Kenneth Arroyo Roldan
As one of the country’s reigning experts on diversity, Kenneth Arroyo Roldan joined Wesley Brown & Bartle (WB&B) in April 1998 as a General Counsel and Managing Partner. With a BS from Cornell University and a law degree, Ken was appointed to the Civil Rights Bureau of New York State Attorney General's Office where he was instrumental in shaping and enforcing EEO legislation.
Mr. Roldan is the first Hispanic CEO of a national executive search firm. He has partnered with leading global companies inclusive of Google, Bloomberg, Boeing, Nationwide, Staples, Citi, Microsoft, E&Y, Raytheon, Moody’s, Key Bank, PNC, Chubb, Merck, Charles Schwab, UL, Cleveland Clinic and GE in creating innovative approaches to court and recruit top performers. With a passion in talent acquisition and talent management for over a decade, Ken’s unique strategies in diversity staffing, succession planning and retention have made a difference to the ethnic, gender and cultural diversity in America's corporate structure.
Considered an expert in minority hiring, Mr. Roldan has been interviewed by CBS News Sunday Morning, CNN, Fortune, ABC News, BusinessWeek, The Wall Street Journal, Crain's New York Business, Tavis Smiley, Black Enterprise and Hispanic Magazine. Mr. Roldan has expanded his audience by writing a book, Minority Rules: Turn Your Ethnicity Into a Competitive Edge, published by Harper Collins in fall 2006. Minority Rules provides a blueprint on how professionals can successfully climb the corporate ladder.
Ken has served on the Board Development Committee for the Girl Scouts of Greater New York, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Veterans Across America (VAA). He currently serves as General Counsel to the New York State Coalition of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. In the Fall of 2012, he launched Project Valor, a campaign to mobilize veterans to serve as adult leaders in their respective communities and sponsor/mentor at-risk junior high school youth.
Mr. Roldan is the first Hispanic CEO of a national executive search firm. He has partnered with leading global companies inclusive of Google, Bloomberg, Boeing, Nationwide, Staples, Citi, Microsoft, E&Y, Raytheon, Moody’s, Key Bank, PNC, Chubb, Merck, Charles Schwab, UL, Cleveland Clinic and GE in creating innovative approaches to court and recruit top performers. With a passion in talent acquisition and talent management for over a decade, Ken’s unique strategies in diversity staffing, succession planning and retention have made a difference to the ethnic, gender and cultural diversity in America's corporate structure.
Considered an expert in minority hiring, Mr. Roldan has been interviewed by CBS News Sunday Morning, CNN, Fortune, ABC News, BusinessWeek, The Wall Street Journal, Crain's New York Business, Tavis Smiley, Black Enterprise and Hispanic Magazine. Mr. Roldan has expanded his audience by writing a book, Minority Rules: Turn Your Ethnicity Into a Competitive Edge, published by Harper Collins in fall 2006. Minority Rules provides a blueprint on how professionals can successfully climb the corporate ladder.
Ken has served on the Board Development Committee for the Girl Scouts of Greater New York, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Veterans Across America (VAA). He currently serves as General Counsel to the New York State Coalition of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. In the Fall of 2012, he launched Project Valor, a campaign to mobilize veterans to serve as adult leaders in their respective communities and sponsor/mentor at-risk junior high school youth.
Andrew Hahn, Sr.
Mr. Hahn focuses his practice on commercial litigation matters involving contract disputes, including franchising, insurance, commercial leases, banking, employment, and software licensing matters and other corporate disputes. He also handles complex litigation including class actions relating to products liability and toxic torts, consumer fraud, securities, and antitrust. He has experience in government contracts, intellectual property, bankruptcy and banking litigation as well as matters involving complex technology and business torts. He is certified as a neutral for the American Arbitration Association.
Throughout his 25-year legal career, Mr. Hahn has been an active member of various Asian American Bar Associations with primary focus on the promotion of candidates of Asian Pacific American heritage to the judiciary and to the partnership ranks at law firms. As President of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) in 2008, he briefed White House Counsel, U.S. Senators, and the U.S. Attorney General on issues regarding appointments of diverse attorneys and federal judges and other issues affecting the APA communities around the country. In 2005, he served as Chairman of the Board of the Korean American Lawyers’ Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY). He was honored by KALAGNY in January 2008 as a Trailblazer. In April 2011, he was bestowed the Diversity Champion award by the New York City Bar Association. In 2004, he was the President of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”). He was an active member of AABANY since 1992, serving as a Member of the Board of Directors as well as the Chair of AABANY’s Judiciary Committee.
Mr. Hahn also served a full three-year term as a Member of the Judiciary Committee [1996-1999] of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. He has served on numerous judicial screening panels for candidates in New York City.
Throughout his 25-year legal career, Mr. Hahn has been an active member of various Asian American Bar Associations with primary focus on the promotion of candidates of Asian Pacific American heritage to the judiciary and to the partnership ranks at law firms. As President of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) in 2008, he briefed White House Counsel, U.S. Senators, and the U.S. Attorney General on issues regarding appointments of diverse attorneys and federal judges and other issues affecting the APA communities around the country. In 2005, he served as Chairman of the Board of the Korean American Lawyers’ Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY). He was honored by KALAGNY in January 2008 as a Trailblazer. In April 2011, he was bestowed the Diversity Champion award by the New York City Bar Association. In 2004, he was the President of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”). He was an active member of AABANY since 1992, serving as a Member of the Board of Directors as well as the Chair of AABANY’s Judiciary Committee.
Mr. Hahn also served a full three-year term as a Member of the Judiciary Committee [1996-1999] of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. He has served on numerous judicial screening panels for candidates in New York City.
Anthony S. Marino
Anthony S. (Tony) Marino was appointed Chief Human Resources Officer for the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. in January 2011. He was recruited to partner with the CEO in building a competitive growth business in the America’s Region. Recently, he has been named as General Manager for newly established Global HR Office. In this capacity, he has responsibility for the human capital strategy and administration, compensation and benefits, organizational development, talent management, employee engagement, staffing and management responsibility for the company’s newly launched continuous improvement effort, Project BEST (Building Excellence for Success Together).
Most recently, Marino served as Chief Human Resources Officer for GMAC, where he was instrumental in the turnaround and restructuring of the global auto finance leader. He also worked for three companies long known for human resources best practices, Bank of America, Honeywell International (Formally Allied Signal), and Pepsi Food Systems. Marino’s former roles have included global assignments in Europe and Asia.
Marino is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt and was instrumental in Bank of America’s enterprise wide implementation of Six Sigma. He is also the author of a leadership development workbook series titled “The Leaders Source.” He is a frequent lecturer on Human Resources topics and has written numerous articles on leadership and performance. Marino earned his bachelors of business administration from Ohio University in 1985.
Most recently, Marino served as Chief Human Resources Officer for GMAC, where he was instrumental in the turnaround and restructuring of the global auto finance leader. He also worked for three companies long known for human resources best practices, Bank of America, Honeywell International (Formally Allied Signal), and Pepsi Food Systems. Marino’s former roles have included global assignments in Europe and Asia.
Marino is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt and was instrumental in Bank of America’s enterprise wide implementation of Six Sigma. He is also the author of a leadership development workbook series titled “The Leaders Source.” He is a frequent lecturer on Human Resources topics and has written numerous articles on leadership and performance. Marino earned his bachelors of business administration from Ohio University in 1985.
Tony Smith
Tony co-founded VSA Consulting Group in 1985. He is an advocate, practitioner, and master coach of transformational leadership, which empowers the performance of corporate CEOs, executives, public leaders, and entrepreneurs to reach business success that exceeds any reasonable expectation.
“The entire thrust of breakthrough leadership coaching,” Tony explains to executives for whom incremental improvement is essential yet insufficient, “is to produce a platform for action and thinking that clearly and specifically accounts for, yet moves decisively beyond, the past, and that would never be predictable based on the past.”
Applying VSA coaching approaches, Tony “un-hooks” clients from the constraints the past has had on fulfilling their commitments. His work breaks open client creativity, vision, and effectiveness in such areas as: sales and marketing; leadership; teamwork; business operations that enable and realize strategic vision; innovative financing; and the wise and timely development of people as creative assets.
A graduate of Harvard College, Class of ’69, Tony played for the ’68 “miracle” football team, the subject of the current, inspiring documentary, Harvard Beats Yale, 29-29. Tony holds a Masters in Education from the University of New Hampshire and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Counseling from Boston University. He is a Board Member for Getting Out/Staying Out, a social entrepreneurship organization that reduces recidivism at Rikers Island Correctional Facility from 60% to 20%. He is a Global Investor in the Hunger Project, which empowers the most impoverished women in the world to end their own hunger.
Tony is married to Rosa Leader Smith, a master therapist, and has a daughter, Geneva Montana, who is a visionary leader in the world of anthropology, and a magnificent rugby player.
“The entire thrust of breakthrough leadership coaching,” Tony explains to executives for whom incremental improvement is essential yet insufficient, “is to produce a platform for action and thinking that clearly and specifically accounts for, yet moves decisively beyond, the past, and that would never be predictable based on the past.”
Applying VSA coaching approaches, Tony “un-hooks” clients from the constraints the past has had on fulfilling their commitments. His work breaks open client creativity, vision, and effectiveness in such areas as: sales and marketing; leadership; teamwork; business operations that enable and realize strategic vision; innovative financing; and the wise and timely development of people as creative assets.
A graduate of Harvard College, Class of ’69, Tony played for the ’68 “miracle” football team, the subject of the current, inspiring documentary, Harvard Beats Yale, 29-29. Tony holds a Masters in Education from the University of New Hampshire and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Counseling from Boston University. He is a Board Member for Getting Out/Staying Out, a social entrepreneurship organization that reduces recidivism at Rikers Island Correctional Facility from 60% to 20%. He is a Global Investor in the Hunger Project, which empowers the most impoverished women in the world to end their own hunger.
Tony is married to Rosa Leader Smith, a master therapist, and has a daughter, Geneva Montana, who is a visionary leader in the world of anthropology, and a magnificent rugby player.
Michelle Patterson
A recognized visionary and lauded business accelerator, Michelle Patterson is a sought-after expert on such issues as the women’s economy, professional development, networking, and business growth. She is a written contributor and guest on media outlets including The Huffington Post, CNBC, Fox Business News, Bloomberg, and over a dozen TV stations in California. Most recently, Patterson successfully oversaw the 2012 California Women’s Conference, continuing the tradition of this historical event that has featured thought leaders and A-list celebrities such as Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Deepak Chopra, Oprah Winfrey, Jane Fonda, Goldie Hawn, Gayle King, and more. Under Patterson’s leadership, the newly revived conference received critical acclaim and was covered by the largest media outlets in the world. The California Women’s Conference was the latest in a number of signature events Patterson has oversaw. Just to name a few, these events include celebrity chef challenges, signature wine festivals such as “Taste of Ladera” with over 30,000 attendees, corporate workshops, and hosting the President of the United States.
Patterson’s business acumen and impressive rolodex has led to her being labeled by the media as an “acceleration executive” that focuses on helping individuals, corporations, and small businesses grow faster. Patterson began her entrepreneurial journey after serving as a Regional Vice-President and National Sales Trainer for the world’s largest specialized recruiting firm, Robert Half, where she oversaw 9 divisions and was recognized for helping generate record revenue growth. When she launched TouchPointe, LLC in July 2006, she continued her track record of impressive revenue growth – leading the company to achieve seven figure revenue within just six months of launch. TouchPointe was tapped by Internet giants Groupon and Living Social early on in their business cycle to help them increase their market share. Today, TouchPointe helps corporations engage women professionals from both a recruitment angle to attract the right talent, as well as customer acquisition angle to increase their market share with identified sub-segments of the highly complex and sought after demographic. Emerging businesses frequently tap Patterson and TouchPointe to help them get connected to the right individuals and develop the right strategies to accelerate their growth.
In addition to her success with TouchPointe, Patterson is an energetic and engaging public speaker for organizations such as Loyola Marymount University, Groupon, and The Green Festival. Patterson is the feature author for a women’s anthology that will feature notable celebrity contributors to be released by Ben Bella Books in fall 2013. Patterson also hosts the radio show OC Spotlight, which airs weekly on OC Talk Radio. There she interviews top-tier guests ranging from Grammy Award winner Lil Jon to Groupon CEO Andrew Mason.
Patterson is driven by the belief that everyone has something significant to contribute. She is committed to helping individuals discover their talent and connect to the right circle of people to live out their purpose. Beyond her notable business success, Patterson is most passionate about her family. She lives in Ladera Ranch, California with her husband, Eric, and their two beautiful children, Jaclyn and Chase.
Patterson’s business acumen and impressive rolodex has led to her being labeled by the media as an “acceleration executive” that focuses on helping individuals, corporations, and small businesses grow faster. Patterson began her entrepreneurial journey after serving as a Regional Vice-President and National Sales Trainer for the world’s largest specialized recruiting firm, Robert Half, where she oversaw 9 divisions and was recognized for helping generate record revenue growth. When she launched TouchPointe, LLC in July 2006, she continued her track record of impressive revenue growth – leading the company to achieve seven figure revenue within just six months of launch. TouchPointe was tapped by Internet giants Groupon and Living Social early on in their business cycle to help them increase their market share. Today, TouchPointe helps corporations engage women professionals from both a recruitment angle to attract the right talent, as well as customer acquisition angle to increase their market share with identified sub-segments of the highly complex and sought after demographic. Emerging businesses frequently tap Patterson and TouchPointe to help them get connected to the right individuals and develop the right strategies to accelerate their growth.
In addition to her success with TouchPointe, Patterson is an energetic and engaging public speaker for organizations such as Loyola Marymount University, Groupon, and The Green Festival. Patterson is the feature author for a women’s anthology that will feature notable celebrity contributors to be released by Ben Bella Books in fall 2013. Patterson also hosts the radio show OC Spotlight, which airs weekly on OC Talk Radio. There she interviews top-tier guests ranging from Grammy Award winner Lil Jon to Groupon CEO Andrew Mason.
Patterson is driven by the belief that everyone has something significant to contribute. She is committed to helping individuals discover their talent and connect to the right circle of people to live out their purpose. Beyond her notable business success, Patterson is most passionate about her family. She lives in Ladera Ranch, California with her husband, Eric, and their two beautiful children, Jaclyn and Chase.
Leslie Grossman
Leslie Grossman is a leadership and business/career development expert, and advocate for women leaders. Grossman created and co-founded Women’s Leadership Exchange, a national organization that produced more than 100 conferences and events, with a mission of creating more women leaders in the world by building leadership, relationship building and business skills. Previously, she lead an integrated marketing agency, Communications/Marketing Action, whose clients included many national brands in the fashion, entertainment and business worlds.
She is author of Link Out: How to Turn Your Network into a Chain of Lasting Connectors (Wiley) to be released Jan., 2013, and a previous book Sellsation: How Companies Can Capture Today’s Hottest Market: Women Business Owners and Executives. Recently Grossman toured Japan on behalf of the U.S. Embassy, speaking to women about the opportunities of entrepreneurship, and was rated as “one of the best speakers of the year.” Her workshops and keynotes on entrepreneurship and leadership integrate her philosophy of achieving success by creating life-long connections, building one’s personal brand and developing leadership skills.
She is Chief Connections Officer for Cojourneo, a start-up Internet company offering collaborative workshops to help people progress on their personal and business journeys. Grossman is past president and founding international chair of the National Association of Women Business Owners, has served on many boards, including her present role on the board of Unleashed, a nonprofit that transforms middle school girls into leaders and social change agents. She been a professional speaker for over 12 years, speaking and leading workshops at associations, universities like Cornell, NYU and University of Maryland, and corporations, like JP MorganChase, MetLife, IBM, Aetna, Northwestern Mutual and Jones NY. For more information visit www.lesliegrossmanleadership.com.
She is author of Link Out: How to Turn Your Network into a Chain of Lasting Connectors (Wiley) to be released Jan., 2013, and a previous book Sellsation: How Companies Can Capture Today’s Hottest Market: Women Business Owners and Executives. Recently Grossman toured Japan on behalf of the U.S. Embassy, speaking to women about the opportunities of entrepreneurship, and was rated as “one of the best speakers of the year.” Her workshops and keynotes on entrepreneurship and leadership integrate her philosophy of achieving success by creating life-long connections, building one’s personal brand and developing leadership skills.
She is Chief Connections Officer for Cojourneo, a start-up Internet company offering collaborative workshops to help people progress on their personal and business journeys. Grossman is past president and founding international chair of the National Association of Women Business Owners, has served on many boards, including her present role on the board of Unleashed, a nonprofit that transforms middle school girls into leaders and social change agents. She been a professional speaker for over 12 years, speaking and leading workshops at associations, universities like Cornell, NYU and University of Maryland, and corporations, like JP MorganChase, MetLife, IBM, Aetna, Northwestern Mutual and Jones NY. For more information visit www.lesliegrossmanleadership.com.
Mark Szollar
Mark has been at The New York Times for 28 years and has worked in a variety of positions and departments in his career. He is currently the Advertising Director of Diversity and Recruitment for the company.
Mark is also an active member of the National Society of Hispanic MBA’s, as well as “VOCES”, the New York Times Hispanic-American Affinity Group. He is also on the Advisory Board for the National Association of Black Sports Professionals, the Board of Directors for the National Association of Asian MBA’s, as well as the Advisory Board for Veterans Across America. Mark was also a judge of the 2006 Out and Equal, “OUTIE” awards. In addition, in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 Mark was invited to the World Diversity Conference held in Prague, the United Nations, Washington, DC and most recently Harvard University, to moderate a panel on how Sports brings people from Diverse Cultures together. Most recently in 2011, Mark received the “Advocate of the Year” award from the Student Corporate Internship Program”, which identifies the most promising minority high school students in the tri-state area.
In addition to his professional career, in 2003, Mark was inducted into the Youth Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, (not as a player but as an umpire). He loves youth baseball and volunteers his time umpiring Little League and Babe Ruth baseball.
Mark graduated in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Resource Recreation Management from Oregon State University and he received his MBA in Business Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1989.
Mark is also an active member of the National Society of Hispanic MBA’s, as well as “VOCES”, the New York Times Hispanic-American Affinity Group. He is also on the Advisory Board for the National Association of Black Sports Professionals, the Board of Directors for the National Association of Asian MBA’s, as well as the Advisory Board for Veterans Across America. Mark was also a judge of the 2006 Out and Equal, “OUTIE” awards. In addition, in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 Mark was invited to the World Diversity Conference held in Prague, the United Nations, Washington, DC and most recently Harvard University, to moderate a panel on how Sports brings people from Diverse Cultures together. Most recently in 2011, Mark received the “Advocate of the Year” award from the Student Corporate Internship Program”, which identifies the most promising minority high school students in the tri-state area.
In addition to his professional career, in 2003, Mark was inducted into the Youth Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, (not as a player but as an umpire). He loves youth baseball and volunteers his time umpiring Little League and Babe Ruth baseball.
Mark graduated in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Resource Recreation Management from Oregon State University and he received his MBA in Business Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1989.
