2024-2025 Board of Directors

Connex is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors who are career professionals working in the industry, selling to and/or servicing retail and multi-site facilities. The 2024-2025 Board consists of 11 Directors: six multi-site facility members and five supplier members who serve three-year rotating terms. In addition, three alternates, two multi-site facility members and one supplier member, serve as non-voting Board Members available to step into a Board seat should a vacancy occur on the Board during a term.

For more information on the Connex Board of Directors Nomination/Application process please visit our Board of Directors Nomination/Application page.

For more information on the board of directors ballot and eligible voting members, visit visit vote.connexfm.com.

2024-2025 Board

Catherine Barnes

Chair

Vice President, Facilities & Energy Management – Rite Aid

Alex DiPietro

Vice Chair

National Sales Manager, Facilities - Herc Rentals

Kurt Gnessin

Treasurer

Vice President Facilities – Extra Space Storage

Ryan Beck

Secretary

Vice President of Business Development – W Services Group

Tony DiSpirito

Immediate Past Chair

Sr. Director Store Preservation – Sephora

Biography

Tony DiSpirito, Director of Store Preservation at Sephora, has been working in retail for the past 25 years. He spent most of his career working at Gap Inc., where he started as a Sales Associate and eventually promoted into HQ roles in Store Operations, Retail Facilities and Store Development. Tony has been at Sephora since 2017, leading his team in supporting 540+ stores throughout the US and Canada with all repair and maintenance needs. He is a people-focused and empathetic leader, the result of an educational background including a BA in Psychology and a master’s degree in Social Work. Tony lives just outside of Boston with his husband Tom and their rescue dog from Taiwan, Cooper. He is originally from Long Island and is an avid New York sports fan - unfortunately, for all the teams that stink.

Adam Oryszczak

Board Member

Vice President, Facilities – Crash Champions

Kenneth Jones

Board Member

Director of Facilities – Heartland Dental

Prince Reed

Board Member

Vice President of Facilities & Asset Management – DaVita Kidney Care

Mark Consigny

Board Member

Vice President – AGI

Betty Hernandez

Board Member

Store Facilities Manager – The Container Store

Brad Shyver

Board Member

CEO – ROYAL

Christopher Jernigan

Board Member

CEO – Cushman & Wakefield

Donnie Geyer

Board Member Alternate

Director of Facilities Management – Lbrands / Bath & Body Works

Krystal Vasquez

Board Member Alternate

Sales Manager – Branded Group

Deanne Barker

Board Member Alternate

Senior Manager – Best Buy Canada

Current ConnexFM Board Committees

Audit/Investment Committee
This committee has the fiduciary responsibility of overseeing the fiscal welfare of the Association. It review the association’s financial records and issues an annual report to the membership. The Finance Committee is chaired by the Treasurer. Service on this committee is by invitation only.

Governance Committee
Governing Committees have influence on the association’s governance and fiscal matters. These committees are directly accountable to the Connex Board of Directors. Other governing committees are: Member Advisory, Executive Compensation and Governance. These are Board Committees and the Chair of the committee will select committee members.

Nominating Committee
This committee’s purpose is to generate nominations for the Board of Directors, to maintain a strong and effective board. The members meet frequently during the last quarter of each fiscal year. Service on this committee is by invitation only. The Nominating Committee is chaired by the Board of Directors’ Vice Chair.