Board of Trustees
Martin Gottlieb, LHD
Chair
MEMBER, GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE AND CEO SELECTION, PERFORMANCE AND COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
Martin Gottlieb joined First Federal Bank of California in 1980 as Vice President, and rose to the position of Corporate Executive Vice President prior to his retirement from the bank in 1995. He also served as Executive Vice President of FirstFed Financial Corp, a New York Stock Exchange Company, and on the boards of Oceanside Insurance Company and Seaside Financial Company. Other board memberships include: Board Chairman of the UCLA/Santa Monica Medical Center Foundation, Chairman of the Charles Ruggles Medical Foundation and Chairman of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce. He was also the founding President of the Las Vegas Boys and Girls Club. In 1994 the California State Assembly and the County of Los Angeles honored Gottlieb for his extensive community service.
Gottlieb earned his Bachelor’s of Science degree from Arizona State University and received his Master of Public Administration from Pepperdine University. He later served for three years as an adjunct faculty member at Pepperdine.
In 2009, he received a Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Northcentral University.
Since retirement and returning to his Arizona roots, Gottlieb has been involved with various Central Arizona community activities, serving as a Board member for Wells Fargo Bank, Central Arizona; Yavapai College Foundation, Chairman, Norwest Bank Regional Board; Vice Chairman of the Yavapai Regional Medical Center capital expansion fund raising program; past Chairman of Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters; and past President of the Prescott Frontier Rotary Club. He formerly served on the Board of Visitors, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and on the Advisory Board for Mayo Clinic’s Arizona Transplant House. In 2006 Gottlieb was named Philanthropist of the Year by the Yavapai County Community Foundation and in 2009 he was named by the Arizona Children's Foundation to the Circle of Champions.
Karen F. Rizk
Vice Chair
CHAIR, AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE; MEMBER, GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
Karen Rizk is a retired Vice President of National Bank of Arizona, where she worked for over a decade. At retirement, she had been in banking nearly 25 years, having also worked with Norwest and Wells Fargo Banks. Prior to that, she and her husband lived in Jordan, Tunisia and South Korea for more than 10 years as her husband served as a Central Banking and Private Enterprise Advisor for the United States Agency for International Development. Rizk studied at Southern College in Chattanooga, Tennessee and taught elementary school early in her career.
She is a graduate of Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in finance.
Because education has always been important to her, she has focused her extracurricular efforts in her community in the educational arena of her community - serving since 1986 on the Yavapai College Foundation Board and as President for two years. In 1996, she was appointed by the then-Arizona Governor Fife Symington to the State Board of Directors for Community Colleges. She was re-appointed by Governor Jane Hull for another term, serving as Chairperson of the board for nearly three years. A Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow, Rizk has also served on the Compensation Fund Advisory Board for the Arizona State Bar Association.
After retirement from banking in 2009 Rizk established Rizk Consulting.
As past president, she continues to serve on the Prescott Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. She also is a member of the Yavapai County Contractors Association Board of Directors and serves on the Finance Committee for the Yavapai College Foundation Board.
Rizk and her husband reside in Prescott, Arizona. They have two grown daughters and four grandchildren.
Harold H. Greenberg
Secretary - Treasurer
MEMBER, AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
Mr. Greenberg attended Purdue University’s School of Industrial Management, graduating first in his class in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science degree, with highest distinction, in Industrial Management.Greenberg spent years in the Computer industry, first with the Burroughs Corporation, and then with General Electric. In 1972, he left General Electric to return to Arizona and become a successful inventor and business owner in the areas of concrete block manufacturing, homebuilding, travel, residential masonry, commercial real estate brokerage, real estate development, licensing and mining.
Greenberg currently is a major stockholder and chair of The Royce Companies — Arizona’s largest residential masonry company — and PROTO-II™ Wall Systems, a company that markets and supports the use of licenses for proprietary masonry systems throughout the United States.
Among Mr. Greenberg’s early accomplishments was the 1967 publication of a mathematical paper in the journal of the Operations Research Society of America, in which he provided the first-ever solution to the general job-shop scheduling problem. Over the years, this paper has been cited several times by other publications.
From 1990 to 2007, Greenberg held leadership positions in various Jewish community organizations. He served on the Wells Fargo Bank Regional Board (2003-2007), and was chairman of Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters (2005-2006). In 2004, he was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award from Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management, and serves as a Senior Member of the Dean’s Advisory Council of Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management. Greenberg is the holder of seven patents from the United States Patent Office.
Mr. Greenberg has a home in Prescott, Arizona, and lives part-time in Coronado, California.
Wesley Fuller
MEMBER, ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Wesley Fuller is a Vice President at Falcon Investment Advisors, LLC. Previously an Investment Banking Analyst with Citigroup Global Markets, he received a BBA from the University of Texas McCombs School of Business.Brian Hermelin
MEMBER, CEO SELECTION, PERFORMANCE AND COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
Brian Hermelin is a founding Partner of Rockbridge Growth Equity, LLC. He is also a founding partner of Detroit Venture Partners, an early stage venture capital firm. Presently, he sits on the Boards of Directors of ePrize LLC, an interactive promotions company; Telemus Capital Partners, LLC, a wealth management firm; Northcentral University; Protect America, a home security and monitoring company; Connect America, a medical alert company, MyInsuranceExpert.com a direct to consumer insurance platform, Purchasing Power, an e-commerce company, Rock Gaming, a casino gaming company, and Veritix, a leader in electronic ticketing for sports teams and entertainment venues and, an online university.
Brian previously worked in investment banking and for The DJS Group, a private merchant bank where he helped arrange and lead the acquisitions of the Steak & Ale and Bennigan’s restaurant chains.
Brian is involved with many non-profit organizations including Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation; a member of the board of governors for the Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit; American ORT, where he is a Board Member; State of Israel Bonds, Board Member; and Congregation Shaarey Zedek where he is the immediate past President.
Brian earned his Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan.
Jerry Israel, PhD
CHAIR, ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Dr. Jerry Israel is the former president of the University of Indianapolis and Morningside College and a veteran higher education leader with a wide array of expertise. Prior to his college and university presidencies, Dr. Israel held multiple academic and administrative posts, from chair of the history department at Illinois Wesleyan University to Academic Dean of that institution and Simpson College.As president of the University of Indianapolis from 1998 to 2005, Dr. Israel successfully led the institution’s first comprehensive strategic planning and fund-raising campaign efforts. Under his aegis, the University raised more than $100 million, supported by major eight-figure grants from the Lilly Endowment and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and introduced Centers of Excellence in both teacher education and health care. The University’s enrollment, at both its home campus and international branches, doubled during his tenure as president. At Morningside from 1993 to 1998, Dr. Israel inherited a series of challenges resulting from compliance problems with athletic programs that he successfully resolved. By facing legal and NCAA issues head-on, Morningside, under Dr. Israel’s leadership, regained its prestige and advanced its enrollment and fund-raising opportunities. Dr. Israel used Morningside’s 1994 Centennial to launch a comprehensive redesign of its physical campus.
He also has extensive experience with college and university accreditation issues have served for more than a decade as a peer evaluator for the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association.
His work now centers on sharing his expertise in presidential strategy, board relations and accreditation. He focuses, in particular, on effective board communications, institutional strategic planning, fundraising and alumni affairs, crisis communications and accreditation. Dr. Israel frequently helps new presidents map out their first and most critical 100 days, six months and first year in office, assisting them in developing an evaluation tool to ensure board relations are positive and effective.
Dr. Israel is a prolific writer and speaker on higher education issues, and has served on a host of education boards and commissions focusing on developing innovative and progressive approaches in higher education leadership.
Steve Linden
Steve Linden is the Vice President of Rockbridge Growth Equity, LLC. He was formerly an Associate of Long Point Capital, a $300 million private equity fund. While at Long Point, Steve focused on the execution of middle-market leveraged buyouts. Steve served on the board of directors for several portfolio companies of Long Point, including Atlantic Plywood—one of the largest distributors of interior grade hardwoods in the United States—and National Print Group, Inc., a value-added large format printing company focused on serving leading retailers and other commercial customers.
Prior to Long Point, Steve spent four years in investment banking with both Credit Suisse First Boston and SPP Capital Partners, LLC in New York, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions as well as leveraged finance for both public and private middle-market companies.
Steve graduated with distinction from of the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan where he earned a BBA.
Curtis L. McCray, PhD
CHAIR, CEO SELECTION, PERFORMANCE AND COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
Curtis McCray retired from university presidency in 2005. His almost forty years of professional life in higher education included positions of Professor of English, Dean of Arts and Sciences, Vice President, and Provost, and twenty-three years as University President at the University of North Florida, California State University-Long Beach, Millikin University, and National-Louis University. McCray earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Knox College and a PhD degree in English from the University of Nebraska.
McCray provides institutional and personal consulting to higher education administrators and to institutions. He is a founder and a director of The Growth Group, a higher education consulting company. McCray has had broad experience with college and university accreditation matters and has worked with institutions in the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and Southern Association of Colleges and School’s (SACS) regions, serving as chair of a number of visiting teams.
McCray and his wife, Mary reside in Grayslake, Illinois. They have three grown daughters and five grandchildren.
Kevin Prokop
MEMBER, AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
Kevin Prokop is a founding Partner of Rockbridge Growth Equity, LLC. He was formerly a Managing Director at Questor Partners Fund, a $1.1 billion private equity fund.
Prior to Questor, Prokop was an Engagement Manager with McKinsey & Company. He graduated with distinction from Georgetown University, where he was an elected president of his class for three years, and was the first student appointed to the university’s Board of Governors. He has an MBA from the University of Chicago, where he graduated summa cum laude, and first in his class with a perfect grade-point average.
Prokop has been a frequent speaker and panelist at conferences on private equity. He recently spoke on developments in private equity at M.I.T. and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. He has also written numerous articles on business strategy, private equity and public policy issues. His writings were recently published in The Journal of Private Equity, and in a book edited by Harvard Business School’s Robert Kaplan.
Kevin has served and continues to serve on several boards of private and publicly-traded companies, including the Board of Directors for One Reverse Mortgage, Protect America, AccountNow, One on One Marketing, Connect America, and Purchasing Power. He also sits on the Advisory Boards of the Michigan Cancer Research Foundation and New Detroit, and is actively involved in Detroit Renaissance’s "Road to Renaissance” effort. In 2007, he was appointed by Michigan’s State Legislature to be Co-Chairman of the State of Michigan’s Commission on Governmental Efficiency, a private sector commission established to make recommendations to address the state’s fiscal health.
Kevin lives in suburban Detroit, Michigan with his wife and their three children.
Cynthia A. Russell, PhD, RN
MEMBER, ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Dr. Cynthia A. Russell is the Vice President of Nursing Operations with Orbis Education, Fishers, In., a position she has held since 2006. As VP, she assists in bringing together top-tier nursing education programs with high quality health care systems to creatively address the workforce shortage in nursing. Cynthia brings nearly 25 years of experience in higher education to confront this challenge. She progressed to rank of professor at Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, In., where she also served as acting dean for three years. In 2000, she moved to Phoenix, Az., to become the Dean of Nursing and eventually served as Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs at Grand Canyon University before returning to Indiana. At Grand Canyon University she assisted in the institution’s transition from a not-for-profit to a proprietary institution. With baccalaureate and master’s degrees in nursing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Cynthia attended Rush University, Chicago, Ill., where she earned the Doctorate of Nursing Science with an emphasis in geropsychiatric nursing. As an Adult Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, her practice has focused on family sensitive care, especially for those addressing the heavy demands of dementia. In addition, she is certified in integrative imagery. She has been active in nursing research, authoring or co-authoring numerous publications. A member of Sigma Theta Tau International, Cynthia has served as chapter president and vice president and numerous committee appointments. She also is a member of the American Nurses Association and the Global Nursing Exchange. Cynthia has supported community-based service groups including Hilltop Neighborhood House and Porter County Family Counseling Center in Valparaiso, In. Cynthia lives with her husband, Douglas Lemster, on their hobby farm in Valparaiso, Indiana.
John Schnabel
MEMBER, GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
John Schnabel is a Partner at Falcon Investment Advisors, LLC. He was previously a partner at Canterbury Capital Partners. Prior affiliations include Generation Partners and General Motors Investment Management Corporation.John received a BS in Chemistry from Adelphi University, an MBA with emphasis in Operations Research from Hofstra University, and an Advanced Studies certificate from New York University’s Stern School of Business Administration.
Bill Whittington, JD
CHAIR, GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
Bill Whittington joined the Board of Trustees in December, 2009. He is well versed in board roles and responsibilities. Additionally, he has a substantial corporate, business, and human resources background. Bill received his BA and JD from the University of Arizona and has been employed with the Law Firm of Boyle, Pecharich, Cline, Whittington & Stallings since 1981. Bill is a frequent lecturer at statewide conferences. Moreover, he has been an adjunct business law professor, is a member of the Yavapai County Bar Association, and is a published author. His area of emphasis in his law practice include government and private commercial transactions, real estate matters as well as employment and contract issues, labor issues, and estate planning. Bill represents a variety of commercial, banking and governmental clients. Bill lives in Prescott, Arizona.George A. Burnett
Chief Executive Officer
EX OFFICIO TRUSTEE
Mr. Burnett joined Northcentral University as CEO in 2011. He is responsible for the overall strategic, financial and tactical leadership of the University, helping to define its role as a global leader in online, graduate focused higher education.
Prior to joining Northcentral, Burnett was CEO of Alta Colleges, Inc., responsible for both the Westwood College system and Redstone College. Before that, he served as Chairman of R. H. Donnelley, Inc., and was also President, CEO and Director of Dex Media, Inc./Qwest Dex during a leveraged buyout by The Carlyle Group and Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe. Prior to that time, he was Chief Marketing Officer of Qwest Communications International, and also held several positions with AT&T, including Vice President of Marketing Services, Vice President of Card and Operator Services, and Vice President of Developing and Education markets. Mr. Burnett began his career with D’Arcy, Masius, Benton & Bowles in New York, managing key accounts from Proctor & Gamble and Mars Incorporated.
He currently serves as a Director of Cott Corporation and Circle Graphics. Mr. Burnett earned his BA from Dartmouth College and returned to Dartmouth’s Amos Tuck School for his MBA.