Junior Achievement of South Florida Recipe for Success

Just as there are no two recipes that contain the exact same ingredients or measurements, there are no two success stories exactly the same. Recipe For Success features entrepreneurs, visionary leaders and innovators of all ages who will share their ingredients that make them successful – personally and professionally.

Let's get cooking! CEO and Principal Partner, Michael Fichtel, joined the law firm of Kelley Kronenberg and quickly rose to partnership within only four years of his admission to the Florida Bar, in 1987.  Michael’s continued focus on creating value for clients and on maximizing the firm’s growth through the development of innovative business-relationship models led to an upward trajectory of growth for the firm and to Michael’s selection as the firm’s first CEO in 2010. 

Over the last ten years, Michael has changed the face of the firm and the industry.  By making client-value and client-relationships as important as the legal services he was providing, Michael proved that outstanding attorneys can also be exceptional business leaders with the right mindset and environment.  Michael now uses that philosophy to inspire the firm’s attorneys to place the power of their success in their own hands and his leadership has ensured that Kelley Kronenberg will always provide our attorneys with the optimal environment for professional and business growth.

With this goal in mind, Michael transformed his client-first philosophy into what became the foundation for the firm’s primary core value of “We are a Team,” the unwavering commitment to putting our people first.   With an understanding that the firm’s success would be wholly dependent on the success and satisfaction of its attorneys and staff, Michael’s driving vision was to develop a business model that would attract the industry’s finest and then retain this superior talent by furnishing leading business and technological resources, providing dynamic professional development programs and mentorship opportunities, creating work environments that allow for collaboration, and establishing a firm culture that insists on personal and professional ethics and places an equally-high value on community service and civic involvement, diversity and inclusion, personal goals and growth, and work-life balance.

More about Kelley Kronenberg, visit https://www.kelleykronenberg.com/.

For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit https://www.jasouthflorida.org.

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Just as there are no two recipes that contain the exact same ingredients or measurements, there are no two success stories exactly the same. Recipe For Success features entrepreneurs, visionary leaders and innovators of all ages who will share their ingredients that make them successful – personally and professionally.

Let's get cooking! When he started his career in 1991, Jeremy Torisk was near homeless and digging pits for the local cable company, but through persistence, a positive mindset, and a lot of failing, he rose through the company ranks to build a $40 million business. 

Jeremy also assists in two family-owned small businesses and mentors others in Goal setting, ‘solopreneurship’ & Leadership Coaching. 

He recently wrote and published his first book available now on Amazon. In Labor To Leadership, Jeremy shares many personal struggles through life and business from lessons learned the hard way, the impact of the power of perspective, and he explains how to build disciplined habits that will allow you and your team to evolve from acceptable to exceptional.

For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit https://www.jasouthflorida.org.

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Just as there are no two recipes that contain the exact same ingredients or measurements, there are no two success stories exactly the same. Recipe For Success features entrepreneurs, visionary leaders and innovators of all ages who will share their ingredients that make them successful – personally and professionally.

Let's get cooking! Seth Wise is Executive Vice President of BBX Capital and serves on its Board of Directors.  He is also President of BBX Capital Real Estate, and is Co-CEO of The Altman Companies which since 1968 has built over 26,000 rental apartments.  The Altman Companies is 50% owned by BBX Capital Real Estate.  He is also on the board of Bluegreen Vacations Corporation (NYSE: BXG). 

Seth has more than 25 years of experience in many facets of real estate finance, management, investment, restructuring and development.  Throughout his career, Seth has been responsible for managing approximately $3 billion of real estate assets in various classes including industrial, retail, and a focus in housing that includes single family, master-planned communities and multifamily. He has managed an acquired portfolio of nearly $600 million of performing and non-performing loans and real estate.  This portfolio has successfully monetized since 2012 thru development, sale, restructuring, and loan payoffs well over $750 million.  Seth’s real estate development experience includes in excess of 1.5 million-square-feet of industrial space. He has also been involved in the development, ownership, and asset management of nearly 12,000 rental apartment units and single-family homes. Seth also has expertise in equity investment, lending, and debt restructuring, including the management of a commercial real estate workout portfolio of over $1 billion.

Seth is an active member of organizations in his field and community. He is a member of the Ambassadors Board of Nova Southeastern University. Seth has served as an Executive Board Member of the Real Estate Advisory Board of the Center for Real Estate Studies at the University of Florida, and the Southeast Florida/Caribbean Council of Urban Land Institute (ULI). He is a member of the prestigious Young Presidents Organization (YPO), and serves is Past Chairman of the Board of Directors for Jewish Family Services of Broward County, a non-profit human services organization and Jewish Family Home Care, a nonprofit home health agency primarily serving Holocaust survivors.  He is a member of the Board of Directors of the David Posnack Jewish Day School, a member of the National Council of AIPAC, and a member of the Forbes Real Estate Council.

Seth earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Florida.

For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit https://www.jasouthflorida.org.

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Just as there are no two recipes that contain the exact same ingredients or measurements, there are no two success stories exactly the same. Recipe For Success features entrepreneurs, visionary leaders and innovators of all ages who will share their ingredients that make them successful – personally and professionally.

Let's get cooking! Laurie Rich Levinson was elected in 2010, and re-elected in 2014 and 2018, as the District 6 Broward County School Board Member.

Born and raised in South Florida, she has three children, all of whom attended Broward County Public Schools.

Laurie Rich Levinson graduated from Miami Palmetto Senior High and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Brandeis University. She has been in the business world for over 35 years, and was a parent activist for over 20 years at the school, area, and district levels.

Mrs. Levinson presently represents the School Board on the Board of Directors of the Council of the Great City Schools, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, and the Early Childhood Learning Coalition. Additionally, she sits on the State Board of Take Stock in Children, and is a Jafco Children’s Ability Center Board Member.

Broward County Public Schools is at: https://www.browardschools.com/.

For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit https://www.jasouthflorida.org.

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Just as there are no two recipes that contain the exact same ingredients or measurements, there are no two success stories exactly the same. Recipe For Success features entrepreneurs, visionary leaders and innovators of all ages who will share their ingredients that make them successful – personally and professionally.

Let's get cooking! Jennifer Starkey is a Senior Vice President/Regional Vice President at TD Bank serving Broward, Southern Palm Beach and Collier Counties in South Florida. She has over 25 years of banking experience, in the north and southeast geographies, in multiple areas of banking, 18 of which are with TD. Jennifer has managed teams in deposit operations, credit, and bank merger and acquisitions. 

In her current role, Jennifer and her team of experienced Relationship Managers provide financing solutions, including working capital, start-up/acquisition, equipment leasing, mortgages, and lines of credit; whether conventional or SBA. They have multiple solutions for companies to improve cash flow and profit margins with credit and noncredit solutions. Along with their partners, including retail, treasury management, leasing, healthcare, restaurant, real estate, and merchant services, her dedicated Relationship Managers serve as valued partners to companies to achieve their strategic goals.  Jennifer and her team are also passionate about enhancing the lives of their colleagues, customers and community through financial education, volunteerism, and supporting diversity and inclusion.

Jennifer is Co-Leader of TD Bank's Business/Employee Resource Group for Women in Leadership for the State of Florida. She is a member of L.E.A.D. community, an initiative aligned with TD’s goal 

of supporting select emerging talent women leaders in the Commercial Bank.  She is a mentor to participants of TD's Career Relaunch program which offers additional support and guidance to new colleagues that may have been out of the workforce for a couple of years.  

Jennifer is an active leader in her community. She is currently a member of the United Way of Broward County Tocqueville Society. She served as President and founding member of the local MOMS Club offering activities and support to new mothers and their children. She has served on the boards of the American Red Cross, March of Dimes, and NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners). With her husband Bill, and daughter Samantha, Jennifer actively supports the arts, and particularly Mainstage Center for the Arts. Jennifer received her Bachelor's degree from Rutgers University, and completed two formal management training programs in bank operations and commercial credit including graduate level work in business, finance and accounting. Jennifer and her family live in South Florida.

For more information about TD Bank, visit https://www.td.com/us/en/personal-banking/

For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit https://www.jasouthflorida.org.

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Just as there are no two recipes that contain the exact same ingredients or measurements, there are no two success stories exactly the same. Recipe For Success features entrepreneurs, visionary leaders and innovators of all ages who will share their ingredients that make them successful – personally and professionally.

Let's get cooking! Ms. Debra Vasilopoulos is the Market President of IBERIABANK, a Division of First Horizon Bank. She is responsible for directing the Private Client, Commercial Banking, Retail/Small Business Banking segments within the South Florida region. A recognized leader with over 30 years of experience in Private Wealth management; Debra is known for her exceptional business acumen and passion for building high performing teams that deliver profitable results.

Prior to joining IBERIABANK, she was the Regional President of Sabadell Bank & Trust where she led Private and Commercial Banking services for South Florida. Prior to Sabadell Bank & Trust, she was a founding member of Lydian Bank & Trust, a boutique wealth management firm located on the Island of Palm Beach. In her leadership role at Lydian, Debra led the performance and strategic delivery of the bank’s unique services, achieving market-leading business growth in Palm Beach County.

Prior to Lydian, Ms. Vasilopoulos served as the Regional Lending Director and Senior Vice President of OffitBank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wachovia Bank.

A strong advocate for supporting organizations that bring meaningful change, Debra maintains active involvement in community service organizations. Currently, she serves as an officer on the Board of Trustees for the Town of Palm Beach United Way, and a Trustee/Board Member for the Town of Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce

Ms. Vasilopoulos attended Lowell University, College of Financial Planning, and received formal credit training through OMEGA.

Originally from Massachusetts, Debra resides in Tequesta, and is located in IBERIABANK’s Palm Beach office.

For more information about First Horizon Bank, visit https://www.firsthorizon.com/.

For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit https://www.jasouthflorida.org.

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Just as there are no two recipes that contain the exact same ingredients or measurements, there are no two success stories exactly the same. Recipe For Success features entrepreneurs, visionary leaders and innovators of all ages who will share their ingredients that make them successful – personally and professionally.

Let's get cooking! Don Silvestri played nine seasons of professional football including the NFL’s New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, and Seattle Seahawks before retiring to South Florida – not to retire but to work. Now president of Debt.com, Silvestri brings over a decade of management experience in the financial industry. He is active in the community serving as treasurer of the NFL Players Association South Florida chapter as well as a founding director of Parkland Cares, which funds mental health counseling in the aftermath of the tragic shootings last year at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. In each of his roles, he’s had an abiding interest in helping children, whether it’s teaching them sound financial principles they’ll take with them throughout life or ensuring they have the therapy they need to overcome the trauma in their lives. 

Along with his wife Alissa, the Silvestri’s devote additional time and resources to several local charities as much as they can, especially if related to serving children and raising awareness to many programs including becoming foster parents and adopting one of their foster children in 2017. Silvestri holds dual degrees in Marketing and Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh, where he was a varsity letterman and an Academic All-American. 

New Award: VARSITY LETTER CLUB ANNOUNCES 2021 AWARDEES OF DISTINCTION 

Since 1961, the Pitt Varsity Letter Club has honored letter winners who have distinguished themselves in their profession or community, and who, by their accomplishments, have enhanced the value of the intercollegiate athletics programs at the University of Pittsburgh. 

https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2021/1/25/general-varsity-letter-club-announces-2021-awardees-of-distinction.aspx 

Some previous award recipients: 

Mike Ditka 

Tony Dorsett 

Dave Wannstedt 

Marty Schottenheimer 

Joe Walton 

I was also recently re-elected as an officer of the NFL Players Association of South Florida 

For more information about Debt.com, visit https://www.debt.com.

For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit https://www.jasouthflorida.org.

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Just as there are no two recipes that contain the exact same ingredients or measurements, there are no two success stories exactly the same. Recipe For Success features entrepreneurs, visionary leaders and innovators of all ages who will share their ingredients that make them successful – personally and professionally.

Let's get cooking! Rocki Rockingham is an accomplished C-suite human resources, communications, community relations, public affairs, and marketing communications professional with over 30 years of domestic and international business experience. She is versatile with an excellent record of achievement as a strategic partner supporting business objectives in many successful companies. Rocki has proven expertise in managing through corporate acquisitions and turnarounds while leading through transformational change. 

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She is a proactive provocative leader, innovative problem solver and global creative thinker known for providing influence and mentorship with individuals that cross both corporate, community and entrepreneurial worlds:

• Specializes as a C-suite business partner and consultant in organizational design, human resources, crisis and corporate communications, marketing, and community affairs;

• Creates strategies for helping individuals, leaders and companies advance their goals and objectives;

• Influences change and growth and image building in business and life;

• Creates community relations platforms and outreach opportunities with various organizations;

• Builds strategic customer awareness and connectivity to influence direction and outcomes;

• Specializes in, established and oversees a successful company 501 (c)(3) foundation; and

• Coaches executives on strategic communications that relates to corporate issues, employee and media relations, marketing communications, diversity and Inclusion and community initiatives.

Most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Newell Brands, Appliances and Cookware Division, in Boca Raton, Florida, Rocki has focused on Human Resources, corporate communications and public and community affairs. For more than a decade, she has been responsible for the highest level of strategic HR and communications at several Fortune 500 companies including, General Motors and Chrysler Corporations.

For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit https://www.jasouthflorida.org.

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Just as there are no two recipes that contain the exact same ingredients or measurements, there are no two success stories exactly the same. Recipe For Success features entrepreneurs, visionary leaders and innovators of all ages who will share their ingredients that make them successful – personally and professionally.

Let's get cooking! Rachel A. Sapoznik is the Founder and President of Sapoznik Insurance, a World Insurance Company, and is an industry leader in employee benefits solutions. In a male-dominated industry, Rachel relentlessly pursued her entrepreneurial vision to revolutionize traditional employee benefits through education. In doing so, she rapidly expanded the company from her home office into one of the largest independently owned agencies in South Florida. Now, 34 years later, Sapoznik Insurance has been acquired by World Insurance Associates (WIA), which has been named one of The Most Successful Companies in America by Inc. 5000, a Top 100 P/C Agency by Insurance Journal and Business Insurance, and a five-time honoree of NJBIZ Fast 50.

Rachel is recognized as one of South Florida’s leading healthcare experts. She has been featured in several national networks, including CNBC.com, Yahoo! Finance, MarketWatch, Reuters, MorningStar, Employee Benefits Advisor, Automotive News, and TheStreet.com. Locally, she has been interviewed by Invest Miami, The Miami Herald, The Sun-Sentinel, The South Florida Business Journal, Crain’s Miami, South Florida Business & Wealth Magazine, Miami Today, and the virtual talk show On Point with Rachel Tourgeman. 

Rachel has constructed a roadmap to navigate today’s healthcare challenges and provide expert solutions for tomorrow. A true visionary, Rachel has always emphasized the value of education, wellness, and building strong programs for her clients. Driven by these guiding principles, Rachel has helped hundreds of companies across the country improve their employees’ health while positively impacting her clients’ bottom line. Her book, A Passion for Wellness: Healthy Employees, Healthy Bottom Line, was featured on Amazon’s bestseller list for new releases upon its publication. 

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Rachel has made it her mission to help the communities around her. As a devoted philanthropist, she is deeply involved in many charities, especially those dedicated to improving children’s lives. Whether spearheading a fundraiser for developmentally challenged adults or children, mentoring future business leaders, or educating children about the importance of healthy eating, Rachel derives the greatest pleasure from supporting her community. 

Rachel has been awarded several accolades, speaking to both her professional and philanthropic accomplishments. She is also actively involved in the community.

Learn more about Sapoznik Insurance at https://www.sapoznik.com.

For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit https://www.jasouthflorida.org.

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Just as there are no two recipes that contain the exact same ingredients or measurements, there are no two success stories exactly the same. Recipe For Success features entrepreneurs, visionary leaders and innovators of all ages who will share their ingredients that make them successful – personally and professionally.

Let's get cooking! Robyn Raphael-Dynan is the President of RCC Associates. 

Following in her mother’s footsteps, Robyn Raphael-Dynan has achieved incredible success and become a well-respected executive in the traditionally male-dominated construction industry, significantly contributing to RCC Associates attaining its status as South Florida Business Journal’s #1 Woman Owned Business ranked by revenue in 2016. She began her construction career in an entry-level position and has worked her way up the ranks to President. She is admired by clients, industry associates and employees alike for her professionalism, expertise, and diplomacy while managing complex situations and relationships.

Learn more at https://www.rccassociates.com.

For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit https://www.jasouthflorida.org.

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