Michael Caputo: Never saw a Russian in the Trump campaign

The Hon. Joe Oliver has a rare view of Canada’s financial past and future. He has served various roles in government and in the corporate sector. He was Minister of Natural Resources, Minister Responsible for the GTA, and, of course, Minister of Finance, where he presented a balanced budget for the world’s eleventh largest economy. In the corporate sector, Oliver has held senior positions running investment banking operations at Merrill Lynch Royal Securities, Nesbitt Thomson, and BMO Nesbitt, among others. He will seek the provincial Progressive Conservative party nomination in York Centre for the 2018 Ontario provincial election.  While in office, Oliver represented Canada at the G7, G20, IMF, and World Bank meetings of Finance Ministers and Governors of Central Banks. He also co-chaired the G20 committee, responsible for generating country plans to increase global growth by $2 trillion. Previously, he served as President and CEO of the Investment Dealers Association of Canada. 

Michael Caputo, a communications adviser for many months during the Trump campaign, testified for three plus hours before the House Intelligence Committee Friday afternoon July 7, 2017.  He testifired “in his opinion the Russia scandal comes down to two words: “collusion delusion.”  “I completely believe there was no collusion in the Trump campaign, but all I can do is speak for myself and the people I’m close with.  He characterized the hearing as a “fishing expedition.” Caputo grew up in Southtowns, Buffalo, New York, and gained public relations experience with the United States Army. He worked for the Reagan Administration in propaganda efforts in Central America and South America. Caputo then went to work for the United States House of Representatives as assistant director of the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association. He served as director of media services on the campaign for president George H.W. Bush in the 1992 United States presidential election.

Administrator Linda McMahon serves as the 25th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). As a member of President Trump’s cabinet, she advocates on behalf of the almost 29 million small businesses in America, which employ nearly half of all American workers and account for 56.8 million jobs.  An entrepreneur and business executive herself, McMahon is the co-founder and former chief executive officer of WWE, based in Stamford, Connecticut. She helped grow WWE from a 13-person regional operation to a publicly traded global enterprise with more than 800 employees in offices worldwide. McMahon has been a longtime advocate for women in leadership and business. She is a co-founder and former chief executive officer of Women’s Leadership LIVE, LLC, a company that trains women to launch and expand their own businesses. She stepped down as CEO of WWE in 2009 to run for the U.S. Senate and was the Republican nominee to represent the people of Connecticut in 2010 and 2012.

Amed Khan has had an active career in both the public and private sectors, including a wealth of experience from political campaigns, government service and international relief work. Mr. Khan currently directs Paradigm Global Group, a private international investment firm with a focus on Commercial Real Estate, Energy and Technology. He is the founder of Elpida Home, a public private initiative based in Thessaloniki, Greece that provides refugees the humane international protection they are entitled to. He also serves as Senior Advisor to the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Program, an innovative project of the William J. Clinton Foundation.  Mr. Khan held several positions in the United States government including the Director of Operations for the G-7 Summit of Industrialized Nations in 1997. Between 1993 and 1995 Mr. Khan was Special Assistant to the Director of the United States Peace Corps.  Mr. Khan is the founder of the Zaka Khan Foundation and serves as its President. He is also on the International Advisory Council for the International Crisis Group, Board of Visitors of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Political Science Department, and Advisor to the Carlos Slim Foundation.  Mr. Kahn said to learn more and contribute go to: https://elpidahome.org/  

John Chachas began as a banker at First Boston, where he rose to managing director of the firm’s Media Group.  In 2000, he joined Lazard as a managing director and co-head of the firm’s Media Advisory practice in the Americas.  Chachas has served an advisor to media and emerging digital companies. He advised the board on the $18 billion buyout of Clear Channel Communications, the Walt Disney Company on its 2006 sale of its ABC Radio business, and the Hearst Corporation on its go-private transaction of Hearst-Argyle Television in 2009 among others.  In 2010, Chachas left Lazard to become a candidate for the U.S. Senate in the Republican primary race in his home state of Nevada.  After his unsuccessful Senate race Chachas returned to New York and founded Methuselah Advisors.  Since the formation of Methuselah, he has served as a financial advisor to several of the country’s largest media organizations, including Tribune Company throughout its bankruptcy from 2009 until its emergence in 2012. He advised Journal Communications on its $2.2 billion spin-merger combination with the newspaper and broadcaster, E.W. Scripps.   In 2015, Methuselah represented Journal Media Group on its $300 million sale to Gannett.

Neil Kahanovitz, MD Big Apple Circus.  Most people want to run away with circus.  Dr. Kahanovitz actually did it.  His varied and distinguished background includes positions as Chief of Back Surgery at The Hospital for Joint Diseases in Manhattan, Director of Spine Surgery at the Washington Hospital Center, and President of the North American Spine Society.  Kahanovitz is the director of spine surgery at the Center for Orthopaedics in West Orange, New Jersey.  As a child, when asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, the answer never changed, “an orthopedic surgeon and a circus performer.” He achieved both dreams. While attending medical school, Kahanovitz took a leave of absence to perform in the comedy trampoline act and later as an aerialist in a large circus in the Midwest.   Once he went back to school and graduated, Kahanovitz went on to a distinguished career in the medical field. He has since produced plays and musicals on Broadway, in London’s West End, Chicago, Los Angeles and Off-Broadway. He is thrilled to bring the Big Apple Circus to its rightful place among the most cherished New York City cultural icons.

Barry Slotnick is a defense attorney among this country’s most celebrated.  Mr. Slotnick’s practice focuses on commercial litigation, civil litigation, disciplinary proceedings, high net-worth matrimonial matters and white collar defense.  He is a former Associate Appeals Agent for the Selective Service Commission and was Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of New York. He is also a past executive secretary and consultant for the Bar Association of Puerto Rico.  Mr. Slotnick has received the American Lawyer’s Ammy award as the best defense lawyer in America. He has been named one of the top one hundred trial lawyers in the State of New York by the American Association of Trial Lawyers. He has also been honored by the New York State Bar Association as one of the finest defense practitioners in the state.  

New York Assemblyman, Speaker Carl Heastie, elected Speaker of the New York Assembly on February 3, 2015.  The Speaker just delivered a budget on time to the Governor’s desk on April 7, 2017.  He is a Democrat who represents the 83rd A.D. in the Bronx.  He was first elected in 2000.   Since taking office – Heastie became one of the lead negotiators for the construction of a new K-8 school in his district. He has also sponsored legislation to require mandatory reporting of alleged child abuse of students in New York City.  Since taking the role of leading the Assembly, Speaker Heastie has remained committed to passing budgets that prioritize the needs of hardworking New York families.   Prior to joining the Assembly, Speaker Heastie served as a budget analyst in the New York City Comptroller’s office where he researched, prepared and authored reports on the City’s spending patterns.