Officers and Directors

Meresa Morgan, President

Meresa has more than 20 years of experience providing audit services to mid-sized private businesses, employee benefit plans and nonprofit organizations. She also provides consulting services, including business acquisition and due diligence.

She serves on BKR International’s Employee Benefit Plan Auditing Committee and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants ("AICPA") Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center. Meresa is also a member of the Lone Star Council of the American Society of Pension Actuaries, The Entrepreneurship Institute and the Greater Houston Partnership Professional Services Committee. She is a member of the Women’s Finance Exchange Board for 2010 and serves as Membership Chair.

Meresa earned a B.S.B.A. in Accounting from Auburn University.

To contact Meresa, e-mail her at mmorgan@bvccpa.com

Sheryl Falk, President Elect

Kathleen Harrison, Secretary

Ashley Smith, Treasurer

Ashley recently joined IBERIABANK’s Commercial Lending Group in May of 2009 as Vice President, Relationship Manager. With $10.4B in assets, IBERIABANK, founded over 123 years ago, is the 2^nd largest financial holding company based in Louisiana. IBERIABANK is a multi-bank financial holding company with 220 combined offices, including 140 bank branch offices in Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas and Florida, 26 title insurance offices in Arkansas and Louisiana, and mortgage representatives in 54 locations in 12 states. IBERIABANK’s comprehensive product line includes, Retail, Commercial, Private Banking, Mortgage, Cash Management, Online Banking and Investment Services. IBERIABANK stock is traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol IBKC. Prior to IBERIABANK, Ashley worked as a Relationship Manager for Citibank, N.A.’s Middle Market Commercial Lending Group for 6 years.

Ashley is an active member of Candlelighters (provides support to children with cancer and their families – www.candle.org), Women of Wardrobe (a group of young professional women whose mission is to support Dress for Success Houston), Tri Delta Houston Alumni Chapter, and the Texas Young Professional Women’s Organization.

Ashley is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a BS in Finance.

To contact Ashley, e-mail her @ ashley.smith@iberiabank.com.

Margaret Ceconi, Membership Chair

First Capital is a leading commercial finance company serving middle market companies with revenue typically between $10MM and $150MM. Our clients are b2b companies in manufacturing, wholesale, distribution, and business services generating commercial receivables. When your business needs a more flexible loan structure, we respond quickly and decisively. After closing, we provide a high level of personalized service to help you seamlessly manage your financial operations.

Typical loans range from $3MM to $15MM.

Criteria:Most companies qualifying for a First Capital asset-based loan will be B2Bs (business-to-business) in manufacturing, wholesale, distribution and/or servicing generating commercial accounts receivable invoices.

Margaret has over 20 years experience in corporate lending, Asset-based lending, subordinated debt and equity financings. Margaret holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Southern Mississippi. Margaret also serves on the board of Justice For Children, a non-profit organization that provides legal advocacy for abused and neglected children.

To contact Margaret, e-mail her @ mceoni@firstcapital.com

Stasa Cushman, Programs Chair

Stasa is Director of Corporate Communications for SunAmerica Financial Group. SunAmerica Financial Group is comprised of several leading life insurance and retirement services businesses that market their products and services under their highly respected legacy brands including American General Life Companies, VALIC, Western National, SunAmerica Retirement Markets, SunAmerica Mutual Funds, FSC Securities, Royal Alliance and SagePoint Financial. The unified businesses offer a comprehensive suite of life insurance, retirement savings products and guaranteed income solutions through an established multi-channel distribution network that includes banks, national, regional and independent broker-dealers, career financial advisors, wholesale life brokers, insurance agents and a direct-to-consumer platform.

With more than 20 years of experience, Stasa has served in Corporate Communications roles within many industries, including insurance, private banking, wealth management, engineering, energy and mutual fund management. In her current role, she is responsible for public relations, crisis communications, media relations, brand management, executive communications, marketing communications and events planning for American General Life Companies, one of the SunAmerica Financial Group businesses.

Stasa earned her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Houston.

To contact Stasa, e-mail her at scushman@safg.com.

Tami Jarrett Plummer, Special Events Chair

Established in 1987, Jaye C. Jarrett & Co., Inc. is an independent registered financial advisory and research firm that provides investment advisory and consulting services to bank trust departments and trust companies and financial consulting to individuals. Consulting services provided to bank trust departments and trust companies include: asset allocation and portfolio construction, mutual fund and investment manager selection, monitoring, evaluation and performance measurement. Consulting services provided to individuals include portfolio and retirement plan reviews and analysis.

Tami received a BBA in 1981 and a MBA in 1984 from The University of Texas at Austin. A CPA since 1984, she gained experience at Ernst & Whinney as an accountant for two years and at Citicorp/Citibank as a bank lending officer for eight years. In 1993, she joined Jaye C. Jarrett & Co., Inc. as a registered investment advisor, financial consultant and FINRA principal and registered representative. Her clients include bank trust departments, trust companies and individuals. Securities licensing, registration and transactions are through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a FINRA registered broker dealer. Investment advisory services and portfolio management for individuals is conducted through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, a registered investment advisor. Cambridge and Jaye C. Jarrett & Co. Inc. are not affiliated.

To contact Tami, e-mail her @ tami.plummer@cambridgeresource.com.

Jan Fisher, Director - At Large

Jan has over 30 years of experience in the title insurance and banking industries, including sales and marketing for a vendor manager providing products and services for residential real estate transactions; management of a title underwriter’s centralized order processing center for residential title insurance transactions; title agency relations on both a local and national level; acquisitions of title agencies, exchange companies, and ancillary service providers; and managing depository relationships with title, exchange and escrow companies.

As Vice President – National Business Development for Old Republic Site Management Services (ORSITE), a nationwide vendor manager servicing commercial real estate clients by providing due diligence products (land surveys, environmental studies, property condition assessments, zoning letters and reports, and appraisals), she is responsible for all sales and marketing initiatives.

Jan is a member of the American Land Title Association, the Texas Land Title Association, International Council of Shopping Centers, Women’s Finance Exchange and CREW. A native Mississippian and Honorary Texan, she graduated with Special Distinction from the University of Mississippi with majors in mathematics and English.

To contact Jan, e-mail her at jjfisher@oldrepublictitle.com

Crystal Leonard, Director - At Large

Contact WFE

Women's Finance Exchange

Meresa Morgan, President
Briggs & Veselka Co.
6575 West Loop South, Suite 700
Bellaire, Texas 77401
(713) 353–1921