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Executive Educator Review Board

CFM Consortium:

The consortium provides a source of talent and subject matter expertise for the purpose of collaborating on specific projects or transactions. Each of the participants in the consortium are independent contractors, some or all of whom may collaborate on a specific project or transaction subject to the execution of an independent and separate agreement. The consortium will not be interpreted or construed to create an association, joint venture, partnership or agency relationship between or among the participants or to impose any partnership obligation or liability upon any of the participants. None of the participants have any right, power or authority to enter into any agreement for or on behalf of, or to assume or incur any obligation or liabilities, express or implied, on behalf of or in the name of, any other participant nor will they be liable for any obligation, action or omission of any other participants.

Executive Educator Review Board

John H.W. Rhein, III
Chairman

John Rhein has had more than 40 years of experience in media and publishing. In 1956 he began his career as a management trainee in the research and media analysis department of Benton and Bowles Advertising Agency. He left for a greater challenge at FORBES magazine where, after series of regional sales management responsibilities, he was appointed to Assistant to the Publisher. During his 15 years at FORBES he gained a reputation for closing difficult major accounts, marketing and sales promotion and presentation skills. As advertising agency liaison he played a role in the launching of the, now legendary FORBES: Capitalist Tool positioning campaign, which was largely credited for helping FORBES become the magazine success story of the 20th century.

He left FORBES in 1971 to become Sr. Vice President and Associate Publisher of FINANCE Magazine, a prestigious, sharply focused magazine written for bank trust investment officers. In 1973 he went, in a similar capacity as a troubleshooter for venerable but then anemic FINANCIAL WORLD, America’s oldest financial magazine. While at FINANCIAL WORLD, he increased advertising revenues by 300% and was named to that company’s Board of Directors, MACRO Communications (a "pink sheet " company, later to become NYSE listed First Capital Holdings Company). MACRO named him Sr. V.P. Marketing and Sales for its magazines: Saturday Review and View (a trade magazine for cable TV programmers) and assigned him to the presidency of National Business Conferences which ran seminars, field trips and the popular Annual Report Awards Competition and the CEO of the Year Awards events.

He resigned after eight years to found his own investor relations research firm, The Investor Intelligence Group. In 1981, while remaining president of The Investor Intelligence Group, he assumed the role of Publisher of OTC REVIEW (later named EQUITIES) where he launched their popular Corporate Conference series and designed such magazine features as the Top Traders issue and the Investor Research Section. In 1993, for his contribution to the magazine he was named EQUITIES’ Publisher Emeritus. In 1999 his Investor Intelligence Group inaugurated the EQUITIES Gemstone Awards competition for excellence in financial reporting. He has had extensive experience as a conference conductor, public speaker and lecturer. Most recently he was publisher of Top Tier Writers Inc.'s Web site, Coiningmoney.com (featuring such prominent financial writers as Robert Metz, Nancy Dunnan and George Stasen), and CEO of the ADR Association.

In addition to holding a seat on the board of MACRO Communications, Mr. Rhein has served on the boards of Suburbia Federal Savings and Loan (1979-1984), which merged with Fidelity New York (1987-1994) and went public in 1993. It was merged with Astoria Federal Savings and Loan in 1995, and, after the merger, he served on the Advisory Board for three years. Mr. Rhein has written columns and articles on the subjects of economics, the markets, investor relations and publishing. He has been published in EQUITIES, FINANCIAL WORLD, FINANCIAL HISTORY MAGAZINE and DIRECTORSHIP.

William Keegan
Vice Chairman

William Keegan is President and CEO of CAPITAL FORMATION MARKETING, Inc., a firm that began as a producer of business and marketing plans for emerging companies looking to attract investors and obtain venture capital. His contacts with business media and the investment community enabled the agency to expand to include multiple financial marketing and media services.

In 2000, Bill Keegan established CFM as an investor relations consortium and collaborates with world renown pollster George Gallup, Chairman of the George H. Gallup International Institute, Craig Middleton, former Vice Chairman of Young & Rubicam and Ed Cooperman, former Chairman of American Express Travel Related Groups, on a national high school educational media program called FOCUS: The National High School News Magazine. The project’s current mission statement has expanded to a more international approach and is currently being developed as a Web based international educational news service.

In 2007, Bill Keegan entered into a collaborative agreement with Marston Webb International, a highly respected International Relations and Public Relations agency. Through Capital Formation Marketing’s initiative, Bill Keegan was instrumental in helping Marston Webb secure the Ministry of Finance for the Government of Bermuda. Marston Webb is the agency of record the Ministry of Finance and Bill Keegan is a managing partner on the account. They are currently working on expanding the Bermuda Ministry’s exposure in the international business media and have several international conferences planned for 2010. 

Under Bill Keegan’s direction, CFM has developed into true international consortium with specialties in domestic and international media relations as well as in international finance. Over the past decade, CFM has developed a vast database of domestic and international business news editors for print, Internet as well as electronic media. Mr. Keegan has been successful in securing media coverage, across all business sectors, for the consortium’s diverse domestic and international list of clients. 

In addition to CFM’s commitment to international media and investor relations, the agency’s commitment to capital formation process is considered a high growth objective. CFM and Marston Webb are currently focusing on raising venture capital for four major real estate development projects. 

Bill Keegan has 30 years of experience in business management, national sales, marketing, brand development, publishing, investor relations and public speaking. Bill has held executive positions at The Financial Relations Board/BSMG Worldwide, Bloomingdale’s, Jonathan Logan, Salant, Oxford Industries and Jobson Publishing.

He was a consultant and former member of the board of trustees for the George H. Gallup International Institute and contributing publisher of Gallup Youthviews. Bill worked directly with the Chairman, Mr. Gallup and co-authored the Gallup Youthviews national survey on Columbine High School. He has also studied in-depth the thirty-year library of Gallup Youthviews surveys. Mr. Gallup and Bill Keegan have visited the U.S. Department of Education on several occasions to promote social and educational programs. In addition, Bill Keegan has lectured to and surveyed thousands of high school students on drug, alcohol abuse, social issues and buying trends.

George H. Gallup International Institute

George H. Gallup, Jr.
Chairman

George H. Gallup, Jr., is instantly recognized as the world’s leading pollster and former Chairman of the Board of the Gallup Organization.  He is highly sought after consultant and public speaker by universities, corporations and organizations.

Mr. Gallup’s contributions to education and American culture is equally as impressive.  He is a founder of the George H. Gallup International Institute, a foundation committed to education and the study of the world’s youth.  Under Mr. Gallup’s direction, the Institute has amassed the largest library of teen polls and surveys spanning four decades. The library offers a priceless study of teen views on subjects such as values and religion, family, marriage, divorce, dating, sex, peer pressure, violence, health, alcohol and drug abuse, smoking, computer and internet use, music, entertainment, sports, heroes and role models, education and career plans. Mr. Gallup’s  thumb print on FOCUS’ editorial development is significant.  He personally collaborated with publisher Bill Keegan on a “landmark” in-class survey of 573 students and teachers grades 9-12, which findings demonstrated teen’s high level of interest for FOCUS as well as the magazine’s unlimited potential in education.  The results of this important Gallup/ Keegan collaboration prompted him to predict that“FOCUS will become a significant societal barometer for teen America.”

Mr. Gallup is committed to the success of FOCUS and will remain with the magazine as a valuable consultant to the board and contributing editor.

Young & Rubicam

Craig Middleton
Former Vice Chairman

Craig Middleton is the former Vice Chairman of Young & Rubicam Inc. In this role Craig oversees a broad range of operational and strategic issues across all Y&R companies. Craig also works closely with Colgate on the client's global operations.

In addition to Craig’s brilliant career in advertising, he is a dedicated supporter of education and the nation’s youth. He is a valued consultant for the College Board, the producer of the SAT college testing program.  He is a long-term supporter of FOCUS and his background in advertising, marketing, media and executive management has been a vital force in the development of FOCUS. 

Craig first joined Y&R in 1969, and has held senior management positions at the company since he rejoined the agency in 1994. His experience in the industry is extensive and covers not just decades, but geography and clients, as well. Craig returned to Young & Rubicam in 1994 as Executive VP, Director of Strategic Planning with responsibility for refining how the agency managed its largest clients. In that capacity, he established and managed our Key Corporate Account structure which provided clients access to the full resources of the company across borders and across disciplines.

A year later he was named to the company's Board of Directors. Beginning in 1996, Craig managed one of Y&R's largest global accounts, Colgate, which in turn became the model for global accounts throughout Y&R. Craig assumed responsibilities as Chief Marketing Officer in 2000. He was named Vice Chairman of Young & Rubicam Inc. in 2003. From 1985 until 1994, Craig spent a hiatus from Y&R at McCann-Erickson. While there, Craig held various positions, ultimately as Executive Vice President Worldwide Director of Marketing.  In that capacity, he was responsible for developing multidisciplinary and cross-geography communications programs for McCann's global clients.

While at McCann, Craig also managed a number of multidisciplinary domestic and international accounts including General Motors, R.J. Reynolds, and AT&T. In addition, Craig managed several agency offices including Los Angeles and Detroit.

In 1969, Craig began his first stint at Young & Rubicam as an Account Executive. From 1975 on, he led our business development program. During one of the strongest new business periods in the agency's history, Craig led our efforts to acquire a number of accounts, including KFC, Ford, AT&T, Kodak and Hallmark, among others. In 1980 he was named the agency's first Director of Integrated Marketing, with responsibility for developing "whole egg" strategies for our clients in addition to his new business responsibilities.

American Express Travel Related Services

Edwin M. Cooperman
Former Chairman

Edwin M. Cooperman has a distinguished business career and is renowned in the circle of senior management and for his contribution to education.  Ed is currently the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Edmarc Investments, a privately held management consulting company and a Principal in TC Solutions Inc. a privately owned investment and financial services consulting group.

Formerly, he was Chairman of the Travelers Bank Groupand Executive Vice President of the Travelers Group. Travelers merged with Citicorp to become Citigroup, one of the world’s leading financial services companies.

After joining Travelers, (then Primerica), in 1991 , Ed became Chairman and CEO of Primerica Financial Services Group, which included Primerica Financial Services, Benefit Life Insurance Company, and Primerica Financial Services, Canada.  Previously he had a distinguished career at American Express, where he started as an attorney  in 1972 and eventually became Chairman and Co-Chief Executive officer of American Express Travel Related Services Company, North America, the company's primary earning entity which includes American Express Cards, Travel, Travelers Cheques, merchandise sales and lending products.

A 1964 graduate of Queens College of the City University of New York, he earned a JD from Ohio State University and an LLM degree from the New York University School of Law.  He became an associate professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he also served as counsel to a cadet accused of violating the Academy's honor system.  The incident received nationwide news coverage and was the subject of an NBC television movie, ""The Silence.”

Ed’s contributions to the cultural, economic and social life of New York has been exceptional.  In addition to raising money for the revitalization of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, he chaired the host committee for the Grammys in 1991 and was responsible for their return to New York.  In 1990 his career was featured on a half hour CNBC special entitled “Profiles in Power.”   He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame as a Patron of the Arts.

Ed is a director of Proxymed Inc. and Grannum Value Fund, all publicly traded entities.  He serves as a director on the Ohio State University Foundation Board and is a former director of the New York City ballet.

PriceWaterhouseCoopers

Robert A. Fish
Former Senior Managing Partner

ROBERT A. FISH, as of June 2005, retired from PricewaterhouseCoopers’ where he held the position of Senior Managing Partner of Venture Capital Practice in the New York office.  This practice services approximately 150 private equity funds.  With over 30 years of broad-based experience, Bob has extensive experience addressing the needs of owner-managed companies, venture/private equity firms and their portfolio companies.

Bob was the regional director of PwC’s quarterly Money Tree Survey, which is widely considered to be the clearest measure of “core” investments in privately financed companies in the United States.

During 1979-80 Bob was selected to participate in the President’s Executive Exchange Program and during that period he worked as a Special Assistant to the Administrator of the SBA in Washington, DC.  During this period Bob worked in the SBA’s Investment Division, which is the licensing arm of the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program.

Bob was cochairman of the New York Software Industry Association (NYSIA) and a charter member of the NY New Media Association.

As a frequent speaker, Bob has been quoted in the NY Times, The Wall Street Journal, Crains and numerous other publications with topics including IPO’s, venture capital and the management of rapidly growing companies.

Bob is a passionate supporter of FOCUS and was instrumental in helping obtain initial funding for FOCUS and is a valued and long-term associate of FOCUS.

Concept Capital Advisors, LLC.

John J. Watras
Senior Vice President

John J. Watras has been involved in the securities industry since 1986 and brings many years of experience in institutional sales as well as supervisory positions. Mr. Watras has been affiliated with the Concept Capital division of SMH Capital Inc. and its predecessor firms since January 1996 which he served as a salesman of its prime brokerage services and independent research services, as well as a supervisor for the third party marketers. It is the contemplated that SMH Capital Inc. will contribute the Concept Capital division to the Company upon its admission to membership in FINRA. Upon the Company’s admission to membership in FINRA, it is anticipated that Mr. Watras will devote approximately 100% of his time to Company matters.

Mr. Watras is a Senior Vice President of the Company and holds an equity interest in the Company’s parent company, Concept Capital Advisors. LLC. He serves as of the Company’s General Securities Principals. Mr. Watras is currently qualified as a General Securities Registered Representative (Series 7), a General Securities Principal (Series @$), and a Uniform Securities Agent (Series 63).

Mr. Watras began his Wall Street career in March 1986 at P.R. Burke & Company, where he worked in institutional sales, money management for corporations, and institutional capital raising for traditional money management firms.

In 1993, Mr. Watras joined the New York Stock Exchange, where he served as Director of Institutional Sales. IN 1993, He joined Blackford Securities Corp., a predecessor the SMH Capital, Inc., as Managing Director. In addition, Mr. Watras assumed compliance and principal responsibilities of the firm’s trading desk.

Prior to his employment in the securities industry, he worked in the textile and apparel industry with several companies including Bloomingdale’s, Manhattan Shirt Company and Garan Incorporated.

Mr. Watras is a graduate of Hofstra University and holds a degree in Bachelor of Business Administration.

Fred R. Schmid
Vice President and General Manager

Co-founder of the Company

Over 35 years experience in mining, leasing, corporate management, international finance and mergers & acquisitions of publicly traded and privately owned companies. Built long-term relationships and motivated skilled management teams to create shareholder values for investors.

Formerly Founder/President/CEO of Hanover Gold Company, Inc. ("HVGO"), a NASDAQ listed American gold mining company. Through Fred's efforts, consolidated the renowned and historic Alder Gulch mining claims in the Virginia City Mining District in Montana, which he joint ventured with Kennecott Exploration Company, a major mining enterprise that is part of RTZ.

As former President/CEO of Windstar Resources Inc., a restructured public shell company acquired Nexland, Inc., an Internet hardware security device manufacturing company, in a reverse merger acquisition ("OTCBB “XLND”) that was subsequently acquired by Symantec (NASDAQ “SYMC”), a multi-billion dollar company.

As owner/operator he financed and managed several private Kentucky and West Virginia coal mining companies, acquiring 15,000 acres in Eastern Kentucky prior to joint venturing the mining operations with Detroit Edison, a major utility company in Michigan.

He began his business career with IBM and worked in manufacturing, scientific research and data processing sales. He was a pioneer in the computer leasing industry as Founder/President of National Computer Rental Inc. In the mid-1970’s, he became President of the parent company, National Equipment Rental, Ltd. an American Stock Exchange company engaged internationally in computer, aircraft and equipment leasing.

He was also the Founder, Chairman and CEO of The Hanover Group, Inc., a private firm investing in natural resources and minerals.

His broad corporate and operating knowledge in private and public businesses and mining sectors provides the Board with valuable experiences in directing the Company. He developed, structured and managed strategic alliances, partnerships and joint ventures and engaged in funding projects through private placement and IPO financings for exit strategies. He has listed his companies on the OTCBB, NASDAQ, AMEX and the Entry level on the Frankfurt Exchange.

Fred earned a Bachelor of Science – Engineering degree from NYU’s College of Engineering with Honors.

Crescent Group

Paul C. Homsy
Principal & Board Member

Mr. Homsy has 30 years of experience in the Middle East and practiced law in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for 4 years as the managing partner of Sidley & Austin’s former office there.

Mr. Homsy has significant experience in the development, structuring and financing of several billion dollars of transactions in a wide range of conventional and Islamic financial products, including private equity funds, trade finance funds, real estate funds, factoring agreements, and many Shari’ah compliant structures.

Mr. Homsy has helped arrange financing for both direct investments and alternative investment vehicles from the Arabian Gulf.

Mr. Homsy has a B.A. in History from the University of Pennsylvania as well as a J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law. He speaks both Spanish and conversational Arabic. Mr. Homsy has served on the Board of Advisors of the Harvard University Institute for Social and Economic Policy in the Middle East, John F. Kennedy School of Government, where he participated in the Arab Israeli Peace Negotiations, and as Chairman of the Middle East Law Committee of the American Bar Association.

Mr. Homsy served six years on the Board of Directors of the Arab Bankers Association of North America and also served on its Executive Committee. He is admitted to practice law in the State of New York.

Mr. Homsy is recognized as a leading authority on the Middle East. He has appeared on National Public Radio’s Marketplace program, and Bloomberg Television and has been quoted in a number of leading publications including "The Banker" magazine and "The Journal of Commerce".

Mr. Homsy’s publications on the Middle East have appeared in "The International Lawyer", "The Northwestern Journal of International Law", and "The International Legal Encyclopedia" of The University of Virginia Law School. He has lectured widely on Middle East topics at such forums as Harvard University and The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Homsy is a Special Advisor to and founding shareholder of Integration Capital & Trade and a founding partner of the law firm Guibord Homsy LP, with offices in New York, Chicago, and associated offices in Washington, DC,Riyadh, Dubai, and Beirut.

: (917) 553-4277
: phomsy@crescentassetmgt.com

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