Called to Serve. Proven to Perform.
What began with a simple question over a dinner conversation between four senior executives and members from the U.S. Navy SEAL team that eliminated Osama Bin Laden, “What are you going to do next?” has evolved into a four-phased program tailored for the transition experience for Special Operators of all services. Every year since its inception, SOTF has increased the number of successfully transitioned Special Operators.
Leadership Made in America.
SOTF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to providing best-in-class training, education, and business connectivity for our military’s most elite Special Operators who are transitioning to their next successful career.
Our Fellows are senior Non-Commissioned Officers, Warrant Officers, and Officers from Green Berets, SEALs, Delta Force, 75th Ranger Regiment, Marine Corps Special Operations, and Air Force Special Operations units. They are the military’s professional athletes with special skill sets and advanced degrees, ready to find their next right career. SOTF provides coaching and connections to help Special Operations veterans identify, prepare, and execute a personal marketing strategy. We also facilitate unique interactive workshops with C-Suite executives to meet and explore opportunities in regionally advantageous regions.
Foundation Staff
Sarah Vanderleest
Transition Coordinator
Angie Arias
Operations Coordinator
Board of Directors
Mark Whaling
Chairman; Founder of Whaleshark LLC & Black Powder Partners
Mark Whaling
Chairman; Founder of Whaleshark LLC & Black Powder Partners
Mark Whaling is the Founder and CEO of Whaleshark and a founding partner of WS strategic partner firms, Black Powder Partners and Black Powder Search. In all roles, he leverages his 25 years of Institutional Sales, Finance, and Management experience…
Jeff Jacobs
Vice Chairman, CIO of Insurance Solutions Group for Apollo Global Management
Jeff Jacobs
Vice Chairman, CIO of Insurance Solutions Group for Apollo Global Management
Jeffrey Jacobs is a Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Apollo Insurance Solutions Group. Prior to joining Apollo in 2019, Jeff was Global CIO and Lead Portfolio Manager of the Financial Institutions Group at BlackRock, where he was responsible for…
Laurent Roux
Treasurer, Founder/CEO of Gallatin Wealth Management
Laurent Roux
Treasurer, Founder/CEO of Gallatin Wealth Management
Laurent Roux has over 40 years of experience working with families and family offices worldwide. Activities range from strategic wealth management – family legacy and stewardship, family dynamics and organization, family office construction, coordination, troubleshooting and consulting, to international asset…
Kim Campbell
Keynote Speaker, Former Fighter Pilot, Managing Director at Victory Strategies
Kim Campbell
Keynote Speaker, Former Fighter Pilot, Managing Director at Victory Strategies
Kim “KC” Campbell is a retired Air Force Colonel who served in the Air Force for 24 years as a fighter pilot and senior military leader. She has flown 1,800 hours in the A-10 Warthog, including more than 100 combat…
Dan Poritzky
Managing Partner at Blue Rise Ventures
Dan Poritzky
Managing Partner at Blue Rise Ventures
Mr. Poritzky is a Founder and Managing Partner at Blue Rise Ventures, responsible for oversight of operations, leasing, new business, and capital partner relationships. Mr. Poritzky previously spent four years at Local Capital Group, leading the Commercial Real Estate platform….
Aimee Burck
Co-chair for the Capital Campaign for the Beauvoir National Cathedral School
Clint Kollar
Co-Founder & Chief Origination Officer at Sixth Street
Clint Kollar
Co-Founder & Chief Origination Officer at Sixth Street
Clint Kollar is a Partner and Co-Founder of Sixth Street Partners, a private alternative investment firm based in San Francisco, CA. He is responsible for Sixth Street’s investment origination activity and leads the Strategic Partnerships & Originations team. Clint began…
Todd Koetje
Chief Financial Officer at Cable One
Todd Koetje
Chief Financial Officer at Cable One
Todd Koetje is the Chief Financial Officer for Cable One. He is responsible for the areas of accounting, reporting, finance, and investor relations. Koetje has been Chief Financial Officer of Cable One since July 1, 2022. He served as Senior…
Dave Pearson
Managing Director at Deloitte
Dave Pearson
Managing Director at Deloitte
Dave is a Managing Director with Deloitte’s Digital Practice. He works with clients to help them modernize and innovate their critical business processes across Sales, Service, Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain, and HR operations.
Robert Kirila
Managing Partner at Black Powder Partners
Robert Kirila
Managing Partner at Black Powder Partners
Robert Kirila is the co-founder and Managing Partner for Black Powder Partners, Black Powder Holdings, and Black Powder Search. The Black Powder family of entities are purpose-driven companies investing in and supporting America’s founder-owned infrastructure service businesses. Previously, Robert…
Mark Mulcahy
Leveraged Finance Director
Mark Mulcahy
Leveraged Finance Director
Mark Mulcahy graduated Boston College in 1999 and began his career at Citigroup shortly after. Citigroup is where Mark started his 22-year career in leveraged finance sales. Mark joined Deutsche Bank in May 2010 where he was a Managing Director…
Dr. Richard Strain
Orthopeadic Surgeon
Dr. Richard Strain
Orthopeadic Surgeon
Dr. Richard Strain is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and the senior partner of the practice who specializes in the treatment of hip and knee arthritis as well as sports injuries. Dr. Strain has been practicing continuously in South Florida for…
Advisory Board
Tommy O’Connor
Vice President of Sales and Operations for Mohawk
Tommy O’Connor
Vice President of Sales and Operations for Mohawk
Prior to founding Mohawk Insurance Services Inc. Tom O’Connor spent 13 years at Mohawk Fine Paper, North America’s largest privately held premium paper manufacturer. His roles ranged from Sales management, Director of Customer Service, various supply chain roles, VP of…
Tiffany Orner
CEO & Founder, IGY6 Company
Tiffany Orner
CEO & Founder, IGY6 Company
Drawing from a rich tapestry of military heritage, she stands as a beacon of resilience and dedication—a third-generation military professional and a proud second-generation Air Force veteran. Her journey, deeply rooted in the disciplined ethos passed down through her family,…
Steve Iorio
President at Prospect Ridge
Steve Iorio
President at Prospect Ridge
Steve Iorio is President of Prospect Ridge and is responsible for overseeing portfolio and asset management, capital raising, investor relations, risk management, and many of the day-to-day responsibilities associated with operating the firm. He also works closely with the Finance…
Lenny Dacanay
Partner, Tightrope Capital Partners
Lenny Dacanay
Partner, Tightrope Capital Partners
Lenny brings over 38 years of business development experience in the financial and professional services industries. Prior to joining Tightrope Capital, he led sponsor coverage for a national advisory and consulting firm and served as head of originations for a…
Leonne (Leona) Philippen, PhD
Associate Partner in McKinsey’s Operations Practice
Leonne (Leona) Philippen, PhD
Associate Partner in McKinsey’s Operations Practice
Leonne is an Associate Partner in McKinsey’s Operations Practice based in McKinsey’s Washington DC, office. She specializes in the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices industries, priorly serving clients in the Energy industry. Over the past 6+ years, she has served leading…
Richard Aube
Managing Partner at Pine Brook
Richard Aube
Managing Partner at Pine Brook
Mr. Aube joined Pine Brook in July 2011 and is a managing partner. He is responsible formanaging the Firm’s energy investment activities. He is also a member of the Firm’sManagement Committee and Investment Committee. Mr. Aube represents Pine Brook as…
Patrice Meagher
Founder and CEO of MilkMate
Patrice Meagher
Founder and CEO of MilkMate
Patrice Meagher is the Founder and CEO of MilkMate, a Company on a mission to empower working moms and the employers that support them. MilkMate offers a turnkey breast pumping solution for workplace wellness rooms and was created out of…
Nate Scopac
Associate Director of International Strategy at Collins Aerospace
Nate Scopac
Associate Director of International Strategy at Collins Aerospace
Nate Scopac is the Associate Director of International Strategy, responsible for developingCollins Aerospace-wide international strategies for the Americas that support investmentdecisions. Prior to that, he was a business development lead for helmet-mounted displaysand other related products. Mr. Scopac joined the…
Lee Stacey
Managing Director of McGowan Insurance
Lee Stacey
Managing Director of McGowan Insurance
Lee M. Stacey is the Managing Director of McGowan Insurance, a full-servicecommercial property & casualty insurance brokerage and advisory firm locatedin Cleveland, Ohio. A 30-year veteran of the commercial insurance space, hehas held positions in the industry of increasing responsibility…
Michael Karmilowicz
Executive Vice President, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Everest Insurance
Michael Karmilowicz
Executive Vice President, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Everest Insurance
Michael Karmilowicz is the Executive Vice President, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Everest Insurance, a leading global provider of reinsurance and insurance, operating for over 50 years in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Canada, Bermuda, and Latin America. He is…
Michael Leiter
Partner at Skadden, Arps
Michael Leiter
Partner at Skadden, Arps
Michael Leiter is a Partner at Skadden, Arps, where he runs the firm’s national security practice, which focuses on a broad range of transactions, investigations, and incidents involving U.S. national security and cybersecurity, including CFIUS, export controls, trade, government contracts,…
Scott Bemis
Founder & CEO of Bemis Business Partners
Scott Bemis
Founder & CEO of Bemis Business Partners
Scott Bemis has been a fixture in the Denver business community for more than 25 years. He built relationships and developed partnerships through his leadership with American City Business Journals. After leading Business Journals in Indianapolis, Rochester, and Cincinnati, Scott…