Team

Jim Van Eerden

Co-founder and Managing Partner

Jim serves as CEO of 5th Element, helping to lead strategy and alliances for the company. Forbes recently called 5th Element “an outstanding global braintrust” and Real Leaders magazine referred to the company as “a Maestro of the Omniwin.”

Jim began his career as a corporate brand strategist, as a principal consultant for Coca-Cola, M&M Mars and American Airlines as well as for the 1994 World Cup Organizing Committee and the 1996 Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.

In 1996 Jim founded a national consulting firm that specialized in the launch of internet business units inside Global 2000 and fast-growth companies – including Southwest Airlines, GM, USA Today and Pearson Education. Following an exit in 2001, he became Managing Director for Helixx, where he has focused on investments in social good companies in the CPG, media and tech markets.

In that role, Jim has directed a portfolio of social impact companies including MISSION Athletecare (with Drew Brees, Mia Hamm, Dwyane Wade, Serena Williams and others); the international fashion brand Sevenly; and global non-profits like H2O Africa (now water.org, co-founded with Matt Damon). He has also served as senior counsel for corporate philanthropic projects like Refresh Everything for PepsiCo, and has helped start cause-based educational movements like Thinker Education.

Jim was the executive in charge of media investments for Helixx as well. Credited as one of the pioneers in what is now known as “filmanthropy,” he served as Executive Producer for several award-winning feature films including the Academy Award-nominated short film MOST, Bobby Jones (Stroke of Genius), The Ultimate Gift, and The Perfect Game – and educational documentaries such as the critically acclaimed films Running the Sahara (which he produced with Damon) and WarChild (with Emmanuel Jal) – all of which carried a philanthropic mission and raised millions of dollars for charity. Jim was also executive consultant for Stephen McEveety (Braveheart, Passion of the Christ) on Bella, the #1-rated film on Fandango and Yahoo Movies.

Jim has been a speaker on business and social entrepreneurship at forums including The National Press Club, Nobel Peace Prize Forum, The United Nations, FinTech Week in London and the World Economic Forum. He has served as Entrepreneur in Residence at Grove City College, and has guest lectured at Harvard University (on “Philanthropy 2.0”) and Brandeis University (on Impact Investing). He writes about the intersection of purpose and business, with essays published by World Economic Forum, USA Today, Real Leaders magazine and other publications, and is currently co-authoring the book with best-selling author John Stahl-wert called GREAT TO GOOD: How For-Profit Business are Re-Making the Future of Philanthropy.

In addition to his undergraduate degree from Grove City College, Jim has completed graduate school programs at Wake Forest University, Trinity, Oxford, and is a candidate for a doctoral degree in global education. He and his wife Rachel have 11 children and live on a family homestead near Greensboro, North Carolina.

Ed Martin

Co-founder and Managing Partner

Ed was elected to the board of the Peace Research Endowment focused on academic and policy research and implementation to mitigate global conflict and is Senior Advisor to the Nobel Peace Prize Forum.

Martin is also Chair Emeritus to Association of National Advertisers Research and Measurement Council – an organization whose members spend over $250 Billion each year in advertising.

Mr. Martin has held key positions in top Fortune 500 organizations including The Kellogg Company helping to lead new products innovation, Coca-Cola running insights for all youth brands in US, Citigroup heading the Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty Research Process connecting all consumer metrics to in-market financial results, Ford Motor Company as Director of Global Consumer Insights and head of Mobile Marketing for the Hershey Company.

Ed has served as Executive in Residence at Georgetown University, and has been an advisor to the Millennium Project and to the Ambassador from Uganda to the US.

Martin has also been on many advisory boards/advisory roles over the years including; The Pack Shack, Health Store Foundation, Malaria Foundation, Health People in the South Bronx, Harvard AIDS Prevention Project, Look To The Stars (www.looktothestars.org), Chamber of Commerce BCLC, and Co-chair of the Parade All American Volunteering Initiative at the White House.

He has also served in key board roles of organizations focused on championing women and girls, from Athena International to The Canales Project. And lifting top women leaders in history as Executive Director of the Florence Nightingale 200th anniversary celebration and transmedia campaign.

Martin was also an Advisor to the State Department and USAID on the Global Diaspora Initiative and on the Executive Board of the Congressional Coalition For Adoption Institute (ccainstitute.org) working with members of the Congress and Senate to shape policy to best fulfill the needs of children around the world for “forever families”.

He holds a BA, from the University of Michigan, MBA, from Wayne State University and has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Elizabethtown College for his work to advance business growth while elevating communities and people all over the world

Scott Rehmus

Co-founder and Managing Partner

Scott is a strategic philanthropist and an activator of capital for cause who has made a career in developing practical solutions to complex problems. A passion for the oceans led him in to international conservation and then to dedicate himself to supporting coastal communities working to develop economies that maintain their culture and the environment. He has deep, hands-on experience in making lasting change. Most notably, he spent 13 years building a sustainable future for the 19-million-acre Great Bear Rainforest, first with the Packard Foundation and then co-leading two foundations that partnered with 27 First Nations to use $120M to create thriving communities and a thriving environment. The project won the 2016 Fuller Challenge and was cited as “one of the most extraordinary conservation, social justice, and indigenous rights victories in recent memory”.

In 2014, Scott shifted to apply his knowledge and skills to unlock capital for cause, focusing on making it easy for families to maximize their positive impact by integrating ALL their capital—financial, human, social, physical etc. To this end, Scott participated in 50+ events as he researched the state of the impact ecosystem, authentically engaging as a sustainable development / collective impact expert, philanthropist, impact investor, and a member of two HNW families. He has also taken a learn-by-doing approach, engaging in a diversity of projects including: launching a peer learning community and a social enterprise startup; helping high-impact nonprofits pivot to more diversified funding streams; transforming the finance and governance of his church; and engaging with his Atlanta- and San Francisco-based families on their individual and collective impact journey.

Scott’s degrees in science and policy focus on coastal systems, esp. in N. America and Honduras. He has served on numerous non-profit, religious, and corporate boards that work towards a more just and sustainable world.

Mark Sadovnick

Managing Partner

Quoting Maya Angelou often, “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”

Recognized by Business Week as one of 150 most influential headhunters in the world, Mark gained business and international awareness and relationships, from his experiences with Deloitte, Jaycees International, and two search firms, boutique and global.

Mark was the only executive search consultant invited to the United Nations to celebrate International Women’s Day and be a Founding Signatory to the “Decade of Women” in 2018.

Mark has worked with many large and middle-market companies, as well as start-ups, advising what it takes to be recognized as a preferred employer and how innovative recruitment of exceptional individuals, will impact their financial results as well as the organization’s reputation and brand.

‘Right Fit’ does not mean the same, yet rather and more so, to be ‘Culture Add’.

Mark has had hundreds of video interviews with executives and now continues his authentic conversations on the Leaders Who Care® channel. He proactively introduces and recommends clients and strategic partners to each other, for mutual benefit of all their resources, a clear omniwin. With extensive cross-industry, international experience and relationships, he recognizes the value of understanding and respecting culture diversity, and most importantly inclusion and women leadership, and the impact on people and business. “It’s all about people, inclusion and trust, to win some championships and always have consistent winning seasons.”

Mark sits on the Boards of World Trade Center Los Angeles, Athena International, Million Peacemakers (“Nonflict”), World Language Communications, and VerdeXchange Institute. He has been involved in many sports & entertainment projects, including SportsFund, and owning professional cycling and roller hockey teams. He is a CPA, graduating from McGill University in Montreal. is most proud of his three sons, and when given a chance, will certainly tell you about them.

Scott Lewis

Managing Partner

Scott serves as President of 5th Element, helping to lead operations and support key partnerships for the company. Forbes recently called 5th Element “an outstanding global braintrust” and Real Leaders magazine referred to the company as “a Maestro of the Omniwin.”

As the Executive Vice President / Chief Operations Officer for Leadership Foundations, he led collaborative initiatives between those in the faith, public, private, and non-profit sectors around the world, including partnerships with the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, and the NBA Retired Players Association. He also served as Chief Development Officer for Landesa, ranked #10 in the world by NGO Advisor, to secure land rights for hundreds of thousands living in extreme poverty with an emphasis on equality for women. Scott led strategy and operations as the Executive VP/COO for International Justice Mission, a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of human trafficking, slavery, sexual exploitation, and other forms of violent oppression. Scott’s leadership in business operations, communications, marketing, and fund development has led to significant growth and impact for each organization. He has done this in a way that aligns efforts across several disciplines resulting in greater impact.

Prior to IJM Scott had a distinguished 21-year career with Young Life, an international faith-based organization, with regional and national responsibilities. As the first Senior Campaign Director for Malibu, a Young Life camp property in British Columbia he led the design effort to rebuild that 50-year-old property as well as launch and lead the $14.3 million fundraising campaign at the time.

Scott was also the Executive Producer for the film Blue Like Jazz; has managed multi-million dollar construction projects; and was co-founder / COO of a tech start-up company called RedPen, with the intent to help users better discover, understand and engage in the chaotic internet world of news, information and misinformation utilizing AI and blockchain technologies.

The Lewis family recently completed the 30/30 Project, a five-year initiative in partnership with the nonprofit, Construction for Change. The 30/30 Project, founded by Julie Lewis, and further fueled by their Grammy award-winning son Ryan Lewis, successfully raised critical funds to construct thirty medical facilities in nine countries as well as in the US. The new or added infrastructure enables organizations that focus on HIV care/prevention, maternal health, and comprehensive healthcare to increase their capacity, outreach, and extend.

Col. Ron Garan Jr.

Co-founder and Principal

Keynote speaker and corporate consultant Ron Garan is a highly decorated NASA astronaut, combat fighter pilot, and active social entrepreneur. He is the author of the critically acclaimed book, The Orbital Perspective.

Ron Helps Organizations:
⁠— Foster Collaboration Across Teams
⁠— Adapt to Change in Times of Transition
⁠— Build Trust Within Their Organizations
⁠— Embrace the Bigger Picture to Achieve a Greater Goal

Ron works with his clients to transform big ideas into real progress, all while maintaining a strong ethos of planetary stewardship.

Ron has spoken or consulted for the following organizations: Google, Nike, BMW, Facebook, IBM, The United Nations, Dell, Harvard, National Geographic, USAID, Microsoft, Duke Global Health and many more.

Speaking & Consulting topics include: collaboration, innovation, leadership, risk management, corporate responsibility, embracing change and technology, social entrepreneurship and exploration.

Ron believes strongly that business enterprise is the most powerful force on the planet to affect real long term change. Ron partners with leading organizations around the world seeking to make positive change, demonstrating that improving the world is good business.

Get in Touch with Ron’s Team:
https://www.rongaran.com
â–ºEmail:
â–ºTwitter: @Astro_Ron

Andreea Vanacker

Partner

Andreea’s purpose is to elevate human potential, while having a positive impact on humanity and the planet. Through her work, board roles and philanthropic activities, her impact encompasses areas linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals focused mainly on wellbeing, education, and sustainability. She leverages her decades of research to find synergies between neuroscience, positive psychology, leadership, and human resilience to equip organizations with the agility and foresight to navigate with purpose.

Andreea’s passion for international business, strategy and innovation has led her to several executive roles from start-up companies to international organizations in the last fifteen years, among which Bombardier and IATA. She has managed multi-million-dollar businesses and global teams while working with clients in the manufacturing, aviation, aerospace, luxury, technology, and retail industries in all corners of the world. Andreea is the founder of SPARKX5, a company that elevates human potential through its holistic wellbeing application and resilience programs. IAMWILD.com along with the IAMWILD Foundation, is another venture that Andreea has been focused on over the last few years, by leveraging art and a sustainable business model to protect the wild ecosystems around the world.

Andreea is the author of three books, is an international speaker, and she is often featured in Forbes and Fast Company articles on topics that inspire leaders to create human-centric organizations and individuals to thrive. Andreea studied in Canada and France and holds a Ph.D. in Economics, along with degrees in International Business and Finance, and she speaks four languages. She is currently writing her fourth book on The Trilogy of Joy which is a new model she has developed for overcoming life struggles and finding more meaning and joy from our life experiences.

Vince Molinari

Co-founder and Principal

Vincent Molinari was a Co-founder of Templum, Inc., and formerly the CEO of its subsidiary, Templum Markets, a FINRA registered broker-dealer and Alternative Trading System (ATS) providing a registered solution for raising capital and trading private digital securities.

Vince has nearly 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. Throughout his career, he has been a true entrepreneur founding and leading multiple companies committed to advancing market infrastructure, capital formation, impact investing, and digital assets. He has participated in the development of blockchain patents, is a creator of thought leading technology solutions, and hosts the Digital Asset Report, which brings visibility and education to market innovation and its global impact.

Vince’s experience, reputation, and belief that actionable knowledge drives investments and that technology can close the gap between traditional and emerging alternative markets has made him a globally sought-after speaker at venues such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Department of State, and United Nations. Vince has been called to provide testimony to the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Senate. He is a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Fintech Advisory Committee. He has also authored numerous comment letters to the SEC and FINRA, participated in Petitions for Rulemaking, and advised on necessary amendments to securities laws to achieve a regulated and sustainable digital securities market.

Beyond leading the way toward a more effective and efficient private market, Vince is passionately and deeply committed to impact investing and humanitarian issues, which he believes blockchain technologies can significantly help address. Therefore, he has co-founded Blockchain Commission for Sustainable Development, Blockchain For Impact, Decade of Women, 5th Element Group PBC, SDG Impact Fund–all committed to the advancement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).