Mr. Zoley is GEO’s Executive Chairman of the Board. He served as Chairman, CEO and Founder until July 1, 2021. He served as GEO’s Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from January 1997 to May of 2002. Mr. Zoley served as GEO’s Chief Executive Officer since the company went public in 1994. Prior to 1994, Mr. Zoley served as President and Director since GEO’s incorporation in 1988. Mr. Zoley founded GEO in 1984 and continues to be a major factor in GEO’s development of new business opportunities in the areas of correctional and detention management, community reentry, electronic monitoring, offender rehabilitation, and other diversified government services. Mr. Zoley also serves as a director of several business subsidiaries through which The GEO Group, Inc. conducts its operations worldwide.
Mr. Zoley has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Public Administration from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and a Doctorate Degree in Public Administration from Nova Southeastern University (NSU). For seven years, Mr. Zoley served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, and previously served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Mr. Zoley was born in Florina, Greece and was the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2002.
As GEO’s founder, his knowledge, experience, and leadership are invaluable to the operation and development of the company. His more than 35 years with the company make him uniquely qualified to be GEO’s Executive Chairman of the Board.
Mr. Mayotte has over 35 years’ experience in Leadership, Risk, Insurance, M&A and Financial Management. Mr. Mayotte is currently Chairman of the Audit Committee, Chairman of the Planning Committee, Chairman of Compensation Committee, Chairman of Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, Chairman of the Independence Committee and is the Lead Independent Director for The GEO Group (NYSE: GEO). Mr. Mayotte also serves as an Independent Director of Tarian Group (a private firm) and provides Financial Advisory Services through TPM Advisors LLC.
Prior Experience:
Mr. Mayotte was an Independent Director of Trean Insurance Group (Nasdaq:TIG), where he served on the Audit Committee and was Chairman of the Independent Committee representing Trean shareholders when Trean became a private company.
Mr. Mayotte was the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Oasis Outsourcing, where he founded the organization in 1996, and was a principal architect of the company's business model and strategic direction. He oversaw the building of the Oasis’ financial systems and controls, technology platform and the negotiation of key supplier relationships as well as the successful acquisition and funding of over 17 acquisitions during his tenure at Oasis. Oasis grew to be the largest privately held Professional Employer Organization with over 225,000 co-employees, prior to being acquired by Paychex (NYSE: PAYX) in December 2018. At Paychex, Mr. Mayotte held the position held the position of President of Paychex Insurance Agency and Strategic Advisor at Paychex’s PEO Group.
Mr. Mayotte held the role of Treasurer of The Wackenhut Corporation (NYSE), where he supervised the company’s banking and cash operations, mergers / acquisitions, and risk management. Wackenhut was the primary initial investor of Oasis. He was instrumental in negotiating with H.I.G. Capital in 2003, the first private equity partner of Oasis when it was spun-out from Wackenhut. He also secured investments of private equity firms Nautic Partners in 2006 – 2014 and Stone Point Capital in 2014.
Mr. Mayotte received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Emory University. He resides in Boca Raton, Florida.
Dr. Thomas Bartzokis has over 30 years of experience in the medical field, specializing in the practice of cardiology. He has served as general partner of several cardiology practices since 1993. In 2011, Dr. Bartzokis established, and currently serves as Managing Partner of Bartzokis, Rubenstein & Servoss, MD, PL, which offers services in Consultative and Interventional Cardiology. He is a Clinical Affiliate Assistant Professor of Cardiology at the Charles Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University and has held leadership positions at Boca Raton Regional Hospital including Chief of Cardiology, Cardiac Cath Lab Director and Chief of Echocardiography.
Dr. Bartzokis earned a B.A. degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Harvard University and a Medical Degree from Harvard Medical School. He completed his Residency training at Harvard University at the New England Deaconess Hospital, serving as Chief Medical Resident and Clinical Instructor of Medicine. His fellowship training in Cardiology was completed at Stanford University Medical Center where he also was a Clinical Instructor of Medicine. While at Stanford, Dr. Bartzokis authored 21 research articles on cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Bartzokis has been nationally recognized as a Castle Connelly Top Doctor consistently from 1998 to 2022, where top physicians throughout the U.S. are rated based on an independent peer review selection process.
Dr. Bartzokis has extensive experience in medical management, clinical practice and medical research. These qualifications will strengthen GEO’s Board of Directors’ collective knowledge, capabilities and experience.
Since 2001, Brewer has managed a portfolio of businesses, including an investment advisory firm, a hedge fund as well as global sports management agency. Brewer has written over 100 National published articles and is a regular news contributor on Fox News, News Max and Yahoo Finance. He leads global charity efforts delivering millions in emergency aid and currently provide programs to thousands living in extreme poverty in Africa and the Caribbean. Mr. Brewer founded The Serving Institute, his Liberty University affiliated faith sports-based academy for at-risk youth in America.
In 2020, Jack Brewer became the White House Appointee on the Congressional Commission for the Social Status of Black Men and Boys. He is an adjunct professor at Fordham Gabelli School of Business, where he teaches his business leadership and transition curriculum tailored to transitioning athletes as well inmates in prison. Brewer was NFL team captain for the Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles. Brewer attended Southern Methodist University where he was a two-sport player, breaking the Disney World Classic record in triple jump and was an All-American candidate as a wide receiver in football. He later transferred to the University of Minnesota where he continued as an All-Big Ten track and football Athlete, who served as the team captain. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Minnesota by the age of 22. Brewer resides in Florida with his wife, Cortney, and has four children: Jared, Laesha, Jackson, and Zayah.
Ms. Kauranen is an accomplished senior executive with over 30 years’ experience. Ms. Kauranen has served as the President of Arduin, Laffer & Moore Econometrics LLC, a consulting firm, since 2005. Ms. Kauranen has also served as Policy Advisor for the Alaska Legislature since 2023. She has previously advised several state governments on transition, finance and budgetary matters, including Florida, California, Illinois and Montana, most recently advising the Montana Governor-elect Transition in 2020 and the Alaska OMB Director in 2019. Ms. Kauranen received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Public Policy from Duke University.
Mr. Kernan has served as a director of GEO since September 2018. Mr. Kernan served as the Agency Secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (“CDCR”) from January 2016 until August 2018. Prior to that time, Mr. Kernan was appointed the Undersecretary of Operations of CDCR beginning in September 2008 and served in that position until retiring in October 2011. In March of 2015, Mr. Kernan returned to the Undersecretary position from his retirement at the request of California Governor Jerry Brown and worked in that capacity until January 2016. From October 2011 until March 2015, Mr. Kernan owned his own independent consulting firm that specialized in corrections and criminal justice. From March 2007 to September 2008, Mr. Kernan served as the Chief Deputy Secretary of Adult Operations of CDCR. Prior to that time, Mr. Kernan served as the Deputy Director of the Division of Adult Institutions of CDCR from May 2006 to March 2007. From November 2004 to May 2006, Mr. Kernan served as the Warden of the California State Prison, Sacramento, a Level IV maximum-security institution. From October 2003 to November 2004, Mr. Kernan served as the Warden of the Mule Creek State Prison, a Level III/IV institution. From March 1983 to October 2003, Mr. Kernan held various correctional positions with CDCR.
Mr. Kernan’s brings invaluable expertise with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. His industry knowledge and experience will strengthen the board of director’s collective knowledge, capabilities and experience.
Ms. Koren is currently the Senior Vice President, Division General Counsel for Darden Restaurants, where she leads the Ethics & Compliance program, and has been with Darden Restaurants since 2015. Ms. Koren served as a Senior Director for international compliance and an Assistant General Counsel at Walmart from January 2011 until early 2015. At Walmart, Ms. Koren advised the business on legal and compliance matters for Walmart’s global business, operating in 26 countries. Ms. Koren also previously served as a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice from 2004 to 2007, representing the government in appellate litigation matters, and as an attorney advisor to the Chief Immigration Judge.
Mr. Shapiro has over thirty years’ experience in the banking industry. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Applied Risk Capital LLC, a company he launched in October of 2019 that is dedicated to indemnifying banks against the non-payment of loans and derivatives in the B to BB rating categories. Mr. Shapiro served in a variety of capacities at BNP Paribas from 1995 through August 2018, including as Head of Loan Capital Markets for the Americas from 2004 to 2011, Head of the Value Preservation Group (the bank’s loan and derivative restructuring group) for the Americas from 2009 to 2011, Global Head of Loan Syndications from 2011 to 2015, and Head of Corporate Debt Origination for the Americas from 2015 to August 2018. Mr. Shapiro received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Rochester and a Master of Business Administration degree from New York University School of Business.
Ms. Wood has served as a director of GEO since 2014. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Guidepost Solutions LLC (“Guidepost”), a company specializing in monitoring, compliance, international investigations and risk management solutions, after joining the organization in 2012 as president of its Compliance, Federal Practice and Software Solutions division. Prior to joining Guidepost Solutions, Ms. Wood was the former founder and president of ICS Consulting, LLC, a firm specializing in compliance, risk assessments, immigration and customs investigations from November 2008 until September 2012 when it was acquired by Guidepost. Ms. Wood regularly conducts government contracting, immigration and anti-corruption due diligence risk assessments, develops cross-functional compliance monitoring programs and conducts third-party regulatory audits. Ms. Wood also has significant experience as a government-appointed monitor. Prior to joining the private sector, Ms. Wood served as the Head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) for the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) from January 2006 until November 2008 leading its largest investigative component and the second largest investigative agency in the federal government. Ms. Wood’s previous leadership positions in the federal government include Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement at the Department of Commerce, Chief of Staff for the Criminal Division at the Department of Justice and Deputy Assistant Secretary (Money Laundering and Financial Crimes) at the Treasury Department. Ms. Wood served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Prior to government service, Ms. Wood was an associate at Mayer, Brown & Platt in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to serving as CEO, Ms. Wood sits on the Board of Directors of Guidepost Solutions LLC and its parent company, Solution Point International.
Ms. Wood brings extensive federal government, legal and management experience to the board of directors. Her experience in the private sector, including in compliance and risk assessments, and her former government positions, including as Head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, strengthens the board of directors’ collective knowledge, capabilities and experience.