Board of Directors
Edmund "E.Q." Sylvester - Chairman
Edmund “E.Q.” Sylvester is a director of the Western Golf Association (WGA), member of the United States Senior Golf Association (USSGA), and a triple amputee. Prior to his amputations, E.Q. was an international businessman having worked forty-one years for Rockefeller (IBEC) companies, General Motors Corp., and his own private company. He is a golf enthusiast having played 18 of the “top 20” golf courses in the United States as well as famous courses in Ireland, Scotland, England and Portugal. He carried a “6” handicap at one time and won many non - professional country club tournaments in the past. His passion for golf coupled with his present physical limitations is his driving motivation for making the Freedom Golf Association (FGA) an international success. EQ has a degree in International Economics from the University of Colorado, and has taken a series of business courses from NY University Business School.
Robert Early
Robert Early currently serves as Chairman of the Allant Group, where he leads Allant's strategic planning and growth initiatives. He has been on Allant’s board since January of 2003. He has over twenty years of experience in operating businesses, private equity, investment banking and consulting. Before Allant, Robert spent eight years in marketing and outsourcing services with both Acxiom Corporation and May & Speh, Inc. where he was Board Director, Executive Vice President of Corporate Development and Chief Financial Officer. Robert was the principal architect of the May & Speh growth plan, successful IPO and sale to Acxiom for $625 million. Robert previously worked with Graue Mill Partners, LLC, Ridge Capital Corporation and Grant Thornton, LLP. He earned his BA with honors from Duke University and his MBA from the University of Chicago. Robert is a Certified Public Accountant and also serves as a board member of several privately held companies. He currently resides in Hinsdale, Illinois. His son, Christian, currently serves as the President of FGA’s Junior Board.
Dennis Jones
Since its founding in 1993 Dennis Jones has served as the CEO of Hinsdale Bank & Trust Co. A resident of the Fullersburg Woods section of Hinsdale Dennis and his wife of 37 years, Susan, are the parents of four adult children. Dennis received an undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Illinois (Chicago) in 1974 and an MBA from DePaul University in 1979. Since 1996 Dennis has been a member of Ruth Lake Country Club and has served in various board spots for Ruth Lake. Over the years Dennis has served in official capacities with numerous not for profit and civic organizations including the Western Golf Association, Village of Hinsdale, Fenwick High School, LINK Unlimited and the United Way. An avid, very average player, Dennis has just two golf goals each year….to play somewhere at least once in every month of the year and to birdie each of Ruth Lake’s eighteen holes at least once each year…..these remain goals.
Joseph King
Joseph King was previously Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Molex Incorporated. In 1996 he was named Executive Vice President and held responsibility for Molex’s functional groups worldwide. Prior to that role, he was Group Vice President-International, where he was responsible for sales and manufacturing operations in Europe, the Far East and new international ventures. In 1985 he served as a Corporate Vice President and President of Molex’s Far East South Region. While he was President of the Region he opened Molex’s Malaysia facility and initiated discussions on operations that would later open in Thailand and China. Prior to that he worked as the Assistant to the head of Molex’s International operations in 1979. He joined Molex at its operation in Shannon, Ireland in 1975. Joseph received a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 1966 from the National University of Ireland in Cork and a Master of Engineering Science degree from the same institution in 1967. He also received a Master of Industrial Engineering degree from the National University of Ireland in Galway. He currently resides in Hinsdale, Illinois.
Frederick A. Krehbiel
Frederick A. Krehbiel served as a director of Molex from 1972 to 2013. Mr. Krehbiel was Co-Chairman of Molex's Board of Directors, and from 1988 to 1999 he served as Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer as well as Chairman from 1993 to 1999. From 1999 to 2001 he served as Co-Chief Executive Officer and as Chief Executive Officer from 2004 to 2005. Mr. Krehbiel's prior public company director experience includes DeVry Inc. (1996-2008) and Tellabs, Inc. (1985-2008). He has 48 total years of experience with Molex. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois in 1963 and also did post graduate work at Georgetown University and the University of Leicester in England. He currently lives in Hinsdale, Illinois.
Bryce McMichael
Bryce McMichael is currently Director of Client Leadership at ESP Properties. Prior to his work with ESP, McMichael was the Director of Client Leadership at IEG, a Senior Account Executive at KemperLesnik and held account executive positions at KemperLesnik, Momentum Worldwide and Chicagoland Speedway. McMichael is a 2007 graduate of the University of Kansas, where he received his BSE in Sports Management. He currently resides in Hinsdale, Illinois.
Mike Munro
Michael Munro has been the owner and operator of the White Pines Golf Dome since he founded it in 1991. Prior to that, he was a bank examiner working with the largest banks and bank holding companies for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Mike holds a BS degree in Business Administration and an MBA degree in Finance both from Illinois State University. Mike is on the Board of Directors for Maryville Academy in Des Plaines and for the Illinois PGA Foundation. For 23 years he also was on the Board of Directors and was President for Neumann Family Services in Chicago which serves primarily Chicago adults who are developmentally or mentally disabled.
Charles Watson
Charles Watson currently serves as Managing Director and Partner of Russell Reynolds, where he Focuses on Global Banking & Markets, Private Equity, Energy and Infrastructure. Prior to Russell Reynolds, Charles served in Sector Sales for J.P. Morgan and Deutsche Bank and served in an Equity Research position for Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette. Charles holds a B.A. in Economics from Middlebury College and an MBA from the Columbia University Business School. He resides in New Canaan, Connecticut.
Edmund “E.Q.” Sylvester is a director of the Western Golf Association (WGA), member of the United States Senior Golf Association (USSGA), and a triple amputee. Prior to his amputations, E.Q. was an international businessman having worked forty-one years for Rockefeller (IBEC) companies, General Motors Corp., and his own private company. He is a golf enthusiast having played 18 of the “top 20” golf courses in the United States as well as famous courses in Ireland, Scotland, England and Portugal. He carried a “6” handicap at one time and won many non - professional country club tournaments in the past. His passion for golf coupled with his present physical limitations is his driving motivation for making the Freedom Golf Association (FGA) an international success. EQ has a degree in International Economics from the University of Colorado, and has taken a series of business courses from NY University Business School.
Robert Early
Robert Early currently serves as Chairman of the Allant Group, where he leads Allant's strategic planning and growth initiatives. He has been on Allant’s board since January of 2003. He has over twenty years of experience in operating businesses, private equity, investment banking and consulting. Before Allant, Robert spent eight years in marketing and outsourcing services with both Acxiom Corporation and May & Speh, Inc. where he was Board Director, Executive Vice President of Corporate Development and Chief Financial Officer. Robert was the principal architect of the May & Speh growth plan, successful IPO and sale to Acxiom for $625 million. Robert previously worked with Graue Mill Partners, LLC, Ridge Capital Corporation and Grant Thornton, LLP. He earned his BA with honors from Duke University and his MBA from the University of Chicago. Robert is a Certified Public Accountant and also serves as a board member of several privately held companies. He currently resides in Hinsdale, Illinois. His son, Christian, currently serves as the President of FGA’s Junior Board.
Dennis Jones
Since its founding in 1993 Dennis Jones has served as the CEO of Hinsdale Bank & Trust Co. A resident of the Fullersburg Woods section of Hinsdale Dennis and his wife of 37 years, Susan, are the parents of four adult children. Dennis received an undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Illinois (Chicago) in 1974 and an MBA from DePaul University in 1979. Since 1996 Dennis has been a member of Ruth Lake Country Club and has served in various board spots for Ruth Lake. Over the years Dennis has served in official capacities with numerous not for profit and civic organizations including the Western Golf Association, Village of Hinsdale, Fenwick High School, LINK Unlimited and the United Way. An avid, very average player, Dennis has just two golf goals each year….to play somewhere at least once in every month of the year and to birdie each of Ruth Lake’s eighteen holes at least once each year…..these remain goals.
Joseph King
Joseph King was previously Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Molex Incorporated. In 1996 he was named Executive Vice President and held responsibility for Molex’s functional groups worldwide. Prior to that role, he was Group Vice President-International, where he was responsible for sales and manufacturing operations in Europe, the Far East and new international ventures. In 1985 he served as a Corporate Vice President and President of Molex’s Far East South Region. While he was President of the Region he opened Molex’s Malaysia facility and initiated discussions on operations that would later open in Thailand and China. Prior to that he worked as the Assistant to the head of Molex’s International operations in 1979. He joined Molex at its operation in Shannon, Ireland in 1975. Joseph received a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 1966 from the National University of Ireland in Cork and a Master of Engineering Science degree from the same institution in 1967. He also received a Master of Industrial Engineering degree from the National University of Ireland in Galway. He currently resides in Hinsdale, Illinois.
Frederick A. Krehbiel
Frederick A. Krehbiel served as a director of Molex from 1972 to 2013. Mr. Krehbiel was Co-Chairman of Molex's Board of Directors, and from 1988 to 1999 he served as Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer as well as Chairman from 1993 to 1999. From 1999 to 2001 he served as Co-Chief Executive Officer and as Chief Executive Officer from 2004 to 2005. Mr. Krehbiel's prior public company director experience includes DeVry Inc. (1996-2008) and Tellabs, Inc. (1985-2008). He has 48 total years of experience with Molex. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois in 1963 and also did post graduate work at Georgetown University and the University of Leicester in England. He currently lives in Hinsdale, Illinois.
Bryce McMichael
Bryce McMichael is currently Director of Client Leadership at ESP Properties. Prior to his work with ESP, McMichael was the Director of Client Leadership at IEG, a Senior Account Executive at KemperLesnik and held account executive positions at KemperLesnik, Momentum Worldwide and Chicagoland Speedway. McMichael is a 2007 graduate of the University of Kansas, where he received his BSE in Sports Management. He currently resides in Hinsdale, Illinois.
Mike Munro
Michael Munro has been the owner and operator of the White Pines Golf Dome since he founded it in 1991. Prior to that, he was a bank examiner working with the largest banks and bank holding companies for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Mike holds a BS degree in Business Administration and an MBA degree in Finance both from Illinois State University. Mike is on the Board of Directors for Maryville Academy in Des Plaines and for the Illinois PGA Foundation. For 23 years he also was on the Board of Directors and was President for Neumann Family Services in Chicago which serves primarily Chicago adults who are developmentally or mentally disabled.
Charles Watson
Charles Watson currently serves as Managing Director and Partner of Russell Reynolds, where he Focuses on Global Banking & Markets, Private Equity, Energy and Infrastructure. Prior to Russell Reynolds, Charles served in Sector Sales for J.P. Morgan and Deutsche Bank and served in an Equity Research position for Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette. Charles holds a B.A. in Economics from Middlebury College and an MBA from the Columbia University Business School. He resides in New Canaan, Connecticut.
Honorary Directors
Stewart N. Dansby-Birmingham, AL | Steve Elkington-Houston, Texas | Ernest J. Letby-London, UK
Clarence V. Nalley III-Atlanta, GA | Jan Stephenson-Tampa, FL | Mark Wilson-Elmhurst, IL
Clarence V. Nalley III-Atlanta, GA | Jan Stephenson-Tampa, FL | Mark Wilson-Elmhurst, IL
FGA Staff
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Edmund Q. Sylvester – Chairman
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EQ Sylvester
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Kathy Farrell – Volunteer Director of Finance
- BS in Mathematics from Northern Illinois University
- BA in Accounting from Aurora University
- Masters in Management from Northwestern University
- Retired from Caterpillar, Inc. in 2007 after 34 years of service
- Extensive community outreach including Freedom Golf Association, Life Long Learning Institute (LLI), Fox Valley PC Association (FVPCA) and St. Anne’s Catholic Church
Laurie Hrad - Executive Assistant