The Board Expansion Is Led By Wall Street Veteran Marty Sumichrast as Chairman, In Addition to Sim Farar, Brad Fleisher, Ralph Olson, and Corby Marshall
CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hawkeye Systems Inc. (OTC: HWKE) (“Hawkeye” or the “Company”) today announced that Martin Sumichrast has been appointed Chairman of the Board following the required waiting period under the Company’s recently filed Schedule 14F-1 Information Statement. Mr. Sumichrast is joined by Sim Farar, Brad Fleisher, and Ralph Olson as fellow new members of the Board of Directors. Former Chairman & CEO Corby Marshall will remain a member of the Board. These appointments follow the appointment of David Wachsman as President of Hawkeye and mark an important next step in Hawkeye’s transformation into a private equity and merchant banking platform focused initially on crypto and blockchain technologies as well as cybersecurity, with planned expansion into other high-growth verticals in financial services and advanced technology.
David Wachsman, President of Hawkeye, said: “Marty’s appointment as Chairman of the Board, as well as our recruitment of Sim, Brad, and Ralph, is a clear indication of the quality of leadership that we hope to introduce at Hawkeye. As we continue to develop our private equity, merchant banking, and advisory businesses, our Board will help us gain insight into critical areas of capital formation, corporate governance, strategic deals, and shareholder value creation."
Incoming Board Members:
- Martin Sumichrast, Chairman of the Board
Mr. Sumichrast has over 35 years of experience as an entrepreneur and strategic business advisor, having led and operated businesses across multiple industries and international markets. Previously, Mr. Sumichrast co-founded and served as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President of cbdMD, Inc. (NYSE: YCBD) from April 2015 to June 2023. Under his leadership, cbdMD secured over $100 million in equity and debt financings, went public through an initial public offering (IPO) in November 2017, and completed the $135 million acquisition of the cbdMD brand in December 2018. During his tenure, cbdMD achieved a market capitalization of $400 million, was included in the Russell 3000 Index, generated over $250 million in aggregate sales, and employed over 200 individuals while serving more than one million customers. In addition, Mr. Sumichrast was the Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer, and a board member of Adara Acquisition Corp. from its inception through June 2022. Mr. Sumichrast led Adara’s $115 million IPO on the NYSE in February 2022. Adara successfully completed a $600 million acquisition of Alliance Entertainment in June 2023. Mr. Sumichrast has also served as a Trustee and Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committees of the Barings Global Short Duration High Yield Fund, Inc. (NYSE: BGH) and the Barings Capital Funds Trust, Inc. from 2012 to 2022. Earlier in his career, Mr. Sumichrast founded and served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Global Capital Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ: GCAP) from 1993 to 2002. He led the firm’s expansion from a startup into a global investment bank with over 500 employees, 27 international offices, and billions in assets under management.
- Sim Farar, Incoming Director
Sim Farar has been the Managing Member of JDF Investment Co, LLC, a privately held investment firm focusing on corporate development, funding, and mergers since 1997. Sim Farar was formerly on the Board of Directors of cbdMD, Inc. and an adviser to the Boards of Directors of Verb Technology Company, Inc. and BioSig Technologies, Inc. Since 2017, Sim Farar has been a member of the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, where he currently holds the position of Chairperson. Previously, he had been appointed by President Clinton and confirmed by the US Senate as a representative of the United States to the 54th General Assembly of the United Nations.
- Ralph Olson, Incoming Director
Ralph Olson currently serves as the Co-Founder and President of American Capital Partners, Inc., as of 2024. Mr. Olson boasts over 35 years of experience in investment banking, structured finance, and strategic advising. He has successfully raised considerable amounts of capital for publicly held and privately held corporations. Mr. Olson has provided financial advice to corporations on financing issues and transitions to the public markets. He was also formerly employed by Global Capital Securities, Inc. and Cohig & Associates, where he had some involvement in arranging public and private financing.
- Nathan Bradley Fleisher, Incoming Director
Brad Fleisher has executive, legal, and board experience. Prior to his appointment as the President of Driver on Demand LLC between 2021 and 2026, Mr. Fleisher held positions such as Chief Revenue Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Driver On Demand. Mr. Fleisher graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in law and has been an active member of the legal profession. In addition, he has served as an in-house counsel for RedCap Technologies, a leading software solutions provider in the automotive industry.
For more information, please visit www.hwke.com
About Hawkeye Systems, Inc.
Hawkeye Systems, Inc. (OTC: HWKE) (“Hawkeye”) is a technology holding company focused on crypto, blockchain technology, cybersecurity, and other advanced financial services and vanguard technology sectors. Hawkeye intends to have two core lines of business: private equity and merchant banking services. The firm’s initial focus will be on identifying opportunities in the crypto and blockchain sector, before planned expansion into other high-growth verticals in financial services and advanced technology. For more information, please visit www.hwke.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements include, but are not limited to, any statements relating to cybersecurity technology, our growth strategy, and new proposed business operations, no relevant operating history of the company in corporate advisory or the crypto and digital asset industry, our common stock trading on the OTC Markets, and any other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could negatively affect our business, operating results, financial condition, and stock price.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated are: risks related to our growth strategy; our ability to obtain, perform under and maintain financing and strategic agreements and relationships; our dependence on third-party suppliers and partners; our ability to attract, integrate, and retain key personnel; the early stage of Rythe products under development; our need for and ability to obtain substantial additional funds; our ability to identify and make profitable investments; risks related to the crypto and digital asset industry; government regulation; patent and intellectual property matters; competition; as well as other risks described in our SEC filings. Important factors that may cause the actual results to differ from those expressed within may include, but are not limited to: the success or failure of Hawkeye’s efforts to successfully market its any of its products or services; Hawkeye’s ability to attract and retain quality employees; the effect of changing economic and geopolitical conditions; increased competition; and the ability of Hawkeye to obtain adequate debt or equity financing. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.
Contacts
For more information, please contact:
Phone: +1-332-334-9551
Email: info@hwke.com
Website: www.hwke.com
Investor Relations: ir@hwke.com
Media Contact: hawkeye@wachsman.com