Zech Francis – Zech is an entrepreneur specializing in clothing design and manufacturing, who has owned brands that have been sold in thousands of national and international clothing retailers. After learning the fundamentals of graphic design at the young age of 12, Zech started his professional career at age 18 consulting and designing for internationally recognized brands such as LEGO, Warner Brothers, and many more. At age 21 Zech became a partner in a fast growing clothing brand selling in over 3,000 stores in the US; including Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Fred Segal and Buckle. Zech currently owns a fully vertical brand incubator that creates and scales new clothing brands in partnership with some of the largest influencers on YouTube and Instagram. Zech is also a partner in the fast growing alcohol brand Beatbox Beverages which was featured on Shark Tank, and includes an impressive roster of shareholders, including Mark Cuban. Zech has previously served on the Professional Advisory Committee for The Art Institutes. Zech has lived in Laguna Beach for the past 10 years and has an incredible 5 year old son named Saxon. In his free time he enjoys riding his motorcycles and traveling.

Sharon Macdonald – Sharon is a second-generation McDonald’s Franchisee. Along with her 3 siblings she owns and operates several McDonald’s in Orange County. Sharon’s and her sibling’s parents opened their first McDonald’s in Anaheim in 1967.   Through McDonald’s Sharon is very involved with the Orange County Ronald McDonald House. The OC Ronald House provides comfort, care and support to children and families in Southern California. Sharon is currently serving on the Board of Trustees of the OC Ronald McDonald House. Orange County Family Justice Center is another charity that Sharon devotes her support to. OCFJC is in Anaheim. It serves a safe, confidential and friendly place where assistance is provided to Survivors of Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault and Elder/Dependent Adult Abuse. Free Wheelchair Mission is also a charity that Sharon supports on a regular basis. This inspiring charity is an international faith-based non-profit organization dedicated to providing Wheelchairs for people with disabilities in developing nations without resources to obtain one.  Born in Denver Colorado, Sharon came to California at the age of 2. First living in Huntington Beach then at 10 the family moved to Newport Beach. She attended Corona del Mar High School and USC. She is a member of Pi Beta Phi. One of the biggest highlights of Sharon’s life was her opportunity sail on Semester at Sea in both 1983 and 1984.  Travel has always been one of Sharon’s favorite things to do. Snow skiing and reading are some of her favorite hobbies. She took up long distance running 4 years ago, and has completed 10 Half Marathons to date.  Sharon and Craig live in Newport Beach. She has 3 sons, Kirk (27) Cory (27) and Billy (23) all University of Colorado Graduates and 2 step daughters, Kaitlan (29) and Ashley (29).

Joselyn Miller – Joselyn is passionate about travel, especially adventure travel. She has made visits to over 100 countries and all 7 continents. She has checked the box for summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro, climbing to Mt. Everest’s Base Camp and cage-diving with great white sharks in South Africa. Joselyn is a certified scuba diver and enjoys checking out the underwater scene wherever she is in the world. She and her husband, Todd, have brought their two children along for many of these travels. In 1985, Joselyn earned a Bachelor of Science in business with an emphasis in finance from the University of Southern California, where she was a member of the women’s crew team and Pi Beta Phi. She studied abroad, sailing on two Semester at Sea voyages, where she visited many developing nations. She has spent most of her adult life raising her children and volunteering in the community, donating hundreds of hours to various causes, including Orangewood Children’s Home in Orange, CA, the Friendship Shelter in Laguna Beach, CA, the CSP Youth Shelter also in Laguna Beach, and the Ocean Institute in Dana Point, CA. She has always had a keen eye for contemporary design, especially anything from the 20th century modern era. Collecting has been a big part of her life, and she is always on the lookout for treasures from that favorite design period. As a creative outlet, Joselyn recently went back to school and graduated magna cum laude in fashion design from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, where she was more than twice the age of virtually all of her classmates. She enjoys designing and constructing clothes, painting and having the opportunity to be creative in any field. Joselyn recently underwent a bone marrow transplant (from her brother and fellow GG board member, Leason Pomeroy, IV) to cure two extremely rare and life-threatening diseases: eosinophilic fasciitis and very severe aplastic anemia. She is now passionate about getting volunteers to sign up to potentially be someone’s life-saving hero at www.bethematch.org. Joselyn and her family live in Laguna Beach, CA.

Todd Miller – For the past 20 years, Todd has served as Partner at Western States Technologies (WST), a real estate investment company headquartered in Los Angeles. The firm concentrates on the successful acquisition, development, and rehabilitation of industrial and office properties located throughout Southern California. Along with these duties, he is responsible for the asset management of WST’s portfolio consisting of over 1,000,000 square feet of property. Previous to his current position, Todd was Vice-President/Director of Marketing at The Sammis Company, a real estate investment company located in Irvine, California. While at Sammis, he was instrumental in the acquisition of over $160,000,000 in industrial properties across the country totaling approximately 4,000,000 square feet. In 1984 Todd graduated cum laude from the Real Estate Finance Program at The University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, and was awarded membership in The Golden Key International Honour Society. He played Division I volleyball on two of the Trojans’ NCAA Final Four teams. Volleyball is still the sport of choice for Todd. He competes each year at the United States Volleyball Adult National Championships, where he recently won his fourth straight gold medal and was named to the All-American team. His team also took four straight golds in the World Huntsman Games in Utah. For ten consecutive years, Todd was co-director of an annual beach volleyball tournament that raised six-figure contributions for such charities as Boys and Girls Club of America, Boys Hope Girls Hope, American Cancer Society, and Friendship Shelter. Todd supports USC in several capacities, including memberships in Cardinal and Gold (athletic), Marshall Partners (Marshall School of Business), and The Associates (College of Letters, Arts and Sciences). He also volunteers his time in the university’s Athletic Department Mentor Program, serving as a one-on-one mentor to student athletes, and as a keynote speaker at various program events. Since circumnavigating the globe on his Semester at Sea voyage in the spring of 1984, Todd has visited over 90 countries, with an emphasis on adventure travel. Some of his most recent journeys have taken him to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Mt. Everest Base Camp, a great white shark cage off the coast of South Africa, a research vessel amid the Galapagos Islands, and a dive boat near Hon Mun Island, Vietnam. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Semester at Sea, the preeminent collegiate study abroad program in existence since 1963. For the past 26 years, Todd, his wife, Joselyn, and their two children have called Laguna Beach, California, home.

Debra Mitchell – Debbie’s interest in helping others was sparked by her grandmother’s stories about the disadvantaged children she had met while serving as a health care missionary in numerous African countries and throughout the Philippines. After graduation from USC, Debbie joined the pharmaceutical industry where she worked in sales, product management and managed health care. Feeling the need for a more adventurous life, Debbie spent some time traveling through numerous European countries, followed by a stint as Special Events Coordinator for the LA Marathon. Debbie has recently filled her time working with three special non-profits in the Pasadena area. She currently sits on the board of The Friends of Foothill Family Service in the San Gabriel Valley, which provides both physical and mental assistance to families in need, particularly mothers and young children. She is a former member of the Circle of Friends Board of The Kidspace Children’s Museum in Pasadena and has been very involved with the museum for many years. Debbie also served on the board of the Linda Vista Annandale Association, which includes the Rose Bowl Stadium and the Rose Bowl Park area. Debbie has traveled extensively through Latin America visiting remote towns and villages. Along with her family, she spends her summers in a small town in central Mexico. She enjoys playing soccer and flying with her husband. Debbie received a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in Health Care Management from the University of Southern California in 1985. While at USC, Debbie captained the women’s crew team. She was raised in Orange County and now lives in Pasadena, California with her two young daughters.

Thomas Niederkofler – Thom holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Stanford University, where he graduated in 2003. In the fall of 2002, Thom participated in Semester at Sea, the study abroad program that has taken 50,000 college students around the world since 1963. Currently he works as Financial Consultant with Kaiser Permanente at headquarters in Oakland, where he designs business processes related to facilities acquisition and management. Additionally, Thom recently launched a real estate investment firm focused on acquiring, managing, and repositioning mobile home parks throughout California. His professional experience includes development, finance, construction and asset management in San Francisco, CA and Berlin, Germany. His passion for international travel has brought him to over 15 countries in Africa, as well as the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mount Everest’s Base Camp. While traveling through Ghana, Thom met his wife, Andrea, who was traveling the African continent from her homeland of Germany. Thom grew up in New York, is fluent in German, and has not had a cavity since the age of 12.

Leason F. Pomeroy, III – While in the process of earning his degree in fine arts at Arizona State University, Leason had the opportunity to hire an architect for his fraternity’s new house. He chose Frank Lloyd Wright, who was working at Taliesin West in nearby Scottsdale. Through that relationship, Leason became intrigued with architecture and served as an intern for Mr. Wright. He returned to his native Southern California, and earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Southern California in 1965. He then founded his practice, LPA, inc., in Orange, CA, where he was born and raised. Under his 40 years of leadership, the practice grew to become one of the largest design firms in California, receiving over 400 major design awards, including the coveted “Firm Award” in 1990, which is presented to the state’s most outstanding design firm. Leason was named a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects, and was awarded the Alumni Medal from Arizona State University. LPA is responsible for many major projects, including Orange County’s John Wayne Airport. In 1999, Leason completed a residence for the best-selling author, Dean Koontz and his wife. He was so inspired by working intimately with private clients on their home that he sold his large corporate design firm and founded LP3 Architecture so as to concentrate on more personal design efforts. Leason is dedicated to creating some of the most breathtaking contemporary architecture along the Southern California coast. He serves on several community and civic boards as well as committees charged with the planning, implementation and preservation of historically significant architecture. Leason is also a critic and panel member for various professional real estate, construction and development organizations. He has served on the National Design Committee of the American Institute of Architects and the National Awards Jury for the Urban Land Institute. Leason currently serves as campus architect for the University of California, Irvine, and as a board member of several organizations, including St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, CA, the Orange YMCA, and the Barclay Theater on the campus of UCI. Leason has been an avid fisherman his entire life, and enjoys several “boys trips” each year. He also spends time restoring vintage cars. Leason is a seasoned traveler, leaving footprints in many corners of the globe, along with Marlene, his wife of 56 years. Leason has two grown children and four grandchildren.

Leason F. Pomeroy, IV – Leason was born in Orange, grew up in Tustin, and is a fourth generation Californian. After attending Foothill High School, he carried on the family tradition and attended the University of Southern California. After two years of fraternity life, Leason joined the SS Universe to circumnavigate the globe on the Semester at Sea program. As a member of the official hosts of USC, the Trojan Knights, in charge of the annual bonfire, card stunts, and guardians of Tommy Trojan – the best part remains ringing the Victory Bell on the sideline whilst dismantling UCLA. Leason graduated in 1992 with a degree in International Relations and spent a year living and working in Germany. He completed the EuroCenter certificate for German language in Köln. Leason started a manufacturing business in 1995 that produced toys in Mexico and China aimed at the specialty educational market. His company also imported French products and exported domestic sporting goods, exhibiting at major trade shows throughout Europe. When not being an entrepreneur, Leason managed cell-site construction projects for OnAir Communications, Inc. whose clients include AT&T, Cingular Wireless and Nextel Communications. In 2006, Leason founded 47 Management, LLC, as a commercial real estate management company. The company now has over 1,000,000 square feet of commercial, industrial, retail and residential property under management. Personally, he has been active in the acquisition, development and leasing of student housing serving Chapman University in Old Towne Orange, CA. Leason has many (too many) interests outside of his business. From an early age, he saved up money to purchase, build and successfully crash various radio controlled models including airplanes, helicopters, boats and cars. He also broke a few motocross bikes over his head. Family, cooking, sports, traveling, skiing, mountain biking, deep sea, fly and spear fishing top his list of interests. Alaska and the Sea of Cortez are favorite fishing grounds. Also catching a live Formula One or AMA Motocross race is high on the list. Leason currently manages his son’s Single A Little League Team. Go Angels! Leason, wife Kesha and their two children recently moved from their 105 year-old 1909 historic home in Old Towne Orange after a three-year renovation of their “new” 1957 mid-century ranch house in the North Tustin Hills, CA.

Kenneth A. Ryder – Ken is a partner with the law firm of Garrett DeFrenza Stiepel Ryder, LLP in Costa Mesa, California, specializing in real property law with an emphasis on commercial development, leasing and institutional lending. Ken received his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame in 1979 and his Juris Doctor degree from the New York University School of Law in 1982. He is also a mediator with the Dispute Resolution Services Program of Orange County’s Community Services Program, having trained with both CSP and with The Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University School of Law. Ken has been included in The Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law in 2006-2011, and he has been named in “Southern California Super Lawyers”, and “Los Angeles Magazine” as one of the best real estate attorneys in 2006-2010. He is a former member of the Board of Directors and President of Friends in Service to Humanity, Harbor Area (“FISH”), an Orange County charity that strives to prevent homelessness and provide meal assistance to low income, elderly and home-bound individuals. Ken is an avid wine collector and enjoys fishing the Sea of Cortez. He has been married for 25 years to his wife, Tina, and has four children.

Donald Suxho – Donald Suxho was born in Albania and emigrated to the United States in 1995. His family moved to Boston where he was working numerous jobs and playing sports. The USC men’s volleyball team offered him a full scholarship in 1997, and Donald went on to be selected a two time All American and NCAA Player of the Year. He then got invited to try out for the USA Olympic volleyball team in 2000. He represented USA in two Olympic Games (Greece and London). Donald played professionally for 14 years internationally in Italy, Russia, Poland, Turkey, Greece and Argentina. He retired from volleyball in 2014 and resides in Laguna Niguel.  His business career started at a sports marketing firm in Irvine, then he became the Director of Fundraising for the largest educational foundation in California (Irvine Public School Foundation) and in 2017 he co-founded EON UPTIME. Donald’s new company strives to transform lives via his English fluency programs. As an immigrant himself, he understands the importance of language acquisition, assimilation and helping others succeed.  Donald’s passions are to help others via business, sports and community. He loves the outdoors, travel, red wine, the beach, skiing and his wife and three sons.  His eldest son will follow in his footsteps and attend USC in the fall of 2019 where he will compete on the volleyball team.