Great Decisions group leaders for the 2024 season pause for a photo after their organizational meeting in January.

2025 Great Decisions Leaders

Stuart Angus:  Honors graduate in Engineering, University of Toronto.  Worked in the leadership of Private and Public Engineering/Construction companies in Canada and abroad.   Firms were multi-disciplined with an emphasis on water, wastewater, roads and highways, and solid waste.  Participated in Ontario Premier’s Advisory Council, providing advice directly to the premier on a variety of issues. Participated on the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, an organization dedicated to providing advice to the Canadian Government. Has participated on Great Decisions for a number of years.

Dave Brown:  Graduate of Case Western Reserve University with BSME and partial MBA from John Hopkins University & University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.  He has spent 30 years in marketing and international management positions for Swedish and US industrial manufacturing businesses.  This included bi-weekly visits to Western Europe, restructuring a French business, managing a licensee in Japan, purchasing a business in Germany and building a factory in India. Over the last 18 years he started and built an online custom furniture business. He has been a Great Decisions participant since 2017 and assumed a leadership role in 2020.

Steve Feldhaus:  Graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Stanford Law School.  Clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.  Retired in 2005 as a senior partner after 33 years with the international law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski, where he led practices in the areas of tax, corporate, and high net worth, working in the firm’s Houston, London, and Washington D.C. offices, responsible for negotiating, structuring, and implementing complex transactions representing individual and corporate clients in Eastern and Western Europe, Russia, China, the Middle East, Africa, India, Australia, and South and North America. Continues to represent clients around the world as a solo practitioner. Previously a shareholder, director, and general counsel of Stratfor.  Previously secretary of the Pelican Bay Foundation and a leader on its legal committee. In Great Decisions for nine years.

Bill Feldman:  Graduated from William Patterson University and New Jersey Institute of Technology where he majored in Philosophy and Computer Science respectfully.  He is a veteran who served in the US Navy from 1969-73. Bill’s work career was in Information Technology.  He worked at Crum and Forster Insurance, GE and CompuCom Systems. Bill managed long-term client service engagements at BMW, GE, GM, NBS, Pfizer, Zurich, etc.  His interests include reading (especially history and politics), current affairs, tennis, hiking, biking, travel (Europe, Asia, South America), and cooking.  He has been a member of Great Decisions since 2014.

John Ferriter:  Received an undergraduate degree from Queens College, University of the City of New York, an LL.B from the School of Law, Fordham University, and an MPA from the JFK School of Government, Harvard University. He joined the U.S. Department of State and served in Washington DC, France and several African countries, retiring after 28 years. He then worked at the International Energy Agency in Paris as the Deputy Executive Director for 10 years.  He has been a Great Decisions participant since 2011 and assumed a leadership role in 2015. 

Francisco Figueroa:  Holds a PhD in Systems Engineering from Texas Tech University, an MS in Systems Management from USC, and an MS in Astronautical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology. Was an officer in the US Air Force Space Program, then joined Lockheed Martin from which he retired as Vice President. A certified public accountant, Francisco founded a CPA firm and strategic planning consulting company following retirement from Lockheed. He has traveled extensively, including all 50 states and 108 countries. Francisco has been a Great Decisions moderator since 2005. 

Paul Flowerman:  Has an MBA from New York University, a Masters of Arts from Harvard, and a Bachelors from Princeton in the History and Philosophy of Science. He has been a Peace Corps volunteer, an international business entrepreneur, and a social entrepreneur focused on digital education at the "base of the pyramid" (S. Africa, India, and Cambodia). He was a 2018 fellow in Harvard's Advance Leadership initiative, where besides his focus on personal improvement, Paul researched opportunities to help young people (at scale) to build better lives. Paul joined Great Decisions in 2021 to debate how to help the world become a better place, and is in his first year as a Great Decisions Group Leader.

Paul Fox:  A former journalist, Paul entered the world of Government relations during the 1980s later joining a major UK airline as head of communications and public affairs.  He ran three successful consultancies in Europe before moving to the United States of America in the 1990s to provide strategic counsel to many Fortune 500 companies.  He retired in 2017 as P&G’s Vice President of Strategic Initiatives.  Following his retirement, he devoted his time to teaching at the University of Oxford, Xavier University and Northern Kentucky University. Paul has held many external positions including the Board of the Boston Better Business Bureau, the National Association of Manufacturers’ Public Affairs Steering Committee, Chairman Emeritus of the Washington-based Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy, Chairman of the National Association of Manufacturers Working Group on Counterfeiting. He now resides in Florida with his wife, Lee.

Carol H. Green:  Former newspaper senior executive, attorney and reporter. Retired as senior VP of labor relations, legal affairs and human resources from The Denver Post.  Led negotiation for management of many union labor contracts to restructure struggling newspaper operations for Post and Newsday in Long Island, as well as leading strategic corporate communications. News reporter and editor for 18 years in Shreveport, LA, Guam, and Denver. Lectured on First Amendment for U.S. Information Agency in Egypt and India. Master’s Degree Yale Law School under Ford Foundation fellowship for journalists, J.D. Univ. of Denver. World Affairs Council/Great Decisions member 6 years, member of NCWA Board of Directors. Currently a literary agent in Naples.

Bob Haffa:  Received degrees in international affairs and political science from the U.S. Air Force Academy, Georgetown University and MIT.  He followed a 24-year career in the Air Force, which included flying assignments in Vietnam, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Korea, with a second career working for Northrop Grumman, directing their corporate Analysis Center in Washington DC.  He has been a Great Decisions participant since 2013 and assumed a leadership role in 2015.

Tom Hanson:  Graduated with a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Iowa.  He has held management positions with a multinational commercial air conditioning firm before establishing his own firm in Chicago. Tom has been involved with several not-for-profit organizations during his retirement years and travels internationally with his wife, Nancy.  He has been a member of Great Decisions for over 10 years.  They became co-group leaders in 2016.

Rob Perelli-Minetti: International corporate and mergers and acquisitions lawyer in New York and Greenwich Connecticut for over 40 years, with experience in Europe and Japan. Studied history at Virginia Military Institute, holds MA in European intellectual history from University of California Santa Barbara and has done additional graduate work in mathematical and urban economics at University of California Santa Barbara.  JD from University of California Los Angeles.  Joined Great Decisions in 2019

Phil Odeen: Served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense under Robert McNamara and Mel Laird and then handled Defense and arms control issues for Henry Kissinger on the NSC staff.  He served on or chaired various defense advisory committees including the Defense Science Board and Business Board. He is a retired businessman having been CEO of two public companies He also has served on numerous public company boards.

David Portman: Graduated from the Bronx High School of Science before receiving a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Cornell University in 1960.  He then attended Graduate School at the University of North Carolina where he received a Masters Degree in City and Regional Planning.  Following two years service as a First Lieutenant in the US Army in Germany, he accepted a position as a consultant with a noted planning firm in Rye, NY.  Several years later he took over the firm and grew it into the largest of its kind in the country.  Clients included such communities as Scarsdale, Bedford and Old Westbury, NY and Greenwich and Darien, CT.  David served two terms as President of the American Society of Consulting Planners and also served on the Advisory Council to the College of Architecture. Art and Planning at Cornell. He has been a Great Decisions member for over 10 years.

George P. Purvis: Holds BA, BS, and MBA degrees from Penn State. Worked internationally on Health and Hospital projects for 25 years, as well as on projects for The World Bank, The European Commission, United States Aid for International Development, German Aid, British Aid, the Aga Khan Foundation, and the Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation.  He has participated in Great Decisions for ten years, leading the Marco Island Group for the last six years.

Jim Rater: Earned a BA degree from St. Ambrose University in Iowa and an MD degree from the University of Iowa, where he completed a Radiology Residency. Also holds an MS in Management from the University of Wisconsin.  After service as a Captain in the Army Medical Corps at Poitiers, Vienne, France, he was a Diagnostic Radiologist and held various medical staff leadership positions in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Traveled extensively, especially in Europe but also China, South America and Australia. Seasonal Naples resident since retirement. Great Decisions member since 2010.

Robert (Bob) Sanchez:   Graduate of Brown University. He is a retired Navy officer and did graduate studies at Columbia University Law School and New York University Graduate School of Business Administration. Bob's business career was in data and corporate communications as well as financial services. He currently serves as president of his university club and of the Reserve Officers Association in Naples.  He also serves as president of the Property Owners Association in Pelican Bay where he lives full time with his wife. 

Stu Schweitzer: Graduate of City College of New York, and holds a Ph.D. in economics from University of Minnesota. Following time in academia and at the Federal Reserve, Stu had a long career on Wall Street as a global economist and markets strategist. He has been a docent at the Holocaust Museum and Education Center of SW Florida, a member of Great Decisions since 2015 and a Group Leader since 2019. Stu is a member of the Board of Directors for NCWA and Chair of the Great Decisions program.

Jim Stam:  Honors graduate in Economics, Oberlin College.  Also attended the Masters of Science business program at Sloan School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Most of his career was as a management consultant, retiring as a partner at Arthur Young & Company, and then working in his own business, assisting large and small manufacturing companies manage change in their production facilities.  He also was CFO of a small, high tech manufacturing company and partnered in managing a small garment manufacturing business.  Jim’s current interests include reading (mostly nonfiction), golf, bridge, travel and cooking.  Jim joined Great Decisions in 2023 and is in his first year as a Great Decisions Group Leader.

Robert S. (Rusty) Troth:  Graduated from MIT in electrical engineering and the University of Wisconsin-Madison in political science and Russian studies. Retired from the U.S. Army following 30 years of active duty, primarily as an intelligence analyst, manager, and trainer. Lived for 12 years in Western Europe and SE Asia.  He has been a member of a Great Decisions discussion group since 2009 and group leader since 2013.

Wayne Vespoli:  Former global finance and operations executive, with a particular focus in the middle market, and extensive experience with private equity investors.  Wayne has lived and worked in Latin America and North America, and lead organizations and served on boards of directors in Europe and the U.S.  He has extensive capital markets and acquisitions experience, has been an expert witness in U.S. Federal Court on financial matters, and has recent experience in the energy storage industry and energy efficient applications.  He began his career as a licensed CPA, and is a graduate of Miami University.

Mark Walchak:  Received a B.S. from Michigan State University and an MBA from Xavier University. Did graduate studies in mechanics and material science at Rutgers University. Worked as an engineer in the consumer products and pharmaceuticals industry.  Worked on anti-counterfeiting and led a multi-national team to establish an international standard for bar coding pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Was the past president of Speakers Assembly of Southwest Florida. Mark is an avid biker and travels extensively and has just completed an around the world trip with National Geographic. Joined Great Decisions in 2016.

Peter Wall:  Graduated from Dartmouth College, AB (history); Cornell University Business, MBA (finance), and Cornell University Law,  JD (tax).  He was a U.S. Army Captain serving on the intelligence staff of Gen. Abrams in Vietnam.  In NYC he was a CPA on the audit and tax staff of Price Waterhouse. For much of his working life he was a tax partner with the law firm Hale, Grant, Meyerson, O’Brien & McCormick in NYC and later, with his own law firm, in Greenwich CT.  Peter joined Great Decisions after his 2012 retirement, becoming a discussion leader in 2022.

Dean Weidner:  Earned a BA from Yale and a JD from Dickinson (now Penn State) School of Law, after which he led and developed a business law firm in Harrisburg PA, where he practiced for over 45 years, providing real estate counsel for national and regional corporations.  He also served on boards of numerous regional for-profit and nonprofit corporations, continuing that service as president of his condominium association on Marco Island. Dean and his wife have travelled to all 7 continents, learning from the people they encountered on those journeys. He joined Great Decisions in 2018, and has been part of the leadership of the Marco Island group since 2020.

Mo Winograd: Has a Master’s Degree in political science and another in criminal justice. She was executive director of the Essex County Bar Association in New Jersey for 25 years and retired in 2003, and secretary, treasurer and co-founder of Legal Services Foundation of Essex County from 1983-2018. She chaired the ACLU’s Committee on Public Education and Information for Collier County, 2008-2018, and was Vice President of the Collier County chapter of the ACLU, 2010-2018. Her experience managing and continuing to educate 3,000 attorneys enabled her to organize four Great Decisions groups in Bonita Springs of approximately 100 new registrants. She has been leading one of them since 2011. Vice Chair of the NCWA Model UN from 2014-2017, chaired Model UN in 2018 and served on the Naples Council Board of Directors from 2014-2018.

Great Decisions Chair: Dave Brown