Robert Understein

Bob Understein has focused his almost 50-year career on financial and tax planning for high-income, high-net worth individuals as well as privately held companies, equity placements (real estate and communication properties), commercial real estate financing, and commercial real estate advisory services. Bob has assisted in the facilitation and implementation of nearly $500 million in funding. He currently serves as Business Development Manager for McGladrey and Pullen (the fifth largest CPA firm in the U.S.).

Bob's career began in 1963, working in a family-owned business known as Understein and Associates. This company was a CPA and high-end financial and tax planning firm in the Greater Metro Washington D.C. area. (The firm's clients were among the "Who's Who" of business and political Washington D.C. in the late 60s, 70s and early 80s) After the passing of the firm's founder, Jack Understein, in 1976, Bob took over as Managing Partner.

Mr. Understein is currently on the Western Area Board of Directors of Financial Executives International, past-president of the NV Chapter, and also served as Chair of the 2010 FEI National Summit. He also sits on the Advisory Board of the McIntire School, in addition to serving on the Alumni Board of Managers where he was the National Chairman of the Jefferson Scholars Committee during the last two years of this service. Bob also serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Southern Nevada and is on the Board of Governors of the Fund for American Studies and the International Board of Advisors for the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) - the political counter-part to the Young Presidents Organization. ACYPL annually sponsors lively exchanges between political leaders within the U.S. and 65 other countries.

James A. Barrett, Jr.

Jay Barrett just recently formed The JABarrett Company. The Company provides independent, objective financial and organizational guidance to private businesses and their owners.  For over 25 years prior, Mr. Barrett served as the Senior Financial Executive and a member of the Board of Directors for The Marnell Companies, which consists of a number of successful business units including planning, architectural, construction, real estate development and investment activities. Among them is Marnell Corrao Associates, the country’s oldest and largest hotel casino design/build firm. Formed in the early 1970s, Marnell Corrao Associates has designed and built over $12 billion of hotel, casino and resort properties. Marnell Architecture has been responsible for the signature design of properties such as Bellagio, Caesars, Rio, Mirage, Borgata and The M Resort. Since 1999, the real estate development arm, Marnell Properties, has developed and operated in excess of $300 million worth of income-producing properties covering over one million square feet.

Mr. Barrett’s overall responsibilities at The Marnell Companies included treasury management, capital and operational budgeting, financial reporting, forecasting, credit and bonding relationships, and risk management and tax planning.

Jay was also Manager of Marnell Family gaming investment entities; of Austi, LLC, the private investment firm of the Marnell Family; and the CFO and Board Member of TRIRIGA, a software development sales and service company. TRIRIGA was sold to IBM in April 2011.

From 1986-1999, Jay was a co-founder, President and a member of the Board of Directors of Rio Hotel & Casino, Inc. and its subsidiaries. This Las Vegas-based company conceived, developed, owned and operated Rio Suite Hotel & Casino, America’s first all-suite hotel casino. Between 1990-1999, the 454-suite hotel casino grew to over 2,500 suites, 5,000 employees and 100,000 square feet of entertainment space on a master-planned, 100-acre site, with cash flow increases from $5 million to over $100 million. In 1999, the company was acquired by Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. in a transaction valued at $880 million. Jay remained a consultant through April 2000.

From 1973-1986, Mr. Barrett practiced public accounting as Managing Partner of Barrett & Smith CPA’s, and as a partner in the firm of Chanslor, Barbieri & DeWhitt – both Nevada-based firms.

Jay Barrett earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida in accounting. He is also a Certified Public Accountant, a Nevada-licensed insurance producer, and has been licensed in various capacities by the State of Nevada Gaming Commission since 1989.

In addition to his business activities, Jay has dedicated his time and resources to a variety of professional, civic and charitable organizations. Currently, he is affiliated with the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, the Boys and Girls Club of Las Vegas, St. Rose Hospitals, Ducks Unlimited, and the Presidents’ Council of the University of Florida and the James Renwick Alliance. He is Trustee of The Marnell Foundation and of Tuscany Research Institute, and was recently appointed to be part of Nevada Governor-Elect Brian Sandoval’s 2010-2011 Transition Team. In 2010, Mr. Barrett was recognized as US Bank’s “Advisory Board Member of the Year.”

Russell Johnson

Mr. Johnson has spent the bulk of his career discovering, investing in, and working (usually in a board level capacity) with companies who have the opportunity to significantly increase shareholder value. He has served on the boards of six privately held companies and one publicly held company, and has been personally involved in acquisitions, mergers, and initial as well as secondary public offerings.

For the past 10 years, Russell has been a Partner at KPLJ Ventures, LLC, a private venture investment fund primarily focused on companies involved in optical and wireless communications. There, Mr. Johnson evaluates companies and business plans, makes investments, serves on boards of directors for both private and public companies, builds company and shareholder value, and develops exit strategies either through Mergers and Acquisitions or Initial Public Offerings.

Mr. Johnson began his career with Mountain Bell Telephone in Albuquerque, NM, when he was selected to be part of an AT&T Management Development Program. From there, he spent 25 years working in California and Hong Kong for Hewlett Packard, holding various operational and marketing director level positions that required the development and execution of worldwide business plans in the areas of defense electronics, wireless communications, and optical communications.

Later, as Senior Vice President of Global Sales & Marketing for JDS Uniphase Company, Mr. Johnson built a worldwide sales organization from a handful of employees to a staff of 150, covering major communications OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and start-ups. Russell served on the Mergers and Acquisitions committee, participating in due diligence, acquisition, and the integration of 10 companies into JDS Uniphase. From 1998-2001, Mr. Johnson led and managed top line sales growth from $170 million to $1.5 billion, and consistently experienced revenue growth of above 15%.

George A. Overstreet, Jr.

Dr. Overstreet is Associate Dean for Research and Center Development, Walker Professor of Growth Enterprises, and Professor of Finance at the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce, where both the Z and Seven Societies have honored him for teaching excellence. He also serves as the Director of the Center for Growth Enterprises, and currently serves on the boards of two University of Virginia related start-up firms and advises several other closely-held family firm boards, including Love's Travel Centers in addition to being a moderator for two Nelson Study Groups (petroleum distributors).

Dr. Overstreet once served as the Academic Director of the Consumer Banker's Association (CBA's) Graduate School of Bank Management where he was presented an award for "Managing Change" and was voted its "Most Inspirational Teacher." He has also taught at the American Banker Association's Stonier Graduate School of Bank Management, the Banking School of the South, Citicorp's Management Associate Development Program, and the SRCUS Graduate School of Credit Union Management. He has developed and taught strategic financial planning seminars to over 1,000 petroleum distributors through the PMAA, SIGMA, PMEF, and major oil companies including Exxon, Chevron, Mobil, Texaco, Marathon, Union Oil, British Petroleum and American Petrofina.

Dr. Overstreet's consulting practice over the past 25 years has focused on value-related issues of privately held firms (primarily oil distributors and real estate related firms). He has served as an expert witness for financial related issues in numerous court cases, including a U.S. Supreme Court case. George has also served on the boards of several real estate related firms. He was intimately involved in the negotiated sale of one of these – the RF&P, a real estate development firm. Its conversion to a private real estate investment trust, strategic acquisitions and timely sale created over $250 million in value for the firm's shareholders, the Virginia Retirement System. Dr. Overstreet's research on the Virginia industries has been honored in 1995 and 2002, respectively, by commendations from former governors George Allen and Mark Warner.

Kenneth Thrasher

Mr. Thrasher is cofounding shareholder and co-board chairman of Bennett Thrasher. Since he helped found the Firm in 1980, Ken has served in several leadership positions including, most recently, managing shareholder from 2004 to 2009. In the past 10 years, Bennett Thrasher has grown from 60 to 150 associates (including 21 partners) and is currently ranked as the fifth fastest growing Atlanta CPA firms. Ken also serves as a founding director of the Bennett Thrasher Foundation, which is funded annually with a percentage of Bennett Thrasher's gross revenues and makes gifts to metro Atlanta charities. He is also president and is on the investment committee of BT Wealth Management, LLC, the Firm's investment advisory affiliate.

Prior to Bennett Thrasher, Ken worked for the Atlanta office of Price Waterhouse LLP from 1974-1980 as an audit senior and tax manager. His work at Price Waterhouse included three years in the audit department, and three years in the tax department. In 1976, Ken became a Georgia Certified Public Accountant and later earned the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Personal Financial Specialist designation in 1998.

Currently, Ken is a member of the Georgia Society of CPA's and AICPA Personal Financial Planning Section, and a member of the Capital City Club. He is President of The Southern Federal Tax Institute and also serves on its Board of Trustees. Additionally, Ken is a member of the Board of Directors of Leadership Ministries, Inc., Chairman of the Leadership Ministries Foundation and serves on the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business Alumni Board. Ken is past President of the Lovett Lionbackers and Buckhead Baseball, Inc. and served as a volunteer coach for Buckhead Baseball and Northside Youth Organization from 1987-2001.

On a personal note, Ken lives in Atlanta and has been married for 35 years to Cathy, a registered pharmacist. They have three adult sons - Michael (married to Mary Beth), John and Robert. In his spare time, Ken's hobbies include reading, running, fishing, golf and history.