Acceleration Team Alumni
The Entrepreneur/Executive-in-Residence position at JumpStart is intended to be a short-term (1-3 years), commitment. This portion of the website recognizes our EIR "alumni" and the positions of entrepreneurial and/or executive leadership that they now fill.
Samuel P. Gerace
JumpStart Entrepreneur-in-Residence: 2004-2005
Current Position: CEO, Flash Seats, LLC
Sam Gerace bring 20 years of entrepreneur experience in leading companies through early and growth stages and developing them into profitable, sustainable organizations. Most recently, Sam has served as the chief technology officer and on the board of directors of ValueClick, Inc (NASDAQ: VCLK) which provides a comprehensive advertising and marketing platform for leading retail and consumer businesses. The company brings Web publishers together with advertisers and provides the technology necessary for each side to manage online advertising. Prior to ValueClick, Sam founded and served as Chief Technology Officer of Be Free, Inc (NASDAQ: BFRE). Be Free builds, manages, and maintains Internet-based affiliate marketing programs for such corporate clients as barnesandnoble.com, eBay, and Staples.com. He was the founder of and has been involved in managing of Be Free, Inc. since the inception. Sam graduated cum laude from Harvard University with a BA in Biochemistry. He received a Masters in Business Administration from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.
Mozelle T. Jackson
JumpStart Executive-in-Residence: 2005-2006
Current Position: Senior Vice President & CFO, Fifth Third Bank
Mozelle Jackson has over 16 years of financial and operational experience with both entrepreneurial and corporate companies with a focus on industrial products. Prior to joining JumpStart, Mozelle was the President of Weatherchem Corporation, a manufacturer and marketer of plastic dispensing closures supplying the packaging industry. In this capacity, she was responsible for the restructuring of the company that led to the financial and operational turnaround of the company within one year. Under her direction, the company continued to be highly profitable and continued its growth. Prior to Weatherchem, Mozelle served as the Vice President of Finance for Corrpro Companies, Inc., a publicly-traded provider of services and products to the global infrastructure, energy and environmental markets. Mozelle was also the Vice President and Corporate Controller for a publicly-traded manufacturer and distributor of plumbing, electrical and hardware products. She began her career at Arthur Andersen LLP, in the audit practice. Mozelle was named one of the Women of Note by Crain's Cleveland Business in September 2001. She is also a founding member of In Counsel With Women, an organization which is committed to the development of professional relationships among top executive women in Northeast Ohio. Mozelle is also a member of the Blue Ribbon Committee which was established to support and expand the offering of recreational activities to adults and children with disabilities. Mozelle holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Cleveland State University and is a Certified Public Accountant.