Board of Directors
The Charleston International Film Festival is proud and thankful of these distinguished professionals.
BOB KOSIAN, Managing Partner, The Capital Solutions Group
A thirty five year career in International Investment Banking working in New York, London and Europe for The Capital Solutions Group / High Voltage Holdings, NewStar Financial, Citigroup and Prudential Securities: arranged or invested in over 200 transactions representing $20 billion. Currently Bob is the Managing Partner at The Capital Solutions Group/High Voltage Holdings with over 150 Middle Market Private Equity Groups controlling over $50 billion of capital. He serves on the Board of Directors for Charleston International Film Festival is the Senior Advisor, Founders Equity, LLC as well as the former Board Member of Neenah Foundry Company, York International, Van Camp Seafood and Board Advisor Dr. Pepper Seven-Up.
MICHAEL HOLLINGS, Attorney, Special Assistant to the General Counsel, Medical University of South Carolina
In 1987, Mr. Hollings formed Hollings and Associates, LLC for the purpose of representing corporate clients before the S.C. General Assembly and the U.S. Congress. For the next 23 years, he actively represented corporate clients by addressing key policy issues relating to transportation, commerce, natural resources, the environment, nuclear energy, healthcare, insurance and telecommunications. Some of Mr. Hollings’ more prominent corporate clients were the Motion Picture Association of America, Time Warner, BASF Corporation, CSX Transportation, America Ecology Corporation and Porsche Cars of North America. Mr. Hollings was recently named Special Assistant to the General Counsel at the Medical University of South Carolina. During a span of 38 years, Mr. Hollings actively participated in fundraising events and grassroots campaigning during his father’s 38 year tenure in the United State Senate. Mr. Hollings is a Board Member of the Charleston International Film Festival and is a member of the S.C. State Chamber of Commerce, The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce.
JOE RILEY, III, Brokerage Director and Long Term Care Specialist, MassMutual Financial Group
Joe Riley, III, CLTC (Certified in Long Term Care) is the Brokerage Director and Long Term Care (LTC) Specialist for MassMutual Financial Group. In 2003, Joe was awarded “Agent of the Year” by MassMutual for LTCi Agency First Year Commission Growth. In May of 2004 Joe was awarded the “Forty Under 40″ award by the Charleston Regional Business Journal. Joe is a supporting founder of the Coalition for Successful Aging in South Carolina, an advisory group of concerned individuals trying to affect a sensible policy in the state toward aging. In addition to serving on the Board of Director for the Charleston International Film Festival he also serves on the board of the Gavalas Kolanko Foundation.
MARGARET FORD ROGERS, Co-Owner, Vagabond Pictures and MM Arts and Tours; Owner, Margaret Ford Rogers Photography
Margaret Ford Rogers, was born in Baltimore, Maryland and has a B.A. from Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa. She is a Registered Nurse, a documentary filmmaker, internationally award winning screenwriter and freelance journalist and photographer. Margaret is the co-owner of Vagabond Pictures, and MM Arts and Tours and owner of Margaret Ford Rogers Photography. Her work has appeared in such diverse publications as Critical Care Magazine, The Annals of Surgery, The Minnesota Women’s Press and Southern Living. She is a frequent contributor to the Charleston Post and Courier. Currently Margaret has 85 clips licensed with Getty Images. She is a 2010 recipient of a Solas award for best travel writing, and a Kodak Access Grant. Margaret has optioned a number of screenplays, currently has two photo exhibits in Charleston and is a member of the International Documentary Association and the Charleston Center for photography. Recently Margaret has joined the board of the Charleston International Film Festival.
ADAM PAUL, Owner, Catch Multimedia and GillznFinz Television
Vincent Adam Paul’s affiliations in addition to the CIFF are with Catch Multimedia (Owner), GillznFinz Television (Owner), National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (EMMY Nominated Member), Charleston Business Journal’s (40 under 40), College of Charleston’s Alumni Magazine (Dream Jobs), College of Charleston School of Business (Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship), Reelin For Research Charity Fishing Tournament (Co-Founder), Telly Awards (8 time winner), Charleston City Paper (Editors Choice Best Of), and Charleston Young Professionals (Member). Adam is a passionate about his hometown of Charleston spending countless hours fishing the waters, enjoying the woods, promoting on television, and working towards it being the next “BIG” production town.
MARCIA CHANDLER RHEA, CPA Owner, Chandler Rhea, LLC – CPA, Partner, Care/Share Productions
Marcia Chandler Rhea graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. Degree in English and Spanish from The College of Charleston. She later returned to the College earning her Accounting Degree with Honors. Marcia is an award-winning CPA, screenwriter, author and filmmaker. The media has featured her as both a tax expert in the accounting profession and writer in the entertainment industry. Recent interviews include “The CPA Report,” “The SC Business Review,” Channel 5 and You Tube. She is the author of Does It Have To Happen Again? (The Gene Dillard Story). Marcia also acted as Gene Dillard’s booking agent and was instrumental in landing appearances on TV, including the national cable talk show “The 700 Club.” In the entertainment industry, Marcia’s film credits include “Made in Heaven,” “A Special Friendship” and “A Philadelphia Experiment.” She is the author or co-author of ten screenplays and has optioned her work to Hollywood. Her pitch meetings have included DreamWorks and Paramount. Her numerous writing awards and accolades include film festivals and prestigious competitions like the Academy’s Nicholls Fellowships in Screenwriting. Her newspaper articles have covered such diverse topics as eye care and celebrity interviews to tax and accounting subjects. On-camera appearances include “The Patriot” and local acting roles include the Veterans Administration. She served as a Press Writer for the US Army Corps of Engineers, producing 2 industrials and shortly thereafter, produced an independent short. Marcia is a Board Member of the Charleston International Film Festival. Past Board appointments include The Citadel and The Alumni Board of the College of Charleston Film Club. Professional associations include the SCACPAs and the Drake Tax Advisory Group.
DOUG COUPE, President, BOLD Communications Group
Doug Coupe is the consummate communications professional. Diligent, thorough and relentless, Doug is committed to effectively ‘spreading the word’ in this ever changing media environment. Through a creative, intelligent and an often outside-the-box approach, his clients are able to take advantage of both traditional and new media opportunities. Doug has designed and implemented innovative and successful PR and communication campaigns for a broad range of forward-thinking businesses, entrepreneurs and organizations. His clients quickly recognize that all efforts will be undertaken to connect their unique message with their intended recipients. Doug is certainly no stranger to the public arena. In a ‘previous life’, Doug experienced great success during his fifteen plus years in the film and television industry. He has acted in hit TV shows in addition to having appeared in a wide array of television commercials, music videos and print campaigns. That experience has served his clients well. Doug has no problem tracking down unique opportunities for all of those savvy enough to benefit from his services. In addition to his role as President with BOLD Communications Group, Doug is also a Producer of the feature film WARRIOR ROAD. He resides on the coast of South Carolina with his wife Edie and their two children.
BENJAMIN LEVITT, Owner, Regency Metals and Big Yellow Recycling
Benjamin is the principal at Regency Metals, a metal brokerage group, and of Big Yellow Recycling, a recycling center in Macon, GA. He is also a partner in Go Green Bio-energy, a plastic recycling and liquid reclamation company, based in Macon, GA.
JOHN OSBORNE, President of fundingcharleston.com, LLC Born and raised in Billings, Montana, John Osborne studied finance and economics while attending Charleston Southern University on a golf scholarship. John spent the next decade working various roles in the financial services industry including in commercial banking, private banking and wealth management. A 2008 graduate of Leadership Charleston, John continued his civic involvement becoming the Chairman of the Charleston Young Professionals group, board member of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce and the Education Foundation. In 2011 John was awarded 1 of 11 national community service awards issued by MassMutual Financial Group. John is also part of the inaugural Roper Foundation Fellows Program.
COURTNEY PARADES, Program Director, Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired
Courtney was raised in Charleston, SC and earned a BA form Wofford College. She is the Program Director for the Association for the Blind and Visually impaired. Courtney is also the owner of Fini Event Planning through which she has planned numerous private,corporate and fundraising events.
ALAN CRAIG, Executive Vice President, YBSpot
Alan has been working with companies for more than 25 years as both an executive and consultant. Currently, Alan is Executive Vice President of YBSpot, a financial services company bringing banking products to the underbanked. He has held senior management positions in multiple high growth companies leading them through periods of significant growth and expansion. In addition to his experience working directly with high growth companies, Alan has managed a High Risk Capital Fund to assist new or expanding businesses. He began his career in banking where he was a business development officer, commercial loan portfolio manager, and credit analyst. Alan is a co-founder and served as the chair of the South Carolina Investors Network, an organization dedicated to strengthening the entrepreneurial and investment resources available to businesses in South Carolina. He also played a role in the development of ThinkTEC and VentureSouth, two organizations which played important roles of the development of a knowledge economy in the Southeast. A graduate of The College of Charleston, he is past chair of its School of Business and Economics Advisory Board and board member of The College of Charleston Alumni Association.
BRIAN PEACHER, Vice-President/Co-Founder, Charleston International Film Festival
Brian Peacher was raised in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. He is a graduate of the College of Charleston with a BS of Economics, and avid traveler with over 10 years experience dealing in international business and relations. Brian contributed to the success of both the 2006 & 2007 Beverly Hills Film Festivals in California. He has always had a passion for art and creativity in all forms, but believes the art of film is one of the most unique and powerful mediums for touching the hearts and emotions of people. Brian is excited to help bring the projects of filmmakers from around the world to the city he holds close to his heart.
