The Fox School of Business and Management

About the Speakers

Lewis Katz

Born and raised in Camden, Mr. Katz received his Bachelor’s degree from Temple University. Prior to entering law school, Mr. Katz served as editorial assistant to renowned journalist Drew Pearson. He then went on to Dickinson Law School, where he graduated first in his class. Following graduation, Mr. Katz clerked for Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court Chief Justice, John C. Bell, Jr.

Mr. Katz established the Cherry Hill based law firm of Katz, Ettin, & Levine. He has successfully ventured into the business world. He was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kinney Systems Holding Corporation, a major parking company. His most recent business endeavor has landed him in the exciting world of professional sports. He currently serves as Governor to the NBA to the NBA for NJ Nets Basketball.

His success in the business world has allowed Mr. Katz to devote both time and resources to help others. He played a pivotal role in enabling the Jewish Federation to acquire the land in Cherry Hill, NJ, on which the Jewish Community Campus is located. Mr. Katz served as Honorary Chair of the Campus Capital Fund Drive, and honored the memory of his parents by dedicating the Jewish Community Center in their name. He served in a similar role in Atlantic County, New Jersey and helped to develop a new Jewish Community Center which also bears the names of his parents. He remains a sponsor of many vital social programs at the Katz Jewish Community Centers which provide programs for teens and seniors. Mr. Katz has assisted his synagogue, Congregation Beth El, with the building of an educational campus in Voorhees, NJ, named in honor of his children. Mr. Katz is a longtime supporter of the Jewish Allied Appeal, both as a contributor and a solicitor.

Mr. Katz has never forgotten his roots in Camden, and continues to have a deep commitment to serving the children who remain in this and other urban communities. Most recently, Mr. Katz dedicated his time to the establishment of the Boys and Girls Club of Camden County… a cause which is very close to his heart. In 2002 he was honored as their “Man of the Year.”

In December 2000 Mr. Katz was awarded the Bridge Builders Award from the Partners for Livable Communities in Washington, D.C. This honor is bestowed on individuals whose inspirational work bridges the racial and economic divides in their community. For his extraordinary contributions to the youth of the community, he was the first recipient of the Lewis Katz Excellence in Education Award, which is named in his honor, launching the South Jersey Scholarship Fund presented by His Most Reverend Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio. His continued work in the field of academics and sports earned Mr. Katz recognition as a Giant Steps Award Winner for Civic Leadership by the National Consortium for Academics and Sports.

Mr. Katz is an active member of numerous Boards of Directors of both for-profit and non-for-profit corporations and institutions, including Temple University, Dickinson School of Law, Central Parking Corporation, Orleans Home Builders, Inc., the National Basketball Association, the Nets Sports & Entertainment Board, the Arizona Heart Foundation and the Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation.

Mr. Katz has been honored nationally in recognition of his support for causes that benefit others. As he has a dedication and commitment to improving the quality of life of others, he continues to devote his life to charitable causes and organizations.



Richard A. Bendis

Mr. Bendis has distinguished himself as a successful entrepreneur, corporate executive, venture capitalist, investment banker, and consultant in the technology and healthcare industries. He currently serves as President and CEO, and a Board Member of Innovation Philadelphia (IP), a public/private partnership dedicated to growing the wealth and the workforce of the Greater Philadelphia Region and will be transitioning into a new role as President and CEO of True Product ID, Inc., a global publicly traded company (NASDAQ, ONTV) headquartered in Philadelphia that produces integrators for anti-counterfeiting and security surveillance applications and is a provider of integrated tracking devices.

Prior to his appointment as IP's first President and CEO, Mr. Bendis successfully leveraged a career in the private sector and the venture capital industry to build the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC). As its president and CEO, he developed KTEC into a globally recognized model for technology-based economic development. Mr. Bendis also successfully built an Inc. 500 healthcare software company, Continental Healthcare Systems, Inc., which he took public on NASDAQ and he later sold to an international conglomerate. Mr. Bendis managed his own venture capital fund, RAB Ventures, which made 15 investments in early-stage technology and healthcare companies. Mr. Bendis serves on several for profit and not-for-profit boards and was the 1996 recipient of the Regional Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.