist between small farmers and regional and global markets.
Mr. Lackey has authored three books on technical analysis and investment management and is a co-developer of the market prediction software, PTI. In addition to leading the World Food Bank, he regularly consults for startup companies needing innovative solutions, marketing direction, or board leadership.
Professional History: Managing Director, Greatwater Fund, LP Managing Director, Greatwater Investment Management, Inc. Principal, The Falls Resort at Manuel Antonio, SA Founder, Global Food Exchange™, Ltd Founder, Global Food Share, Inc. CEO, Predictive Technologies International, Inc. Present Board Positions: Colorado Nanotechnology Initiative Emerging Global Leaders Summit Titi Conservation Alliance Past Board Positions: American Heart Association American Cancer Society O. Youth Soccer League Leadership Program of the Rockies Authored: Wall Street’s Ten Greatest Myths, 2004, McGraw-Hill Technical Analysis for Traders, 1998, Independent Traders Press Trading the 50% Rule, 1999, Independent Traders Press Education: 2010 Cornell University Hotel Finance and Management 1989 University of Georgia Bachelors Marketing and Management 1987 Harvard University Certification in Fund Analysis 1986 Athens Tech Institute Advanced Emergency Medical Technician 1985 Georgia Real Estate Schools Real Estate
Dr. Tana Juko
Senior Research Associate
As of 2017, Tana is the Senior Research Associate for World Food Bank. Her knowledge and experience reflect her commitment to education, as she recently earned her Doctorate of Philosophy degree in English at the University of North Texas. Prior to her role with WFB, Dr. Juko was a professor of English literature, teaching university students the fundamentals of writing and research in various subjects—composition, world literature, African American literature, and ethnic literature. Additionally, Tana dedicated a full summer to teaching young students how to read in San Diego, CA and Las Vegas, NV immediately after completing her Ph.D. When she is not working, Dr. Juko is committed to organizations like MYPOLARLIFE, a mental health organization, and the East Africa Chamber of Commerce. In 2017, she served as a moderator during the Women Connecting Women panel at the EACC’s 10th Annual Trade and Investment Conference. Her current goals include using her passion for research to help others and making positive contributions to the growth and development of East African countries.
Education
B.S. in Kinesiology from Texas Tech University
Master of Arts in English from Texas Tech University
Ph.D. in English from University of North Texas
Dr. Ronnie P Kaddu
Senior Advisor Community Health and Nutrition
Dr. Ronnie P Kaddu is both a public health doctor and a physician anesthetist with a passion for promoting human capital development in his network of influence, including his workplace and rural communities. Before devoting more time to clinical service, he worked to set up community health projects that facilitated economic growth through establishing sustainable partnerships and supporting capacity development at the grassroots level. His pivotal role in engaging local, as well as international development partners such as the UNDP in post-conflict northern Uganda, saw women and children directly benefit from agribusiness, agroforestry, and customized health service provision. Most recently he has worked with vulnerable communities in Kenya to understand the sociocultural factors that influence their participation in health programmes.
Edgar Kakuru
World Food Bank Country Manager in Uganda
A Graduate of Coventry University Business School I have over 20 years experience in various business fields stretching from printing and publishing with the Market Place Newspaper to sales and distribution for MTN mobile phone network. Working with the family businesses I specialized in sales and marketing. I also worked for Redbridge Council in Essex UK doing administration and accounting and likewise spent 4 years with CDC Atlanta projects at the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Entebbe as the Project Administrator.
Henry Kizito-Musoke
Senior Advisor Soy Agriculture and Manufacturing
Henry Kizito-Musoke is an accomplished development worker turned social entrepreneur with over 24 years of experience designing and managing human development programs with local and international NGOs working in Uganda. Between 2002-2012, Mr. Musoke was at the apex of one of the leading CSOs in Uganda working with small and medium holder farmers to boost farm productivity, accessing markets and improving their lives. He has championed several successful partnerships in this direction and was instrumental in the design of Uganda National Action Plan on Nutrition. Mr. Musoke has been able to link microfinance, productivity/wealth creation and has also mentored several Start-Up businesses in Uganda dealing with Agribusiness, micro credit for the un-bankable sections of Ugandans. His passion for soy bean as a nutrition crop for Humans and animals has been inspired by his 14 year close relationship with Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences(ISU/CALS) in the U.S and this relationship was instrumental in the founding of Soya Solutions Eastern Africa Limited in Uganda. ISU/ CALS also played a key role in mentoring and supporting the business planning process of SSEAL-through its Endowed Chair of Agricultural Entrepreneurship. Currently Mr. Musoke is a Director with the Grain Council of Uganda, an organization at the forefront of developing the grain sector in Uganda. This role has enhanced the value Chain social development business model that SSEAL believes in and has outlined in investment plan. He has demonstrated remarkable skills in strategic thinking, team building and establishment of financial management systems over the years. In his last engagement he created over 200 direct jobs, impacted over 50,000 small holder farmers and micro entrepreneurs and managed over $5 million annually. He has established Global networks in Africa, Europe, COMESA, Middle East and Americas these are potential learning partners and markets for SSEAL products. Mr Musoke firmly believes that adequately feeding over 550 million people in the COMESA region and beyond will require a private sector that recognizes and invests substantially in the small holder production segment.
Buzz Matthews
Chief Of Staff
Buzz has recently been asked to fill the role of President for the Global Food Exchange ™, focusing on leadership and overall oversight of the company’s human capital. Along with this role, Buzz is the Principal of Shiloh Capital LLC, a private endeavor combining investment and real estate projects with executive leadership development. Recently, he served as the Senior Vice President of People Services for Open Range Communications Inc. He was tasked with the oversight of leadership, culture, organizational development and human resources, and those efforts grew the employee base from 5 to over 700 employees in less than 18 months. Buzz worked to recruit, train and build quality management teams and empowered them with the tools needed to create a dynamic and successful organization. Buzz has 30 years of experience hiring, consulting, training and teaching people-skills to current and emerging leaders across many fields. He has extensive experience in the leadership and financial development side of the non-profit sector, working to put effective and productive teams in place world wide, as well as speaking and teaching in national and international settings. Buzz’s history also includes working in the fields of non-profit development, publishing, technology sales and marketing, investment management, foundation management, program-execution and ministry development. Buzz served as the international development director for Young Life International, giving leadership to the organization’s growth in its global initiatives. Currently, Buzz continues to run a program he created that facilitates forums for high-impact business leaders. These forums focus on the integration of business, ethics, parenting, leadership, marriage, faith and comparable world-views. He currently serves in a volunteer capacity to help resource the local area of Young Life, as well as serves on the board of the Downing Street Foundation. Buzz has twin adult children, Will and Emily.
Education
B.S. in Political Science from the University of Colorado, Boulder
Graduate degree in Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California
Joseph C Ojwang
Senior Advisor Food Safety
A Ugandan public health practitioner for the last fourteen years. He is a Founder member of Sandgate Venture inUganda that is advancing social enterprise of small holder farmers, youth and women groups to advance food production, aqua culture and food safety. He is a member of the International Food Safety Network. His expertise cuts across emergency response to disease outbreaks , including food related outbreaks, Quality Improvement Programs and public health training, drawn from years of experience under the Global Health Security Agenda in Uganda, training and research. Under WFB-Uganda, he will oversee the food safety program through training of small holder farmers, Quality testing and Control.
Christopher Smith
Senior Director Global Business Development
Christopher Smith has 33 years of experience as an entrepreneur and international financial professional, concentrating primarily on securitization and structured finance, both conventional and Shariah-compliant transactions (Sukuk), mergers and acquisitions and international business development. Mr. Smith most recently was Director of Global Business Development for the Investment Banking firm of Taylor DeJongh in Washington DC, London and Dubai. (TDJ) As a Director at TDJ Mr. Smith’s primary focus was in International Business Development and Project Management. He was instrumental in the creation and development of TDJ’s Islamic Finance Practice with a focus on the Transportation (Rail & Maritime), Infrastructure and Ene4rgy industries. Prior to TJ Mr. Smith sat on the Advisory Board of Merchant Edge, a merchant investment company in Beirut and Jeddah. Mr. Smith was the Director of International Business Development and U.S. Business Manager of Siraj Capital, Ltd, where he was responsible for international origination, project management and client liaison. He chaired the Advisory Board of Penta Securities of Bloemfontein South Africa, advising on the firm’s expansion into Emerging Markets, primarily in the natural resources sector. As a consultant and subsequently the North American Channel Partner of BSEC-SA, he was the U.S. business development liaison for the first ever S&P rated Shariah-compliant US$ 165 million gas backed US securitization. He co-founded Renewable Energy Funding, LLC, which provides financial advisory and business development services to the renewable energy industry in connection with arranging senior debt, subordinated debt or equity financing for renewable energy projects, as well as for oil & gas transactions. Mr. Smith is founder and Managing Director of Hallman-Smith Consulting, Inc., from which he has assisted firms for the past 22 years in business development, mergers, acquisitions, and arranging and structuring debt facilities. He has extensive experience in organizing the project management process and creating an exceptional client experience. From 1984 to 1996 he held majority ownership positions in several IT and telecom businesses and spent 9 years as Director of Purchasing, New Product Development and Start-up Specialist for Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) in the Aerospace, Automotive and Commercial Lighting sectors. He has been a speaker and panelist at several international conferences, focusing on topics including Islamic Finance and Sukuk as well as a published author on Sukuk in the energy sector. He earned his A.A. from Emory University and his B.B.A. Economics and International Business from Georgia State University J. Mack Robinson School of Business Administration.
Education
A.A. from Emory University
B.B.A. Economics and International Business from Georgia State University, J. Mack Robinson School of Business Administration.
Abigail Walker
Content Creator
Abigail Walker left the Atlanta area a few months after graduating from the University of Georgia and headed straight for Colorado. She currently does marketing, research, and communications for various local Denver businesses. She joined the World Food Bank in November 2018, excited to utilize her degree in International Affairs and specialization in Community Development. Being new to the West, Abigail has quickly adopted the active and outdoor lifestyle, becoming an avid hiker and diving head-first into skiing.
Our Team