Chairman of the Board - Brent A. Yax

Brent Yax is President and CEO for Troy-based Awecomm Technologies L.L.C. The company (founded by Yax in 1999) specializes in online consultation, web site and application development, web hosting, and Internet marketing services. For his entrepreneurial achievements, he was recognized in the 2008 edition of Crain’s Detroit Business “20 in their 20’s,” highlighting young and rising leaders in the business community as well as Junior Acheivement of Southeast Michigan's 2010's "Champions of the New Economy".

Prior to Awecomm Technologies, Yax attended Western Michigan University to study Computer Systems Engineering. Yax is both a Microsoft and Novell-certified engineer and has been featured in various media outlets including StartUpNation podcasts, ITBusinessEdge, and Corp! Magazine. In conjunction with Awecomm Technologies, he sat on the board of the Detroit AfterGlow business networking group, instrumental in introducing and promoting businesses in the Detroit area.

As Chairman of the Board for the R.A.N. Family of Services, Yax aims to grow fund-raising activities and help design and build the business / charity connection network. In addition, Yax is Tournament Director for the annual Gull Lake Fellowship Open, also aimed at raising funds for non-profits dedicated to cancer research.

President - Brian A. Nawrocki

Brian has over 10 years of experience in financial accounting and reporting.  He is currently responsible for external financial reporting for TRW Automotive, a $15 billion dollar automotive supply company.  His responsibilities include overseeing the drafting and filing of financial reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as assisting with financial statement consolidations and technical accounting research and implementation.

Before joining TRW, Brian worked for Collins & Aikman for over 3 years and Ernst & Young for about 7 years.  At Collins & Aikman he was primarily responsible for assisting them through their bankruptcy reorganization efforts.  At Ernst & Young he worked in the Assurance and Advisory Business Services practice, serving primarily large automotive supply companies.  During his time with Ernst & Young, Brian also spent 2.5 years in Dusseldorf, Germany, assisting a $50+ billion German company with its US GAAP compliance.

Brian has been involved in various charitable organizations including the Cornerstone Schools, the American Cancer Society, the United Way and Habitat for Humanity.  In 2007 he started a team to participate in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, which generated over $20,000 of donations in the past two years.

Brian is also a certified public accountant in the state of Michigan.

Secretary - Janet G. Nawrocki

Janet is currently the Chairman of the Board of Awecomm Technologies. After 30 years she retired from APAC PAPER in early 2012. She now spends most of her time at Awecomm and as one of the owners is involved with Star Paper Converters in Detroit. She has worked with several small companies through Plan B Consultants, of which she is part owner. Janet was formerly on the Board of Directors of APAC PAPER and the Allen Park Chamber of Commerce. She is also a Partner at Cornerstone Schools and a former mentor with the Northville Youth Assistance Program. She received her BS and MA degrees in Special Education from Eastern Michigan University.

Treasurer - Ben Swaine

Benjamin Swaine was one of the founding shareholders of the firm of Hirzel, Jackson & Swaine, P. C. in 1983.  He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in management from Lawrence Institute of Technology, now Lawrence Technological University;  a member of the America Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants. He specializes in providing tax, accounting and auditing services to small and medium-sized businesses and nonprofit organizations in the Detroit metropolitan area.  He has over thirty years of experience serving the nonprofit sector. He is married to Janice, has two children and three grandchildren.

Board Member - William Coon

William Coon is an attorney and shareholder at Dean & Fulkerson, PC. Since 1987 they have been representing business organizations in a range of areas including mergers and acquisitions, bank financing, joint ventures and other strategic alliances, business contracts, intellectual property transfer and licensing, and international business transactions. William's educational background includes: Detroit College of Law, Detroit, Michigan, J. D. cum Laude, 1975; Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan, B.S. Metallurgical Engineering, 1971; University of Michigan, Graduate School of Business Administration, Graduate Courses. He is married to Kathy, has three adult children and resides in Royal Oak, Michigan.

Board Member - Matthew Jaeger

Matt has 12 years of commercial banking experience in the metro Detroit area.  He has been working with Fifth Third Bank for the past 5 years in the Bank’s Middle Market Lending and Special Assets Departments.  Prior to joining Fifth Third, he had spent the previous 7 years at Michigan National Bank/Standard Federal Bank, now part of Bank of America.

Matt earned his BA from Michigan State University and an MBA from Walsh College in Troy, MI.

Matt is active in various charitable organizations, primarily through his involvement with his church, Kensington Community Church.

Board Member - Dan Gliniecki

Dan Gliniecki has over 31 years’ marketing experience in the automotive industry and is currently responsible for  Jeep.com .  His career spans the areas of Sales, Distribution, Advertising, Media, Event Marketing, Customer Relationship Management and Interactive Marketing.   His interactive marketing career began in 1994 when the 1st U.S. automotive consumer web site was launched.  Dan holds Marketing degrees from New York University and Michigan State University.

Mr. Gliniecki is Past President of Automation Alley’s glima/Connectech association and has previously served on the Board of Directors for Music Hall.  

Board Member - Mark Fitzgerald

Mark R. Fitzgerald has been providing wealth management services since 1997.  He is an advisor with Cranbrook Wealth Management which is an industry leader in fiduciary wealth management.

Mark is a Certified Financial Planner® and Chartered Financial Consultant®.  He created his own degree through the General Studies program and acquired a Bachelor’s degree with minors in Psychology and Biology.