Board of Trustees
Ira P. Cohen
Executive Vice President, Recognos Financial
Board of Trustees
Term: Indefinite
Ira Cohen is the Executive Vice President for Recognos Financial. He currently oversees the firm’s product, marketing, consulting and business development efforts for their asset management division. He has over thirty-eight years of industry experience, including his past work as an independent consultant to industry-leading firms such as the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), FINRA and DST. Earlier in his career, Ira served as SVP of INVESCO Fund Services (formerly AIM Investments). He has also held senior management positions at Bank of New York and Prudential Mutual Fund Services.
Ira serves as the Committee Chairman for the Midwest NICSA and sits on several advisory committees, including ICI, NASD, DST and NSCC. He previously held FINRA Series 6, Series 26 and Series 63 registrations.
Laurence Galvin
Principal, Sparrow Family
Office Consulting, LLC
Board of Trustees, Chairperson
Term: Indefinite
Laurence Galvin is a results-driven strategic planner with a passion for helping privately held companies and family offices grow operations, improve technologies, expand business models and return-on-investments. He specializes in operational management, financial advisory, and helping firms source capital for business growth. Prior to becoming a principal at Sparrow, Laurence founded his own FINRA Member firm, Sinclair & Company, LLC, which specialized in the distribution of Regulation D Private Placement Securities and Insurance Products to an Institutional Client base. During that same period, he was a Partner with RingsEnd Partners, LLC, a Corporate Advisory Firm that complimented his activities in Sinclair & Company, LLC.
Laurence holds a BA from Rutgers University in Business Administration and Economics and resides in Dallas.
Michael Hollingsed
Orlando Utilities Commission
Board of Trustees
Term: Indefinite
Michael Hollingsed is Treasurer and Director of Treasury Services for the Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), the 14th largest municipal utility in the United States. He is responsible for OUC’s capital financings, managing all investment activities, along with payment processing and reconciliation. Mr. Hollingsed has 24 years of experience working both for OUC and in the private sector.
Mr. Hollingsed earned his Master of Business Administration from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from Florida State University. He is a Certified Treasury Professional.
David Jang
Managing Partner
Deep Blue Investment Advisors
Board of Trustees
Term: Indefinite
David Jang is a Managing Partner at Deep Blue Investment Advisors responsible for directing the firm’s marketing, business development and client advisory services. He serves on the firm’s investment and credit committees and authors the firm’s weekly economic updates. David’s investment advisory experience coupled with his client focused approach enables him to work with each entities’ investment team then tailor advice to meet their unique investment goals, objectives and adherence to all applicable state investment statutes. His ability to understand and assess the multi-layered components affecting local governments enables him to provide valuable insight to the firm’s treasury management, investment management and consulting clients. David routinely speaks at Florida’s Government associations, chapters, annual conferences and various CPE seminars customizing his discussions to locale, current economic conditions and the challenges that face Florida’s entities.
Prior to joining Deep Blue Investment Advisors, David spent 12 years working with Florida local government clients and 30 years overall in investment advisory services.
David earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He earned the Association of Financial Professionals (AFP) designation of Certified Treasury Professional (CTP). David also has FINRA Series 7, 24, 63, and 65 licenses and is a Registered Investment Advisor with the Florida Department of Financial Regulation.
Jeffrey D. Kohlenberg, CPA, RTSBA
Clear Creek ISD
Board of Trustees
Term: Indefinite
Jeff graduated Magna Cum Laude from Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, TX with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. He earned the CPA designation in 1994 and also has the designation of Registered Texas School Business Administrator through the Texas Association of School Business Officials.
Jeff started his accounting career with Kenneth Leventhal & Company in 1991. In 1996 he became the Chief Accountant for Stafford Municipal School District and moved to Clear Creek ISD in 1998 as an Accountant, becoming the Controller in 2000. Jeff started his role as the Business Manager for the Region 4 Education Service Center in September 2021. He returned to Clear Creek ISD as Controller in July 2022.
E.H. Levering
Principal, Levering Consulting Group
Board of Trustees
Term: Indefinite
Mr. Levering is a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management and a graduate of the Duke University, Fuqua School of Business with a Masters in Business Administration. Prior to Miami Dade College, he worked for 13 years with Ryder System, Inc. with the last four years in the role of CFO/CIO.
Randy K. Sterns, Esq.
Shareholder, Bush Ross, P.A.
Board of Trustees
Term: Indefinite
Randy Sterns has extensive experience representing financial institutions, credit union service organizations, and public and private companies. His transactional practice focuses on federal and state securities law reporting and compliance. He also advises on intellectual property matters and represents tax-exempt organizations including charities, schools, social service entities and religious organizations.
Randy began his career serving as a Legislative Assistant and Counsel to U.S. Senator Mark O. Hatfield (R- OR). He currently serves as trustee for the WY Fund, a Tampa-based mutual fund which serves as a short-term investment bond fund for governmental institutions. He is a member of the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association and Non-Profit Organizations, State Regulation of Securities, Exempt Transactions and Exempt Securities sub-committees.
Randy obtained his B.A. from Oral Roberts University with magna cum laude distinction, M.B.A. and J.D. from Willamette University, and LL.M. from Georgetown University.
M. Brent Wertz
Managing Partner,
Deep Blue Investment Advisors
Board of Trustees
Term: Indefinite
Brent Wertz is the Managing Partner at Deep Blue Investment Advisors. Brent provides strategic leadership for the company and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the firm’s investment process. He heads implementation of the firm’s investment strategies and portfolio risk management. He serves on the firm’s investment and credit committees.
Brent started Deep Blue Investment Advisors based on his experience serving as a consultant to special taxing districts throughout the State of Florida assisting these districts in bond offerings, assessment allocation and collections, as well as assisting District Managers with treasury management.
Brent is a graduate of Virginia Military Institute with a B.A. Economics. Brent received his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Tampa.
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This communication and the products and services described within are intended solely for Texas public institutions and is not an offer to sell or buy any investments or services offered by Deep Blue Investment Advisors to any public institution in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.