Thomas C. Heise -

Vice Chairman

CAREER SUMMARY

Experienced, global executive with general management and entrepreneurial experience in international, domestic, public and private insurance and financial services companies, including living overseas with total responsibility for the operations of a start-up and a subsidiary of a Fortune 100 company. Experienced in start-up and turn around environments with extensive knowledge in new product development, financial, legal, and regulatory matters.

Cuan Development, Lake Forest, IL, Englewood, FL, Kololi, The Gambia 2002 -

Co-Founder & President
In the summer of 2002, founded a real estate development company that currently has residential and commercial projects under development in Englewood, FL and Kololi, the Gambia. Cuan has formed Gamerica Development Company Limited (Gambia) to develop a luxury beachfront hotel in the Gambia, Lemon Bay Horizons L.L.C to develop luxury beachfront condominiums on Manasota Key, FL, and Newport Development to do other commercial and residential developments.

RiveNet.com, Chicago, IL 2000 - 2002

Co-Founder & President
In the spring of 2000, founded Rivenet.com and Rivenet Securities. This technology-advanced company created to connect financial institutions and corporations through a proprietary network which seamlessly administers deferred compensation plans and the financial products that fund them. Reporting to me was four operating units, specifically technology, operations, marketing, and finance. Reported to the Board of Directors. Rivenet merged with Rivenet Holdings, a minority owned and controlled entity created by two members of the Board of Directors. At the close of the merger, I resigned from the Board of Directors and stepped aside as President.

· Received patent application number (USPA #20020032639) for a system and method for identifying compensation plans.
· In less than 12 months, sold 26 deferred compensation plans with 577 participants representing $17.5M of assets.
· Designed, implemented, and administered the first nonqualified deferred compensation plan online.
· Distribution and/or selling agreements to market product for Lincoln, Nationwide, Prudential, Acacia, and Minnesota Life Insurance Companies.
· Raised $20M of start-up capital.

Thomas C. Heise

American International Group (AIG), Inc., New York, NY 1995 - 1999
AIG is the leading U.S.-based international insurance and financial services organization and the largest underwriter of commercial and industrial insurance in the United States. Its member companies write a wide range of commercial, personal and life insurance products through a variety of distribution channels in approximately 130 countries and jurisdictions throughout the world. AIG's global businesses also include financial services and asset management, including aircraft leasing, financial products, trading and market making, consumer finance, institutional, retail and direct investment fund asset management, real estate investment management, and retirement savings products.

Co-Founder & President, Bermuda Commodities Exchange, Bermuda ('97 - '99)
Co-Founder & President, Bermuda Commodities Exchange Clearing House, ('97 - '99)
The Exchange is a web-based market created for hedging and investing in catastrophic risk. The Exchange members are all equal shareholders, including insurers and reinsurers, investment and commercial banks, and insurance intermediaries. The Clearing House guaranteed all contracts traded on the Exchange. The Clearing House was founded and owned by American International Group, Inc. (51%), Chase Manhattan Bank (9.5%), Marsh & McLennan (9.5%), and Edgehill Partners (30%).

· Sale of 24 shares (i.e. memberships or seats) on the Exchange to some of the largest commercial and investment banks in the world (e.g. Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Chase), as well as the majority of the reinsurance companies (e.g. ACE, Gen Re, and XL)
· Creation and passage of the Bermuda Commodities Exchange Act 1996 and the associated body of regulation, as well as the passage of the Bermuda Commodities Exchange Clearing House Act 1996 and its associated body of regulation
· The invention, development, and deployment of the software that entered, matched, and cleared all of the buying and selling of insurance risk contracts
· Development and implementation of credit standards for the members of the Exchange
· Physical development of the Exchange facility to support no downtime in the event of either man-made or natural catastrophes
· The invention of a new product that acted as an investment for investors and insurance for insurers
· One of the first web-based B-2-B Exchanges
· The Exchange was the subject of a Harvard Business School case study (9-298-073).

Director of Reinsurance & Financial Planning 1995 - 1997
Member of the Executive VP/CFO's staff. Worked on various assignments including target company reviews, direct investments, and the securitization of reinsurance risk.

Thomas C. Heise

Near North National Group, Chicago, IL 1994
Near North National Group is a leading provider of insurance brokerage, risk management, technology and financial services to businesses and individuals around the world. Near North has experienced remarkable growth since their founding in 1962, and today, has a global presence, with nearly 1,000 associates in their Chicago headquarters and in their Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Tampa, Washington, D.C. and London offices.

Vice President, Mergers & Acquisitions
Identified the subsequent consolidation of the insurance brokerage industry. Reported to the President of Near National Group. Developed a strategy for gaining the interest of outside investors.

Arthur Andersen & Co., Chicago, IL 1991 - 1993
One of the Big 5 accounting and consulting firms.

Sr. Consultant, Corporate Recovery Services
Responsible for turning around and selling troubled companies; worked with or in the place of management to reduce operating expenses, primarily through reductions in force, selling assets, divisions, and in some cases the entire company just prior to or during bankruptcy.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Northwestern University, Evanston, IL., B.A. History 1991

· Academic All Big-Ten honors - Varsity Basketball

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