Pompea College of Business Advisory Board
Josephine Moran '01 M.S., '19 EMBA
Chair
Josephine Moran is president and chief banking officer at Ledyard Bank. Prior to joining Ledyard, Josephine was executive vice president and chief corporate services & consumer lending officer at Provident Bank, senior vice president, regional manager and retirement services program director at Webster Investment Services and executive vice president, and director of retail banking at Columbia Bank. She was named one of the Top Women in Business in Staten Island in 2015.
Jim Betzig
Jim Betzig is chief executive officer and partner at TrinityPoint Wealth. Jim specializes in working with both institutional and high-net-worth clients; assisting in financial planning, asset allocation, tax-free investing, manager searches and selection and liability management. He also devotes much of his time to advising and serving 401(k) clients. Jim has been named one of Connecticut Magazine's top financial advisors from 2012 through 2016 and a Barron's Top 1200 Advisor for 2016 and 2017.
Cathy Bradley ’86 EMBA
Cathy Bradley is owner and president of Cathy Bradley Enterprises, a consulting firm designed to help Fortune 500 companies transform their businesses to meet strategic business objectives. She also sits on the board of directors of Spoken Communications, a technology firm focused on cloud solutions for the customer contact space.
Mark Caplan '89 M.S.
Mark is a senior tax partner practicing in KPMG's Boston and Hartford offices. He has 35 years of experience in tax planning and structuring transactions for public and privately held clients. Mark serves a broad range of multinational consumer and industrial companies. He advises clients on business transactions, including mergers, acquisitions and corporate reorganizations, consolidated returns, as well as accounting for income taxes under U.S. GAAP and IFRS and tax-related internal controls. His experience also includes representing clients before federal and state tax authorities and managing global compliance and reporting projects.
Joseph R. Catapano '89
Joseph Catapano ’89 is vice president and chief accounting officer at Pitney Bowes Inc. He has responsibility for global consolidations, worldwide internal and external financial reporting, including the preparation and review of all SEC filings, coordination of the company’s compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and corporate financial policies and procedures, including the implementation of new accounting pronouncements and SEC rules and regulations. Prior to joining Pitney Bowes, he held finance positions with PepsiCo Inc. and was an audit manager with KPMG Peat Marwick in Stamford, Connecticut.
John Coverdale Ph.D.
Dr. John Coverdale has taught graduate-level business courses in human resource management, organizational behavior, conflict resolution, change management, employment law, workplace diversity, and labor relations. Dr. Coverdale completed his undergraduate studies in Business Administration at the University of New Haven and has a Master's Degree in Human Resource Management and Labor Relations from New York Institute of Technology and has received an MBA from Dowling College. After studying law for one year, he returned to Dowling College to complete his doctoral studies and recently received his graduate certificate from Harvard University in Organizational Behavior.
Susan D'Agostino '85 MBA
Susan D'Agostino received her MBA in International Marketing from University of New Haven in 1985 and has been a member of the Pompea College of Business Advisory Board since September 2015. She holds 2 senior level certifications in Human Resources and is currently the Founder and Principal of SLD Consulting Services, a firm providing consulting services in the areas of human resources, contracts, policy and compliance. Prior to starting her own consulting firm, Susan was Senior VP and Chief Administrative Officer for Harris Connect, a firm specializing in affinity programs for non-profits. Earlier in her career, she held management positions for several government contractors and equipment manufacturing firms in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Michael Davis '86 MBA
Michael J. Davis is a former Vice President and company officer of Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage company with a market capitalization of over $250 billion. Michael brought a unique blend of leadership development, financial, accounting, and tax expertise to Nestlé. He served as an officer for numerous Nestlé companies, including Nestlé USA Inc., Nestlé Purina Petcare Company, Gerber Products Company, and Nestlé Nespresso USA Inc. As an educator, Michael has served at the University of New Haven as an Executive in Residence for 12 years and most recently as the Executive Director of our Executive MBA program. When he is not at our university, he serves as a Chief Advisor and Tax Strategist for one of the world’s leading tax software companies. Michael was born and raised in Bronx, NY. He and his wife are both alumni of the University of New Haven, and they have two children.
Saul Factor '96 EMBA, R.Ph.
Saul Factor is president at Factor Healthcare Consulting. Prior to founding Factor Healthcare Consulting, Saul was president of Smith Drug Company and Burlington Drug Company, which are part of the J M Smith Corporation. A pharmacist, Factor spent the first several years of his career practicing in both retail and long-term care settings before moving into sales and brand management with PCS and Eli Lilly. He was recruited to RxAmerica, where he was charged with developing the strategy and vision to improve the customer experience, creating a culture that placed the customer at the center of the organization. During his tenure as COO, the company's revenues doubled. Following that success, Factor joined McKesson Corporation as Senior Vice President of Global Generics. Factor was then named President, Global Sourcing and Procurement for McKesson Corporation. Factor is a noted turnaround specialist and has led culture change throughout his career with the belief that the customer must be the focus of a successful organization.
Alice Gao '94 MBA
Alice Gao is senior vice president and head of cross boarder commercial banking at East West Bank. Prior to East West Bank, Alice was senior vice president and head of commercial banking for ICBC USA N.A., a subsidiary of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organization. In her role, Alice is responsible for leading a multi-functional team to succeed on a global scale by achieving sales and profit targets.
Will Germain '04
Will Germain is managing partner at MCB Science + Health. Prior to MCB Science + Health, Will held the position of senior investment officer at Ventas where he was responsible for originating, negotiating and executing acquisitions and development opportunities. He previously served as Director of Acquisitions and Investments for Lillibridge Healthcare Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ventas. Will also worked at General Electric Capital Corporation where he held various roles in finance.
Kelly Haskins
Kelly Haskins is Senior Vice President and Director of Community Banking Implementation Management and Operational Risk at Webster Bank. In her role, Kelly is responsible for the oversight of the project portfolio for the Community Bank. Additionally, Kelly manages operational risk and is the primary Community Bank liaison to the Enterprise Risk Management team at the Bank. She joined Webster in 1996 as a Product Manager for Investments (and eventually Insurance & Trust); in 1999 she led an initiative to form Websterâs Broker Dealer and Registered Investment Advisor. Additionally, Kelly undertook the lead for due diligence when Webster purchased the Trust Company of CT and Sachem Trust Company. For several years, Kelly managed both Trust and BD/RIA Operations and Technology when the units were combined from a management perspective. Prior to joining Webster, Kelly was an Account Executive at Dean Witter; an Institutional Marketing Associate at G.T. Capital; Trust & Investments Product Manager at Old Kent Bank (now Fifth Third); and a contracted Program Manager with EMC & LPL; Managing Director at Kehrer Associates and Chief Operations Officer for a credit union-owned BD.
Frank Hird '78
Frank Hird is a licensed real estate broker with more than 28 years of experience selling and leasing commercial real estate locally, nationally and internationally. His experience includes representing major industrial and office property owners, investors and tenant/buyers for corporations and nonprofit organizations, new construction development, build-to-suit medial requirements and turn-key lab space development for bio-science companies.
Mary Landsfield
Mary is a Financial Advisor and Investment Advisor Representative at Barnum Financial Group. Prior to joining Barnum Financial Group, Mary worked in international sales, trade and investment serving as a Co-Founder of a software company, Skymira, and as a Senior Business Development Manager for the trade arm of the Australian Government, Austrade, both in Los Angeles and New York City.
Gerald R. Longobardi ’01 M.S.
Gerald Longobardi is Managing Partner and CEO of The Longobardi Group, a venture capital, tactical opportunities and advisory firm; directed towards: real estate, infrastructure, communications, technology and healthcare; based in North Haven, Connecticut. Gerald has been instrumental in several successful seed round startups and subsequent exits in the communications and healthcare sectors. One communications tower portfolio was ultimately acquired by a publicly traded wireless infrastructure company, Crown Castle International. Mr. Longobardi and The Longobardi Group also recently completed a successful exit in a national healthcare concern. With his firm’s seed stage investment and advisory services at 40,000 lives under management in one state, prior to Mr. Longobardi’s involvement, eventually grew to over four million lives on a national footprint, upon successful exit of his interest in Liberty Dental Insurance Plan. In addition, he remains a limited partner in various commercial real estate projects in Greater New Haven. All of which have provided him with extensive specialty asset management knowledge and the ground up, hands-on experience required for complex situations. Gerald has held elected office, serving on the Town of North Haven Board of Finance.
Mike Maguire
Mike Maguire is a senior executive whose passions include leadership, entrepreneurship and forwarding nonprofit causes. Mike is Chairman and former CEO of Structural Graphics, a marketing services firm. He is a leading authority on the use and effectiveness of integrated direct marketing tools. Mike is also a partner in Ann Nyberg's Network Connecticut, a website whose mission is to connect, assist and inform the state's small business and nonprofit communities. He is Chair of the Board of Advisors for the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program at the University of New Haven.
Kristina Palazzo ’21 M.S.
Kristy Palazzo is a Tax partner with PwC’s Private Company Services practice and is based in New York City. She has 20 years of experience in working on complex transactions and business issues facing both public and privately held multinational companies. Kristy has significant experience dealing with the unique needs of family-owned, private equity backed, and foreign inbound business ventures. She specializes in assisting privately held companies with federal, state, and international tax compliance services, income tax accounting matters, federal and state tax audits, and consulting on US federal and state minimization strategies. Her industry experience includes working with clients primarily in retail and consumer goods, manufacturing and service industries.
Franklyn Reynolds '98 MBA
Franklyn (Frank) Reynolds is president and chief executive officer of UIL Holdings. Prior to UIL Holdings, Frank was president of Berkshire Gas, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. A 25-year veteran of the utility industry, Reynolds also served as vice president of gas integration for Avangrid Networks, where he led the restructuring of the Gas Operations and Gas Engineering lines of business. Frank retired from the Army National Guard after serving for 20 years.
Garrett Sheehan
Garrett Sheehan serves as President of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce and Executive Director of the Regional Leadership Council, the regionâs advocate for economic growth. Garrett also serves as President of the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce, an affiliate of the Greater New Haven Chamber. Garrett worked on economic development at United Illuminating (UI) in New Haven and for Eversource as a liaison between the company and chief elected officials in 23 towns in Connecticut. Garrett is a licensed attorney in Connecticut and Texas. He served as an infantry officer in the Connecticut Army National Guard and deployed to Afghanistan in 2010.
David Sussman
David Sussman is the CEO and Partner of Schmitt-Sussman Enterprises (d/b/a PFP), the nation's largest distributor of individual insurance products sold directly to credit union members. Since launching his career with the company in 1995, David's focus has been on leadership development and the innovation of new distribution channels. As a result, PFP has continued to evolve its customer engagement strategy in concert with the changing behavior of today's consumer.
Vishal Yadav '06 M.S., '13 MBA
Vishal Yadav is the Malsters & Blenders Group’s Managing Director and is leading the Group’s foray in diversification and expansion of its production base. Vishal has an MBA from an International Management Institute, New Delhi and also has degrees in Labor Relations and Business Administration from the University of New Haven, Connecticut. He has worked in the brewing industry in USA with the Mendocino Brewing Company in Texas, where he was responsible for marketing of the company’s Craft Beer products in the state. Prior to Malsters and Blenders, Vishal worked at Alwar Gases, Kingfisher Brewing, and American Pavilion Business program, and was a cast member at Walt Disney World.
Eran Zalsman
Eran Zalsman is the Founder & President of AcadeME an intelligent career development platform that empowers colleges and focuses on bridging the gap between the millennial students, employers and career development centers. In addition to AcadeME, Eran is Partner and CEO of Ashkenazy-Zalsman, an Israeli advertising and marketing agency, one of Israelâs fastest growing agencies. It serves major accounts like the Bank of Jerusalem, Israel Railways, Tel Aviv University, The Israel Federation of Chambers of Commerce and more. Eran has over twenty-five years experience in advertising and marketing has led many breakthrough campaigns for international companies like Yamaha, Motorola, SAP, DHL Toshiba and more. In addition, Eran has extensive experience and expertise in sensory marketing and advertising - a unique method based on the most comprehensive research ever done on that subject at Oxford University in England.
R.J. Zielinski
R.J. Zielinski is a tax partner at Deloitte. R.J. has over ten years of experience within the financial services taxation industry with a specialization in insurance. He has served various clients within the financial services industry including life insurance, property & casualty insurance, health insurance, reinsurance, and financial guarantee companies.
Chair Emeritus
Rich Miller-Murphy '91 MBA
Emeritus
Craig Douglas '82 MBA
Craig Douglas is a treasury consultant for Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (formerly The Stanley Works). He previously served as vice president and treasurer and an executive officer for Stanley Black & Decker, until his retirement in 2017. Craig spent his entire career with Stanley on a path that has provided him with broad exposure to all facets of accounting and finance within a manufacturing company. Craig was named director of corporate finance in 1991, assuming global responsibilities for the core treasury function. In 1998, he was appointed treasurer with expanded responsibilities for real estate and risk management. He was appointed vice president in 2007 and executive officer in 2009.