Business for the Arts of Broward (BFA) has announced executive committee officers and new board members:
Chair of the BFA board of directors is Jarett S. Levan, who was most recently chair emeritus. Levan is CEO and President of BBX Capital, Inc., a Florida-based diversified holding company whose principal investments include BBX Capital Real Estate, Hoffman’s Chocolates, IT’SUGAR, and Renin. A member of the Florida Bar, Levan graduated Cum Laude from the University of Miami School of Law and earned a BBA in Finance from Goizueta Business School at Emory University.
Vice-chair of the board is Joey Epstein, CPA, CGMA, Managing Director at BDO Certified Public Accountants and Advisors – one of the largest firms in the country. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Miami University in Ohio and is an avid art collector.
Treasurer is Eris Sandler, Executive Vice President and Retail Executive for the BankUnited Broward County market. Known for her leadership and generous community service, Sandler sits on the board of several organizations and donates her time dedicated to helping children.
Secretary is Maria Pierson, co-founder and CEO of Pierson Grant Public Relations and an award-winning publicist and marketer. An active member of the South Florida community, Pierson was raised in Broward County and earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from University of Florida.
Immediate past chair is Brian R. Kopelowitz, Esq., co-founder of Kopelowitz Ostrow, Ferguson, Weiselberg, Gilbert P.A. and leader of the firm’s real estate litigation department. Kopelowitz is a graduate of American University in Washington, D.C. and Nova Southeastern University Law School, where he graduated with honors.
At-large member of the board is Miguel Pilgram, founder of The Pilgram Group, a lifestyle brand based in Fort Lauderdale. Prior to starting his own company, Pilgram served in the Navy. He’s an avid supporter of the arts, culture and fashion and his community support mirrors his personal interests. He opened NYSW Jazz Lounge in 2018.
Five new board members have also been announced:
Cathy Donnelly is the director of community relations at the Castle Group, a property management firm that she co-founded with her husband James. Donnelly is also immediate past chair of Children’s Services Council of Broward County and is an active member of other Broward County-based nonprofits. Donnelly oversees the various opportunities for staff members to volunteer and support the nonprofit community and manages the annual giving budget on behalf of the company. Donnelly is a native of Liverpool, England.
Derek Koger serves as the Executive Director of Tribal Community Development at the Seminole Tribe of Florida, managing several departments, including Community Planning & Development, Construction Management, Real Estate, Housing and Public Works. He is a graduate of Leadership Florida, a Member of the Orange Bowl Committee, Board Member of Opportunities Industrialization Centers (OIC) of South Florida and the YMCA of South Florida. Koger has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology from University of South Florida and a Master’s in Public Administration from Florida International University, where he cultivated his passion for community outreach.
Mark Kravitz is president of Jenco Properties, a real estate investment and management firm that has owned and managed multifamily properties in South Florida for three generations. Kravitz is involved with several Florida and national nonprofit boards and is committed to various LGBTQ organizations. A native of Miami, Kravitz has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University and a law degree from Yeshiva University’s Cardozo School of Law.
J. Scott McCleneghen is executive vice president of South East Regional Commercial Group for First Horizon/IBERIABANK in Florida and has more than 20 years of banking experience in the South Florida market. Since joining the bank in 2012, McCleneghen has overseen the business banking, commercial lending and private lending departments in the Southeast Florida and Florida Keys markets. He is a board member of the Timber Tech PGA Championship tour event at Broken Sound Golf Club, chairperson of the finance committee of St. John Paul II High School and chairperson of In The Pines of Delray Beach. A South Florida native, McCleneghen has a B.S. in Business Administration from University of Alabama.
Robert Taylor is CEO of Burdette Beckmann, Inc. (BBI), a national sales agency focused on best-in-class representation of consumer products. Taylor has taken a small Florida-based family-owned company and built a national agency that operates in all 50 states. The company is actively involved in national and local corporate philanthropy initiatives and has played a significant role in building homes for single moms at Sheridan House and has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to build affordable housing.
