Bio

Howard received his B.S. in engineering from Georgia Tech. Upon graduation, he served a four year tour of active duty as a Lieutenant in the U. S. Navy assigned to nuclear submarines and deep submergence rescue and salvage projects. He also earned his M.S. in engineering and received his M.B.A. in finance from Harvard Business School. He has pursued post-graduate studies at Oxford, Cambridge and the London School of Economics. Howard served in various senior management positions with The Charter Company in Jacksonville, Florida. Charter was a NYSE conglomerate with revenues in excess of $5 billion and operations in insurance, energy and communications. Prior to April 1984, he was Executive Vice President of Charter’s Insurance Division. In April 1984, Charter filed Chapter 11 and Charter’s Board asked him to leave the insurance operation which was to be sold and assume the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the parent company. In this capacity, he arranged over $400 million of new financings and assisted in the development of the plan of reorganization. Charter successfully emerged from bankruptcy in early 1987 and he began a one year assignment as the first Executive-in-Residence and Visiting Professor at the University of North Florida’s College of Business. In August 1988, Howard completed the acquisition and recapitalization of Environmental Recovery Group and served as its financial advisor and a major shareholder. Environmental Recovery Group was a privately owned environmental remediation and construction company serving the southeastern U. S. market. In 2007, it was sold to Moran Towing. In July 1991, Koger Properties’ Board asked Howard to assume the positions of Executive Vice President and Director. Koger Properties was a NYSE developer, owner and manager of over 13 million square feet of suburban office buildings and parks located throughout the southeast. In September 1991, Koger filed Chapter 11 and he directed the development of Koger’s plan of reorganization. Koger successfully emerged from bankruptcy in December 1993. In January 1994, Howard became a principal with Business Valuation, Inc. and Heritage Capital Group. Business Valuation provides financial consulting and valuation services to privately held business enterprises. Heritage Capital Group is a regional investment banking firm providing merger and acquisition advisory, consulting and intermediary services to privately held middle market companies. In December 1994, Pic N’ Save’s Board asked him to assume the part-time position of Director of Special Projects and to assist the company in evaluating its strategic alternatives. Pic N’ Save was a privately owned regional discount merchandiser with revenues in excess of $300 million. In February 1995, Pic N’ Save filed Chapter 11 and he assisted in the development of the plan of reorganization. Pic N’ Save emerged from bankruptcy in February 1996. Howard resumed his full time duties as a principal and senior adviser to Business Valuation and Chairman of Heritage Capital Group in early 1996. In addition to Howard’s teaching experiences at the University of North Florida, he has lectured extensively on a number of financial topics including corporate turnarounds, mergers and acquisitions, business valuations, financial restructurings and bankruptcy. He has served as an Executive Professor at the University of North Florida’s College of Business and has lectured at Jacksonville University’s College of Business, the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore, India, the University of the South Pacific in Fiji and the Harvard Business School. Howard serves on the Board of Directors of numerous corporate entities ranging from privately held operating companies to private equity investments to venture capital start-ups. In 2011, he was elected to the Board of Directors of Consolidated-Tomoka Land Co. (NYSE MKT: CTO). He is a member of the Financial Executives Institute, the Association for Corporate Growth and an honorary member of Beta Gamma Sigma. Howard is committed to his community and has served in leadership positions on numerous civic boards and activities, including the UNF Foundation, Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum of Science and History, Governor’s Economic Advisory Council, Leadership Jacksonville and Youth Leadership Jacksonville, Cultural Council, Brooks Health System, Downtown Vision, Baptist Medical Center–Beaches, Art With A Heart, JCCI, Community Foundation (Finance Committee), Jacksonville Marine Institute and Associated Marine Institute, Mimi and Lee Adams Environmental Advisory Board, Sheriff’s Advisory Council, First Coast Venture Capital Group, Enterprise North Florida, River Club, Community Coaches Program, United Way, Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Mental Health Resource Center, Junior Achievement, UNF Business Advisory Council, UNF Financing Corporation, FCCJ Open Campus Advisory Board and Downtown Master Plan Committee. In 2002, Leadership Jacksonville honored Howard with its Distinguished Community Trustee Award. In 2010, the University of North Florida recognized Howard’s long standing support by awarding him the Presidential Medallion for Outstanding Service.