Robert J. Cresci, Chairman of the Board

Since 1985, Mr. Cresci has worked closely with more than 50 private companies in which his funds have invested and has assisted the managements in developing appropriate growth strategies, management teams, capitalizations and exit strategies.  Mr. Cresci has more than 30 years of investment experience which includes more than thirteen years as an investment banker and nineteen years as an investment manager analyzing and completing financings in a broad range of industries.  

In 1985 Mr. Cresci began the convertible securities management group for Alliance Capital Management, a very large money management firm where he co-managed a portfolio of public and private convertible investments which eventually totaled more than $350 million.  In 1990 he formed Pecks Management Partners Ltd. (www.pecks.com) to provide convertible securities money management services to pension funds and foundations.  By the mid-‘90’s Pecks assets under management totaled more than $1.3 billion.

Mr. Cresci holds an MBA in finance from Columbia University and a BS in Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point.  Mr. Cresci currently serves on the boards of Sepracor, Inc.; j2 Global Communications, Inc., and several private companies.




Robert N. Baker, Director

Mr. Baker joined CLARK Investment Group (CIG) (www.clarkinvestment.com) in July 1996 as Chief Financial Officer. CIG, which led Accel’s most recent equity financing, is a Wichita, Kansas based privately held investment company founded in 1955. Mr. Baker’s duties include analysis of current and proposed real estate and non real estate investments, arranging financing, property management, and supervision of all accounting functions and financial planning. Mr. Baker graduated in the top 10% of his class at Emporia State University in 1985, with a Bachelors of Science degree in Business majoring in Accounting with a minor in Economics. He also attended graduate school at Florida Atlantic University, completing 22 hours of graduate accounting courses. He became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in 1986, and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) in 1989.

Prior to joining CIG, Bob spent 11 years in public accounting. He worked for Ernst & Young for seven years, in Little Rock, Arkansas, and West Palm Beach, Florida, rising to the level of Tax Manager. After that he worked for Donnelly Meiners Jordan Kline, an accounting firm in Kansas City, Kansas, as a Tax Manager. In both positions he was responsible for the supervision of income tax compliance, business, financial, estate, and income tax planning for businesses and individuals. He has a broad range of experience in the real estate, hotel, communications, manufacturing, construction, transportation, non-profit, and service industries. His emphasis has been in corporate taxation, including mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy, multi-state, international, and accounting for income taxes.



Warren D. Fix, Director

Mr. Fix currently serves as the chief executive officer and a director of WCH, Inc., formerly Candlewood Hotel Company, Inc., having served as its executive vice-president, chief financial officer and secretary since 1995. He is a member of the board of directors of The Grubb and Ellis Healthcare Office REIT, The Keller Financial Group, First Foundation Bank, Clark Investment group and Clark Equity Capital, where he is an active participant and investor.  From July 1994 to October 1995, Mr. Fix was a consultant to Doubletree Hotels, primarily developing debt and equity sources of capital for hotel acquisitions and refinancings. Mr. Fix has been a partner in The Contrarian Group, a business management company, from December 1992 to the present. From 1989 to December 1992, Mr. Fix served as president of the Pacific Company, a real estate investment and development company. From 1964 to 1989, he held numerous positions within The Irvine Company, a California-based real estate and development company, including, chief financial officer. He also served as president of the California Taxpayers Association, and was a board member of the National Realty Committee where he was co-chairman of the Tax Policy Committee.

Mr. Fix is a certified public accountant. He received his B.A. degree from Claremont McKenna College in California and is a graduate of the UCLA Executive Management Program, the Stanford Financial Management Program and the UCLA Anderson Corporate Director Program.




Paul W. Noblett, Director
Paul W. Noblett, founder of Noblett and Associates (www.noblett-assoc.com) , has been a key figure in the transaction services and communications industries for 30 years. With experience ranging from systems management at Maryland National Bank to the General Manager of MasterCard’s World Wide Operations, Paul has had hands-on responsibility for many of the systems and operational enhancements developed in the industry. Among Paul’s credits are the development and installation of MasterCard’s Banknet network, as well as the systems that allowed MasterCard to move MAPP onto Banknet.  Additionally, Paul was responsible for the development of the Mastercom retrieval system. More recently, Paul managed the sales and operations of NaBANCO.  During his most recent three year tenure there, the company more than doubled revenue and pre-tax net.  Paul is also credited with building NaBANCO’s 500-person plus regional sales program.



Mark Gianinni, Chief Executive Officer and Director (see Management)




Elaine E. Healy, President, Chief Operating Officer and Director (see Management)