Finance and Investing is pleased to announce The Top 25 CFOs of Miami for 2023. Miami is an environment that promotes a growing, resilient and diversified economy. As a major center in the US for commerce, culture, entertainment, the arts, and international trade, the city is also home to financial institutions, fitness centers, and tech companies. This year’s awardees are financial executives that exemplify Miami's bright, energetic spirit in how they lead their companies to financial success.
Among this year’s awardees is Chris Clements, SVP and Chief Financial Officer, Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium, who manages the budget and expenditures for over $800 million in capital investments for projects. Awardee Greg Gould, Chief Financial Officer of Groundspeed, played a key role in the company's debt funding raise in 2022. Also awarded is Karan Bhople, the Chief Financial Officer at strongDM. He's held numerous financial roles at FinancialForce, Salesforce, and Walt Disney.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 25 CFOs of Miami for 2023.
1. Eloina Franco-Espinosa
CFO, Banco Santander
Eloina Franco-Espinosa is the Chief Financial Officer of Santander. Banco Santander is a leading commercial bank, founded in 1857 and headquartered in Spain. It has a meaningful presence in 10 core markets in Europe, North America, and South America regions and is one of the largest banks in the world by market capitalization. She first joined the company in 1991 as Senior Vice President. Franco-Espinosa is an experienced executive with a demonstrated history working in the banking industry. She is a strong professional skilled in financial services, financial risk, financial institutions, risk management, and management.
Previously, Espinosa was a VP at Consolidated Bank N.A. Before that, she was a Senior Auditor at Arthur Andersen LLP. Espinosa earned an undergraduate degree in accounting and finance from Florida International University, College of Business.
2. David Hammer
Chief Financial Officer, Orangetheory Fitness
David Hammer is the Chief Financial Officer of Orangetheory Fitness. Orangetheory Fitness is an American boutique fitness studio franchise based in Boca Raton, Florida. Hammer is tasked with elevating the company's finance functions and building capability as it enters its next growth phase.
Before joining Orangetheory Fitness, Hammer was the CEO of the appliances and cookware division at Newell Brands. Before that, he was an SVP and CFO at Legends. Earlier in his career, he worked with Mercer Management Consulting as an analyst. Hammer graduated from The Wharton School with an undergraduate degree in economics.
3. Veronica Bautista
Chief Financial Officer, Memorial Hospital Miramar
Veronica Bautista is the Chief Financial Officer of Memorial Hospital Miramar. Since its inception in 1953, Memorial Healthcare System has been a leader in providing high-quality healthcare services to South Florida residents.
Bautista first got her start in 1994 as a Cash Accountant at Vitas Healthcare. From there, she went on to Memorial Healthcare System before eventually rising to CFO at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital, which was her most recent position prior to joining Memorial Hospital Miramar. Bautista graduated from the University of Florida with an MBA and an undergraduate degree in finance from Florida Atlantic University.
4. Fidel Dhana
Chief Financial Officer, Zumba
Fidel Dhana is the Chief Financial Officer of Zumba. In this role, he handles most of the traditional CFO functions, including finance, accounting, and taxes for Zumba. Dhana has successfully transformed Zumba’s finance and accounting functions into a world-class company by increasing financial accountability and visibility for all management levels, lowering costs, and dramatically improving profitability.
Prior to Zumba, he served as the VP of Finance and Corporate Controller for Selling Source, LLC, a group of internet marketing companies. Dhana also served as VP of Finance for Rewards Network, a publicly traded membership rewards, marketing, and finance company. He began his career as an auditor with KPMG. Fidel is a Certified Public Accountant. He graduated with an MBA from the University of Florida and has a BSc in Accounting with honors from Florida International University.
5. Anders Nessen
Chief Financial Officer, Anthology
Anders Nessen is the Chief Financial Officer of Anthology. Anders is responsible for the company’s finance, legal and facility operations and plays an integral role in corporate strategy and acquisitions.
Previously he was the Chief Financial Officer at Campus Management, where he spent over a decade facilitating the day-to-day financial operations and eventual metamorphosis of the company into Anthology. Prior to that, Anders worked at Leeds Equity Partners. At Leeds Equity, he drove all aspects of the investment process, directing due diligence, negotiating and financing transactions, and monitoring performance post-investment. Early in his career, Anders worked at Lehman Brothers in New York. He has a bachelor’s degree in finance and information systems from the University of Virginia.
6. Mick Lopez
Chief Financial Officer, Ribbon Communications
Mick Lopez is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Ribbon Communications. He’s responsible for all finance, information technology, and investor activities.
Previously, he served as the CFO of Vista Outdoor. Before this, he was the CFO of Veritas Technologies, Harris Corporation, and Aricent Group. Earlier in his career, he gained valuable experience as Vice President of Corporate Finance at Cisco Systems, CFO of ADT Security North America at Tyco International, as well as international finance assignments with IBM and KPMG. Lopez has an MBA from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Georgetown University. He is a Certified Professional Accountant.
7. Ana Sanso-Hill
Chief Financial Officer, Arise Virtual Solutions
Ana Sanso-Hill is the Chief Financial Officer at Arise Virtual Solutions. She oversees financial planning and analysis, accounting, controllership, tax, treasury, and all finance-related processes and activities. She joined Arise in 2013 and previously served as the company's VP of Accounting and Controller.
Previously, Sanso-Hill was a Director at McGladrey LLP and spent nine years at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). She is a Certified Public Accountant. Sanso-Hill has a master's degree in tax and a bachelor's degree in accounting from Florida International University.
8. Sandy Levine
CFO, The Learning Experience
Sandy Levine is the Chief Financial Officer of The Learning Experience. The Learning Experience is a leader in early childhood education and developmental offerings. Levine has been with The Learning Experience for over 13 years.
Levine graduated from Harvard University with a master's degree in applied mathematics, New York University with an MBA in accounting, and Boston University with an undergraduate degree in mathematics.
9. Karan Bhople
Chief Financial Officer, strongDM
Karan Bhople is the Chief Financial Officer at strongDM. He’s responsible for continuing strongDM’s momentum and establishing a foundation for a rapidly growing enterprise business. He was previously VP of Finance at SentinelOne. He has a strong background in security from SentinelOne and played a key part in the company’s successful IPO. Bhople has a proven track record of success in building and managing teams of finance directors, managers, and analysts. Before this, he was at FinancialForce, Metaswitch Networks, and Salesforce. Earlier in his career, he was a Financial Analyst at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. Bhople graduated from Stanford University with a BS in chemical engineering.
10. Katherine Schiavino
Chief Financial Officer, Griswold Home Care
Katherine Schiavino is the Chief Financial Officer. She brings 24 years of finance leadership experience from diverse consumer products, manufacturing, telecommunications, and distribution industries, where she strengthened and led finance organizations to partner with business leads to drive strategic growth successfully.
She most recently served as the VP of Finance and Interim CFO for BioMatrix, a national specialty pharmacy headquartered in Plantation, Florida. Prior to that, she held executive finance leadership positions with Lenox Corp., US Foods, and Comcast. Schiavino earned her BS in Accounting from Rutgers University.
11. Kevin Harrison
Chief Financial Officer, Coverall North America
Kevin Harrison is the Chief Financial Officer of Coverall North America. Coverall is a leading franchised brand, licensing thousands of entrepreneurs to operate independent commercial cleaning businesses using the Coverall brand and system.
Before joining Coverall North America, Harrison was a VP of Finance at Mohawk Industries and, before that, a VP of Finance at ServiceMaster. Earlier in his career, he worked with the US Air Force as a Flight Commander. Harrison graduated from the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business with an MBA and an undergraduate degree in business management from the US Air Force Academy.
12. Daniel Wobby
Chief Financial Officer, Moss & Associates
Daniel Wobby is the Chief Financial Officer of Moss & Associates, a national construction management company. As CFO, he provides executive leadership to the accounting and finance areas in support of the company's long-term strength. He also works alongside the executive team to develop and implement business strategies to grow the Moss business and culture.
Wobby first got his start in 1985 as an audit senior at Arthur Andersen & Co. From there, he went on to Cabot Corporation before eventually rising to VP of global sales at Cabot Microelectronics, his most recent position prior to joining Moss & Associates. Wobby graduated from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business with an MBA and an undergraduate degree in accounting and business management from Saint Michael's College.
13. Greg Gould
Chief Financial Officer, Groundspeed
Greg Gould is the Chief Financial Officer of Groundspeed. As CFO, he oversees the company’s finance and accounting teams. Prior to joining Groundspeed, Gould was active in advising, mentoring, and investing in tech-focused startups. He was previously Co-Deputy Director of Goldman Sachs’ Global Technology Investment Research Group. He was also Goldman’s top-ranked FinTech and Computer Services Research Analyst, leading the research effort for the IPOs of Accenture, Mastercard, Sabre, and Sapient, among others. Greg holds a BS in management science from the Sloan School at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
14. Bill Aurilio
Chief Financial Officer, Now Optics
Bill Aurilio is the Chief Financial Officer of Now Optics. He oversees the financial strategy and operations for the company, including all accounting, planning, forecasting, and tax functions.
Aurilio has more than 20 years of experience in finance and accounting, including ten years in controller positions with four Summit Partners portfolio companies. He was instrumental in three private-sale transactions and an initial public offering. In his most recent role at a Summit Partners portfolio company, he served as Vice President and Controller for Eyeglass World, managing financial reporting, accounting and inventory. Aurilio has a Master of Accountancy from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Florida. He’s a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Florida.
15. Marco Tuesta
Regional Chief Financial Officer, EFG Capital International
Marco Tuesta is the Regional Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of EFG Capital International, a subsidiary of EFG International, which is a global private banking group offering private banking and asset management services, headquartered in Zurich. As Regional Chief Financial Officer, Marco is responsible for management and oversight of EFG International’s financial strategy in the Americas Region. Marco joined EFG Capital International in 2009 as Controller and was appointed Regional Chief Financial Officer 2016. Prior to joining EFG Capital International, Marco held the position of a Senior Associate of Assurance at PricewaterhourseCoopers (PwC). Marco is a Certified Public Account “CPA” registered in the State of Florida and holds FINRA Licenses (Series 7 and 27). Marco graduated from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Accounting.
16. Azul Schwartz
Chief Financial Officer, BETSOL
Azul Schwartz is the Chief Financial Officer of BETSOL. She has over 18 years of experience in finance and an extensive global network that spans private banking, commercial banking, legal advisors, private equity, and hedge funds.
Her financial career began with Merrill Lynch in New York, where she focused on international clients in Latin America. She then joined JP Morgan Suisse in Geneva, Switzerland. As she rapidly exceeded performance targets, Schwartz moved to JP Morgan Private Bank in Miami and then New York, completing a seven-year tenure at the firm in 2013 as Vice President of Global Investments Specialist. She next worked on several private projects in real estate and business services from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Schwartz has also worked with the Fenix Wealth Management team and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Schwartz has a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
17. Max Freedman
Chief Financial Officer, Playmaker
Max Freedman is the Chief Financial Officer of Playmaker. Playmaker is a sports media, talent & merchandise company with over 18 million followers, 50+ athletes and creators under management and more than 30 shows on Snap Discover. He first joined the company in 2021 as an investor before being named CFO, and has helped the company grow exponentially over the last two years into one of the top sports media brands.
Prior to joining Playmaker, Freedman served within the insurance industry for over 15 years and owned multiple insurance agencies. In addition to his current role, he serves as a consultant to other successful companies in various industries. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California where he earned an undergraduate degree in political science and psychology.
18. Kevin Mendez
Chief Financial Officer, Kiki on the River
Kevin Mendez is the Chief Financial Officer for Kiki on the River and its related restaurants. He manages the company's financial activities, including accounting, budgeting, and financing. Mendez is also a CPA and came from an over 10-year career in public accounting, where he worked in the tax field, preparing corporate and high-net-worth individual tax returns. Mendez joined Kiki’s team two months before the pandemic and successfully helped the company navigate through difficult times straight to consecutive record-breaking years. He is focused on helping the company grow and expand to new markets that further contribute to its high-end hospitality brand.
Mendez graduated from Florida International University with a BA in Accounting and MS in Taxation from Nova Southeastern University, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude.
19. Ed Aguero
CFO, Cole Scott & Kissane PA
Ed Aguero is the Chief Financial Officer of Cole Scott & Kissane, PA. He’s an accounting and finance professional with a proven track record in profit optimization, problem-solving, and team development.
Aguero has held leadership positions in the administration of accounting and finance departments of privately and publicly owned companies. He first got his start in 2000 as a Market Business Manager at Nestle Waters. From there, he went on to Air Jamaica before eventually rising to Chief Financial Officer at Becker & Poliakoff. Aguero graduated from Florida International University College of Business with an MBA and an undergraduate degree in business administration and accounting.
20. Chris Clements
SVP & Chief Financial Officer, Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium
Chris Clements is the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium. In his role, Clements is responsible for organizational accounting, payroll, insurance, treasury, business systems, purchasing operations and business strategy for properties. These include the Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium and Formula One Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix. Additionally, he manages the budget and expenditures for over $800 million in capital investments for projects, including the Hard Rock Stadium modernization, the Miami Open tennis facility, and the new Baptist Health Training Complex.
Previously, Clements was at IMG Worldwide since 1996 in a variety of senior leadership positions, most recently as Senior Vice President and Business Unit Chief Financial Officer of several sports segments in Cleveland. In 2019, South Florida Business & Wealth recognized Clements with the Apogee Award for being a top leader in South Florida Business. Clements has a degree in accounting from Northwood University in Midland, Michigan.
21. Jesus Portillo
Chief Financial Officer, ThriveDX
Jesus Portillo is the Chief Financial Officer of ThriveDX, a global leader in cybersecurity and digital skills training. Portillo has over 20 years of experience in finance, operations, mergers and acquisition, business development, and business turnarounds in the technology, education, advertising, and communications industries.
Portillo first got his start in 1998 as a finance director at Young & Rubicam. From there, he went on to Young & Rubicam Group before eventually rising to COO at Ilumno, his most recent position prior to joining ThriveDX. Portillo graduated from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management with an EMBA and from Universidad de Sevilla with an undergraduate degree in business administration.
22. Adan Hernandez
Chief Financial Officer, Auxis
Adan Hernandez is the Chief Financial Officer of Auxis. He’s a trusted finance and accounting advisor with a proven record of developing and maintaining financial systems and processes. Hernandez is known for driving forecasting, budgeting, and liaising with key stakeholders at all levels to mitigate risks and accelerate profitability. He brings a wide breadth of hands-on finance experience in areas such as FP&A, Shared Services, international tax, cost accounting, internal controls, financial system implementations, and process improvement.
Before joining Auxis, Hernandez worked for multinational and Mexican organizations in various industries, most recently at Baxter Healthcare as the LatAm Region Finance Controller after a successful tenure as FP&A LatAm Head. His experience includes consulting and advisory services at Arthur Andersen (Accenture). Adan has an MBA in finance.
23. William Kirk
Chief Financial Officer, Security 101
William Kirk is the Chief Financial Officer of Security 101. He first joined the company in 2022. He’s a high-energy, results-oriented C-level senior financial professional with extensive leadership experience, driving organizations toward growth initiatives and maximizing profitability. An entrepreneurially-spirited leader with a proven track record of value creation, Kirk has experience in both small and large organizations.
Previously, Kirk was a CFO at Advanced Companies and, before that, a CFO at Unipower Powering Technology. Earlier In His Career, He Worked With Coopers & Lybrand As A Business Assurance Manager. Kirk earned an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Florida.
24. Dani Bchara
Chief Financial Officer, Papa
Dani Bchara is the Head of Finance & Business Operations at Papa. Bchara has over 10 years of experience in finance and consulting. He began their career as a Senior Associate in Transaction Services at PwC, where he worked for four years. Dani then transitioned to The Boston Consulting Group, first as a Summer Consultant and then as a Project Leader. Bchara was a co-founder at Caterwell, a corporate concierge and food delivery start-up launched in the UVA incubator program. Bchara has an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, as well as a master’s degree and a bachelor's degree from Florida State University.
25. Kevin Silver
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Butterfly Effects
Kevin Silver is the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Butterfly Effects. Silver also serves as a Director of Butterfly Effects, a Director of the Louisiana Coalition for Access to Autism Services, a Vice President of Moran Capital Partners, and the Acting Treasurer of the National Coalition for Access to Autism Services.
Previously, Silver served as a Director of Turning Technologies and Pennant Foods. Prior to joining Butterfly Effects, Silver served as Vice President of Brockway Moran & Partners, Inc. and an Analyst in the Commercial & Industrial Group of William Blair & Company. Silver graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor of Science in business administration.
