Robert Ruyak
Managing Partner and CEO, Howrey LLP
Robert Ruyak was appointed Managing Partner and CEO of
Howrey (www.Howrey.com) in January, 2000 and serves as Chairman of the
firm's Executive Committee. With a national reputation, Mr. Ruyak is one of the
firm's most experienced and respected jury trial lawyers. Cases he has tried
cover a wide range of legal and substantive areas, principally antitrust (both
civil and criminal), intellectual property (including patent, trademark and
trade secret), insurance coverage, international trade, and variety of
commercial disputes. Throughout his career, he has been a proponent of and
pioneer in the use of computer technology in litigation.
A partner at Howrey since 1981, Mr. Ruyak has extensive litigation and jury
trial experience covering a wide range of commercial disputes and substantive
areas of law. His experience encompasses matters involving computer hardware,
software, semiconductors, telecommunications, medical devices, chemicals, food,
steel, paper, transportation, heavy equipment and automobiles, among others. He
specializes in managing and trying complex cases, representing plaintiffs as
well as defendants.
Mr. Ruyak is also a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars addressing the
protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, jury trial strategy
and tactics, and the use of technology in litigation.
Martin A. Cannon
Director and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Cannon joined NHSi in 2002 and became CEO in December 2003. Mr. Cannon has
held senior positions with several leading management consulting firms
including Bain & Company and A.T. Kearney, which acquired Cannon
Associates, an international consulting and business development firm founded
by Mr. Cannon. His consulting engagements encompassed the diagnostic
instrumentation (including ultrasound), blood banking and hospital management
industries. Mr. Cannon also served as Executive Vice President with Commerce
One, Inc. and Group President, Management Consulting with AppNet, Inc. with
responsibility for the development and deployment of software-based decision
support platforms. He is a graduate of the University of Oxford.
Guy Cogan
Senior Partner, The Monitor Group
Guy Cogan is a Senior Partner of the Monitor Group, leads one of the firm’s consulting business units, and oversees the firm’s relationships with some of Monitor’s most significant global clients. Guy’s work generally encompasses corporate and business unit strategy development and implementation, serving Fortune 100 companies at Board and CEO level, in a broad range of industries ranging from consumer products, retailing, professional and information services through to healthcare. Guy’s other current responsibilities include serving as a director of MAST, our affiliated M&A and investment advisory firm.
Guy started his career at Bain and Company in London, England, ultimately serving between 1986 and 1989 as the Managing Partner of that firm’s UK operations. He subsequently co-founded and led a private investment firm focused on acquiring and managing the turnaround of underperforming companies. Returning to consulting in 1996, Guy joined A.T. Kearney, where he led the “Central” region – one of the four sub-divisions of the Americas – as well as the Americas Strategy Practice, and served as a member of the Americas’ Management Committee. He joined Monitor in 1999.
Mr. Cogan received his MBA at the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, where he was named a Baker Scholar. He took his undergraduate degree in Engineering at Cambridge University in England. He lives today in Toronto, Canada.
Stephen Eckert
Chief Executive Officer, Classic Communities Corporation
Stephen Eckert is a native Chicagoan who came to the Washington area after receiving a Master’s degree from the University of Illinois. He began his career in homebuilding/development in 1978 as the Director of Government Relations for the Maryland National Capital Building Industry Association. From that position he joined Herman Porten in 1980 to help assemble the property that served as the foundation for a new company, Porten Sullivan Corporation. Steve was responsible for many areas within Porten Sullivan, eventually becoming President in 1987. Under his direction, Porten Sullivan’s annual revenue grew from $50,000,000 to $110,000,000. Steve left Porten Sullivan in 1989 and founded Classic Community Corporation with his partner Rick Sullivan. Steve is President and CEO of Classic Community Corporation (CCC). CCC is a privately held homebuilder and developer with projects in Frederick, Montgomery, Anne Arundel, Baltimore and St. Mary’s Counties in Maryland. Steve is an active member of his community. He has served on special committees for the Montgomery County Council analyzing tax and budget issues. He has also served on committees studying the impact of regulations on the housing industry generally and affordable housing in particular. He frequently is a panelist at the annual Montgomery County Symposium on Affordable Housing. Steve has also been a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Maryland National Capital Building Industry Association. He served as the organization’s President in 1995. Steve is the recipient of the Milton Kettler Award for lifetime contributions to the community at large and to the homebuilding industry. Steve received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in History from the University of Illinois. He and his wife Patti have three daughters and live in Bethesda, Maryland.
D. Jeffrey Hirschberg
D. Jeffrey Hirschberg is a partner in Kalorama Partners, LLC, an advisory firm
that specializes in corporate governance issues. Prior to joining Kalorama in
May 2004, Mr. Hirschberg directed the Corporate Responsibility Practice of
Howrey Simon Arnold & White. Previously, Mr. Hirschberg was Vice-Chair of Ernst
& Young and a partner in its legal department. Mr. Hirschberg represented E&Y
before Congress, the DOJ, the SEC and other regulatory bodies; he helped draft
and secure passage of the Private Securities Litigation Enforcement Act of
1995. From 1972-80, Mr. Hirschberg was Special Counsel to the Deputy US
Attorney General, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division's Special Litigation
Section, and a Senior Trial Lawyer in its Fraud Section. Earlier, he served as
Assistant US Attorney for Milwaukee.
Since 2002, he has been a Governor of the US Broadcasting Board of Governors,
which directs all non-military US international broadcasting. He is also
Director Emeritus of the US-Russian Investment Fund (audit committee) in New
York, and Director of the US-Russia Business Council, Israel Policy Forum, and
US-Russia Center for Entrepreneurship.
Mr. Hirschberg received his B.S. degree in 1967 from the University of
Wisconsin, and his J.D. degree in 1971 from Marquette University Law School.