Welcoming the New Advisory Board Members

With the start of yet another semester and a new academic year, we want to celebrate the new members of the School of Business Administration’s  Board of Advisors. This is the start of a great partnership that will harvest great things! Welcome, Frank ‘Lex’ Ford III, Christopher Kent, Andrei Mikhalevsky, Crystal Fredd Morris, Marshall Olia, Robert Samaan, and Carrie Scharbo, to the 2025–26 Board of Advisors!

Frank ‘Lex’ Ford III ’07 is the president of Climate First Bank. After graduating from Stetson University,
Lex integrated the job market and worked his way up to the top as he became president of Climate First Bank,
the world’s first FDIC-insured bank founded to combat the climate crisis, in 2021. A year after that, the
bank transitioned to a holding company, still under Lex’s presidency, and launched OneEthos, Inc., a fintech
in which Lex serves as a member of the founding board. In early 2025, Lex was named the CEO of Climate First
Bank while maintaining his position of president. Today, the bank is the fastest-growing bank in the nation,
holding $1.25 billion in assets and $125 million in capitalization.

Christopher Kent ’23 is an associate portfolio manager at David Vaughan Investments. Christopher began his
career at DVI as an investment analyst and earned the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation at just 23
years old. While at Stetson University, Chris served as Chief Investment Officer of the Roland George
Investments Program (RGIP) and guided Stetson’s CFA research team to the Americas finals, having graduated
Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Investment Finance and Economics.

Andrei Mikhalevsky ’76 is a strategic advisor with extensive experience in global manufacturing, marketing,
and business development. He is the former president and CEO of California Dairies Inc., a leading milk
marketing and processing cooperative. As a highly experienced senior-level business executive, Mr.
Mikhalevsky has been engaged in trade advocacy and legislative efforts and has testified before
congressional committees and subcommittees. He is a current member of the Hatter Angel Investment Program.

Crystal Morris ’96 is the co-founder, president, and CEO of Gator Co, a global manufacturing and
distribution company in the music and audio/video industry. She also co-founded Women of NAMM (National
Association of Music Merchants), an initiative dedicated to promoting female leadership within the music
products industry. Crystal also serves as an advisory board member for the University of Tampa’s
Entrepreneurship Center, as well as sits on the boards of NAMM and Reverb, where she contributes her industry
insight and leadership experience to help shape the future of the music and manufacturing sectors.

Marshall Ollia ’96 currently serves as the chief risk officer for D.A. Davidson & Co., a full-service
broker/dealer headquartered in the Pacific Northwest. With over 25 years of experience working in the
financial services industry, Marshall has excelled in building high performing teams while placing specific
emphasis on liquidity management and regulatory compliance. He holds multiple securities licenses and sits on
several industry committees.

Robert Samaan ’94 is the managing partner of Nomad Odyssey Capital, an investment firm based in New York.
Having been active in the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) ecosystem for the past five years,
Robert has a successful career across principal investing, investment banking and corporate finance. He has
spent his over 25-year career in both the US and Saudi Arabia, having worked for major banks and investment
firms across continents.

Carrie Scharbo ’95 is an Emmy award-winning television news anchor and reporter turned entrepreneur. She
co-founded Case-mate and William Grace to address unmet needs in the technology and equestrian sectors.
Carrie also serves as a marketing consultant for her eponymous company, Scharbo & Co. She is also a
current member of the Board of the Grainger Joffrey Ballet as well as a volunteer for the Lake Forest Infant
Welfare Society.

You can view full profile information by clicking on each member’s picture.