Experienced Leaders Supporting Veteran Entrepreneurs

ALAN LEVITAN

Executive Director, Consulting Services, Founding Member, Veteran Ventures Program

Alan is the former President and CEO of Kings Super Markets. He is a strategic planning, marketing and sales growth consultant. He mentors and coaches business leaders, works to improve revenue and net profit of retailers, helps food manufacturers go to market and is an equity partner in a food manufacturing company. He has served on many for-profit and non-profit boards including the Community Foodbank of NJ, Morris Arts and the Morris County Art & Culture Collaborative which he founded. He graduated from the Tuck Executive Program at Dartmouth College, the Northeastern University Executive Management Program, holds a B.A. from the University of Rhode Island and is a fellow of Leadership New Jersey.

SAKTI KUNZ

Dean, Veterans Ventures Program

Sakti is a board member and business consultant to technology corporations and an active participant in entrepreneurship advancement in North Jersey and Florida. In her 35+ years as a corporate executive in fortune 500 companies such as Honeywell, Dun and Bradstreet and AT&T, Sakti has headed businesses that range from start-ups to billions of dollars in annual revenue. She takes pride in her track record of inspiring global, diverse teams in achieving difficult and complex goals. Sakti is a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology with a master’s in computer science and Advanced Management Program from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. For the last 14 years, Sakti has been a tireless volunteer engaged in veterans' programs, especially those associated with entrepreneurship.

JOE DEMPSEY

Consultant, Veteran Ventures Program

During his 36-year career in banking, Joe served in senior leadership positions at
several financial institutions, including JPMorgan Chase, PNC, Capital One and
Columbia Bank. During his career, Joe financed more than one hundred acquisitions
and advised middle market clients through numerous business cycles. Joe’s strengths
include his knowledge of financial markets and financing alternatives, team-building,
problem-solving and exceptional analytical and risk management skills. Joe is Chair of
the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, the leading anti-hunger organization in the
State of New Jersey. He received his A.B. in Government from Dartmouth College and
an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business. Joe is a member of Dartmouth’s
Alumni Council, the Alumni Trustee Nominating Committee and Communities Executive
Committee.

JOAN HOWLETT

Consultant, Founding Member, Veteran Ventures Program

A mentor and business consultant, Joan is founder and former Chairman and CEO of Emtec, Inc., an IT consulting and service company. She was Founder and former Managing Partner of HomeShore America, LLC, providing bookkeeping and financial planning services while employing veterans and people with physical disabilities. Experienced in all phases of business operations with a focus on sales process and operations including inventory management, financial management and planning. Joan currently serves as financial executive for three non-profit boards.  

CHRIS LEWIS

Consultant, Veteran Ventures Program

Chris Lewis is a 21 year law enforcement veteran, a fractional executive, and the founder of LCL3, a consulting firm that audits and optimizes operations, supply chain, and e-commerce growth for consumer brands. He is also the founder of 13 Fifty Apparel, which he built from an idea in his garage into a national law enforcement and tactical apparel brand before selling the company in 2022 to an Atlanta based logistics firm where he then served as Chief Revenue Officer. Chris serves on the board of directors of the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Foundation and continues to serve as a reserve officer with the Alpharetta Police Department in Georgia. Through LCL3 he works directly with founders on profitability, systems, and AI driven automation, and he is especially passionate about helping veterans and first responders turn their service experience into a business that lasts.

ERIKA M. PETERMAN

Consultant, Veteran Ventures Program

Erika Peterman is a Partner at Newport LLC, a national business advisory firm that offers experience-based, client-centric solutions to help CEOs and owners of middle market companies grow, de-risk, and ultimately realize their company's value. She brings over 15 years of executive leadership experience in the chemical industry.

Erika previously held executive roles at LyondellBasell and served as SVP and General Manager of the Chemical Intermediates Americas business at BASF. Beginning her career as a chemical engineer, she advanced through roles in manufacturing, marketing, strategy, and global business leadership, with international assignments in Germany and Switzerland.

She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Drax Group plc, a UK-based biomass power generation company. Erika holds a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from Georgia Tech and an MBA from the University of Houston. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and two sons.

MARK POLSON

Consultant, Veteran Ventures Program

Mark Polson is the principal and founder of Polson & Associates, a consultancy focused on Design Thinking and helping organizations build their capabilities in creativity and innovation in an increasingly competitive and complex world. Prior to establishing Polson & Associates, Mark was with the Estée Lauder Companies for 28 years, most recently as vice president, fast to action and design thinking. In this capacity, he worked closely with business units across the organization to help teams develop a design-driven approach to solving strategic business issues, especially in the use of design thinking tools and methodologies. Over the course of his career working in roles as varied as industrial design, merchandising, package development, and learning and development, Mark developed a clear understanding of what drives the creative process in organizations. It’s all about leadership and building the right climate to enable teams to be at their best.

GRANT PRIDMORE

Consultant, Veteran Ventures Program

Grant recently retired as Director, Logistics Procurement after a 41-year career at BASF Corporation holding positions in accounting, business controlling, procurement controlling (as controller) and multiple procurement roles developing portfolio strategies for global and regional categories. Strengths and passions include analysis to impact business results, strategy development and teaching others to excel in their market segments. He graduated from Bryant University with a B.S. in Accounting, received an M.B.A. in Finance from Seton Hall University and is a Certified Procurement Manager (CPM). He is on the Leadership team at his church for the Appalachia Service Project ministry bringing youth to the Appalachia region each summer to work on homes for folks in need.

MARK SHEMTOB

Consultant, Veteran Ventures Program

Mark is the owner and founder of Abar Retirement Plan Services LLC, a NJ actuarial and consulting firm specializing in the design and administration of retirement programs for private employers. He holds many actuarial credentials and is an active member of the American Academy of Actuaries serving on various committees. Mark is a Certified Financial Planner and a Retirement Management Analyst providing investment and retirement consulting services to individuals. He has taught as an adjunct professor at Rutgers University, has authored many commentaries on retirement issues and spoken on topics covering retirement security in America. He has prepared several consumer-oriented publications for the Actuarial Foundation on a variety of financial related concerns. He is a graduate of SUNY Albany and holds a Master’s Degree from Columbia University.

ROBERT SHIFF

Consultant, Veteran Ventures Program

Robert Shiff has extensive experience in sales, marketing management, product development and brand management. Known for his ability as an innovative problem solver and team builder, his most recent position was in a senior sales management position with Canon USA. Prior to Canon, Mr. Shiff headed the Brother International Consumer Products Division marketing, merchandising, trade show and advertising activities. He also led an OEM campaign and helped launch a new sales category. Mr. Shiff led marketing and sales organizations at GE and directed product development and sales management teams with Toshiba America. He received his MPA from Indiana University and his B.A. in Government and Economics from Lafayette College.

ANDY SMITH

Consultant, Veteran Ventures Program

Andrew Smith was born in Boston, Massachusetts and grew up in Montclair, New Jersey.  After graduating from the University of New Hampshire in 1990, he was commissioned as a Naval Officer in 1991.  Andrew would serve in the United States Navy for 30 years, primarily flying long range patrol aircraft, participating in the Global War on Terrorism through numerous overseas deployments.  He held command three times, serving as the Commanding Officer of Patrol Squadron 45, the amphibious assault ship USS WASP (LHD 1), and finally in the Navy ROTC Unit at Rutgers University and Princeton University.  Additionally, he is a graduate of the Naval War College in Newport, RI, (2002) and the National War College in Washington, DC (2013). Since retiring from the Navy in 2021, Andrew serves on the board of SwingShot, Inc, a golf instructional company and was appointed as the Chief Operating Officer in January 2025. Andrew resides in Mendham, NJ, with his wife Maryann and they have three sons, Ryan, Sean, and Brady.