Chairs & Chapters

Meet Charlie Garcia, the visionary founder of R360, who is transforming the privilege of wealth into a force for good and reshaping not just the lives of those it touches but also the world their children and future generations will inherit.

A highly decorated veteran, Charlie’s patriotic service includes advisory roles to six U.S. Presidents from both parties. His distinguished military career is marked by the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, one of the highest peacetime honors from the Department of Defense, for courageous service in war-torn Central America during the mid-1980s. After the 9/11 attacks, Charlie quietly supported critical intelligence operations, earning the CIA Agency Seal Medal and the Director of National Intelligence Medallion for exceptional contributions to national security.

Charlie's dedication to public service parallels his extraordinary entrepreneurial journey. As the founder of Sterling Financial, he expanded the company across eight countries with sixty offices, ultimately leading its successful sale to prominent public companies. Recognized as “Entrepreneur of the Year” by three organizations, Charlie’s strategic insights have guided Fortune 500 boards and inspired numerous successful start-ups.

His impact extends deeply into the nonprofit and educational sectors. Appointed by Governor Jeb Bush to the Florida State Board of Education and as leader of the statewide Reading Task Force, Charlie dramatically advanced literacy for Latino and African American students, who now surpass their white peers in reading proficiency in 33 states and hold the nation’s highest graduation rates. From 2005 to 2012, appointed by Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, Charlie decisively led the U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors through a severe sexual assault crisis, restoring honor and accountability and receiving the Distinguished Public Service Medal. He also serves on boards including Girl Scouts USA, Junior Achievement USA, and 3DESchools, a groundbreaking initiative reshaping public high school education nationwide.

Charlie now authors “MarketSense by Charlie Garcia,” the first external column offered in over a decade by MarketWatch, an influential global financial publication closely affiliated with its sister publications, Barron's and The Wall Street Journal. In its debut alone, Charlie’s distinctive blend of satire and sardonic humor engaged over 750,000 of MarketWatch’s eight million discerning readers, who regularly turn to him for sharp, clear-eyed perspectives on business, finance, and geopolitics.

In the ever-turning rhythm of life, Charlie’s truest center is his family. Cristina isn’t just his wife. She’s his soulmate, his steady flame, the kind of love that deepens with time and still catches him by surprise. Together, they’ve built a life rich in laughter, meaning, and devotion.

As a father of four extraordinary children and a grandfather to three bright, beautiful souls, Charlie knows where his heart lives. It lives in bedtime stories and phone calls, in proud smiles and quiet prayers. These are the chapters he cherishes most.

Each morning, he rises with intention, grounded by faith, driven by service. His work is not just a calling, but a commitment to give more than he takes, to serve with heart, and to leave the world better for those who follow. Because beneath it all, Charlie loves his country, not blindly, but with the clear-eyed loyalty of someone who believes it’s worth fighting for.

Michael Cole has helped thousands of families integrate the management of their wealth with its impact, blending strategic and tactical planning that preserves both financial resources and family harmony, resulting in multi-generational success.

At just 35 years old, Michael was named President of Merrill Lynch Trust. He then created the ultra-high-net-worth platform Abbot Downing at Wells Fargo and the multi-family office Ascent Private Capital Management at U.S. Bank. Most recently, he was CEO at Cresset, a wealth management firm where he built client assets from $2 billion to $10 billion in less than two years.

In each endeavor, Michael pushed the industry in new directions better aligned with his clients' changing needs and desires. His experience inspired him to write the bestselling and critically acclaimed book, More Than Money, A Guide to Sustaining Wealth and Preserving the Family.

R360 is the logical progression in Michael’s work and the ideal opportunity to marry his professional philosophy and personal aspirations: helping people with significant resources do great things so that they and he can better the world today and for generations to come.

Barbara Goodstein is a veteran CEO, entrepreneur, and corporate board member. She graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in English and earned her M.B.A. at Columbia University. Her career includes extensive experience in banking, brokerage, and FinTech. Barbara earned her Series 7, 24, and 63 licenses. Colleagues describe her as a collaborative, courageous executive who can assess competitive business landscapes and emerging market opportunities and turn them into business opportunities.

Barbara spent much of her career creating and delivering products and services for the ultra-high-net-worth market. She developed Personal Financial Services at JPMorgan Chase, served as the CEO of Instinet.com, an online retail brokerage for high-end traders, and was the Chief Innovation and Chief Marketing Officer at AXA Equitable. Barbara served as President and CEO of TIGER21, the premier learning community for investors with average assets of $100M. She doubled membership over the course of 2.5 years and started the company’s international expansion. She achieved profitability for the first time in TIGER21’s 17-year history.

In 2012, Barbara was named to the board of directors for Manning & Napier, an NYSE investment management firm, where she successfully managed the search for a CEO. Barbara was a director at Kush Bottles, Inc., a leading provider of packaging, supplies, accessories, and branding solutions from 2017-2021. She also serves on the advisory board of Inner Fifth, a network for female entrepreneurs.

Barbara was named one of US Banker’s Top 25 Women in Finance and participated in Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit. She is committed to mentoring and advancing the careers of fellow women and has delivered groundbreaking events and programming for women in every institution she’s worked in.

Barbara leveraged her corporate experience to generate attention for God’s Love We Deliver, a nonprofit that provides meals to homebound individuals in the New York area. She is currently dedicating her time to exposing and redressing the inequities of guardianship for people who can’t defend themselves.

R360 is the perfect platform to leverage Barbara’s experience delivering products and services to extraordinarily successful people while elevating and supporting women and shining a light on people who are left behind or forgotten.

Craig has over 32 years of experience in the transportation industry and retail/commercial automotive sectors. His entrepreneurial drive has been evidenced in his M&A experience over the past twenty years. He is a collaborative and tireless leader who has always empowered his team to achieve their successes. In addition, he is a respected leader in the retail automotive, commercial transportation, and auto wash industries. He has been very active in the private equity and venture space since 2002 and has a passion for working with startups and growth equity organizations.

Craig has extensive profit/loss, M&A, strategy, marketing, operations, and supply chain expertise. He is currently President of car care/auto wash for AAA Club Alliance and CEO of Trailines Enterprises. His family also has commercial tire and retreading companies operating in several Midwest states. Along with that he has several Goddard daycare franchises.

Craig is pleased to align himself with R360 because he’s impressed by its energy, ambition, and distinctive vision that sets it apart from other organizations in this space. Having been a YPO officer and chapter member for over 23 years, he intends to bring his experience and insights to R360 and help members find greater fulfillment as business leaders, spouses, and family leaders.

His community involvement includes:

Craig also serves on the corporate boards of EMI Research, Gryphon Financial, and O’Rourke Wrecking/Demolition.

Craig graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business and attended the Harvard Business School Executive Education programs. He and his wife Susan live in Cincinnati with their two adult children.

• YPO Cincinnati Chapter (Chapter Chair, Education Chair)

• Board of Directors Queen City Club

• Cancer Support Community Board (Board Chair)

• Indian Hill Village School District Board (Board Chair, Finance Committee Chair)

Marla Mayer is an investor and human capital leader whose career reflects a consistent focus on building strong institutions and supporting talented people.

She's lived around the globe in Helena, AR; Baton Rouge, LA; Durham, NC; Paris, France; New York, NY; London, England; Moscow, Russia; and now calls Los Angeles home.

After graduating from Duke University, she spent 18 years at Goldman Sachs in New York, London, and Moscow, where she began in Investment Banking and later served as CFO of the Principal Investment Area in the Merchant Banking Division.  In her final role at the firm, she co-led Experienced Hire Recruiting for the revenue-producing divisions, building an in-house executive recruiting function that strengthened leadership pipelines and reduced reliance on outside search firms.

After Goldman Sachs, Marla became Lead Investor and a Board Director of Kevyn Aucoin Beauty, helping guide the company through acquisition, recapitalization, restructuring, relaunch, and sale. She has since held senior interim leadership roles, including Executive Leader of the People Team at DreamBox Learning, a TPG RISE Fund portfolio company, and Head of Talent at Beach Point Capital Management, and continues to invest through Shashlik Capital.

Marla is deeply engaged in the nonprofit world (specifically, the arts, education, and global hunger.)  She served as President of the Board of The Kitchen in New York and as President of the Executive Producer Council at UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance in LA.  She has also held leadership roles with Action Against Hunger, Her Justice, Ready to Succeed, Beth Morrison Productions, New Music USA, and New Roads School, focusing on governance, finance, executive recruitment, and fundraising to ensure long-term sustainability.

Marla is the mother to two terrific grown children: a son teaching elementary school and a daughter in public relations and marketing.  Her golden-doodle, Shashi, is her third child, and husband, Chris, is her best friend and partner. 

When Marla isn't working, she spends her free time with friends and family.  She enjoys being active, traveling, including going on culinary adventures with her husband and grown children around Los Angeles and the globe, using her fearless, if imperfect, language skills (French, Spanish, and Russian).

Marla is drawn to R360 as a place for thoughtful dialogue, shared learning, and meaningful impact among leaders who care about both performance and purpose.  

David Nico, DBA, PhD, works at the intersection of leadership, health, and legacy, helping families navigate the unique complexities that accompany substantial wealth. As the Chair of R360 for the Florida West Coast, David stewards an invitation-only chapter for families committed to the intentional management of their legacy across the Six Forms of Capital.

David’s perspective is grounded in a rare blend of academic rigor and entrepreneurial execution. He served as a Visiting Fellow at Harvard University and has been an Executive Education Instructor and advisor across the Harvard ecosystem. He is currently collaborating with a faculty member at Harvard Business School on a case study exploring the R360 model. The work provides a practical roadmap for members seeking to bridge executive excellence with personal and family well-being.

As an entrepreneur and founder of Nico Ventures, David has facilitated over 500 strategic advisory sessions for CEOs and founders. This experience gave rise to his understanding of the "Iceberg Effect" of wealth. While financial capital represents the visible 10%, the 90% below the surface—purpose, family dynamics, and personal vitality—is where the true work of legacy resides. David’s role is to steward the depth and discretion of this work for every member at his table.

Beyond the boardroom, David’s life is anchored by his faith and family. Alongside his wife, Amia, a professional vocal artist dedicated to healing and well-being, David seeks to live out the values of stewardship he facilitates for others. Whether advising leaders or exploring the Florida coast, his work is guided by a simple conviction: those who carry significant responsibility deserve a place to think clearly, decide wisely, and live whole.