2025 Hall of Fame Gala

This Year’s Honorees

Leonard C. Green

Lifetime Achievement Award

Leonard C. Green is a multifaceted entrepreneur, educator, and thoroughbred industry expert. He is the Chairman and Founder of The Green Group, a New Jersey-based accounting, tax, and consulting firm specializing in niche industries and entrepreneurial solutions. Len is a Certified Public Accountant with a master’s degree in taxation from NYU and a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Owner/President Management Program. As an entrepreneur, Len has invested in or consulted with various businesses. He was one of the original investors of Blue Buffalo pet food company. He has served on a Board of Directors for several organizations, including the NYSE-listed Cenveo and continues to serve on many advisory boards.

Len is also a renowned educator, teaching at Babson College, the top-rated school in entrepreneurship where he has taught highly rated courses in Entrepreneurship and Family Business for over 20 years. In recognition of his exceptional contributions to education and entrepreneurship, Len was inducted into the Babson Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs in 2021 and was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Entrepreneurial Leadership from Babson College.

Len’s academic contributions include authoring the top-selling book, The Entrepreneur’s Playbook, and co-authoring academic papers on entrepreneurship. Len’s insights have been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, and The CEO Magazine. His dedication to education was further recognized with his induction into the Babson Hall of Fame. His thoroughbred horses have won over 2,600 races, including two Breeder’s Cups, Eclipse Awards and over 150 stake races.

In addition to his thoroughbred endeavors and academic pursuits, Len has demonstrated exceptional entrepreneurial instincts. He has used his financial acumen and creative thinking to build, invest in, and advise a diverse range of companies, earning a reputation for identifying high-potential ventures. Len’s passion for innovation also extends to mentoring next-generation founders, offering insights on financing, strategy, and governance. Through his blend of real-world experience and academic expertise, he continues to shape the entrepreneurial landscape, inspiring others to pursue their visions with courage and determination. He has received numerous honors throughout his career, including the NJBiz Icon Honor Award in 2018, the Appel Award for outstanding contributions to the entrepreneurial spirit in academia in 2001, and recognition in Who’s Who in U.S. College Professors.

Len is a highly valued speaker and mentor with clients, students and business associates throughout the many industries he has been involved in. His passion for innovation, education, and philanthropy has inspired many. He was married to his late wife Lois, for over 60 years, has three children and five grandchildren.

Sarah Hassan

Sarah Hassan is an experienced investor, entrepreneur, and operator, with a strong background in healthcare and venture capital. Ms. Hassan was a founding partner and CFO of IM HealthScience, leading its growth for 10 years until its acquisition by Nestlé HealthScience in 2020. She also served as a Partner at Caerus Ventures, a venture capital group.

Ms. Hassan is currently the Fund Manager of Dynagrow Capital and operates a business that buys and sells distressed and undermanaged healthcare brands. She serves on the Board of Directors for Vinci Pharmaceuticals, PleoPharma and Myosin Therapeutics and is a member of the Investment Advisory Board for the Autism Impact Fund.

Clinton A. Lewis, Jr.

Clint Lewis has over 35 years of experience in the life-sciences, pharmaceutical and agribusiness industries having previously held senior executive positions across both human and animal health and in the global specialty crop sector. He has worked and resided both in the U.S. and in Europe with extensive international travel. Clint is currently the Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors for AgroFresh Solutions – a global, market leading agribusiness company focused on the ‘post-harvest’ segment of the fresh fruit and produce sector.

Since joining AgroFresh, Clint has led a broad based global turn around of the company – transforming it from an under-resourced public company, ill-equipped to operate in the public markets and overly dependent on a narrow product line to a now PE backed, private company with an enhanced capital structure capable of driving both organic and inorganic growth. Since taking the company private in early 2023, Clint has more than doubled the size of the company and substantially-diversified the product and revenue base by executing three material deals in a little more than a year’s time.

Prior to joining AgroFresh, Clint spent many years at Zoetis (NYSE: ZTS), the global leader in the animal health industry. Clint played an instrumental role in helping to carve the company out of Pfizer via an IPO in 2013. The Zoetis ‘carve out’ story continues to be one of the most successful in the global life-sciences industry. At Zoetis, in addition to being a corporate officer, Clint served as the Executive Vice President/Group President of International Operations, Commercial Development, Aquaculture & Genetics and Executive Vice President of U.S. Operations.

Prior to the formation of Zoetis, Clint spent 25 years in senior commercial and general management roles of increasing responsibility at Pfizer, Inc. (NYSE: PFE) across both human and animal health.

In addition to serving on the Board of Directors for AgroFresh, Clint also currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for International Paper (NYSE: IP) where he serves as the Chair of the Governance Committee. He also has extensive board experience with private equity sponsored portfolio companies having previously served on the boards of United Veterinary Care (Nordic Capital), Covis Pharmaceuticals (Apollo) and MMIT (Welsh Carson Anderson and Stowe).

Clint currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), the trade association for the global fresh produce industry.

Clint holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Fairfield University and a Master of Business Administration degree in Marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Fairfield University.

Arleen Paladino

Arleen Paladino is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Crum & Forster (C&F), where she manages the company’s financial strategy and operations, including planning, budgeting, and reporting. In addition to leading all financial functions, Arleen oversees cybersecurity, IT governance and compliance, procurement, plus real estate and facilities. As a key executive leadership team member, she plays a pivotal role in driving operational excellence and supporting C&F’s continued growth.

Arleen began her career with C&F in Internal Audit and has held various leadership roles for over four decades with the company. Her deep institutional knowledge and hands-on experience have been instrumental in helping guide the company through significant periods of transformation and expansion, including its acquisitions, systems modernization, and the development of its internal control framework. Since being named CFO in 2017, Arleen has helped position C&F as a $5.7 billion insurer with a strong financial rating of “A” (Excellent) by AM Best.

Arleen earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from West Virginia Wesleyan College, and her MBA in Finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University.