Dennis Jay Cagan is a noted high-technology entrepreneur, executive, and board director.  He has founded or co-founded over a dozen different companies, taken some public, been a CEO of both public and private companies (including a public Unicorn), a venture capitalist, a private investor, a consultant, and a long-time professional board member – over 70 corporate fiduciary boards both public (10) and private.  Dennis is widely regarded as an expert on high technology, entrepreneurship and corporate governance. His book, The Board of Directors of a Private Enterprise, released in 2017, is considered by many to be the most authoritative perspective available on private company boards and governance issues.

Dennis advises private company owners and CEOs on forming and scaling their companies and boards of directors, and augments management teams in his unique and trademarked Shadow CEO® role. These activities are pursued through Caganco Incorporated founded in 1984.

Dennis co-founded his first software company in 1968. In 1976 he founded his fifth company, the David Jamison Carlyle Corp., turning it into one of the country’s earliest and largest distributors of computer peripherals. He took it public (DJCC: NASDAQ) in 1981. In April 1979 the company was ranked #32 on the first ever publication of the Inc. Magazine ‘Inc. 100’.

Dennis has spoken about technology and governance throughout the USA and Internationally, and authored dozens of articles. In 1979 he was the Keynote Speaker at the first annual COMDEX Show in Las Vegas, and he spoke again every year through 1985. In 2011 he was inducted into the IT Hall of Fame (CompTIA). In 2013 NACD and the Dallas Business Journal selected him in the inaugural annual group of 12 North Texas Outstanding Directors. In 2013 he was the Keynote Speaker at the first annual Private Company Governance Summit in Washington, D.C, sponsored by NACD, Directors & Boards and Family Business magazines, and he spoke again in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2019.

Dennis has been a regular contributor of feature articles in a variety of business publications including having been published in the five most prestigious governance magazines: Directors & Boards, NACD Directorship, Family Business, Private Company Director, and The Corporate Board.

During his career Dennis has actively done business in 35 countries. He currently sits on several company boards in in cities spanning both coasts. Since 2016 he has taught a course, Governance and Board of Directors 101, at Southern Methodist University, Cox School of Business, Business Leadership Center, which has been awarded a Teaching Excellence Award every year. He has an Honorable Discharge from the USMC, and he studied Economics at UCLA.

John B. Richards is a dynamic and visionary executive whose distinguished career spans leadership roles across consumer retail, hospitality, health and wellness, and franchise services. Best known as the former President of North American Operations at Starbucks, John spearheaded one of the most remarkable growth periods in the company’s history—scaling the business from 500 to over 3,500 stores and growing revenues from $400 million to $2.5 billion in under four years. He was instrumental in building the company’s brand consistency, customer experience strategy, and scalable operational infrastructure during its formative hypergrowth phase.

As an executive, John has structured and built several successful multi-divisional organizations in high growth hospitality foodservice and health service businesses.  He brings the practical insight and focus on results of an operating executive to this work.

John began his career at Procter & Gamble, where he built a strong foundation in consumer marketing and brand management. He then joined McKinsey & Company, serving clients across industries in strategy and organizational performance. His next chapter included executive leadership roles at Royal Viking Cruise Line and Four Seasons Hotels, where he helped the luxury brand expand from 8 to more than 40 hotels worldwide, solidifying its position as a premier global hospitality brand.

Following Starbucks, John continued his trajectory as a transformational CEO in a variety of verticals. At Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas, where he led the rejuvenation and growth of the iconic service brand. He more than doubled the company’s footprint and implemented scalable training systems and brand revitalization initiatives. He later served as CEO of Dean & DeLuca where he led the development of its e-commerce platform, and The Picture People, leading each organization through critical strategic pivots and operational enhancements.

In the healthcare and wellness sector, John became CEO of The Joint Corp., a rapidly growing chiropractic franchise. Under his leadership, the company expanded to over 330 clinics, completed a successful IPO, and emerged as a leading brand in the $85 billion chiropractic and preventative health market. He then launched Blue World Voyages, a boutique cruise company focused on active wellness travelers, blending his hospitality and wellness expertise into an innovative startup venture.

John’s board service includes leadership roles with Life Time Fitness (NYSE: LTM), Actio Analytics, and The Joint Corp., among others. He has also served as Managing Director at the New England Consulting Group, where he advised Fortune 500 companies and emerging brands on growth strategy, brand development, and operational excellence.

He holds a BA in History and Sociology from Bucknell University, where he was a starting midfielder on their Division I lacrosse team, and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a Public Policy and Honeywell Common Market Fellow.

Cynthia Gay Watts has successfully served on boards of companies ranging from high growth startups to mature businesses with annual revenue of  hundreds of millions of dollars. She is a qualified financial expert as well as a legal expert on governance and complex transactions, and an experienced CFO. Cynthia has been active in industries including SaaS, digital media and technology, health care, manufacturing, consumer products, agriculture, and real estate. She has extensive experience with both family owned, and venture-capital backed companies.

Over the past 20 years, she has served in various executive positions, including COO, CFO, and Managing director. She was a partner at Blue Waters Research, LLC, an internet incubator and investor, which founded Brighter, a healthcare technology  platform bringing consumers, providers, and payers together to achieve better outcomes through price and quality transparency.  It was  funded by top tier venture capital groups and sold to Cigna in December 2017. Cynthia is the CFO and general counsel of Brighter and has over a decade of experience leading successful Internet companies. She is a member of the board of directors of family-owned Furst-McNess Company, an independent agricultural company with sales of over $500 million through its diverse operations providing customized vitamin and mineral premix, commodity blends and feed ingredients to the beef, dairy, poultry and swine industry throughout the United States and Canada. Cynthia is also a partner in Blue Waters Research LLC. From 2002 to 2016, she was a managing director,  chief operating officer , and a member of the Board of Directors of eCompanies LLC, an internet incubator and venture capital fund that created over $1.5 billion of shareholder value. She was managing partner of eCompanies Venture Group, an Internet venture capital fund. Businesses founded by eCompanies include Business.com, JAMDAT Mobile, and Boingo Wireless and USBX. eCompanies Venture Group was also an early investor in LowerMyBills Inc., as well as other digital media companies. Cynthia has also been a partner in a private equity.

Early in her career Cynthia was an attorney with Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker, and a partner and general counsel at Hancock Park Associates, a private equity firm specializing in retail and consumer manufacturing companies. She was Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Leslie’s Poolmart, Inc., on the Board of Directors of eWork, Inc, Schiff Nutrition International, USBX, Inc., and Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel of Cigna-Digital. Cynthia holds honors degrees from Yale University, B.A. magna cum laude, Harvard Law School,  J.D. cum laude, and Claremont School of Theology.

Max E. Toy brings over 35 years of executive experience in building, transforming, and scaling high-performing companies across global markets. A seasoned strategist and brand builder, Max has consistently delivered breakthrough results in the personal computing, enterprise software, and professional services sectors.

Recognized for his ability to translate complex business challenges into actionable growth strategies, Max combines deep domain expertise with a proven track record in hyper-growth environments, risk mitigation, and enterprise-wide change leadership.

Throughout his career, Max has played pivotal roles in both startup and turnaround scenarios. He helped launch transformative companies such as Compaq and Rapport, led turnaround efforts at firms like Ashton-Tate, Commodore, and ITT, and contributed to landmark initiatives including the original IBM PC launch.

As a principal at Paladin Associates, Inc., Max partners with organizations to elevate performance through strategic planning, brand development, financial optimization, and executive leadership alignment. his client list includes industry leaders such as Microsoft, IBM, Pepsi, SailPoint, Compaq, Pana-Pacific, and Digital Equipment Corporation.

Max is primarily known for his ability to lead distressed or stagnant businesses into new eras of profitability and relevance. As President of Commodore, and during his leadership roles at Ashton-Tate and ITT, he redefined brand strategy, modernized operations, realigned sales channels, and re-energized market presence—often under intense time and resource constraints.

He is respected for his ability to diagnose revenue and cash flow obstacles hidden beneath surface metrics and for his hands-on approach to organizational design, product strategy, sourcing, and go-to-market execution. Max is often called upon to “cast the vision” in a way that energizes teams and accelerates measurable results.

IBM selected Max, a graduate of Indiana State University (BBS), to attend Harvard’s Executive MBA program. He is a sought-after speaker whose insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, CRN, NBC, Byte, Wireless News, and Computer Chronicles. He has served on numerous corporate, nonprofit, and faith-based Boards throughout his career.

Ismat Duckson Aziz is an accomplished human capital leader with a distinguished career as CHRO for world-class organizations including Sam’s Club (Walmart), Sprint/T-Mobile, U.S. Bancorp, and Kemper Insurance. She has shaped and executed human capital strategies across a wide range of industries, from financial services, insurance, and retail to technology, pharmaceuticals, mining, manufacturing, and consumer goods.

Recognized for her expertise in global digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and building diverse, inclusive workforces, Ismat brings deep experience in mergers and acquisitions, organizational culture, operational effectiveness, and large-scale change management.

Currently, Ismat serves as a Senior Advisor in the Transformation Practice at McKinsey & Company, where she guides clients on enterprise-wide transformations. She also holds multiple board and academic roles, including Independent Director at Bones Coffee Company (Chair, Compensation Committee), Board Director at Homethrive, and Academic Program Advisor and Instructor for CHRO Programs at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Passionate about mentoring, she serves as an Executive in Residence at both Fuqua and the Rotman School of Management, and as a Director in Residence at Women Get On Board, a social purpose company advancing the next generation of corporate directors.

From 2020 to 2024, Ismat was the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at Kemper Corporation, reporting directly to the President and CEO. In this role, she oversaw human capital, culture, governance, ESG, philanthropy, marketing, branding, and communications. Previously, she was an officer of U.S. Bancorp, serving as Chief Advocacy Officer and CHRO, where she led human capital strategy for 70,000 employees and established the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Earlier, she held CHRO roles at Sprint Corporation, Sam’s Club (Walmart), and Sears Canada Inc.

Ismat holds an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario, and an Honors Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto. She is also a Chartered Director (C.Dir.) through The Directors College at McMaster University. 

Travis Rule is the founder and CEO of Bones Coffee, a lifelong entrepreneur with a strong background in marketing. He works side by side with his wonderful wife, Jen, bringing creativity and strategy to every aspect of the business. Travis cares deeply about his employees and is passionate about creating a fun, creative work environment where everyone can thrive. Outside of Bones Coffee, he loves traveling, diving, hiking, and spending time with his English bulldog, Roxy Wrinkles.

Tyler is the co-founder and Creative Director of Bones Coffee Company, where caffeine meets creativity. With a love for coffee and a knack for the unconventional, he’s the mastermind behind many of Bones’ most beloved flavors and off-the-wall ideas. As Creative Director, Tyler lives to keep things entertaining—whether he’s crafting bold visuals, writing clever stories, or dreaming up campaigns that make people smile (and maybe crave another cup). His style blends strategy with imagination, plus just the right dose of rebellion. Outside of work, Tyler starts his mornings with coffee and his dog, Nova, by his side, and spends his free time diving into music, exploring new games, or getting lost in film.

A wife, mother of four, and passionate artist, she has enjoyed building this business alongside her children, infusing every cup with creativity, love, and togetherness. Her mission goes beyond great coffee—it’s about celebrating healthy living and family values. She believes in nurturing both body and soul, crafting coffee that sparks connection, supports wellness, and brings a touch of artistry to everyday life.

Emily Cotto co-founded Bones Coffee Company in 2016, bringing bold vision and unshakable passion to every step of the brand’s journey. With a deep focus on customer experience, brand collaborations, and product development, Emily has played a key role in transforming Bones from a startup into a beloved name in craft coffee. Her creative energy and commitment to quality have helped shape the company’s distinct voice and loyal following. Outside of work, Emily enjoys life’s richest brews with her husband and their four young children.

Eric Rule is a co-owner of Bones Coffee Company, where his passion for crafting bold, unique coffee blends comes to life.  A lifelong guitar player and devoted nature enthusiast, Eric finds inspiration in the outdoors and at home with his fiancé and two goofy English Bull Terriers Mercy and Grace. 

With a deep appreciation for the rich history and global culture surrounding coffee, Eric believes in its unique ability to bring people together.  He’s thrilled to see his family’s one-of-a-kind coffee creations reaching more and more passionate coffee drinkers across the country and beyond.