Keiretsu Forum Midwest + Northeast Committees serve as Centers of Excellence in their respective industries. These committees foster thought leadership, promote mindshare and are responsible for screening candidate companies before being selected to present at the Forums. Committee members also take on additional responsibilities to help curate these deals, in a variety of ways, including participation in due diligence and company mindshare activities.
Advanced Manufacturing
Manufacturing remains a critical and vibrant force in both advanced and developing economies. Perception of decline in this sector is completely unfounded. Manufacturing still contributes disproportionately to exports, innovation and productivity growth. Yet the role of manufacturing is changing and challenges traditional views, for example, that manufacturing and services are completely different sectors. In the U.S., every dollar of manufacturing output requires 19 cents of services. Keiretsu Forum Midwest members are interested in the changing growth dynamic of this sector and in exploring and contributing to new manufacturing approaches, policies and capabilities.
Patrick Hood
Advanced Manufacturing Committee Chair
Patrick has founded and co-founded multiple companies in the aerospace industry as well as construction and tooling. His core competencies include Multidisciplinary Technology Development, Defense Business Services, Advanced Manufacturing, Power & Energy, Aerosystems, Medical & Sensors and Hypersonic Systems.
Patrick is Trustee and Vice Chair of the Wright Brothers Institute and a Board Member at the Entrepreneurs’ Center.
Consumer Products
In the mature and saturated $760-billion Consumer Packaged Goods marketplace, CPG companies are aggressively seeking new growth drivers amongst a changing landscape. With consumer shifts in buying behavior, demand for sustainable products and purchase preferences for responsible, mission-based companies, there’s an unprecedented need for CPG investment in emerging markets and early stage start-ups. The Keiretsu Forum CPG Committee will focus on investments within early stage CPGs across food, beverage and durable goods, all of which align to CPG acquisition trends that can drive triple-bottom-line returns for people, planet and profit.
Ross Vangalis
Consumer Products Committee Chair
Ross is founder and CEO at Queue, an agency specializing in business transformation and President at Lamps Global, a network of agencies across North and South America. Fueled by 20+ years of experience, he has transformed emerging markets and consumer macro-trends into scalable CPG businesses, driven top-line growth across Fortune 500, mid-cap and venture-backed companies.
Experience metrics: 100+ CPG brands, 50+ companies, 20+ industries, 13 countries, 10+ M&A exits, 40+ industry awards, managing cross-functional teams of 30+ and $50K to $10M+ in MarCom P&L.
Life Sciences (Medical Devices)
Worldwide life expectancy has increased significantly since the turn of the century. Improvements in medicine and life sciences has played an integral role in this important achievement. Science, and especially medical technology, has advanced radically in the last 10 years, creating an opportune environment for change and innovation. The Keiretsu Forum Midwest Chapter is focused on investments in medical devices, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and digital health that utilize emerging technologies to improve health and wellbeing. We can make a difference.
Dr. Navkaran Singh
Life Sciences Chair.
Medical Device Committee Chair
Dr. Singh earned his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and his medical degree from Ohio State University. He completed his residency at the University of Cincinnati and is board certified by, and a fellow of, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. He is a robotics surgeon who leads the way in his field with exploratory, innovative medical devices that span numerous sectors.
Life Sciences (Diagnostics)
The field of Diagnostic Medicine is rapidly evolving. A long and established practice for identifying the cause of illnesses through physical exams, blood and urines tests, imaging tests, such as CT scans, X-rays and MRis, endoscopy, biopsy, and mammography. Imaging technology has rapidly evolved over the last 10 years alone. The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is enabling faster, more accurate diagnoses through analyzing large datasets of medical images and patient information, allowing for earlier disease detection, personalized treatment plans, and improved overall patient outcomes, particularly in areas like cancer diagnosis where subtle patterns can be identified with greater precision than human observation alone.
Sonia Sequeira, Ph.D
Diagnostics Committee Chair
Dr. Sonia Sequeira, CEO of Vitruviae, is a neuroscientist with 15 years of experience in drug development. She participated in the development of clinical trials investigational products and Investigational New Drug (IND) applications, promoting efficiency in drug development projects through a combination of teaching, advisory, project management, nonclinical study design, quality assurance oversight and regulatory compliance services. Sonia has developed >120 IND applications for small molecules, gene therapies, cell therapies, CAR T cells, vaccines, and antibodies with three products now marketed. She also has experience developing theranostics, biomarkers and nanomedicines and has applied her expertise in many leadership roles for academia and startups.
Life Sciences (Therapeutics)
Therapeutic medicine encompasses a vast array of interventions and technologies aimed at treating or curing diseases, improving health, and enhancing the quality of life. This multidisciplinary domain integrates knowledge from biology, chemistry, medicine, and engineering to develop innovative treatments. One of the primary areas within therapeutics is pharmacology, where researchers design and synthesize drugs that can target specific pathways in the body to alleviate symptoms or eradicate diseases. Biologics, such as monoclonal antibodies and gene therapies, represent another cutting-edge aspect, offering personalized and precise medical solutions. Furthermore, the advent of regenerative medicine marks a significant breakthrough, with therapies focused on repairing or replacing damaged tissues and organs through stem cells and tissue engineering. Nanotechnology is also gaining prominence, enabling the delivery of drugs at the molecular level with unprecedented accuracy. In addition to these advanced approaches, traditional therapeutic methods, including physical therapy, behavioral interventions, and nutritional support, remain integral to comprehensive patient care. This is a dynamic and evolving field, continually pushing the boundaries of what is possible in medical treatment and patient care.
Mahiuddin Ahmed
Therapeutics Committee Chair
Dr. Ahmed is the President and CSO of VITRUVIAE, a privately held biotechnology company developing therapeutics for cancer, infectious diseases, and mental illness. He was formerly the SVP and CSO of Y-mAbs Therapeutics, a commercial and clinical stage public biotechnology company, and a faculty member in the Department of Pediatrics at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Ahmed is an expert in antibody and protein engineering and has co-invented several antibody drugs currently in human clinical trials. He received his PhD in Biochemistry and Structural Biology from Stony Brook University, followed by post-doctoral training in Cancer Immunology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Information Technology, Smart Tech, and Artificial Intelligence
What once was primarily viewed as a support function and cost center, Information Technology functions are becoming critical strategic factors across every spectrum of the marketplace; and from startups to boardrooms, this rapidly evolving technology is completely changing the playing field. Artificial Intelligence is leading the way to a new breed of disruptive and innovative organizations that are trailblazing into new areas of unexplored tech. It can readily be said that companies that do not incorporate A.I. into their core functions will become obsolete.
Tim Noce
Information Technology Committee Chair
Tim Noce is a seasoned technology leader, founder. and consultant with nearly 20 years of experience in enterprise technology, AI, sales & marketing, data platforms, and agile methodologies. Currently, he serves as Director of Business Development at Elevate Digital, where he oversees sales and marketing of consulting services. Prior to this, Tim led multimillion-dollar projects and managed teams of consultants at Accenture, Alithya, and Concurrency. With a robust background that includes leadership roles at American Electric Power, Hitachi, and Target, Tim has demonstrated expertise in global technology deployments and customer relationship management.
In addition to his leadership roles, Tim is the founder of Noce Investments and three startups with successful exits, calling back to his entrepreneurial spirit in the realms of investing, technology, and real estate. He holds an MBA from the University of Illinois and a Bachelors of Science from the University of Missouri. Tim has authored several publications on data platforms and business applications and has spoken at dozens of events on these topics. Tim’s passion for technology and belief in fostering strong community through long-lasting relationships is what brought him to the Keiretsu Forum and is why he hopes to be involved for years to come.
Digital, SaaS & Marketing
Keiretsu Forum Midwest is proud to host several game-changing digital product and service transformation companies, SaaS innovators and Marketing entrepreneurs. While marketing and digital strategy are also an important aspect of any entrepreneur’s growth, some startups are purely focused product and service providers in those spaces. As digital technology continues to grow at exponential rates, digital and SaaS based entrepreneurs are racing to gain market share in an ever-changing competitive landscape. Being a part of building technology that improves and changes human lives is an exciting aspect of Keiretsu Forum and a vibrant segment of our entrepreneurial companies.
Adam Smith
Digital, SaaS & Marketing Committee Chair
Real Estate
Real Estate touches all areas of the businesses that we work with at Keiretsu Forum Midwest. Our entrepreneurs use it to live in, work in offices, practice medicine in hospitals and manufacture in industrial space. Not only are our Keiretsu Forum Midwest members interested in all of these companies, but also the companies that make real estate valuable to those companies. We are always looking for opportunities for our members to invest in real estate funds, projects and complementary real estate services.
Joe Calvanico
Real Estate Committee Chair
FinTech
Shorthand for financial technology, FinTech is a rapidly growing industry where new technology seeks to improve and automate the delivery and use of financial services and products. At its core, FinTech is utilized to help companies, business owners and consumers better manage their financial operations, processes and lives.
FinTech companies range from companies developing specialized software and algorithms used to offer new financial products, revamp old and stale processes and improve the quality of user experiences and outcomes. From payment processing to online lending, alternative data to cryptocurrency, FinTech covers a large swatch of businesses including education, retail banking and investment management.
Despite the setbacks of 2020, the global FinTech market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of around 20 percent between 2020 and 2025 and is expected to reach a market value of around US$305 billion in that time. Growth in venture capital investment, investor interest and private equity investment have all helped fuel innovation and investment in FinTech.
Randy Rivera
FinTech Committee Chair
With decades of experience in executive sales, marketing and commercial leadership in public companies and the private equity sector across a broad spectrum of industries, Scott is uniquely positioned with the experience and perspective to help businesses scale. This is exemplified by the multiple roles that Scott plays today, applying his expertise to multiple businesses he operates.
As President and CEO of Sales Growth Advisors & ESG Core Advisors, Scott brings a breadth of operational experience, visionary thinking, and interpersonal skills to build or upgrade the sales infrastructure of small and medium-sized businesses, while guiding sustainability and ESG strategies. With proven success in navigating the complexities of business environments, Scott serves as a trusted advisor who delivers measurable value for his clients. As an advisor to many companies in various industries, Scott has guided them to accelerated growth, profitability, and purpose. Scott is known for his personable, collaborative, hands-on style, with many trusted and long- term business relationships developed worldwide. He focuses on developing strong alliances with business owners and executives, as well as talented individuals building their careers.
Scott has affiliations and certifications with Vistage Worldwide, the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), the International Six Sigma Institute (green belt), and Scrum Alliance. He has an MBA degree from Roosevelt University of Chicago and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Roosevelt’s Walter E. Heller College of Business.
Alternative Energy, CleanTech & Sustainability
The world of Alternative Energy, Clean Tech and Sustainability is exploding with growth. This isn’t just because these areas have become very attractive for investment, but because supporting them is increasingly becoming the right thing to do.
Alternative Energy includes such sources as solar, wind, geothermal and others that are being infused with passionate new ideas, innovative engineering solutions, significant influx of capital, and creative new collaborations between unlikely partners including government and private enterprise. The world is also seeing the development of new carbon measurement and capture technologies, and energy monitoring and management services that not only reduce carbon output, but often provide rapid paybacks for those who invest in them.
CleanTech has become a commonly-used term for the transitioning of mature, “dirty industries” that have inefficient use and disposal of resources into those that are cleaner and more efficient.
Sustainability has come to mean just more than being responsible with increasingly scarce resources, but also being responsible with the way companies manage people – perhaps the most valuable capital of all. Part of this focus is the drive for companies to find their true purpose, so that it is equal to the profit they generate.
Richard Doty
CleanTech Committee Chair
Smart Cities, Smart Transportation
Smart transportation is rapidly evolving to introduce solutions for moving freight and passengers, faster, safer and more efficiently, New technologies are rapidly entering the marketplace. At ground level, we are seeing high speed rail own the surface transportation market across Europe and Asia. New solutions are being introduced across the Middle East, Africa, and South America. The United States remains the sole laggard. Go figure! New technology in magnetic levitation is being introduced in China that promises to bring down cost significantly. And HYPERLOOP, once a pipe dream, thanks to companies like Swisspod Technologies, is becoming a technology to pay close attention to in the next 10 years.
Sotiris Pagdadis, PhD
Smart Cities, Smart Transportation Chair
Sotiris is a strategist, problem solver and entrepreneurial investor. He is president of Keiretsu Forum Midwest and Lambousa Enterprises. He previously served as a Principal at PwC in a variety of global and national roles and Managing Director at the law firm of MLA, focusing on procurement advocacy, governmental affairs and PPPs. Earlier he was Global VP of public sector strategy at CA Technologies, Inc. He began his career as a university professor at the Polytechnic Institute of NYU, where he created his first technology innovation lab.
Aerospace
Ever since the Wright Brothers took to the skies, aviation has captured our imagination. The world has become much smaller and accessible. Private rockets cost 1/20th of their predecessors. Jets burn half the fuel as before while creating a minuscule noise and pollution footprint. Engines come with intelligence that can mitigate disasters and significantly decrease operational cost. Drones are being used in ways that were unimaginable 10 years ago and tourists are orbiting the earth. EVTOLS are entering the market is the form of air-taxis, freight transportation systems and passenger systems. And yes, passenger airplanes are exploring EV technology as well.
Mohammed Alagha
Aerospace Committee Chair
Mohammed Alagha is a seasoned engineering and operations expert with over two decades of experience driving innovation, efficiency, and excellence across the aerospace and manufacturing industries. With a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati, Mohammed has developed a career defined by his ability to lead complex projects, optimize processes, and foster collaboration across global teams. Currently serving as an IPT Program Leader at GE Aviation for all Boeing Program. His leadership in introducing new shop technologies and implementing Lean Six Sigma. His leadership in launching the Suppliers Operation Academy fostered critical partnerships with industry leaders . Throughout his career at GE, Mohammed has consistently demonstrated his expertise in new product introduction, process simplification, and quality improvement. Beyond his professional achievements, Mohammed is known for his innovative mindset and his ability to lead high-impact projects. He has successfully managed multi-million-dollar budgets, led action work-out initiatives, and developed advanced technologies in collaboration with research teams and regulatory bodies. His numerous awards, including Supply Chain Supplier and Customer Awards and multiple Management Awards, reflect his consistent dedication to excellence and his ability to deliver results. Whether driving technical innovation, managing supplier relationships, or leading global teams, Mohammed’s career is a testament to his commitment to quality, efficiency, and strategic growth. His diverse experience, combined with his collaborative leadership style, makes him a pivotal contributor to any team aiming for operational excellence and transformative success.
Media & Entertainment
The media and entertainment industry is experiencing a significant transformation driven by rapid technological advancements and changing consumer preferences. The rise of digital streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Spotify has revolutionized content consumption, offering on-demand access to a vast array of movies, television shows, and music. This shift is accompanied by the increasing importance of personalized content, powered by sophisticated algorithms and data analytics, which tailor recommendations to individual tastes. Virtual and augmented reality are also emerging as game-changers, providing immersive experiences that blur the lines between the physical and digital worlds. These technologies are being integrated into gaming, live events, and even cinematic productions, offering new levels of audience engagement. Moreover, the advent of social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube has democratized content creation, allowing individuals to become influential media personalities and reach global audiences. This trend is fostering a more decentralized and diverse media landscape. As the industry continues to evolve, sustainability and inclusivity are becoming focal points, with a growing emphasis on environmentally friendly production practices and diverse representation in content. The media and entertainment sector is poised for a future where technology, personalization, and social responsibility intersect to create innovative and impactful experiences.
George Elias Stephanopoulos
Media and Entertainment Chair
George is an independent producer and media attorney based in New York with a substantial background in kids and family entertainment. He is the founder of Stephanopoulos Law, a legal and consultancy practice that is largely transactional.
Prior to Stephanopoulos Law, George served as VP & Associate General Counsel to Vox Media Studios and Senior Advisor to Group Nine Media, the digital media holding company behind Now This, The Dodo, Thrillist, Seeker and POPSUGAR, thar Vox Media acquired in February 2022. Before Vos Media and Group Nine, George held various legal and business affairs positions ar Nickelodeon, Classic Media, Inc. (now part of Dream Works Animation), Discovery Communications, Golden Books Family Entertainment, and Lore Michaels’ Broadway Video Entertainment. George created and produced SWING AWAY, an inspirational and meaning-focused golf comedy set in Rhodes, Greece starring Shannon Elizabeth (American Pie, Scary Movie) and John O’Hurley of Seinfeld fame. He has produced or executive produced serval other films including GOLF IN THE KINGDOM based on Michael Murphy’s best- selling, classie novel of the same name, and Second City’s BUZZKILL (written and directed by Steven Kampmann and featuring other veterans of the Second City theatre including Andrea Martin. Marin Short, and Richard Kind), which was the first motion picture to be branded by The Second City in more than 4o years. George is a former Board Member and now active volunteer of the Hellenic Film Society, a non-for-profit organization that promotes Grock filmmakers and those of Greek descent, as well as films that promote the cultures of Greece and Cyprus.
Other Markets
AgTech
Cannabis
Construction Technology
Hospitality
Fashion Tech
Travel & Leisure
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