THE VANGUARD TEAM
Founder & CEO
KEN BANTA
Ken sets the overall direction of The Vanguard Network (TVN) and how it operates to benefit members and clients.
He launched TVN in 2014, and nurtured its growth from periodic meetings of healthcare leaders to today's organization supporting multiple networks of C-suite leaders, a robust roster of webinars and other digital content, leadership development programs, and insightful advisory services.
Ken graduated from Amherst College and attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. Ken lives in the East Village in New York City and enjoys the excitement of back country skiing.
COO
TONY POWE
Tony leads operations, member services, and partner relations.
He has 30+ years of experience heading up operations and customer relations in eleven for- and non-profit organizations on three continents, many of them startups, and 6 of them as owner/founder.
Tony has an MA in French and German from St. Andrews University in Scotland. He divides his time between the East Village in New York City and the 13th district in Paris. For many years Tony ran Kents Cavern in Torquay, England's most important archaeological site and a top tourist attraction. He was recognized as a leading 'gracious host' in NYC as the owner of the French restaurant Jarnac.
Managing Director
RICHARD HULME
Richard is responsible for providing strategic direction for Vanguard's service offerings with a focus on high-quality execution and client satisfaction.
During his 25+ years in strategy consulting, practice operations, and organizational effectiveness, he has worked as a chief-of-staff for the PwC Board chair, launched a global healthcare consulting practice, and delivered special projects for c-suite leaders.
Richard has a BS (Biology) from the College of William & Mary and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University. He lives in Rye (which is not in "upstate New York") with his dachshund, Bacon, and recently climbed Mt Washington in New Hampshire for "fun".
Manager, Operations
CONNOR PAYNE
Connor is responsible for project management for Vanguard's wide array of events. He also directly assists the COO, Tony, with various internal initiatives.
With 8 years of experience in consulting, sales, and startups, Connor has a proven track record of delivering value to his customers, clients, and projects.
Connor holds dual degrees in Business Management and Management Information Systems from Grand Valley State University. Connor lives in Detroit with his family.
Senior Advisor
DICK MOSHER
Dick leverages five decades of corporate and legal experience to provide valuable insights as an advisor to Vanguard's members and clients.
He has worked as a Chief Legal Officer (CLO), General Counsel (GC), or Associate General Counsel (AGC) for public and private corporations; as a senior counsel for prominent US law firms; and led business teams at Ball, Maytag, and Hoover.
Dick has a JD degree from Northwestern and is past president of the Conflict Resolution Alliance in Hawaii and still actively arbitrates/mediates business disputes.
Senior Client Relationship Officer
FELIPE RICO
Felipe – known to everyone as Rico – establishes, develops, and nurtures new and existing client relationships.
Combining experiences in education, the arts, and business, he specializes in leading personalized value-centric conversations that guide companies and leaders toward their goals.
Passionate about the creative industry, Rico actively supports award-winning projects in Colombia. He earned a BA in English at Amherst College where he was a member of the national championship soccer team.
Vice Principal, Executive Leadership Programs
GARRICK ISERT
Garrick is responsible for leading and facilitating programs for General Counsels and their teams with a focus on lawyers as leaders.
He has over 20 years of experience in corporate, management consulting, peer networks, executive coaching and leadership development.
A graduate of Wake Forest University with a BS in Business, he also earned a JD/MBA from Northwestern University. Garrick lives in Atlanta, GA with his family and is always searching for the best slice of pizza.
Executive Operations & Events Lead
HOPE NOVAK
Hope is responsible for providing high-level administrative support to our CEO Ken Banta. She is also responsible for overseeing and planning events, driving new business, and strengthening Vanguard's unique culture.
She has 10 years of experience supporting C-suite executives and 6 years managing corporate events. She graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University with a BS in Political Science.
She lives in Brewster, NY about an hour north of NYC. She is passionate about cooking and enjoys hosting dinner parties for her family and friends.
Content Director
JAMES PALLOT
Jamie is responsible for the overall quality and direction of Vanguard content, including blog posts, interviews, and newsletters.
He has over 25 years experience in media, having held senior editorial posts at NewsCorp, Time Inc., Microsoft and Condé Nast, where he won a National Magazine Award for General Excellence as the editor of Style.com.
Jamie has a BA in English with French from the University of Sussex and an MA in Comp Lit from the University of Southampton, and has also studied at the Sorbonne and St. Catherine’s College, Oxford. He lives in New York City with his wife Ida and moonlights as a singer/songwriter with a monthly residency at legendary NYC club KGB.
Media Director
KEN STONE
Ken is responsible for creating videos and podcasts from Vanguard events and also moderates Forums and other meetings.
He spent 20 years in radio and television newsrooms. He then went on to teach full-time at the University of Minnesota for 7 years and currently runs his own media production company.
After two years at Marquette University’s School of Journalism, he transferred to the University of Maryland and earned a BA in Radio/TV/Film. Ken lives outside of St. Paul, Minnesota and plays golf (badly) whenever he gets the chance.
Member & Client Relations Lead
NICO KENARY
Nico leads business development, marketing, and client and member satisfaction at Vanguard, driving success across the organization’s service offerings.
With experience in operations, strategy, business development, and fostering inclusive, collaborative teams, he brings a strong focus on execution to his role.
A graduate of Amherst College with a BS in Psychology, Nico played Division III soccer and was active in leadership and mental health initiatives, including LEADS, Hope Happens Here, and Active Minds. Based in Boston, he stays active by playing soccer, golf, ice hockey, and other sports when he can.
Editorial Director
SETH KAUFMAN
Seth is responsible for ensuring that Vanguard publishes relevant, engaging, useful and (hopefully) entertaining articles, interviews, playbooks, and emails.
A former journalist and ecommerce executive, Seth is also a ghostwriter who has collaborated on 16 books, including four bestsellers.
He graduated from the University of Binghamton in New York with a BA double major in English and Film History. A native New Yorker, he lives in Brooklyn.