Long Island Capital Alliance Appoints Michael A. Lane as Chairman
Neil M. Kaufman to Serve as Chairman Emeritus and Remain a Director
Melville, NY – December 7, 2018 – The Long Island Capital Alliance (“LICA”), Long Island’s leading non-profit capital formation and business development organization, today announced that Michael A. Lane will become its Chairman of the Board effective February 1, 2019, the beginning of its next fiscal year. At that time, LICA’s current Chairman, Neil M. Kaufman, will transition into the role of Chairman Emeritus and will remain on the organization’s Board of Directors.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my tenure as Chairman and look forward to continuing to serve LICA as Chairman Emeritus and a member of its Board of Directors ,” said Neil Kaufman. “It has been a privilege to participate in the success that LICA has enjoyed, including its dynamic enhancement of the growth and development of many local companies.” Mr. Kaufman served as a LICA Chairman since 2012, Vice Chairman from 2005-2012, and as Secretary and a director for several years prior to 2005.
Mr. Kaufman continued, “I am confident that the energy, ideas and leadership that Michael Lane will provide as chairman will drive LICA to continued and further success. For the past 5 years, LICA has immensely benefited from Michael’s contributions. The regional growth economy is in very good hands with Michael now leading this organization.”
“On behalf of LICA’s Board and entire membership, as well as the regional business and investment communities, we are grateful for Neil’s leadership, tireless commitment, organizational achievements and the many wonderful business relationships he has forged for LICA,” said Michael A. Lane, Chairman-elect of LICA. “With Neil as Chairman for the past 7 years, we have continued to enhance our highly successful quarterly industry focused Capital Forum series to be best-in-class events. We also have expanded our entrepreneurial educational programs, increased our membership and expanded our Board of Directors. We are particularly proud to have created access to capital for the formation and advancement of countless companies on Long Island and in the tristate area. I look forward to continuing to work with Neil in support of LICA’s mission of promoting economic development in our region.”
Mr. Lane has been a director of LICA since 2013. His career spans over 30 years, during which time he has held senior executive positions and led sales organizations primarily focused on
Information Technology applications and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions at companies ranging from early stage venture capital backed companies to large publicly traded enterprises. Mr. Lane brings strong operational, managerial and consultative expertise, with significant experience gained while at Accenture, Bankers Trust, Chase/Chemical Bank, Bottomline Technologies, PegaSystems, and a division of Fiserve. He is also an experienced angel and venture capital investor.
As an entrepreneur and C-suite executive at several private companies, accomplishments include significant sales growth and market awareness campaigns, product development leadership, mergers and acquisitions, and successfully raising capital totaling nearly $100 million in aggregate from Accenture, Microsoft, Compaq, The Bank of New York, Advent Software and several leading venture capital and private equity firms. Earlier, he worked for some of the world’s largest financial institutions in roles of increasing responsibility involving billing and MIS, business process management (BPM) software development, implementation and sales/marketing, and major account management for customers such as some of the bank’s largest clients, including The City of New York, AT&T, Amerada Hess, Pepsi, and Bear Stearns.
Mr. Lane earned a BA degree from UCLA and received an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Mr. Kaufman is the managing member of Kaufman & Associates, LLC, a corporate and securities law firm based in Hauppauge, NY. He represents a wide variety of businesses and investors in connection with their corporate, securities, financing, borrowing, merger & acquisition, contract and other legal matters. He combines over 30 years of experience in corporate and securities law and in the boardroom with extensive experience and a deep understanding of the special circumstances and nuances of the cannabis and technology industries.
In addition to LICA, Mr. Kaufman’s other business advisory, volunteer and philanthropic activities include serving as chairman of the Long Island Chapter of Financial Executives International; a member of the Board of Trustees and chairman of the audit committee of Two Roads Shared Trust, a collection of open-end alternative mutual funds; and member of the Board of Trustees and chairman of the audit committee of Altegris KKR Master Commitments Fund, a closed-end private equity mutual fund.
Mr. Kaufman received a J.D. from New York University School of Law (1984) and a B.A. from Binghamton University (1981). He is admitted to practice law in the State of New York, and was named a 2017 SuperLawyer.
Originally published on licapital.org.