Michael Farmer serves on the board of Akonni Biosystems and was a founder and served as the Chairman of the Board of Akonni Biosystems the initial seven years of its history.  Akonni as an early stage molecular diagnostic company located in Frederick, MD.  Michael recently retired from Prosetta Biosciences having served as President and Co-CEO for 13 years.  Prior to joining Prosetta as a startup, he served as President and CEO of HandyLab, a biotech located in Ann Arbor MI.

Previously, Mr. Farmer was COO of Veridian, a billion-dollar defense contractor that operated the world’s most advanced cyber security tools and services for protecting the most sensitive computer networks for government agencies.

He was the managing partner in WindRiver Group, a professional consulting firm that provided strategic advice to senior management in both major companies and smaller growth and start-up companies. As President and CEO of Infotronics and COO of its parent, American Medical Communications, Houston-based medical communications and information companies, Mr. Farmer brought these $10 million companies to profitability within one year after a six-year history of losses. Mr. Farmer also co-founded Age Wave, a firm that consults with Fortune 500 business leaders and government agencies in the challenges and opportunities of the aging of America. He was COO of the Hospital Satellite Network (HSN) during its startup years. As Executive Vice President of Harbridge House, the Boston-based management consulting firm formed by professors from the Harvard Business School, Mr. Farmer headed up the firm’s national healthcare and defense practices over a ten-year period. He holds degrees in engineering and business. Michael has been a moderator at the Aspen Institute wherein he graduated from the Institute’s flagship Executive Leadership Development Program and has served as a guest lecturer in Harvard’s Advanced Management Program, at the Haas School of Business Administration at University of California Berkeley and at the University of Michigan’s MBA graduate program.

Phil Whitman has over 25 years of experience working with and in CPA firms, covering all aspects of succession planning from internal transition to mergers & acquisitions and practice sales to strategic joint ventures, as well as lateral partner talent acquisition. The Whitman team has been involved in the acquisition, sale and/or merger of over 1,000 CPA firms. With Phil’s help, you can confidently transition your CPA firm with confidence. As the former Chief Operating Officer of one of the Top 30 CPA firms in the Nation, and 25-year veteran in public accounting, I have worked with top management in overseeing day-to-day operations and ensured efficiency and profitability. I truly understand the inner workings and executive decision-making factors of the mid-sized firm. Additionally, my accounting experience includes audit work in a Big Four firm, tax work in a large international firm, as well as experience as the COO/CFO of a law firm. I have also served as a general partner in a restaurant/real estate venture. I have authored articles and have been a featured speaker for the Association of Legal Administrators NYC Chapter.

Mr. Whitman is a member of the NYSSCPAs, immediate past Chair of the Management of the Profession Oversight Committee, an active member of the Large and Medium Firm Practice Management Committee and former Chair of the Human Resource Committee. He was the Conference Chair of the Foundation for Accounting Education’s 2010 and 2009 Practice Management Conference and the 2008 and 2007 CFOs, Controllers, and Financial Executive Conference.

Jeremiah White is an entrepreneur, marketing/communications professional, educator and social and human rights advocate with an emphasis on reducing health disparities. With more than 40 years experience, building small businesses and non-profit organizations, Jeremiah has honed his business and organizational skills and applied them through board and officer roles, president and CEO positions, and as a strategic consultant. He is a member of the leadership committee of Wistar Institute, a leading biomedical research Institution and NCI located at University of Pennsylvania, former chair and current board member of the Glaucoma Services Foundation to prevent Blindness at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, current treasurer and board member of the Gaston and Porter Health Improvement Corporation, a novel approach to improving health care for African American women using Sister Circles and chairman of the board of the Community College of Philadelphia. Jeremiah has served as finance chair and board member of a local biotech firm and has invested in several innovative pharmaceutical companies. Serves as a member of the board of directors of Transdermal Specialties Global.