Meet Our Founding Members
Dr. Manu Chandaria, Kenya
Dr. Chandaria is a businessman based in Kenya and for a number of years, sat at the head of a family multi-million dollar enterprise (the Comcraft Group), operating in 40 different countries. He sits on the boards of several prominent companies and is the Chancellor of the United States International University – Africa(USIU – Africa) and Technical University of Kenya (TUK). He has won several awards in East Africa and internationally in recognition
Dr. Chandaria is a businessman based in Kenya and for a number of years, sat at the head of a family multi-million dollar enterprise (the Comcraft Group), operating in 40 different countries. He sits on the boards of several prominent companies and is the Chancellor of the United States International University – Africa(USIU – Africa) and Technical University of Kenya (TUK). He has won several awards in East Africa and internationally in recognition
Maya Shahani (India)
Dr. Chandaria is a businessman based in Kenya and for a number of years, sat at the head of a family multi-million dollar enterprise (the Comcraft Group), operating in 40 different countries. He sits on the boards of several prominent companies and is the Chancellor of the United States International University – Africa(USIU – Africa) and Technical University of Kenya (TUK). He has won several awards in East Africa and internationally in recognition of his entrepreneurial endeavors,
and has received various accolades for his very worthy service. Dr. Chandaria was named an officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003. He was awarded Elder of the Burning Spear by HE President Mwai Kibaki, Chief of the Burning Spear by HE President Uhuru Kenyatta. He has received four honorary doctorates from the following institutions: University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, Kenya Methodist University and Technical University of Kenya. From India, Dr. Chandaria has been the recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Sanmam Puraskar, the Bharat Gaurav Award, the Vijay Rattna Award and the Jawaharlal Nehru Excellence Award, among several others. Dr. Chandaria was also awarded the Korea Trade Day Award in recognition of his business support as the best trading partner with Korea. Further, in 2013 Dr. Chandaria was the recipient of the Forbes Africa Lifetime Achievement Award, and Forbes Magazine said the following about him: “[Dr.] Chandaria is also one of Africa’s most celebrated philanthropists. According to sources at Comcraft Group, has given away more than $100 million in his lifetime to causes in children’s health and education.”
See Dr. Chandaria speak about philanthropy here.
Sach Chandaria (Switzerland)
Mr. Chandaria is a 5th generation member of a multi-generation family with interests in leading global businesses which began from modest origins in East Africa a hundred years ago. The family‘s core focus is on nurturing entrepreneurial talent. It seeks to identify a very specific breed of entrepreneur or entrepreneurial team and create a context for them, where their entrepreneurial fire can flourish, by providing very patient capital, active strategic inputs and broad operating latitude. Mr. Chandaria, with other family members, is investing
significant time in understanding the global philanthropic and social impact landscape with the objective of defining clear focus areas for the family’s philanthropic efforts and institutionalizing existing initiatives to allow for global execution. Mr. Chandaria was born in Kenya and grew up mostly in North America. He is currently based in Geneva, Switzerland prior to which he spent time in Singapore, Shanghai and Nairobi. He completed his MBA at Harvard and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Brown University. He is a member of YPO and a trustee of Internews Europe.
Dee Vaidya (United States of America)
Mr. Vaidya holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and a Master’s Degree in Polymer Science from the University of Akron, Ohio, and a Master’s Degree in Industrial Administration from Purdue University. Mr. Vaidya started a business from his home in Wooster, Ohio, in 1993 with $5,000 and a dream. That was the beginning of TechniGraphics, Inc. In 1994, Dee acquired the tiny, 10-employee TGS Technology division of Johnson Controls in Fort Collins, Colorado, which was a federal
contractor for Geospatial Intelligence Systems (GIS). The company produced digital maps for the U.S. government. Dee grew TechniGraphics and sold it, with over 400 employees, to a large federal contractor in November 2010. In January 2014, at the annual dinner of the Wooster Area Chamber of Commerce, attended by 800 people, Dee was presented with a flag of the United States of America that was flown over the U.S. Capitol building in his honor on November 6, 2013, at the request of Ohio Congressman Jim Renacci. Dee serves as Chairman of NobleTek, a technology company with customers in Asia, the European Union and the United States.
The Honourable Dave Levac (Canada)
Mr. Levac is the current Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. He has been heralded by most MPPs and political commentators as one of the most effective Speakers in recent memory, presiding with dignity and integrity. Once the current government completes its mandate in 2018, Mr. Levac will become the longest-serving elected Speaker in Ontario history. Mr. Levac received the Canada 125 Medal in 1993 and was named Brantford, Ontario’s Citizen of the Year in 1997. He also served as coordinator of Queen Elizabeth II’s
Royal Visit to Brantford in 1997. He was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal in 2012. He has also been awarded an Ontario Service Award and the YMCA Canada Peace Medal. Mr. Levac is a teacher by profession and therefore is very passionate about this cause.
Kiran Kulkarni (Canada)
Mr. Kulkarni began his career with Nortel Networks. His last role with the company was that of an assistant corporate controller. Upon leaving Nortel Networks, Mr. Kulkarni embarked on a successful entrepreneurial career with a Toronto-based plastics business. Over the past thirty years, he has been instrumental in acquisitions, mergers, divestitures and the operation of multiple international businesses in various industries including plastics, electronics, retail, manufacturing and financial services in Canada, the United States and India. Mr. Kulkarni holds a Masters in Engineering from and took courses towards his MBA from the University of Ottawa.
Arun Kulkarni (Canada)
Mr. Kulkarni holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics and an MBA from the University of Saskatchewan. In the 1970s, Mr. Kulkarni purchased a small company and has since turned it into a multi-million dollar corporation operating globally including in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Hong Kong. Mr. Kulkarni’s business interests range from manufacturing and distribution of thermoelectric coolers to injection-molded goods servicing the horticulture industry in Canada and the United States. Mr. Kulkarni, together with his brother Kiran, employs over 3,000 people worldwide through their various business concerns.
Meet Our Executive Team
Dr. Sandra Wirth - Head of School
After serving as the Associate Head of School from 1990-2001, Dr. Sandy Wirth rejoined WNA as the Head of School in July of 2021. Dr. Wirth is an experienced education administrator with a passion for student success, and brings more than 25 years of professional experience in the field of Independent School Education and Higher Education to West Nottingham Academy.
Dr. Wirth has worked at three different independent schools in addition to West Nottingham Academy as well as noted universities and colleges including Quinnipiac University, Goodwin College and Mitchell College in New London, where she held the title of Vice President of Student Affairs/Dean of Students. Dr. Wirth earned her Ed.D. from the University of Delaware, her Masters of Arts in Education Administration from Villanova University and her Bachelor of Science from Ursinus College.
Jim Shone - Chief Operating Officer
Jim Shone has spent the last 25 years in commercial lending, investment banking and mergers & acquisitions, and more recently has focused on the establishment and management of early-stage companies in the cannabis and health & wellness sectors.
Jim has held multiple senior management roles, and has spent the last three years investing in and supporting the growth of businesses with mission driven founders. Having raised over $500MM in capital and facilitated over $100MM in m&a transactions, Jim is well versed in all aspects of corporate finance, strategy and execution.
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