18 Under 48

Wes Bolsen has a B.S. in electrical engineering and a minor in economics from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. He currently serves as the Chief Business Officer for Noon Energy. Previously, he has served as the Chief Business Officer and CCO of his previous two companies while keeping his executive office on the south side of Denver, Colorado, and travelling around the world. He has also helped build the world’s leading wildfire prevention technology, which he sold to Perimeter Solutions, and became the Global Business Director for Wildfire Prevention & Protection as they went public on the New York Stock Exchange. Wes also built four different renewable fuel, ag technology and animal nutrition companies, including Codexis, where he served as an officer. From 2000-06 he worked as a consultant for McKinsey & Co. Additionally, in 2011, Wes was named the top Chief Marketing Officer in the United States.

Kevin Booth knew early on he wanted to be a computer scientist. Throughout high school, in his hometown of Orrville, Ohio, he learned everything he could about computer programming in between sports and working as a fryer cook. Kevin graduated with a degree in computer science in fall 2004 and continued to attend graduate school to pursue a M.S. in computer science, which he achieved in 2006. After graduate school, Kevin moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he started his first job as a computer scientist. Kevin’s career has allowed him to create software and cloud-based solutions for almost 100 companies over the last 20 years, most of which are Fortune 500. He has also written software for companies like Safelite Autoglass, Humana, Nationwide and Progressive, as well as government agencies and schools. Currently, Kevin serves as the Principal Architect for Insight Enterprises, a global technology company that focuses on business-to-business and information technology capabilities for enterprises.

Nick DePorter has professional experience in government affairs, higher education leadership and workforce development. Currently, Nick is the Senior Lead Manager of U.S. Public Policy & Economic Graph at LinkedIn. He is responsible for partnering with policy makers and community stakeholders to create economic opportunity for every member of the workforce. Nick served as an elected council member for Fountain Hills, Arizona, from 2014-18. He served on the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) Board of Directors, Maricopa County Workforce Development Board, the Chicanos Por La Causa – Integrated Health & Human Services Board and the Arizona State University Career & Professional Development Services Advisory Board. He also serves as a board member for the City of Phoenix Business & Workforce Development Board and the Arizona State University School of Politics & Global Studies. He and his wife, Adrienne, have three children, Jack, Abbie and Lola.

Bill Gilbert graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Idaho in 1996 with a B.S. in finance. He is currently the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Caprock, a multi-family office investment firm that advises on a significant amount of client assets. Caprock has offices in seven cities across the U.S. and is headquartered in Boise, Idaho. In 2021, Bill was appointed to the Idaho State Board of Education and is currently Vice President of the Board. He has also served as a director of multiple private companies such as VisitPay and Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC. And he serves on the Board of Directors of Idaho Business for Education. Previously, he served the University of Idaho Foundation as Chairman and Emeritus Director of the Board, and he was the Chairman of the St. Luke’s Health Foundation. In 2019, Idaho Governor Brad Little invited Bill to serve as the Co-Chairman of the “Our Kids, Idaho’s Future” K-12 Education Task Force. Bill and his wife, Melissa, reside in Boise and have four children.

Gabe Hesse is an innovative and accomplished product and technology leader. He currently serves as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Net Health, where he oversees the development and delivery of their products. In senior leadership roles, Gabe has helped create multiple product categories and scaled technology businesses, which has led to several successful company exits, including an initial public offering. Gabe’s previous positions include CTO at Arrive Health, CTO at Havenly, Senior VP of Engineering & Architecture at Welltok and Chief Architect at Bankrate. He also serves on the board of the Credit Union of Colorado as a member of their supervisory committee. Gabe graduated from the University of Montana in 2002 with a B.S. in computer science.

Ron Ho is a CPA and Chartered Financial Analyst with more than 20 years of experience in the finance and mining industry. His experience includes working as a Chief Financial Officer for a development silver company in the Silver Valley District of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Ron was one of the first employees at Sandstorm Gold Royalties, leading a start-up mining company to become a globally recognized precious metals royalty company. Sandstorm provides funding for mining companies worldwide, providing growth capital to construct mines, expand operations and acquire assets. Since the company’s inception, Ron has been on the executive team as one of the leaders of the corporate development and finance functions, focusing on structuring transactions for Sandstorm’s new and existing partners. Outside of the office, Ron also has his hands full with his daughter and twin boys, all under the age of three.

Ryan Irvine is the Senior Vice President for Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis, one of the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firms. Ryan leads a three-person team representing corporate occupiers in all facets of the commercial real estate business both in Atlanta and across North America. In the last six years, Ryan has been in the top 20% of sales professionals at the company twice. He started his career at C&W in 2004, and he left in 2008 to start his own team at Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis. Ryan and his wife, Ashley, have three daughters (aged six, nine and 12). In his free time, Ryan has coached his daughters’ sports teams since they were old enough to participate, and his family also enjoy their community at Mt. Bethel Christian Academy and Johnson Ferry Baptist Church.

Ryan Klein is a distinguished technology executive with a 27-year career marked by cross-disciplinary leadership in technology and business innovation. As Chief Information Officer & Senior Vice President at Wells Fargo, he currently leads the modernization of corporate risk technologies and the transformation to cloud. His visionary leadership restructured the development organization into an agile entity, preparing for a seamless cloud migration and the adoption of agile methodologies. Before joining Wells Fargo, Ryan served as VP of Enterprise IS Program Operations & Collaboration at Providence Health, where he successfully oversaw the migration and modernization of all user-facing and bio-medical technologies at over 50 data centers, streamlined countless endpoints, and implemented enterprise platforms to ensure uninterrupted patient care during the pandemic. Earlier in his career, Ryan held pivotal roles at QLogic, Brocade and Unisys Corporation. Ryan earned his B.S. from California State University Fresno in 1999 and completed executive programs at Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

As CEO at The Birthday Party Project (TBPP), Wade Lairsen leads a passionate team of staff and volunteers who bring joy and hope to children experiencing homelessness through the magic of birthdays. The kids celebrated at TBPP have overwhelmed Wade by how transformative a simple act of kindness can be to a kid going through hard times. Before joining TBPP, Wade held leadership roles at Goldman Sachs, the White House and USAID, where he developed and executed strategic partnerships, community development, and civic engagement initiatives. Wade is also a 2022 Presidential Leadership Scholar, a fellowship program fostering collaboration and leadership skills among diverse and accomplished professionals across all sectors. Whether helping small business owners across the U.S. create jobs, leading the President and First Lady’s visit to Rwanda to highlight AIDS relief, or working on economic development in Ukraine, each of these roles taught Wade that everyone wants the same thing: a roof over their head, food, and to love and be loved.

Darren Magarro is the Founder and President of the DSM Group, a full-service media and communications agency that provides a one-stop destination for clients’ advertising, marketing and public relations needs. For over 18 years, he has led a team of talented professionals in delivering innovative and effective media solutions that maximize ROI and drive growth. Darren has successfully managed and executed campaigns for clients in various industries, such as Toyota, Boston Beer, Jim Beam and Puma. His passion is to create long-lasting partnerships with clients and become their “in-house” marketing firm by utilizing his great knowledge and skill in media strategy, media negotiation and purchasing, and leveraging client assets across media platforms. He has been named one of the “Forty Under 40” by NJBIZ and a Small Business Award winner by SmartCEO for his industry impact and business excellence.

James McDermott has been an executive in technology and business consulting firms for over 20 years. He is the Founding Partner of Nimbl Consulting, LLC and is an accomplished and passionate executive with a proven track record of success in leading rapid organic growth for multiple companies expanding in tough competitive markets. Throughout his career, James has worked in talent acquisition, human resources and operational efficiency in the staffing, technology consulting, management consulting and digital transformation industries. James’ growth methodology for rapid organic growth in the staffing and technology consulting industry was successfully implemented and adopted by multiple top 100 consulting firms and is currently driving the successful and explosive growth at Nimbl. James and his wife, Elizabeth, have two children, James and Maura. Outside of work, he has coached youth sports for his children. He also volunteers with The Travis Manion Foundation, which delivers character development and leadership seminars to our next generation of leaders.

Brett Merritt received a B.A. in biology & liberal arts management from Indiana University in 1998 and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2003. Since 2018, Brett has served as Vice President for Cummins Inc., a global power technology leader. As Vice President, he leads the global On-Highway Engine Business and key strategic customers for all Cummins business. Since joining Cummins’ staff in 2009, he has held several positions. He was general manager of the On-Highway Engine Business from 2014-18, general manager of Medium Duty Truck from 2011-14 and general manager of North America On-Highway Emissions Solutions from 2009-11. Brett and his wife, Becky, have a son, John (Indiana 2027), and two daughters, Rachel and Grace.

David Rapp is the Executive Director and Founder of Global Surgical Expedition (GSE), a nonprofit organization delivering surgical care and infrastructure to under served populations around the world. GSE has treated over 1,500 patients and performed over 500 life-changing surgeries in Central America and Africa. David has a long-standing commitment to global surgery care and helping the five billion people worldwide lacking access to basic surgeries. He is a professor of urology and professor of obstetrics & gynecology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. And he is the director of the UVA urology global health leadership track, a two-year certificate program for residents focused on global health leadership. David is also an active researcher and has published more than 125 scientific articles and chapters, with significant focus on global surgery and the relationship between surgical disease and poverty. Additionally, he is a member of the G4 Alliance Permanent Council, a global group of more than 60 organizations across 160 countries, united in its efforts to advocate for access to surgical, obstetric, trauma and anesthesia care.

Ramin Taheri is the CEO of Magnet Schools of America (MSA), a nonprofit association representing magnet and theme-based K-12 schools. Previously, Ramin served in the Biden-Harris Administration as chief of staff for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, where he coordinated activities related to media and communications, congressional affairs, strategic policy development and organizational management for one of the largest civil rights offices in the federal government. Ramin also served as the Executive Director of the Washington, DC, chapter of Democrats for Education Reform, as general counsel & director of advocacy at Chiefs for Change, and as a special assistant to the Deputy Mayor for Education in Washington, DC, to name a few. His experience covers a range of complex legal and policy issues in education and civil rights. Ramin earned a B.A. from the University of Maryland, a M.A. from Columbia University’s Teachers College and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law. He lives in Washington, DC, with his wife and two children.

Andrew Townend is an experienced CFO with global finance, strategy and corporate development expertise. Andrew graduated summa cum laude from Texas Tech University in 2000 with a finance major and German minor. He earned his MBA in economics and finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2005. He started his career at J.P. Morgan Chase, working as a senior analyst from 2000-03. From 2005-10 he held several positions at Boston Consulting Group; from 2011-18 he served in several prominent roles at PepsiCo, including CFO of PepsiCo Australia & New Zealand, and from 2018-20 he was Group CFO of Real Pet Food Company. Currently, Andrew is CFO of Custom Ink, the eCommerce and omnichannel leader in custom gear for groups, companies and communities.

James Walker graduated with a B.A. in business law. After a short career in financial services, he transitioned into the world of entertainment. With a career spanning award-winning documentaries, breakout indie films and groundbreaking podcasts, James has carved a niche for himself as a prolific producer. He is the founder of Velocity Studios, a collective of industry-leading creatives and producers based in Burbank, California. James’ commitment to his craft is further underscored by his active membership in the Producers Guild of America and The Podcast Academy. His work includes being an integral producer on the National Geographic feature “Living in the Age of Airplanes,” narrated by Harrison Ford. James also co-wrote and produced “Why We Ride,” a feature documentary exploring the passion for life told through the lives of motorcycle enthusiasts. This film achieved resounding critical acclaim and garnered James numerous accolades, including the 2014 Motorcyclist of the Year Award and the Hazel Kolb Brighter Image Award – both from the American Motorcycle Association. The California State Assembly also recognized James with a special commendation for the profound positive impact of the film. In the wake of his success with “Why We Ride,” he co-founded MOTOvational, Inc., a federally registered 501(c)3 charity that has raised over $100,000 for pediatric brain tumor research and support through yearly motorcycle rides.

Shadd Walker currently serves Colliers International as Senior Executive Vice President in the Greater Los Angeles region. He has more than 20 years of experience in the sale and lease of office and R&D properties throughout Los Angeles County. Shadd began his career with Colliers in 1998 and now brings the company an acute understanding of the office market, particularly an expertise in repositioning for creative office, entertainment production studios, biotech and life-science markets. Shadd’s strategic approach allows him to partner closely with clients, resulting in well-executed transactions and exceptional advisory services. As a client-focused expert, he is skilled in problem-solving and delivers top-notch solutions for complex structures. He is adept in advising small and large clients on how to optimize office assets in targeted markets.

Bryan Zugelder is Associate Dean for Academic Affairs & Partnerships at James Madison University and a tenured associate professor in the department of learning, technology & leadership education. He has more than 60 scholarly contributions in the field of education. This includes funded grants, peer-reviewed journal and book publications, national and international presentations, and creative activities, all focused on the educator continuum. He led the development of a comprehensive logic model for research in collaboration with the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning & Equity and the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University. He was the lead author for an instructional coaching framework used across 10 universities in the University of North Carolina system and more than 200 schools to provide intentional coaching support to beginning teachers. He has also served as Executive Director of Undergraduate Affairs & Partnerships, Director of Clinical Experiences, and Director of the Toni Jennings Exceptional Education Institute at the University of Central Florida. And he provided state-level instructional coaching for principals and literacy coaches in Reading First schools and served as an assessment project manager for the Florida Department of Education. Early in his career, he was an elementary school teacher for Florida’s Leon County and Seminole County public schools.

Daane Blocksma graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in business administration. Following graduation, he was commissioned into the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Reserves and attended law school at the University of Memphis. Daane reported for active duty in the USMC shortly after completing his law degree and working in private practice. Daane’s service in the USMC includes serving as a judge advocate, providing legal assistance to service members, defense counsel in criminal trials, foreign security force advisor to the Afghan National Army & Police, command legal advisor, and a Chief of Operational Law for a Joint Task Force under United States Cyber Command. He has also been recognized with several recognitions and awards, including the American Bar Association’s Outstanding Young Military Lawyer Award for the Marines in 2023 and multiple personal military decorations. Daane also served as an adjunct Professor at the U.S. Naval Academy from 2022-24. He is currently a Commandant of the USMC Fellow within the Department of Defense Office of General Counsel where he is detailed to a combat support agency.

Justin Burns was active in community service during his time at Ohio State University, and he continued his service by working in various roles at the Fraternity Headquarters before going on to complete a master’s degree at the University of Tennessee, and then graduating with honors from the University of Akron School of Law. While still a law student, he had the opportunity to appear before an Ohio court of appeals to advocate on behalf of one of the law school’s clients (and won), and he published an article in the Akron Law Review calling for reforms to Ohio’s Anti-Hazing Law (some of which later came to fruition). In 2016, HazingPrevention.org described Justin as a “tireless champion” for anti-hazing education and gave him the Hank Nuwer Anti-Hazing Hero Award. After law school, Justin completed a two-year clerkship with a federal judge in Little Rock, Arkansas before joining the national law firm of Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP. Justin’s legal work focuses on commercial litigation and civil rights, and he is often called upon to speak to audiences across the country and write on matters involving the Supreme Court of the United States. In 2023, Dinsmore awarded him with the Difference Maker Award, and in 2024, the firm elevated him to Partner.

Justin Carter earned both a Bachelor’s degree and MBA from the University of North Alabama (UNA). He also holds an MA in leadership studies and a Ph.D. in human capital management. After graduation, Justin began his career as a Training Specialist with a defense contractor but soon shifted into consulting with Aon Hewitt and ADP, before eventually returning to his hometown of Birmingham to work with Vulcan Materials Company, where he led the Leadership and Organization Development Department for their Construction Materials Group. Justin currently serves as an Assistant Professor of management at UNA. His current research focuses on the impact of large language model usage on well-being and will be the topic of his upcoming TEDx talk. Additionally, he runs The Carter Firm, a consulting group specializing in executive coaching and strategic planning.

As a military legislative assistant for a federal official, Dwayne is a policy advisor on military-specific topics that involve a great deal of research and networking. His role includes responding to issues and advising on legislation related to his area of expertise. Prior to this position, Dwayne completed Embry-Riddle’s Global Conflict Studies program. During the program, he learned about different conflicts throughout history from different angles, which trained him for real-world experience. Clark never imagined he was qualified to work on Capitol Hill. However, with the encouragement of former colleagues, he applied and was selected for an internship. Clark has found Capitol Hill to be a great environment for growth. As for his own career trajectory, he wants to continue serving the country in a government affairs role for an aerospace defense company or possibly run for office.

Dustyn Curran graduated with a degree in construction engineering from Iowa State University and an MBA from the University of Iowa. Since graduating, Dustyn has worked for Ryan Companies, today as the Director of Real Estate Development for the Midwest Region. Since 2020, he has led the development of nearly $1 billion of warehousing and distribution facilities in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois. During his career, Dustyn has received several awards, including Project of the Year awards from the Design-Build Institute of America, a Des Moines Business Record 40 Under 40 award, and a real estate Deal of the Year by the Iowa Commercial Real Estate Association. He has also presented specific projects and topics at several universities. Always committed to giving back, Dustyn has served on multiple non-profit boards that align with his passions. He has also remained active with the fraternity through various leadership positions, including his current role as a member of the Legacy 325 Building Committee.

Adam Drummond is an author, adjunct professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Ball State University, and Associate Partner for the Center for Model Schools. His career in education has included time as a teacher, technology integration specialist, principal, and more. He has been recognized by the Indiana General Assembly with a House Resolution for his leadership as a principal, named as the District #3 Indiana Association of School Principals Principal of the Year, earned a Fort Wayne Business Weekly 40 Under 40 award, and a Ball State University Alumni Association Graduate of the Last Decade Award. In 2019, Adam published his book, “The Instructional Change Agent,” which offers school leaders 48 practical ways to support in the day-to-day leadership work to boost student achievement and increase teacher efficacy. He also served as President & CEO of the United Way of Huntington County, Indiana.

Zachary Finn has had a notable career in risk management. As the Academic Director of the Davey Risk Management & Insurance Program at Butler University, he helped found and run what is now the ninth-largest undergraduate risk management and insurance degree program in the U.S. He was also the co-inventor, co-founder, Chief Risk Officer and Chief Operating Officer for the world’s first student-run captive insurance company, domiciled in Bermuda, and taught at Butler University, which was profiled in The New York Times. Zachary has published articles on several topics, including pandemic insurability, product contamination and recall risk and Insurtech, which have appeared in Bloomberg, The Washington Times, Indianapolis Business Journal and Harvard Business Review, to name a few. He also helped advise the U.S. Congress on the creation of model Pandemic Risk Insurance Act legislation to help mitigate the impact to insurance markets from COVID-19. Currently, Zachary works with Henriott.

Cameron Haring graduated from Miami University in 2004 with a BS in business – organizational leadership. Upon graduation, he worked as a manager/salesman for CH Robinson Worldwide. In 2009, he earned his MBA from Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management. Upon graduation, he worked for Thermo Fisher Scientific in North Carolina in their MBA Leadership Development Program (2009-18). In 2015, he took a remote position so he could move to his hometown of Mansfield, Ohio so he could search for a business to buy. In 2018, Cameron purchased DECA Manufacturing, a contract manufacturer of electronic assemblies. Since he bought the company, its revenues have grown by 300%. Outside his profession, Cameron is heavily involved in his community, serving on several boards and committees. He also was awarded the 10 Under 40 Award by Richland County Chamber of Commerce and the Quality Leadership Award by the Rotary Club of Cleveland in 2021.

Navin Kaminoulu is a seasoned technology executive with a strong track record of building and scaling successful businesses. Over the past two decades, he has played pivotal roles in companies across various industries, from software to construction technology. Both in leadership and cofounder roles, Navin has directed companies through hyper-growth, raised venture capital, and guided toward strategic acquisition. Currently, Navin is an Operating Advisor at Groundbreak Ventures, Canada’s most active property technology investor. He also serves as board director for PLOT Communications and Sitemax Systems Inc. Additionally, he supports various entrepreneurship ecosystems and the founder community at large, as well as giving back in board and advisor roles.

Ted Kinsey is a Director of Business Aviation Development Programs at Honeywell Aerospace, one of the world’s largest makers of aviation components. He has managed programs to develop aircraft engines, cockpit electronics, auxiliary power units, and the environmental systems that keep passengers comfortable and safe. Ted graduated from Purdue University with a BS in mechanical engineering. Before joining Honeywell, Ted interned with Orien Pacific in Shanghai, China, managing supply chain operations. He also served as an intern in the U.S. Congress for Representative Jimmy Duncan (TN). Outside of his career, Ted volunteers as a youth sports coach and is active in his church.

Chris Kurtz is an accomplished attorney with litigation, trial and appellate experience in state and federal courts. He has also served as the arbitrator in more than 30 cases with the American Arbitration Association. Chris began his legal career serving as a law clerk for a trial court judge before working at a large Kansas City law firm where he became the firm’s youngest partner. Today, Chris is an owner of a law firm, focusing on business, construction and real estate matters. His legal work has been recognized by Best Lawyers as “Ones to Watch,” Benchmark on the “40 & Under Hot List,” Missouri Lawyers Weekly on the “Up & Coming” list, and Ball State recognized him as a Graduate of the Last Decade for his accomplishments. Outside of work, Chris has served as Chair of the Leawood Chamber of Commerce and President of the Johnson County Bar Foundation. He has also volunteered for the Fraternity since graduation, currently serving in his second term as the Section Leader Executive Committee Chair.

Grant McCasland was named Texas Tech’s 19th head coach of the men’s basketball team in March 2023. Grant made an immediate impact in his first season, helping the team earn a # 22 in national rankings. He also became the third head coach in program history to lead the team to 20+ wins in their first seasons and the fourth to take the program to the national tournament in their first season. Grant previous basketball coaching experience includes: head coach at North Texas (2017-2023), where he led the team to the National Invitation Tournament Championship in his final year; head coach at Arkansas State (2016-17); assistant coach at Baylor (2011-16); head coach at Midwestern State (2009-11); head coach at Midland College (2004-09), where he led the team to win the NJCAA National Championship in 2007; assistant coach at Northeastern JC (2001-03); and Director of Operations at Texas Tech (1999-2001). Some of Grants coaching successes include winning the 2023 NIT Champion, leading his team to win three consecutive C-USA championship titles and being named the 2020 C-USA Coach of the Year, to name a few.

James Miervaldis is a consultant at the Department of Defense, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan with the U.S. Army Reserve. After returning from service in 2012, he immediately helped Tim Nank (Columbia 1994), John Toner (Hampden-Sydney 2000) and Josh Holly (Tennessee 1997) restart the National Capital Fiji (Washington, DC) Graduate Chapter, which now has over 300 members from 100 chapters. The Graduate Chapter has held events with Famous Phi Gams including Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch (Columbia 1988), CBS White House Correspondent Major Garrett (Missouri 1984) and Colorado Governor Jared Polis (Princeton 1996), to name a few. Outside the Graduate Chapter, James, with the help of Senator Tim Kaine’s office, worked for three years to bring his Afghan interpreter and his family to the U.S. through the Special Immigrant Visa program in 2016. James shares this story on the Fraternity’s “On the Banks” podcast (season 3, episode 3).

Eli Moraru is the Co-Founder and President of The Community Grocer, which he founded with his fraternity brother to re-invent the corner store and reimagine nutritional assistance for low-income communities of color. Eli was the 2022 winner of the Penn Presidents Sustainability Prize, a PHL Innovation Under 25 Honoree, recognizing individuals 25 years and younger who are making waves in Greater Philadelphia’s startup ecosystem and a Social Innovation Award Medalist. Committed to building stronger, healthier communities, Eli has registered hundreds of individuals to vote, worked alongside SHARE to feed families and has served as a Big for Big Brother-Big Sisters.

George Pappas enters his 12th season with the Rays and his first as director of minor league operations after being named to the role in October 2023. His primary responsibilities include roster management and transactions across the farm system, playing a key role in personnel decisions while managing affiliate relations and PDL Club agreements and rules compliance. He also serves as primary liaison between the Rays and MLB’s Office of the Commissioner on player development matters. George joined the Rays in 2013 as an international and minor league operations intern and was hired full-time in 2014, working the following three seasons in the communication department. He transitioned into baseball operations in 2016 as Assistant, International and Minor League Operations and was promoted to Assistant Director in 2021. Before joining the Rays, George interned with the New York Yankees and covered Major League Baseball for ESPN Radio. Outside of his career, he serves on the strategic advisory board for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.

John Ruby is an actor who recently recurred in the latest Mindy Kaling show, “Running Point,” with Kate Hudson. Other recent television credits include “Shrinking,” with Jason Segel, “911: Lone Star,” “For All Mankind,” “Penny Dreadful” and “SWAT.” In film, his feature credits include “Solver,” “Cerebrum” and “Touch.” On stage, John has performed in “Fool for Love,” “Heaven Can Wait” and “The Sting,” to name a few. John teaches an on-camera acting class with his school, the Storytellers Conservatory, and serves as an acting mentor. He also co-hosts “The Moving Spotlight” podcasts, which helps artists take control of their creative careers. In his free time,
John advocates for protected bike lanes and electric cars.

Tim Silvernail was hired as the University of Massachusetts’s (UM) Assistant Athletic Director of the Football Administration in February 2024. Before returning to his alma matter, he spent a year working at Opendorse as a Senior Account Executive, and he previously spent three years as the Director of Recruiting for the Rutgers football program. Tim’s prior football coaching experience included serving as the Director of Recruiting Operations at Buffalo (2019-20); Director of Player Personnel at UM (2016-19); football program aid for Eastern Michigan (2015-16); and football team’s operations intern at Rutgers (2014-15). Tim has a BA in sports management from UM.

David Waters graduated from Kansas State with a B.A. in political science and modern languages before attending the University of Kansas School of Law. He currently serves as the Managing Partner for the Overland Park office of Spencer Fane LLP, a national law firm. David’s practice focuses on real estate, land use and zoning, construction, health care and municipal law. He has been recognized by the Best Lawyers in America as the Lawyer of the Year in each of these categories. He also was inducted into the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL) in 2023, and he serves as a board member of the City Attorneys Association of Kansas. Outside his law career, David is currently serving in his second term as Mayor of Westwood, Kansas, and he is the President of the Kansas Mayors Association. Additionally, he served the Chi Deuteron Chapter as Purple Legionnaire for two years, and he received the Fraternity’s Wilkinson Award, as the most outstanding senior, in 1999.