Mike Risley

V.P- Director of Business Development
Work2Train responsibilities will include, financial operations ,business development, athlete recruitment, signing new regional and nationwide employers to the program and company spokesman.
Mike has over 30 years’ experience in financing, developing and operating growth companies. His skill set includes positions of investment banking and corporate structuring for both private and publicly traded companies as well as positions of CEO, V.P. Director of Operations and V.P of Business and Strategic Development. In these capacities, Mike grew production capacity and sales exponentially in several early stage businesses.
After graduating with a BA in Economics from C.W. Post University Michael began his career in New York City, Michael served in a number of capacities from money management to trading at, several major Wall Street firms. From 1984-86 he served as Head Equity Trader for Global Trading. From 1986-89, he was a partner and Head Floor Trader / Investment Strategist for H.D. Baumer & Co., as well as a member of the NYSE. His duties included trading and operations. From 1989-95, Mr. Risley was a founding partner and Head Trader for Tandem Assoc., a private equity hedge fund, where he partnered with Donald Russell, Jr., son of the former Governor of South Carolina.
In 1996, he co-founded Caribbean Cigar Co., the largest US cigar manufacturer and the first cigar company to be taken public in 65 years. Caribbean Cigar Co. was voted the #1 public offering, in 1996, by Investor’s Business Daily. Michael opened and operated several large manufacturing facilities in Miami and the Dominican Republic as well as seven high end retail stores while at Caribbean Cigar Co. In two years, while at the helm of the company, Michael raised fifteen million dollars in equity and grew the company from 500K to 11 million dollars in revenue. Caribbean Cigar Co. was sold in 1999.
From 2001-2003, Mr. Risley was Vice President of Finance for Segmentz Inc., a third party logistics provider based in Tampa, Florida. Michael raised twenty million dollars in equity financing and completed five acquisitions while at Segmentz Inc. Their revenue grew from just over one million dollars to 30 million dollars during the period that Mr. Risley was with the company. Mike orchestrated the IPO with Kirlin Securities and Segmentz Inc. was listed on the American Stock Exchange and was sold in 2004. He also orchestrated a majority 13D filing position with a group led by Peter Lynch, formerly of Fidelity Magellan Fund Manager. Segmentz market capitalization reached over 50 million dollars on completion of Mike’s work at the company. Operations were turned over Express One Inc after Segmentz   acquired them in 2002.
From 2003-09, Michael was CEO of Whitewing  Environmental- publicly traded on the OTC market and Viking Environmental, manufacturers of industrial absorbents and distributors of liquid antimicrobial products. Michael directed both operations and manufacturing. During his tenure, Mike raised over $5 million dollars in equity financing for growth of operations.
In 2011-12, Michael assisted Robert Gries Jr, Managing Partner of Gries Investment Fund and CEO of Public Power Inc. on a $100 million IPO of its Crius Energy Trust holdings with UBS Canada on the Toronto Stock exchange (KWH:TSE) Crius had a market cap of 400 million post IPO.
In 2012 he founded the Thrifty Charitable Foundation in Raleigh, NC to help support local charities, specifically Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle ,a national mentoring agency. Michael also opened Uptown Thrift to support the charity activities .He was the President and Chief operating officer. Mike still serves as the charity president.
In 2017, Mike joined the team at ITC Technical Ceramic Coatings , manufacturer and distributor of high temperature protective coatings for manufacturing. He served as V.P. of Business development. While at ITC, the company’s revenues grew by 52% in 9 months.
Michael is a 16 year member of the Kings Park Church in Durham NC and NYC. He is a current member of the New York Athletic Club and a former three-time All American wrestler. He is a past Greco-Roman Wrestling Team Leader for the New York Athletic Club, having worked with National Team, World Team and Olympic Teams. Mike was a successful high school wrestling coach, for ten years producing multiple state champions and several All Americans during his coaching tenure.
Michael served as a defensive coordinator and all-star coach over 5 years for Durham County youth football winning 3 championships during that time. He was also the Defensive coordinator of the Durham Elite 14U Allstar football team.
In his spare time he enjoys upland bird and duck hunting with his English setters Junior, Max and Ranger at his farm in N.C. Mike is also an avid fisherman.