CEOcircle 2026 Cohort Program Guide

Travis Mack, Chairman and CEO, The Saalex Corporation

Mr. Mack is the Chairman and CEO of The Saalex Corporation, an advanced technology systems integrator supporting the Department of Defense/DOW. Since founding Saalex in 1999, he has grown the company into a leading provider of mission-critical capabilities across the defense, space, and intelligence sectors. Today, Saalex generates more than $185 million in annual revenue and employs over 1,000 professionals nationwide.

Mr. Mack is also the founder of Greenwood Capital Management, a private equity firm that acquires and scales operating companies across manufacturing, business services, and commercial real estate verticals. Across his platforms, he has completed more than 21 acquisitions representing over $250 million in enterprise value. He formerly served as CEO of Valeo Networks, a commercial IT managed services provider specializing in cybersecurity, cloud solutions, and network administration. Backed by private equity firm Siebert Williams Shank, Valeo grew to more than $20 million in annual revenue and over 100 professionals nationwide before completing a successful exit in 2026.

Committed to service and philanthropy, Mr. Mack founded The Mack Foundation to provide support, scholarships, and educational opportunities to underserved communities. He served eight years in the U.S. Navy and is a decorated, service-disabled veteran. His education includes degree and executive programs at the University of Phoenix, Dartmouth College, Clark Atlanta University, USC, and UCLA.

Frederick Royall III, Managing Director & Head of Inclusive Banking, J.P. Morgan

Frederick Royall III is a Managing Director and is the Head of Inclusive Banking, J.P. Morgan Global Banking, where he helps support local and diverse business leaders as they grow and scale.

He leads a team of business development executives that help business leaders grow and scale by driving awareness of JPMorganChase's full suite of products and services, with a focus on those who have historically faced obstacles accessing capital and other banking tools.

Fred has over twenty-five years of capital markets experience. He was previously the CEO and founder of Royall Capital Holdings, LLC, a boutique investment bank that raises capital for private, middle-market business leaders from historically underrepresented backgrounds. He serves on the Board of Trustees for the National Children's Museum and the Young Adult Institute (YAI) as well as Co-Chairs the Billion Dollar Roundtable Triad finance committee.

He earned his undergraduate degree from Syracuse University and MBA degree from Columbia Business School.

Fred is an active thought leader and has been featured in Fortune, Entrepreneur, Strategic CFO and other publications. He was selected by Crain's New York as a Notable Diverse Leaders in Banking and Finance and recently selected for the Power100 List of Financial Executives.

George Dutile, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, The Brydon Group

George Dutile is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of The Brydon Group, a private equity firm in Greenwich, CT. Additionally, George is an Adjunct Professor at the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business where he teaches "Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition."

George was most recently an Executive Director at J.P. Morgan's Private Bank in New York and helped create the first-ever initiative on Wall Street to back and support veteran-owned alternative managers. In addition, George frequently speaks on geopolitical events, resiliency and other leadership topics. Prior to that, George was at Goldman Sachs after receiving an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Prior to his transition, George served in the U.S. Special Operations Community for 16 years with 10 combat deployments: eight years as a U.S. Marine and eight years as the first Naval Special Warfare Civilian Operator at Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG). George's operations have taken him to Iraq, Afghanistan, Horn of Africa, Pakistan and other locations around the world.

George lives in Greenwich, CT with his wife, son and daughter. George is very involved in multiple philanthropic efforts in support of the veteran community including efforts to help wounded veterans heal and transition. George and his wife are on the Salute to Service board for Team Rubicon and George is a co-founder of Search & Acquire, a non-profit that supports veterans acquiring small businesses.

Adam “AJ” Jarnagin, Co-Founder and Former CEO, EXPANSIA

Adam “AJ” Jarnagin is a U.S. Air Force veteran and the co-founder and former CEO of EXPANSIA, a strategy and technology consulting firm serving the Department of War, NASA, and the Intelligence Community. Following its acquisition in January 2026, EXPANSIA is now part of Aether Aerospace.

AJ has devoted nearly three decades to our nation’s defense mission, and his leadership has earned national recognition. He was named the 2021 National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) National Small Business Executive of the Year, and EXPANSIA was honored as the 2022 SBA Veteran-Owned Business of the Year for New Hampshire and all of New England.

Today, AJ serves on the board of Aether Aerospace and advises veteran-led ventures. He is a proud member of the inaugural 2022 CEOcircle cohort and remained active in the program in 2023 as well.

AJ and his wife, EXPANSIA co-founder Tynel, live in Oakton, Virginia, and have four children and three grandchildren.

Jim O’Farrell, Former President & CEO, Advanced Management Strategies Group (AMSG)

Jim O’Farrell is a U.S. Navy veteran, entrepreneur, and, until recently, was the 100% Owner, President & CEO of Advanced Management Strategies Group (AMSG), a management and technology consulting firm he successfully sold in July 2026.

During AMSG's lifecycle, Jim was the COO, President & CEO. Under his leadership, AMSG grew from a small business with a single government contract supporting the Marine Corps, into an award-winning company generating more than $30 million in annual revenue, with over 200 team members and subcontractors supporting numerous federal agencies across 23 states.

Following the sale, Jim transitioned to AMSG's Board of Directors and now focuses on board service, mentoring entrepreneurs, and Angel, Venture Capital and Private Equity investing. Jim recently completed six years of service on the Board of the Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP) and currently serves on the Board of the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture and the Programs Committee of Business Executives for National Security (BENS).

A longtime supporter of veteran entrepreneurship, Jim is a former participant and facilitator of the IVMF/JPMorgan Chase CEOcircle program, where he mentored fellow veteran and military-connected business leaders.

Jim is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and holds an MBA from Averett University.

David Barbee, Head of Transaction Development, J.P. Morgan Commercial & Investment Bank

David Barbee is a Managing Director and leads Transaction Development for Global Banking at J.P. Morgan. He manages a national team of experts to guide corporate clients on succession planning, offer insights into private capital solutions to facilitate growth and ownership transition, and provide tailored access to J.P. Morgan's leading relationship network with investor clients.

David has 20+ years of banking experience in various capacities, including private capital markets, corporate banking, business operations, and strategy & business management. He started his career with BB&T until joining J.P. Morgan in 2006.

David holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mercer University's Stetson School of Business & Economics and a Master of Business Administration from New York University's Leonard N. Stern School of Business. He currently holds FINRA Series 79, 63, and 24 licenses. David is actively involved in the firm's efforts to foster relationships with diverse-owned businesses. He is also an alumnus of the Detroit Service Corps, a field consulting initiative aligned with J.P. Morgan's financial commitment to the revitalization of the city of Detroit.

Jonathan B. Smith, Negotiations Trainer & Coach, The Black Swan Group

Jonathan B. Smith is a negotiation trainer with The Black Swan Group and a trusted advisor to high-growth companies. He pairs his expertise in Tactical Empathy® with his experience as an Expert EOS Implementer, helping leaders and teams resolve conflict, strengthen relationships, and improve alignment, execution and performance.

Jonathan is the co-author, with Derek Gaunt, of Fight Less, Win More, which draws on lessons from high-stakes hostage negotiations and thousands of business negotiations. He delivers keynotes and workshops for business leaders, founders and family-owned businesses on the Black Swan Method™, including labeling, mirroring and the power of dynamic silence.

Alex Gorsky, Former Chairman & CEO, Johnson & Johnson

Alex Gorsky is the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Johnson & Johnson. He began his Johnson & Johnson career as a sales representative in 1988, advancing through positions of increasing responsibility across business units, geographies, and divisions. In 2012, he became the seventh leader to serve in the dual role of Chairman and CEO. He became Executive Chairman at the end of 2021, which he held until his retirement in January 2023.

As part of the company's commitment to serving more than a billion people each day, Alex oversaw significant breakthroughs in their Pharmaceutical, Medical Device, and Consumer portfolios. Additionally, throughout Alex's tenure, Johnson & Johnson consistently earned recognition for its innovation, effective management, and strong global reputation.

Through his work as a member of the Business Roundtable and the Business Council Executive Committees, Alex's influence has shaped both the healthcare landscape and the greater business community. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of Apple, IBM, JPMorgan Chase, the Cleveland Clinic, and the Travis Manion Foundation, and serves on the Board of Advisors, Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the April and Jay Graham Fellow at the George W. Bush Institute.

He also works with companies across the healthcare and technology landscape as a General Partner with Iconiq Capital and as the Co-Founder of the Alderline Group. Alex completed his undergraduate education at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and earned his MBA from Wharton in 1996.

Mark Elliott, Global Head of the Office of Military & Veterans Affairs, JPMorganChase

Mark A. Elliott is the Managing Director and Global Head of Military and Veterans Affairs for JPMorganChase. He oversees firm-wide efforts to honor those who have served and support their long-term success as employees, clients, customers and members of our communities.

Over nearly three decades serving in the U.S. Army, Mark commanded units at the company, battalion and brigade levels. Retiring as a Colonel, his assignments in both conventional and special missions units took him around the world including two deployments to Iraq, with his last serving as aide-de-camp to the commander of all forces in Iraq. Most recently, Mark Elliott was the Director of the Army's Land Warfare Network at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

Mark joined JPMorgan Chase in 2015 as a senior strategist on Global Technology Infrastructure's Strategy and Transformation team where he supported the firm's efforts to create new ways of interacting with customers in a digital environment.

He holds a Bachelor's of Science in physics from the University of Alabama, a Masters in Telecommunications Management from Southern Methodist University, and a Masters in Strategic Studies from the National War College in Washington, D.C.