Who We Are

Senior Counsel, Troutman Pepper LLP

Barry Abelson represents public and private companies in mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, and public and private offerings of, and investments in, equity and debt securities. Boards of directors, independent board committees, and the senior management of companies rely on Barry for strategic, governance, disclosure, and transactional matters.

Barry serves on the boards of directors of Operation Warm, a nonprofit which distributes new winter coats and shoes to less fortunate children nationally, and Holocaust Music Lost and Found, a nonprofit which focuses on discovering and bringing to life music written in captivity or otherwise during the Holocaust.

Barry received the Judge Learned Hand Award from the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Jewish Committee in 2004, in recognition of his professional achievements and his dedicated leadership and commitment to the community. He received the Blair Thompson Lifetime Venture Award from the Mid­Atlantic Capital Alliance in 2007, in recognition of his role in furthering the region's venture capital interests.

Barry is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, and has been named by Best Lawyers as the Philadelphia "Lawyer of the Year" for Mergers and Acquisitions (2010, 2013, and 2019), Corporate Governance (2014), Securities/Capital Markets (2011 and 2023), and Corporate (2009). He is highly ranked as a Senior States person for corporate, M&A, private equity, and securities matters in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business. Barry is a senior counsel in the firm, and a former chairman of the Executive Committee of Pepper Hamilton. 

 

Former Vice Chairman, Staples, Inc.

Former Executive Vice President, Campbell Soup Co.

Board Membership:
Moody’s Corporation

• Audit Committee
• Compensation & Benefits
• Governance & Nominating

Operation Warm

• Audit Committee

Principal and Practice Leader, Corporate Solutions Consulting

A highly accomplished executive with 35 years of broad-based general management experience in the global information technology and communications industries, Susan has built a solid reputation for consistently increasing top line revenue and gross margins, developing and growing new business segments, designing innovative sales, marketing and services strategies, redefining business processes and controlling expenses.

Board Membership:

• Operation Warm - Development Committee, Chair
• Colorado Ballet
• Boys Hope Girls Hop
   

Deputy Chief (Ret.), Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department

21 year Army Veteran, and served as a City Councilman in Alexandria, Virginia from 2014 – 2018. Willie is the founder of Firefighters and Friends to the Rescue, a non-profit organization serving underprivileged children in the Washington DC Metropolitan area. 

Board Membership: 

• Carpenter Shelter
• Alexandria Senior Services
• Coats for Kids Foundation

Award Recipient:  
City of Alexandria Living Legend
Firehouse Magazine Heroism and Community Service Award
Rotary Club of Tyson Corner Citizen of the Year
Northern Virginia NAACP Community Service Award

Co-founder and former Chief Executive officer of Lilly Pulitzer
Former Executive Vice President and General Manager of The Eagle’s Eye
Formerly worked in General Management Consulting with Touche Ross

Board Membership:

• Chair, Nth Round, Inc., since 2018, a start-up providing shareholder engagement services and liquidity platforms for private companies.
• Director, Burch Barrel LLC, since 2019, a start-up featuring an innovative outdoor grill.

Former Board Membership:
The Chester Charter Scholars Academy, Chair of the Finance Committee, 2012 to 2019.
CSS Industries, Inc., serving on the Audit Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee, 2005 to 2018.
 

CFO, Treasurer & Secretary, Operation Warm

Stephanie brings more than 20 years of finance, operations, and consulting experience with a focus on business development (mergers & acquisitions, public offerings), process improvement, and financial control in both public and private companies. She served as SVP and CFO of Alliance Consulting (acquired by Safeguard Scientifics); EVP and CFO of XLConnect Solutions (acquired by Xerox, formerly owned by Intelligent Electronics); and in various executive capacities at Intelligent Electronics. Ms. Cohen has a BS Accountancy from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and is a CPA, having started her career with KPMG Peat Marwick. 

Current CFO and Co-Founder JBF Stainless LLC 
Founder and Managing Partner TDH private equity funds 
Founding President and Chairman Greater Philadelphia Venture Group 
Trustee and Distinguished Service Award Recipient The Episcopal Academy 

A former Marine (Silver Star, Purple Heart, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry), J. B. has an MBA from Stanford and a BSE from the Naval Academy.

Board Membership:

Operation Warm - Lead Director, Compensation Committee, and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (Chair)

Business Development Director, Glenmede Trust Company

Dominique is responsible for cultivating relationships with endowments, foundations at Glenmede’s Wilmington office, and is an active member of the local community. She is a mentor for the United Way Women’s Leadership Initiative. 

Board Membership: (former)
Ronald McDonald House of Delaware 
Young Friends of the Brandywine

Award Recipient:  New Leaders in Banking, NJ Bankers Magazine (2013)
 

Director of Corporate and External Partnerships for the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA)

Kristen has raised over $20 million in grant resources and spearheaded the creation and management of the CHA’s new non-profit affiliate, Springboard to Success. Since 2008, Kristen has led CHA’s partnership with Operation Warm to distribute 10,000 coats to over 3,300 CHA families in a one-day event.

Board Membership:
Operation Warm - Governance Committee

Vice President Environmental Services, Florida Power and Light

Kate is a seasoned change agent with deep knowledge and experience in policy and legislation, energy affairs, and governmental leadership.   She recently joined Florida Power and Light as Vice President of Environmental Services where she will provide executive leadership in order to advance the development of strategic initiatives including renewable, fossil, nuclear, transmission, and gas infrastructure projects, as well as mergers and acquisition opportunities.  Prior to joining FPL, Kate served as the Senate-confirmed Deputy Secretary of the US Department of the Interior.  Kate holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science from University of Pennsylvania.

Board Membership:

Operation Warm - Development Committee

Senior Vice President of Operations, Canada and U.S. Stations, FedEx Express

Sam leads a team of more than 70,000 FedEx Express employees at more than 700 stations in North America and more than 60 locations in Canada, providing strategic direction and delivering customer-focused shipping solutions. His exceptional leadership qualities and strong commitment to FedEx’s People-Service-Profit philosophy have guided him to numerous management positions, culminating in his promotion to Senior Vice President in September 2022. His record of accomplishment is reflected in the many honors he’s attained including 10 FedEx Five Star Awards, the most prestigious award FedEx Express bestows.

Sam holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Professional and Liberal Studies from Dowling College.

Chairman, Carpenter Technology, Inc. 
Lead Director, Tredegar Corporation 
Director, Anterix Inc. 
Former Audit Chair, Amerigas Propane, Inc.
Former Vice Chair & CEO, OAO Technonogy Solutions
Former President & COO, Intelligent Electronics 
Former Chairman, National Association of Corporate Directors – Capital Area Chapter

Board Membership:
Operation Warm - Finance Committee and Audit Committee (Chair)

Founder and President, Operation Warm 

Dick is a lifelong entrepreneur and philanthropist. He began his career at Arthur Anderson and was VP of Finance and Executive Vice President of Commodore International. He went on to found Intelligent Electronics, which grew to a $3.7 billion dollar wholesale distributor of micro-products and services. In 1998 Dick started The Sanford Foundation to support disadvantaged children. The first charter school in Pennsylvania was an early product and today that school, known as The Chester County Family Academy, operates in West Chester, PA. He has served on the Board of the Brandywine Museum and Conservancy. 

In 1998 Dick founded Operation Warm.

Former Vice President of Operations, FedEx Express Canada (2007-2023)

Pina led a team of over 10,000 employees at more than 60 locations, delivering customer-focused international and domestic shipping solutions.

During her tenure Pina was instrumental in the growth and profitability of the FedEx Express Division. She was a key contributor to leadership development and succession planning, leaving a legacy of successful leaders to lead the next phase of prosperity for FedEx Canada. Pina  was a Director of FedEx Express Canada since 1997. She also held the position of Vice President of both FedEx Express Canada and its U.S. parent company, Federal Express Corporation, 2003-2023. 

Board Membership:

• Former Chair - Safety Governance Board, FedEx Canada
• Former Executive Management Committee FedEx Canada
• Quebec Chapter Advisory Chair,  – Make A Wish Canada –
• Governance Committee Board Member -  Make A Wish Canada 
• Board Member - Operation Warm
• Development Committee Board Member - Operation Warm  

Award Recipient:

• Top 100 Most Powerful  Women in Canada (2019)
• Recipient of the Five Star Award (6 times). The most prestigious award FedEx bestows.

Senior Vice President, Strategy and M&A, IBM

Alex leads IBM’s strategy and mergers & acquisitions organizations, and also leads the company’s investor relations organization.

He joined IBM in 2023 from Lazard, where he served as President since June 2019. Prior to that, Alex held a number of senior executive positions at the firm, including Chief Executive Officer of Lazard’s Financial Advisory business, Chief Operating Officer, and Global Head of Strategy. Throughout his tenure, Alex advised Lazard clients on a broad array of clients, with a particular emphasis in the technology and telecommunications sectors. He joined Lazard in 1994, and was named Managing Director in 2002.

He received a B.S. from Duke University, an M.S.E. from the School of Engineering and Applied Science of the University of Pennsylvania, and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Board membership:

• LUNGevity Foundation

• School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania

• Operation Warm

CFC Cyber Defense - Americas, SAP Americas 

For over 20 years, John has applied a risk-based approach to building secure and resilient technology solutions in the highly-regulated financial services and healthcare industries.  John started his career in technology with Commodore International, launching the Commodore 64 home computer, prior to becoming a founding employee of Intelligent Electronics. He currently holds the following professional certifications: CISSP, CCSP, CRISC, CEH, PMP, GCIH and GPEN.  

Campaign Manager, Running the World for Children

Tara is passionate about philanthropy and has been working to inspire adults and children to think beyond themselves and help the less fortunate. As manager of her son’s successful Running the World for Children campaign, she has attained national media attention from Sports Illustrated Kids, Katie Couric, Disney, People Magazine and others.

Trustee: 
North Star School
 

Strategic Advisor and Entrepreneur

Tim has over 30 years of experience in the software, service, and consulting industry. Tim served as the CEO of iPipeline for 11 years until he sold the company to Ropers Technology for $1.625 billion in 2019.  Prior to iPipeline he served as interim President and COO of MEDecision, Inc. (sold to HCSC); CEO and Chairman of FullTilt Solutions, Inc.; President & CEO of XLConnect Solutions, Inc. (acquired by Xerox).

Board Membership: 

• Accuweather
• Energage
• Revenew

Award Recipient:  Ernst & Young Technology CEO of the Year, 2011