Board of Trustees

Chairman

Nicholas L. Gregory, ChFE , CEBA, ChCCA - CEO of The Financial Engineering Institute

Nicholas L. Gregory is also President and CEO of The Financial Engineering Institute, LLC; the governing body and grantor of the professional designation, Chartered Financial Engineer. He is dedicated to providing quality financial education, training, marketing, coaching and advanced case design for the financial services, accounting, legal and non-profit communities. Mr. Gregory is also President of The Charitable Capital Design Center, LLC, an organization which assists both financial professionals and charitable organizations in enhancing their planned giving capabilities. In 2021, his firm’s 34 licensed offices across the country and over 4,700 participated financial advisors, accountants and attorneys were directly involved in more than $1.8 billion in planned gifts; benefiting both their clients and over 400 selected nonprofits. Nick, his son, Kyle, and several other entrepreneurial philanthropists are using their past experiences and successes to make our organization the number one resource for giving in the Nation.

Mr. Gregory holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Ball State University with minors in Economics and Finance. Mr. Gregory is a member of the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning and The Financial Engineering Institute.

CEO

Kyle C. Gregory, ChCCA - CEO of Give Back Nation

Before Give Back Nation, Kyle held management positions with UPS, Lowes and The Bank of New York Mellon. From 2006, using his vast array of management experience and dedication to “giving back”, Kyle, his father, Nick, and several other entrepreneurial philanthropists spent more than five years in planning the launch of Give Back Nation. In 2010, leveraging his Give Back Nation experiences helping hundreds of nonprofit organizations increase and maximize their marketing, exposure and impact, Kyle developed and founded his first marketing firm, which evolved into CompeteSMART Marketing; a national resource serving organizations and professionals with vetted tools, knowledge, coaching, strategy and implementation to maximize marketing efficiency, improve marketing exposure, increase revenue and grow brands.

Kyle’s mission is to help great causes expand their impact while creating a “circle of winning” within communities across the nation. Kyle received his bachelors degree in Business Management from the University of Central Florida and is a member of The Charitable Capital Institute.

John A. Warnick, J.D. — Founder of the Purposeful Planning Institute

John A. balances his enthusiasm for tax savings with in-depth discovery and purposeful questions to ensure the planning is congruent with his client’s core values. He delivers workshops across the nation for estate planning attorneys and financial planners. He facilitates family retreats and providing wealth counseling, fiduciary and philanthropic consulting services. Prior to launching his own business, John A. was a partner in the Denver office of Holme Roberts & Owen LLP for almost eleven years after practicing in Nevada and Wyoming previously. Mr. Warnick received a BA magna cum laude from Brigham Young University and his JD from George Washington University with honors

Jeff Bae, JD, CVA — Managing Director of Valuation Services

Jeff provides valuation consulting services for business owners, attorneys, accountants, and other professional services providers, for gift and estate tax reporting, income tax reporting, reorganizations, buy/sell agreements, marital dissolution, litigation support, IRC §409A (deferred compensation), financial reporting (i.e., ASC 805/350 and SFAS 123R), ESOPs, and financing purposes.

Jeff began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in their National Tax Office. As an international tax associate, he advised multinational companies on the tax implications of their international operations as well as coordinating U.S. tax laws with foreign tax laws to develop optimal tax strategies. Jeff’s main expertise is in the valuation of ownership interests in operating businesses and closely-held, private entities that own real properties, marketable securities, and other income-producing assets. He is an active member of national and local professional organizations and frequently travels to Florida to manage VSI’s Miami office. Jeff has been involved in over 6,000 valuation engagements.

Joel Thomas — President of Stratos Jet Charters

Joel Thomas is the Founder and President of Stratos Jet Charters. Stratos Jet Charters has grown into one of the nation's most respected air charter agencies. He has served on the board of the Air Charter Association of North America as President, as Vice President and is the current Chairman. Mr. Thomas has been called on repeatedly to represent the air charter brokerage industry, from ACANA panel discussions to speaking at several key events. Joel has also contributed to numerous articles that have been published by the Air Charter Journal, NATA’s Aviation Business Magazine, Business Jet Traveler and the Gallery Magazine.