Solamere Network - Executive Partner Group
Dick Boyce runs a family office called Schafer Meadows with a group of friends doing early stage tech-enabled consumer investing. He retired from the partnership at TPG Capital, one of the largest global investment partnerships, owning over 100 companies, with over $140 billion in revenue. Dick founded and led TPG's Operating Group, which drives performance improvement across all the TPG companies, from 1997 to 2013.
Prior Mr. Boyce served as Senior Vice President of North American Operations of Pepsico, Inc. and was previously a partner at Bain & Company. He served as the Chief Executive Officer of J.Crew Group, Inc., from 1997-1999, and as a Board member from 1997-2006. He also served subsequently as the Chairman of both Burger King Corporation and Del Monte Foods and on multiple other public and private boards.
He currently is on the board of Allbirds and Spyce, and is a senior advisor to Altamont Capital and Solamere Capital. He served on the Mitt Romney 2012 National Board and currently on the National Council of AEI. Since 2015, Mr. Boyce has been an advisor for The COMMIT Foundation, a Veterans career transition mentoring group.
CloseMichael retired as a Senior Partner with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR), after a 15 year career where he was responsible for the Global retail private equity practice. Michael was responsible for approximately $30 billion in transactions in the retail/consumer sector, investing approximately $3.8 billion of equity and generating a 28% net return over 17 years to limited partners. While at KKR, Mike served on all the firm's global private equity investment committees and portfolio management committees.
He has served on the board of directors of Shoppers Drug Mart (Public - Canada) Toys 'R Us (private), Chairman of Academy Sports & Outdoors (private), Dollar General (public), Pets at Home (Public - U.K.) and U.S. Foods (Private).
He continues to serve as Chairman of the board of Dollar General (NYSE: DG), a company he took private in 2007 while at KKR. At the time of the buyout, Dollar General had 8,600 stores, 71,000 employees, Revenue of $9.2 billion, EBITDA of $600 million and Enterprise Value of $7.2 billion. Today, Dollar General has 17,000 stores, 155,000 employees, revenue of $27.8 billion, EBITDA of $2.6 billion and Market Capitalization of $50 billion.
Mike also serves on the boards of AutoZone (NYSE: AZO), Vestcom International (Private) and as the Lead Director for Brookshire Grocery Company (Private). Mike recently joined the board of the National Association of Investors Corporation, a non-profit focused on financial education.
Prior to KKR, Michael was Chief Financial Officer of Randall's Food Markets, a $2.5 billion revenue retailer based in Texas. While at Randall's, Michael took the company through a buyout with KKR.
Michael began his professional career with Arthur Andersen Worldwide first as a staff auditor and later in the consulting practice.
Michael has a bachelor's degree in business from Stephen F. Austin State University (concentration in Accounting) and an MBA from University of Houston. Mike holds a Certified Public Accounting certificate (inactive).
Michael and Barbara Lynn Calbert have 3 sons – David, Mitchell and Ryan. Michael and Barbara reside in Woodside, California and Austin, Texas.
CloseGary Chartrand is the former CEO and Executive Chairman of Acosta. Acosta is a leading full-service sales and marketing agency, providing outsourced sales, merchandising, marketing and promotional services to manufacturers in the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry.
Under his leadership, Acosta became the first national Sales and marketing agency in the country covering all 50 states. Acosta expanded services into Canada by acquiring four regional sales and marketing firms to form a North American network.
Gary has served on the Board of Directors of the Grocery Manufacturers Association. He has served on several Advisory Boards for the consumer products companies represented by Acosta. Gary received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the State of Florida in May 2001, and was named to the Supermarket News Power 50 list from 2003 to 2009, indicating the 50 most influential people in the industry.
Gary currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Chartrand Foundation, Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation, The Florida Education Foundation, The Foundation for Excellence in Education , The KIpp Public Charter Schools in Jacksonville and is the former Chair of the State board of Education He is also an enthusiastic supporter of the Catholic Charities, Guardian of Dreams Catholic schools, and the Diocese of St. Augustine.
Gary is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire. He resides in Ponte Vedra Beach with his wife, Nancy. They have two children, Jeffrey and Meredith and four grandchildren
CloseAs Co-Founder, Co-Chair and Co-CEO, Andrew Cherng is the visionary behind Panda Restaurant Group. His business insights have propelled Panda to become the world leader in Asian dining experiences, while his passion for continuous learning inspires a culture where associates are dedicated to developing their full potential.
Andrew's business acumen has been recognized by Forbes, the Los Angeles Business Journal and the Asia Society of Southern California. He was conferred an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and is a member of the International Advisory Board for the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Under Andrew's leadership, Panda Restaurant Group was named one of America's best employers by Forbes and ranked the number one Asian quick-service concept by QSR. Additionally, he along with Panda Restaurant Group Co-Chairman and Co-CEO Peggy Cherng, have been inducted into the National Restaurant Association's Hall of Fame and named Carnegie Corporation's Great Immigrants.
Andrew earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Baker University and Master of Applied Mathematics from the University of Missouri.
CloseEd Conard is an American Enterprise Institute adjunct fellow, a former Bain Capital partner, and author of two New York Times top-ten bestselling books, including "The Upside of Inequality: How Good Intentions Undermine the Middle Class" (2016), and a contributor to Oxford University Press' "United States Income, Wealth, Consumption, and Inequality" (2020).
CloseMr. Edward C. Forst, is Chairman, Partner, and member of the Investment Committee at Lion Capital. Presently, Ed is Chairman, and Director of Leo SPAC initiatives (NYSE). Ed previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Cushman & Wakefield, leading the commercial real estate firm across more than 60 countries.
Prior to this, Ed was a Management Committee Partner of Goldman, Sachs & Co. He served as the Co-CEO of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, and before that as the Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Vice President of the firm. Ed was also the Executive Vice President and Principal Operating Officer of Harvard University during the financial crisis, as well as Adviser to the Secretary of the Treasury on the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).
Ed sits on the boards of The Feinstein Institute of Northwell Health and the Yale School of Management. He has also served on the board of the Harvard Management Company, as Treasurer of Carnegie Hall, and as the Chairman of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA). Ed earned his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and his AB in Economics from Harvard University.
CloseKaren Katz
Karen is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of the Neiman Marcus Group, one of the world's leading Luxury and Fashion retailers where she spent 33 years. Karen is proud to have led the company and its associates through its digital transformation.
In October 2014, she was appointed to the Under Armour Board of Directors, where she currently serves on the Finance and Audit Committees.
In April 2019, she was appointed to the Casper Sleep Board of Directors, where she is the Lead Director as well as Chair of the Nominating/Governance Committee and serves on the Compensation Committee.
In October 2019, she was appointed to the Humana Board of Directors , where she currently serves on the Nominating/Governance/ESG and Technology Committees.
Karen also serves on the board of private consumer companies as well as acts as an advisor to a number of entrepreneurial businesses.
In addition, Karen is the Chairman of the shoe company , StreetTrend.
Karen's philanthropic endeavors are focused on the Perot Museum of Nature and Science where she is Chairman of the Board of Directors.
A native Dallasite who received a BA from the University of Texas and an MBA from the University of Houston.
CloseBill Marriott
For more than 40 years as CEO of his family's hotel chain, Mr. Marriott practiced a famously hands-on style that he called "management by walking around." Shortly after his 80th birthday in March 2012, he ceded the CEO position, but remains an active chairman, visiting upward of 200 hotels a year. Mr. Marriott's passion for the hospitality industry began at an early age. He spent his high school and college years working in a variety of positions in the family's Hot Shoppes restaurant chain. He became a full-time associate in 1956, and soon afterward began managing the first Marriott hotel. He became President of the company in 1964 and Chief Executive Officer in 1972. He was elected Chairman of the Board in 1985.
Mr. Marriott serves on the board of trustees of The J. Willard & Alice S. Marriott Foundation. He is a former member of the Executive Committee of the World Travel & Tourism Council, and has served on the Board of Trustees of the National Geographic Society and as a director of the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation. Previously, Mr. Marriott was chairman of the President's Export Council, and served on the board of General Motors and the Mayo Clinic.
Mr. Marriott grew up in the Washington, D.C., area, where he attended St. Albans School. At the University of Utah, he earned a bachelor's degree in banking and finance, and served as an officer in the United States Navy. Mr. Marriott is an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
He is married to the former Donna Garff. They are the parents of four children, and have 15 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
CloseScott McNealy
Scott McNealy is an outspoken advocate for personal liberty, small government, and free-market competition. In 1982, he co-Founded Sun Microsystems and served as CEO and Chairman of the Board for 22 years. He piloted the company from startup to legendary Silicon Valley giant in computing infrastructure, network computing, and open source software.
Today McNealy is heavily involved in advisory roles for companies that range from the startup stage to large corporations, including Curriki. Curriki is an independent 501(c)(3) organization and a leader in open educational resources. Curriki's flagship technology product, CurrikiStudio is a free authoring software that leverages over 50 open source learning tools, ranging from interactive video, games, virtual tours, and simulations. CurrikiStudio helps organizations across K-12, higher ed, and corporate learning create engaging interactive digital courses, and publish to major Learning Management Systems, content platforms, mobile, and other web-enabled sites. Through Curriki, we are driven to improve educational opportunities and break down the barriers that divide those who have access to high-quality education and those who do not.
As the co-founder of Sun Microsystems, one of the largest start-ups in the 80's, Scott was an innovator in the technology field. His keen business insight helped make Sun a leader in the technology space up to its sale in 2010 for $5.6 billion dollars. His passion for technology didn't stop there.
Scott McNealy is an enthusiastic ice hockey fan and an avid golfer.
CloseJohn Miller
John is the CEO of JR Miller Enterprises, a privately held company with diverse holdings in real estate, private companies, and public securities.
He retired from National Beef Packing Company in 2009 after serving as CEO since 1991. Mr. Miller
grew the company from $500 million in sales to over $7 billion in sales. With over 8,000 employees,
they are headquartered in Kansas City, MO, with seven regional production facilities, a Class A transportation company, and four international sales offices. National Beef markets and distributes beef products in all 50 states and over 60 countries worldwide.
John is a founding partner of Woodbury Strategic Partners, Solamere Capital, Wasatch Premier Properties, Dakota Pacific Real Estate Partners, and Dakota Pacific Holdings.
CloseAndy Puzder
Andrew F. Puzder served as president and chief executive officer of CKE Restaurants, Inc., an international restaurant company and owner of the Hardee's and Carl's Jr, quick service restaurant brands, from September 2000 until his retirement in April of 2017. He received numerous restaurant industry awards for his work as CEO of CKE.
Prior to joining CKE, Puzder served as executive vice president, general counsel for Fidelity National Financial, Inc. and chief executive officer of Santa Barbara Restaurant Group, Inc. He is a member of the California, Nevada and Missouri Bar Associations.
He is a frequent commentator on economic and politic issues in publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Post, Real Clear Politics, National Review and Fox Opinion. He also appears regularly on Fox News, Fox Business, and CNBC.
Puzder co-authored Job Creation: How It really Works and Why Government Doesn't Understand It in 2010. He authored The Capitalist Comeback in 2018; Its Time to get America Back to Work and Its Time to Let America Work Again in 2020.
Puzder is member of the Board of Directors of the Job Creators' Network; The Washington University Law School Board of Advisors; the Advisory Board of 2ndVote Advisers LLC.; and the Board of Advisors of Prager University.
CloseRon Sargent
Mr. Sargent is the retired chairman and chief executive officer of Staples, Inc., a business products retailer, headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts. He joined Staples in 1989 and progressed through a variety of management positions before he was named chief executive officer in 2002 and chairman in 2005, positions he held until June 2016 and January 2017, respectively. Before joining Staples, Mr. Sargent served in a variety of management positions at The Kroger Co.
Mr. Sargent received an A.B. from Harvard College and a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School. He is also the lead director of The Kroger Co. and a director of Wells Fargo and Five Below, Inc. Currently, Mr. Sargent is a member of the board of governors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the board of directors of City of Hope, and the board of trustees of Northeastern University. He is also chairman of the board of directors of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.
CloseL.E. Simmons
L.E. is Chairman and Founder of SCF Partners, a private equity firm he founded in 1989. With locations in Houston, Calgary, Singapore and Aberdeen, SCF invests on a global basis in the energy services and equipment industry – a $250 billion global marketplace.
Over the past 30 years, SCF has invested over $2.3 billion in private equity capital. The firm has 19 professionals with an average tenure of approximately 10 years and has developed 18 public companies listed on the U.S. and Canadian exchanges.
Prior to founding SCF, LE co-founded Simmons & Company International, an investment banking firm specializing in oilfield service companies. L.E. studied Economics at the University of Utah and London School of Economics and earned an MBA from Harvard University. He helped start the Corporate Finance Department at The First National Bank of Chicago in 1972.
L.E. is active in the non-profit sector, currently serving on boards of or associated with the Geological and Planetary Sciences Caltech University Chairman's Council, Houston Endowment, Harvard Business School, Rice University, Texas Children's Hospital, Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation and Energy Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
L.E. is the recipient of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center Award for Excellence (2018), the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award (2016), the James A. Baker, III Prize for Excellence in Leadership (2015) and the Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship (2011).
CloseDetails...
CloseWhite is the former chairman, president and chief executive officer of DIRECTV, the world's leading provider of digital television services, a position he held from January 2010 until his retirement in August 2015. Through its subsidiaries and affiliated companies in the United States, Brazil, Mexico and other countries in Latin America, DIRECTV provides digital television service to
19.4 million customers in the United States and 9.5 million customers in Latin America.
He was also a director of the company from November 2009 until August 2015. White was previously, Vice Chairman of Pepsi Co. Inc, and CEO of PepsiCo International (which encompasses all of PepsiCo's beverage, snack and food operations outside the U.S. and Canada).
Prior to taking charge of PepsiCo International in February 2003, White had been president and CEO of PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Among his other earlier positions with PepsiCo, which he joined in 1990 as vice president of planning, were senior vice president and chief financial officer for PepsiCo., Inc.; executive vice president and chief financial officer for Pepsi-Cola Company worldwide; and executive vice president and chief financial officer of Frito-Lay International. Before joining PepsiCo, White was a senior vice president at Avon Products, Inc., and a management consultant at Bain & Company and Arthur Andersen & Co.
White is also a director of Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Whirlpool Inc., and Bank of America. White holds a master's degree in international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor's degree from Boston College.
CloseUntil recently, Meg Whitman was the CEO of Quibi, a mobile only media technology platform. Prior to Quibi, she served as CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise and President and CEO for the Hewlett-Packard Company. Before HP, Meg ran for Governor of California in 2010. Prior to that, she was President and CEO of eBay Inc. where she oversaw its growth from 30 employees and $4 million in annual revenue to more than 15,000 employees and $8 billion in annual revenue. She has also held executive-level positions at Procter and Gamble Company, Hasbro Inc., The Walt Disney Company, and Bain & Company. Meg is also the national board chair of Teach for America.
Close