Leadership Team
Executive Officers
James T. Walesa
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Clearday
Mr. Walesa has served as the Chairman of Clearday’s board of directors and its Chief Executive Officer since its formation. Mr. Walesa has been part of the managers or otherwise active in the business of Clearday and its predecessors, including each of its investments in non-core assets and MCA and has been the principal that has developed the longevity care and wellness strategy and all aspects of Clearday’s business, including raising capital for Clearday and its predecessor. Mr. Walesa has more than three decades of experience in financial services with an emphasis on the real estate, energy and care and wellness industries. In 1988, Mr. Walesa founded the Asset Management & Protection Corporation (AMPC), where he currently serves as its Principal, a position he has held since 1988. AMPC currently manages over $500 million in investor assets. Walesa and AMPC clients provide startup capital for energy and real estate related companies. Since September 4, 2019, Mr. Walesa has been a registered representative with Arkadios Capital LLC, an SEC full service broker dealer, resident in their office in Park Ridge, Illinois. He has several licenses in the securities industry, including the Series 24, 26, SIE, Series 7, Series 22, Series 6 and the Series 65 and Series 63. Prior to being with Arkadios Capital, since November 2000 to September 2019, Mr. Walesa was a registered representative with Triad Advisors, Inc., an SEC registered broker dealer that is owned by Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services, Inc. Mr. Walesa has provided services related to tax free 1031 real estate exchanges for the prior 12 years. Mr. Walesa started his career as a registered representative for First Investors (FIC) where he became the youngest Vice President in firm history at age 26. Mr. Walesa previously served on the advisory board of Nasdaq-traded Bank Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: BFIN) and currently serves as a member of the board of directors of Gadsden Properties, Inc. (OTC: GADS), and the chairman of the board of Citadel Exploration, Inc. (OTCM: COIL) and a member of the board of directors of SitePro, a private company. He was the Chicago chairman for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and is a member of the Alzheimer’s Alois Society in recognition of his leadership and support of the Alzheimer’s Association to prevent and cure dementia related disease. Mr. Walesa received a B.S. in Business Administration from Rockford University. Mr. Walesa was selected to serve on the board of GPI due to his expertise in the real estate industry and his investment and capital market experience.
BJ Parrish
Director and Chief Operating Officer of Clearday
Mr. Parrish has served as a member of the Clearday’s board of directors and its Chief Operating Officer since its formation. Mr. Parrish has served as the Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of Cibolo Creek Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, (“Cibolo Creek”), since 2005 and a Director since 2013 and, in such capacity, was integral to the investment and operations of the businesses that were acquired by Clearday. Mr. Parrish is responsible for the financial management of Cibolo Creek and the investments of which it serves as general partner or manager. Mr. Parrish is also instrumental in the raising of capital through both the equity and debt markets for all of Cibolo Creek’s investment ventures. Prior to Cibolo Creek, Mr. Parrish served as the Vice President of Cibolo Creek’s predecessor company, Midland Red Oak Realty Inc. where he was involved in the formation of a $100 million credit facility, as well the acquisition and disposition of over $200 million worth of commercial real estate assets across the Southwest United States. Prior to Midland Red Oak Realty Inc., Mr. Parrish was a financial analyst and a manager of investor relations with Southwest Royalties, Inc., a privately held oil and gas exploration and production company. Mr. Parrish received a B.B.A. in finance and an M.B.A., both from the University of Texas Permian Basin. Mr. Parrish is also the Interim Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors of Gadsden Properties, Inc. (OTC: GADS). Mr. Parrish was selected to serve on the board of GPI due to his expertise in the real estate industry and his investment and capital market experience.
Linda L. Carrasco
President Memory Care America LLC
Ms. Carrasco has served as the President of MCA, Clearday’s residential memory care facility business, since July 2019, when she was promoted to that position from the Executive Director of the MCA’s Westover Hills, Texas facility, a position she held since June, 2015. Prior to joining Clearday, Ms. Carrasco was the Executive Director—Sales specialist of Emeritus Senior Living in San Antonio, Texas and Oklahoma. Ms. Carrasco has more than 35 years of experience in skilled care residential facilities, including a license social worker (LBSW) for Town and Country Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation from 2010 to 2011, and Executive Director and Marketing Director of Asista Corporation from 1998 to 2010, and Manager and Regional Manager of Texas and Arizona of Southwest Health Management from 1994 to 1998. Ms. Carrasco holds a B.S. from Southwest Texas State University and holds the Assisted Living / Personal Care Management Certificate License, the Texas State Board of Social Workers Examiners Licensed Baccalaureate and is a Certified/Qualified Activities Director.
Richard M. Morris
Executive Vice President, General Counsel
Richard M. Morris has served as Clearday’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel since January 1, 2020. Mr. Morris has been practicing attorney since 1990, including being a Corporate partner with Herrick, Feinstein LLP, New York from 2002 to 2018 where he focused on securities and other regulatory matters; and as Corporate partner with Allegaert Berger & Vogel LLP, New York, New York, since November 2018 to January 2020. In such positions with law firms, Mr. Morris was Clearday’s primary corporate and transaction counsel. While serving as Clearday’s General Counsel since January, 2020, Mr. Morris continues to practice law as a partner of Wilson Williams LLC, a corporate transaction boutique firm in its New York City office. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. Morris was an auditor with the Commodities Exchange, Inc. in New York and later focused on operations and financial management at Kidder Peabody & Co. He also was the U.S. Audit Manager for the financial division for a diversified Australian company. Mr. Morris has a B.S. in Accounting from New York University (1982) and a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law (1990), with bar admissions in New York and Connecticut.
Gary Sawina
Executive Vice President — Director of Real Estate Operations
Mr. Sawina has served Clearday as its Executive Vice President and Director of Real Estate since April 2011 and in such capacity is the officer that oversees all aspects of the development of Clearday’s real estate including the renovation of 8800 Village Drive, the design and build out spaces for Clearday’s Adult Day Care centers and management of all of Clearday’s MCA and hotel facilities. Mr. Sawina has directly overseen the management of numerous new construction projects ranging from $42 million to $500 million in capital expenditures. In response to the pandemic, Mr. Sawina designed retro-fits for the hotel properties so that rooms may be efficiently converted to negative pressure rooms. Mr. Sawina is a Las Vegas native and has had a career in gaming and hospitality of more than 40 years with senior positions. He held several gaming licenses, including Level 1 Gaming License—Nevada from 1990 to 2000; Level 1 Gaming License—Louisiana from 2002 to 2004; Level 1 Gaming License—Indiana from 2004 to 2010; and Owner’s Liquor License—Clark County, Nevada from 1999 to 2001. Mr. Sawina holds his B.S. in Business and Hotel Administration from University of Nevada, Las Vegas (1979).
John R. Bergeron, CPA
Executive Vice President – Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Bergeron, CPA is our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. In such capacity, Mr. Bergeron he is our principal financial officer and principal accounting officer.
Mr. Bergeron has more than thirty years’ experience in financial management and corporate development of manufacturing and service industry companies. He has extensive experience in financial reporting of public companies, risk management, business process re-engineering, and structuring and implementing accounting procedures and internal control programs for Sarbanes-Oxley Act compliance.
Mr. Bergeron is also the Chief Financial Officer of Spine Injury Solutions, Inc., since October 2011 and one of their directors since July 2010. From May 2008 through September 2014, he served as President of Jolpeg Inc., a private firm that consults on financial matters in service industries. From May 2002 until May 2008, Mr. Bergeron served as Divisional Controller of Able Manufacturing, a division of NCI Group, Inc, where his responsibilities included financial reporting, budgeting and Sarbanes-Oxley Act compliance. Prior to that, Mr. Bergeron worked as controller of different internet companies and as an accounting manager for several other private firms. He has also worked as an auditor for Arthur Andersen.
Mr. Bergeron is a Certified Public Accountant. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Lamar University in 1979. He is also currently the President of the Montgomery County MUD #83.
Independent Members of the Board of Directors
Alan H. Channing
Board Member, Chair of the Governance & Nominating Committee
Alan Channing became the principal officer of Channing Consulting Group, LLC following his retirement as President and CEO of the Sinai Health System, Chicago, Illinois, in 2014, a role he held for ten years. Sinai Health System, a safety net provider, is an integrated delivery system located on Chicago’s west side. Under Mr. Channing’s leadership, Sinai achieved national recognition for clinical quality, community engagement and benefit, addressing disparities and creating the concept of “pre-primary” care. Mr. Channing has been the CEO of several large teaching hospitals including Wishard Memorial in Indianapolis, Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens, New York, and the renowned Bellevue Hospital Center in Manhattan. Channing has served as a resource to the Ohio Hospital Association, the Cleveland Center for Health Affairs, Greater New York Hospital Association and the Hospital Association of New York State. He has testified before the US Congress, the Ohio Senate, and both houses of the Illinois legislature. He served as chairman of the Illinois Hospital Association during a challenging legislative year and as board chairman of Family Health Network, a Medicaid man- aged care company. He serves as an advisor to several healthcare organizations including: AVIA Health which focuses on digital transformation for health care providers; 330 Partners which advises Federally Qualified Healthcare Clinics (FQHCs) on strategy, partnerships, and operations; and Genesis Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, a Chicago based orthopedic practice. Mr. Channing is active in many charities. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Medical Home Network (MHN), a not-for-profit collaborative that unites provider communities and diverse healthcare entities around a common goal: to redesign healthcare delivery and transform the way care is managed at the practice level. MHN began by focusing on Maternal and Child Health on the West and South Sides of Chicago. From October 2015 to present is an Algebra and Trig tutor with the New York City Public Schools. Mr. Channing graduated in 1968 with a B.S. Engineering /Industrial Management from the University of Cincinnati and in 2001 with a M.S. in Hospital Management from The Ohio State University where he retains an assistant professorship.
Elizabeth M. Caveness
Board Member, Chair of the Compensation Committee
Beth Caveness, in 2001, founded Village Pharmacy of Hampstead Inc., an independent pharmacy located in Hampstead, North Carolina. She grew the business to four pharmacies and sold three to a pharmacy chain or other pharmacists. Dr. Caveness is active in advocacy and works on a state and national level to improve pharmacy. She is a member of National Community Pharmacists Association (“NCPA”), North Carolina Association of Pharmacists and Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Networks and serves on the Independent Pharmacy Network committee of NCPA and will serve on the board of its political action committee. Dr. Caveness received her B.S. Biochemistry from North Carolina State University in 1986, a B.S. Pharmacy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1990 and her PharmD. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2005.
Jeffrey A. Coleman
Board Member
Jeffrey A. Coleman is an attorney with 20 years’ experience in litigation and transactional work with a focus on elder and geriatric issues. This work has seen him represent an array of clients in his field, including professional fiduciaries, businesses, lenders, and individuals. He has also represented businesses as general counsel, including work as general counsel for a publicly traded company, Citadel Exploration, Inc. In his role as general counsel, he was responsible for risk analysis, negotiation, solving operational challenges, and successfully-completing acquisitions and divestitures. Mr. Coleman graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with high honors in 1997, and received a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 2000.
Richard Levychin, CPA, CGMA
Board Member, Chair of the Audit Committee.
Richard Levychin is a Managing Partner in the Commercial Audit and Assurance practice of Galleros Robinson, Certified Public Accountants, LLP, a mid-sized CPA and Advisory firm with offices in New York, New Jersey, Florida, and the Philippines, where he focuses on both privately and publicly held companies. Prior to taking this position in October 2018, Richard was the managing partner of KBL, LLP, a PCAOB certified independent registered accounting firm, since 1994. Mr. Levychin has over 35 years of accounting, auditing, business advisory services and tax experience working with both privately owned and public entities in various industries including media, entertainment, real estate, manufacturing, not-for-profit, technology, retail, technology, and professional services. His experience also includes expertise with SEC filings, initial public offerings, and compliance with regulatory bodies. As a business adviser, he advises companies, helping them to identify and define their business and financial objectives, and then provides them with the on-going personal attention necessary to help them achieve their established goals. Mr. Levychin is a member the Board of Directors of Pershing Resources Company, Inc. (OTCMKTS: PSGR) and a member of the Board of Directors and Chairperson the Audit Committee of AgriFORCE Growing Systems Ltd. (NasdaqCM: AGRI).
Mr. Levychin has written articles on a wide range of topics, which have been featured in several periodicals including Dollars and Sense, New York Enterprise Report, Black Enterprise Magazine, Forbes, Business Insider, and The Network Journal. He has also conducted seminars on a wide range of business topics including SEC matters and taxation for several organizations including the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference, the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (New York chapter) and the Learning Annex.
Mr. Levychin is a member of several organizations including the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, the National Association of Tax Professionals, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Richard was a founding member of the AICPA’s National Diversity and Inclusion Commission. He has also served as a member of the Governing Council of the AICPA, which is the governing body that oversees and sets policies for the AICPA. Richard is a member and a former board member of the New York Chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (“EO”), a dynamic, global network of more than 14,000 business owners in over 50 countries.
In 2018 Mr. Levychin was a recipient of the 5 Chamber Alliance MWBE Award from the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. In 2016 Richard was presented with the 2016 Arthur Ashe Leadership Award. In 2015 Richard was presented by his alma mater Baruch College with the Baruch College Alumni Association’s “Alumni Leadership Award for Business”. In 2013 Richard received the title of Best Accountant from The New York Enterprise Report. Mr. Levychin is a past winner of The Network Journal’s prestigious “40 Under 40” award.
Richard is a graduate of Baruch College, where he received a Bachelors in Business Administration Degree (Accounting) in 1980.