Leadership
Marc Italia
Co-Founder & Executive Director, Joint-Chair
Marc Founded Airstayz (Australia based), now forming part of the USA based merger, Centralis Inc and CentralisX - Marc's career has spanned some 25 years across a broad industry base; infrastructure (tollways, water and gas distribution), renewable energy and communication sector, agriculture and horticulture, property development, investments (incl. Investment banking), hotels and accommodation, casino and entertainment industries – ranging in size from $1M to multi- billion dollar corporations; CityLink, Westar Gas, Crown (Casino), Southern Pacific Hotel Corporation (SPHC), AWB Ltd (Australian Wheat Board), Renzella Property & Hospitality, Olive Plantations of Australia Ltd, Yilgarn Mineral Resources, and overseeing a range of off- market investments in the technology sectors. Marc’s skill base includes corporate finance and advisory/corporate development and he holds a Bachelor of Business in Hotel Management and Finance, an MBA (Australia) specializing in International Business and has undertaken the CPA program (Australia).
Co-Founder & Executive Director, Joint-Chair
Marc Founded Airstayz (Australia based), now forming part of the USA based merger, Centralis Inc and CentralisX - Marc's career has spanned some 25 years across a broad industry base; infrastructure (tollways, water and gas distribution), renewable energy and communication sector, agriculture and horticulture, property development, investments (incl. Investment banking), hotels and accommodation, casino and entertainment industries – ranging in size from $1M to multi- billion dollar corporations; CityLink, Westar Gas, Crown (Casino), Southern Pacific Hotel Corporation (SPHC), AWB Ltd (Australian Wheat Board), Renzella Property & Hospitality, Olive Plantations of Australia Ltd, Yilgarn Mineral Resources, and overseeing a range of off- market investments in the technology sectors. Marc’s skill base includes corporate finance and advisory/corporate development and he holds a Bachelor of Business in Hotel Management and Finance, an MBA (Australia) specializing in International Business and has undertaken the CPA program (Australia).
Howard Wu
Co-Founder & Executive Director, Joint-Chair
Howard has over 10 years of real estate experience. He's acquired & built a $2Bn property portfolio over a decade, including residential, commercial, hotel and senior housing. He has expertise in acquiring undervalued and mismanaged hospitality assets and optimizing their valuation through repositioning and enhancing. On the technology side he has over a decade of software and hardware development.
Co-Founder & Executive Director, Joint-Chair
Howard has over 10 years of real estate experience. He's acquired & built a $2Bn property portfolio over a decade, including residential, commercial, hotel and senior housing. He has expertise in acquiring undervalued and mismanaged hospitality assets and optimizing their valuation through repositioning and enhancing. On the technology side he has over a decade of software and hardware development.
Marco Soriano
Co-Founder, Global Corporate Development & Media Engagement
Marco is a Partner and Chief Investment Officer at the Soriano Group Family Office, a leading consortium of global enterprises some privately held with offices in the United States, Europe, LatAm and Asia. His key strategic experience involved. Over the course of his career, Marco has had the privilege of leading a number of mergers and acquisitions. He is a resource for leading television shows and publications including Fox News, Fox Business, Nasdaq, RBN, CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg. Prior to joining The Soriano Group, he served as a VP at Goldman Sachs Private Banking side in London, UK and The World Bank Group as a Senior Financial Analyst under the Special Representative to the United Nations.
Co-Founder, Global Corporate Development & Media Engagement
Marco is a Partner and Chief Investment Officer at the Soriano Group Family Office, a leading consortium of global enterprises some privately held with offices in the United States, Europe, LatAm and Asia. His key strategic experience involved. Over the course of his career, Marco has had the privilege of leading a number of mergers and acquisitions. He is a resource for leading television shows and publications including Fox News, Fox Business, Nasdaq, RBN, CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg. Prior to joining The Soriano Group, he served as a VP at Goldman Sachs Private Banking side in London, UK and The World Bank Group as a Senior Financial Analyst under the Special Representative to the United Nations.
Arthur Linuma
Board Member
Arthur has Has worked with Morgan Stanley Global Wealth Management as a FINRA-registered financial advisor, before becoming a Vice President of Investments at UBS Financial Services. He owns a technology & coding company with over 40 employees over 8 years developing apps and other innovative systems.
Board Member
Arthur has Has worked with Morgan Stanley Global Wealth Management as a FINRA-registered financial advisor, before becoming a Vice President of Investments at UBS Financial Services. He owns a technology & coding company with over 40 employees over 8 years developing apps and other innovative systems.
Mark Halberstein
Board Advisor, Founder & CEO Simplenight
Mark has over a decade of experience in the travel and hospitality industries. Specializing in destination experiences, Mark built and ran a global concierge business which catered to groups and corporate customers as well as celebrity clientele. Mark is also an IATA accredited travel agent. Prior to founding SIMPLENIGHT®, Mark held positions at JPMorgan Investment Bank, Allied Partners and MKG. Mark graduated with a degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida and went on to receive his MBA in Finance and Marketing from the University of Miami.
Board Advisor, Founder & CEO Simplenight
Mark has over a decade of experience in the travel and hospitality industries. Specializing in destination experiences, Mark built and ran a global concierge business which catered to groups and corporate customers as well as celebrity clientele. Mark is also an IATA accredited travel agent. Prior to founding SIMPLENIGHT®, Mark held positions at JPMorgan Investment Bank, Allied Partners and MKG. Mark graduated with a degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida and went on to receive his MBA in Finance and Marketing from the University of Miami.
Mike Berson
Chief Technology Officer, Founder ChainStarters Inc.
Mike is the founder and CEO of Chainstarters, Inc. Chainstarters is a software development company that works closely with other businesses to help them find creative solutions that advance their vision by with the help of state-of-the-art technology. Under Mike’s leadership Chainstarters created a separate entity named Lavndr, whose sole focus is creating innovative solutions for the hospitality industry. Because Mike’s father owned his own small business, Mike grew up with a passion for discovering innovative ways to help businesses succeed. Prior to founding a technology firm, Mike was Vice President of a natural foods company in Boulder, Colorado. When he’s not working, Mike is likely to be found on his bicycle, hiking in the back country, or on a yoga mat.
Chief Technology Officer, Founder ChainStarters Inc.
Mike is the founder and CEO of Chainstarters, Inc. Chainstarters is a software development company that works closely with other businesses to help them find creative solutions that advance their vision by with the help of state-of-the-art technology. Under Mike’s leadership Chainstarters created a separate entity named Lavndr, whose sole focus is creating innovative solutions for the hospitality industry. Because Mike’s father owned his own small business, Mike grew up with a passion for discovering innovative ways to help businesses succeed. Prior to founding a technology firm, Mike was Vice President of a natural foods company in Boulder, Colorado. When he’s not working, Mike is likely to be found on his bicycle, hiking in the back country, or on a yoga mat.
