Networkwise Presents: Conversations With Connors

Bill O’Herron is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has been studying, teaching, and counseling  for the last 16 years. His work is currently focused on couples, trying to help clients better understand the challenges and work involved with being in a mature relationship. Bill has been married to his exceedingly patient wife Linda for 21 years. They have 3 teenage daughters and 2 male dogs. After living in Wilton, CT for 15 years, Bill and his family moved to Austin, TX in 2013. He graduated from Middlebury College, VT in ’86 with a BA in English, and earned a Master of Science degree from Columbia University School of Social Work, NY in ’03. Find out more about Bill and his services here.

Regan Solmo is a high-functioning, passionate executive dedicated to gender equity with more than 10 years' experience serving on boards of directors of gender-facing nonprofits. Currently the Executive Managing Editor of W Magazine, an award-winning publication covering culture, fashion, and art, she has more than 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, and has held senior leadership positions at such titles as SPIN; Civilization: the Magazine of the Library of Congress; Lucky; and The American Benefactor. She is currently the chair of the NY board of Girls Leadership, and also sits on the national board as development chair. She graduate d with honors from Amherst College with a degree in Comparative Religion/ Feminist Theology. She is a member of the NationSwell Council, a community of leaders taking action and tackling the nation's critical issues. She served for more than 6 years on the board of directors of the New York Women's Foundation, and is a dedicated supporter of Memorial Sloan Ketter

2019 is Mike Pfaff's 25th year in the professional sports business. He has been with the Ducks since 2002, took over the position of GM in 2006 and was named club president in 2011. Under Pfaff's leadership, the Ducks have led the circuit in attendance, became the first team in league history to eclipse the 7-million fan mark, and have welcomed a record 680+ sellout crowds. His efforts have been recognized by his peers, most notably in his being the first-ever three-time winner of the Atlantic League Executive of the Year Award (2008, 2010, 2016). Michael was also named to the "40 under 40" Class of 2009 by the Long Island Business News.  On the field, Mike’s role in player procurement has helped the club achieve new heights, earning six Championship Series appearances (2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018) in the past eight seasons while bringing back-to-back Atlantic League championships to Long Island (2012, 2013).  Michael is proud of the growth of the QuackerJack Foundation during his tenure. Founded in 20

On July 11th 2001 Michael OBrien was hit head-on by a speeding S.U.V. during a bike ride. He calls it his Last Bad Day and it's a grateful one because it shifted his perspective in almost everyone aspect of his life. His recovery helped him climb to the corporate executive suite on his own terms and sparked his passion in helping other leaders shift their perspectives on leadership through executive coaching, speaking, and his memoir, Shift:Creating Better Tomorrows. To celebrate his 18th anniversary of my Last Bad Day this July, I'm setting out to help 1,000,000 people have their Last Bad Day as well.  Michael's Website: https://www.michaelobrienshift.com/ Michael's Book (Use coupon code "shift" for 25% off the shipping cost!): https://www.mylastbadday.com/get-your-copy Michael's Wealth Language Quiz: https://quiz.leadquizzes.com/q/JzB2KI

Jeremy Asgari is an entrepreneur in the experiential and events industry. He got his start 15 years ago promoting nightlife parties and quickly grew a large network which started in New York City and is expanding globally. He became passionate about producing unique experiences and dove into producing live music events which eventually lead to working with various brands and finally the ability to execute engaging active events. Asgari has been running his company Socialight Entertainment for 15 years and in the last two years have been focusing on his latest project the Outsiders. He says his forte is his networking ability, his creative vision and his ability to execute. He is currently most proud of the impact the Outsiders has had in such a short amount of time. He feels the positive impact it’s having on its members which has reached far beyond his expectations already; and yet there's the potential to do so much more.

Fred Jacobs is the Chief Revenue Officer at Apex Fund Services Group.  Throughout his career, Jacobs has held various leadership roles the US, Asia, Latin America, and Europe, equipping him with comprehensive cross-jurisdictional management experience. Prior to joining Apex, Jacobs managed sales, relationship management and client service for the Fiserv Investment Services group. His 20 years of achievements in the Alternative Investment Industry include building the business development activities for both SS&C GlobeOp and PFPC/PNC. Jacobs brings the ability to understand client needs and to build and manage an institutional grade, multi-disciplined sales force across a global platform. In addition to holding leadership positions at some of the most renowned financial services companies in the country, Jacobs has established an industry-wide reputation through serving as chairman and moderator at several major investment industry conferences. He has spoken on topics related to growth, structure, and tren

Throughout his career, character actor Holt McCallany was a go-to for strong, silent and decidedly dangerous men on either side of the moral fence, as evidenced by his small but memorable turns in films like "Alien 3" (1989), "Tyson" (HBO, 1995), "Fight Club" (1999) and "Three Kings" (1999). The scion of an acting family, McCallany paid his dues in a wide variety of projects, rarely vaulting past supporting roles, but always delivering a committed and often unsettling performance. In 2011, he advanced to leading man status with "Lights Out" (FX), a gritty drama about a former heavyweight boxer who forges a comeback to save his family from criminal pressures. Though the series lasted only one season, it propelled the actor to a new level of visibility through key roles in films including hacking drama "Blackhat" (2015), crime thriller "Shot Caller" (2016), action sequel "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" (2016) and Clint Eastwood's aviation biopic "Sully" (2016).   Born Holt Quinn McAloney on Sept. 3, 1964, Holt Mc

Jared Kleinert is an entrepreneur, TED and keynote speaker, and award-winning author who’s been named USA Today's "Most Connected Millennial" after spending years identifying and connecting hundreds of the world's smartest and most talented Millennials. His first book 2 Billion Under 20 was voted the "#1 Entrepreneurship Book of 2015" by the Axiom Business Book Awards and his latest book 3 Billion Under 30 was released in January 2017 profiling 75 Avengers-esque individuals who have collectively started companies worth billions of dollars and reach hundreds of millions of people each month through their work. In addition to his research and keynote speaking business, he's the CEO of Kleinert Ventures (kleinertventures.com), a marketing and business development agency that partners with #1 NYT bestselling authors, Fortune 500 executives, major keynote speakers, Emmy award-winning journalists, seven-figure business owners, VC-backed startup founders, and others who lead their industries and positively impact th

Wally Backman is in his first season as manager of the Long Island Ducks in 2019. He brings 20 seasons of managerial experience across professional baseball to Long Island, having amassed a 1,127-1,077 overall record (.511 winning percentage). In that time, the Oregon native has led his teams to six Division Championships and three League Championships. Additionally, he was named the 2014 Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year after guiding the Las Vegas 51’s (AAA, Mets) to a league-best 81-63 record. Prior to his coaching career, Backman enjoyed a 14-year Major League playing career. Nine of those seasons (1980-88) were spent played with the New York Mets, where he helped lead the team to a World Series Championship in 1986. He also spent time in “The Show” with the Minnesota Twins (1989), Pittsburgh Pirates (1990), Philadelphia Phillies (1991-92) and Seattle Mariners (1993). The infielder compiled a .275 lifetime batting average with 240 RBIs, 482 runs scored, 893 hits, 138 doubles and 117 stolen bases in

First and foremost, Todd Richheimer is a dad to two amazing little girls. Isla is 3 1/2 and Brooke 1 1/2. He's a husband to an amazing woman - who he met the first day of law school - and he's someone who prizes his relationships with his family and friends above all else.  He's a lawyer, tech entrepreneur and the co-founder of Lawfty. He is in the business of turning legal advertising into a science. He's someone who believes that work should be fun, but that fun is not a substitute for hard work. Richheimer is an eternal optimist, exercise enthusiast and aspiring vegan (who loves buffalo wings, which is a problem). He's worked as an investment banker, political operative and a lawyer. Richheimer says he stopped "working" the day he became an entrepreneur, and he plans to spend the rest of his life collaborating with smart people to build cool businesses.

William "Billy" McNamara studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute and has since notched up over sixty-five film and TV appearances. One of his first roles was that of Joel in the teen movie Dream a Little Dream (1989) with Corey Feldman and Corey Haim. He followed this up with the Bette Midler film Stella (1990). It was during the nineties, however, that McNamara - arguably - turned out some of his best performances. He gave a great performance as Derek Wolfe Jr in the Ernest R. Dickerson manhunt thriller Surviving the Game (1994), in which he worked with a cast of talented veteran actors including F. Murray Abraham, Gary Busey, Rutger Hauer, and John C. McGinley. That same year he was again teamed with Gary Busey - and Tom Berenger - in the Navy comedy Chasers (1994), directed by Dennis Hopper. His most prized - and chilling - role, though, is that of Peter Foley the copycat serial killer in the psychological thriller Copycat (1995). The film also starred Sigourney Weaver, Dermot Mulroney, and

Chris Solarz is a pension fund consultant who lives in New York City with his wife and three children. Chris has competed in over 500 races around the world, including finishing a marathon in all 50 states, on all 7 continents, and in nearly 50 different countries.  In November, Chris completed Decaman USA in Louisiana, a 1,406-mile triathlon over 10 days. He’s set 9 Guinness World Records for treadmill running, subway riding, beer drinking, stair climbing, and marathon running.  He’s currently training for the 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon across Death Valley in July and he always listens to podcasts at 1.5X. Chris is a CFA, CPA, and CAIA He did his undergrad at the University of Pennsylvania and completed his master from the University of New South Wales in Sydney Australia. Competed in 500+ running and triathlon races Overall winner of 50+ local and international races 9X Guinness World Record Holder Mile PR: 4:29; 5K PR: 16:08; Half Marathon PR: 1:11 ; Marathon PR: 2:39   Marathons Finisher of over 280

Carmelo G. Garcia most recently was the Acting Deputy Mayor/Director of Economic and Housing Development for the City of Newark. The mission of the Department of Economic and Housing Development is to create economic opportunity for Newark residents and enhance the vibrancy of the city. Previously, Carmelo served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Real Estate Officer of Newark Community Economic Development Corporation (Newark CEDC), which serves as the primary economic development agency for New Jersey’s largest city.  Garcia received his Master of Science in Information Systems and Management from Stevens Institute of Technology and his Bachelors of Arts in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Seton Hall University. He graduated from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government with an executive degree in Public Policy & Community Development, a Certification in Leadership and Management from Cornell University, and a Certification in Human Resources and Public Administration from Rut

Chris Carminucci currently serves as a professional scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks of the National League. Chris scours both the Major and Minor Leagues for potential trade candidates and free agent acquisitions. He advance-scouts the Diamondbacks’ playoff opponents and also the International and Independent Professional Leagues for untapped talent. Globally renowned as a baseball executive who finds diamonds in the rough, Chris has signed several obscure players who have thrived in the Major Leagues. Throughout his career, Chris has not only played, managed and coached professionally, but he’s also founded leagues, and led several professional minor league teams as a GM, CEO and owner. In addition, Chris has co-hosted the radio show, The Sports Goombas on Sports Talk Radio 1400 WOND and just recently released the book “Sign Me! The Undrafted Player’s Guide to the Independent Leagues.” Chris’s love for spreading the gospel of baseball has taken him all over the world and he has achieved numerous awards fo

Wayne Kimmel is a sports tech venture capitalist, entrepreneur and the author of Six Degrees of Wayne Kimmel. Wayne has been named a Top Innovator by Philadelphia Magazine and is on the Philadelphia Business Journal's Power 100 list. He is the Managing Partner of SeventySix Capital, the venture capital company he founded in 1999, and invests in startup consumer facing tech companies in the sports, health and retail industries. Wayne has invested in over 50 startup technology and healthcare companies, including SeamlessWeb (now public as GrubHub, Take Care Health Systems and Nutrisystem. Among the Fortune 500 companies that have acquired his portfolio companies are Aramark, Intel, IBM, Walgreens and Yahoo! His partners at SeventySix Capital are Jon Powell, CEO of Kravco Company LLC, a leading real estate company that developed the King of Prussia Mall, and Ryan Howard, Major League Baseball National League MVP and 2008 World Series Champion with the Philadelphia Phillies. With a rise in global entrepreneurship

For two decades, Karen Duffy —New York Times bestselling author, former MTV VJ, Revlon model, and actress— has managed to live an enriching life despite living in a state of constant pain. Duffy has sarcoidosis, a disorder that causes the growth of inflammatory cells on different organs of the body. In her case, her sarcoidosis is located in her brain, causing her unimaginable pain. She is a certified hospital chaplain, a former Coney Island Mermaid Queen, one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 1993, and winner of the Ernest Borgnine Look-Alike Contest. By 1989, Duffy was modeling and appearing in television commercials. She was a VJ for MTV in the early 1990s, under the name "Duff." She had small roles in a handful of films including Dumb and Dumber and Blank Check, and by 1995 was working as a correspondent for documentary filmmaker Michael Moore on his television shows TV Nation and The Awful Truth. She also was a Revlon "Charlie Girl" as well as the face of Almay Cosmetics, and co-hosted t

If Catholic school taught William Doll anything it was that he does not fit in to the System. He is the square peg. Every conventional job he's ever held made him feel trapped. Luckily enough, he has a wife who allowed him to take a chance on forming his own company which continues to be a learning experience. Syneidesis (Greek for Conscience) is a private investor community of Single Family Office members who collaborate on scalable impact projects. Members also engage in traditional investing, but Impact Investing is what really gives Doll hope. Impact Investing could be the key to how we realign the global economy. Its not just pie in the sky thinking. Shared Prosperity/ Equality/ Long-Termism - these are the principles that will guide us to a more inclusive Globalism. Being on our podcast is somewhat intimidating for Doll because he doesn't actually want the spotlight. Actions speak louder than words according to Doll. Find NetWorkWise on: Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube LinkedIn  Reddit

Matthew Del Negro is a professional Actor (Goliath, Scandal, The West Wing, The Sopranos) and podcast host (10,000 "No"s with Matthew Del Negro). Since launching his podcast, in which he sits down with high achievers in all walks of life to discuss their hard-fought journeys to where they are now, he has become one of the faces of Perseverance and Resilience and is more frequently requested to deliver keynotes on that subject, as it pertains to his own journey and the challenges that face institutions and individuals. He has also written, produced and directed for film and is currently developing a feature script about a hard-charging, lone wolf motivational speaker who eventually learns to take his own advice after hitting rock bottom. Del Negro stars in the new Netflix comedy Huge in France as Jason Alan Ross. The show was released on April 12, 2019.  Find NetWorkWise on: Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube LinkedIn  Reddit

A successful entrepreneur and investor, Larry Freed has a proven track record for building successful companies. He is the author of Managing Forward and the bestselling Innovating Analytics. He also serves as the CEO of Give and Take Inc.  Find NetWorkWise on: Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube LinkedIn  Reddit

Joseph A. Bondy is a federal criminal defense and cannabis business attorney in private practice in Manhattan. The New York Times has called him “armed with the eloquent demeanor of a surgeon,” with an “oratorical intensity [that] hovers at the evangelistic.” A native New Yorker, Mr. Bondy is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science, Columbia University, and Brooklyn Law School. He is admitted to practice law in New York State, the United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of New York, the District of Colorado, and the District of Connecticut, the United States Courts of Appeal for the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Circuits, and the Supreme Court of the United States. Mr. Bondy has been privileged to represent nearly one thousand clients, from all walks of life, in all stages of litigation. His dedicated courtroom advocacy and written work have resulted repeatedly in dismissals, trial acquittals, and appellate reversals. Mr. Bondy is a life member of