Jason Clemens is the executive vice president of the Fraser Institute and president of the Fraser Institute Foundation. Before rejoining the Fraser Institute in 2012, he was the director of research and managing editor at the Ottawa-based Macdonald-Laurier Institute and prior to joining the MLI, Clemens spent a little over three years in the United States with the San Francisco-based Pacific Research Institute. He has an honors bachelor's degree of commerce and an MBA from the University of Windsor, as well as a post-baccalaureate degree in economics from Simon Fraser University.

Clemens has published over 70 major studies on a wide range of topics, including taxation, government spending, labor market regulation, banking, welfare reform, health care, productivity, and entrepreneurship. He has published over 300 shorter articles, which have appeared in such newspapers as The Wall Street Journal, Investors Business Daily, the Washington Post, the Globe and Mail, National Post, and a host of U.S., Canadian, and international newspapers. He has also been a guest on numerous radio and television programs across Canada and the U.S. As an expert witness, Clemens has appeared before committees of both the House of Commons and the Senate in Canada and he has briefed state legislators in California.

In 2006, Clemens received Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 award presented by Caldwell Partners, as well as an Odyssey Award from the University of Windsor. In 2011, he and his co-authors were awarded the prestigious Sir Antony Fisher International Memorial Award for the best-selling book, The Canadian Century. In 2012, the Governor General of Canada on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, presented Clemens with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his contributions to the country.

Tony Sarsam is CEO of Ready Pac Foods Inc., the premier producer of convenience fresh foods, including fresh-cut produce.

Sarsam is a highly respected leader with a proven track record of managing world-class operations and driving innovative product development. He has outstanding operating experience and a reputation for building a strong performance culture.

Since joining Ready Pac Foods in 2014, Sarsam has energized the organization around a mission of “giving people the freedom to eat healthier.” He has assembled a world-class leadership team and has the company on a significant growth trajectory. Prior to joining Ready Pac, he was President of the Nestlé USA Direct Store Delivery Company, which serves Nestlé’s frozen pizza and ice cream businesses and is the world’s largest frozen DSD sales organization.

In 2006, before Nestle acquired Dreyer’s Ice Cream, Sarsam joined the company as executive vice president of operations and supply chain, with responsibility for manufacturing, procurement, and supply chain. He later served as the executive vice president of sales and operations, with responsibility for sales, manufacturing, and distribution.

Prior to joining Dreyer’s, Sarsam spent 20 years with PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay business, first as an associate engineer and later progressed through a series of significant leadership roles, including plant manager, director of finance and region vice president for sales and distribution in the West. He also led the development of Frito-Lay’s and PepsiCo’s overall sales and supply chain strategy as vice president of go-to-market strategy.

Sarsam has a degree in chemical engineering from Arizona State University and a master of science degree in management from Stanford. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife of 28 years, Judy, and their two daughters, Kamila and Karissa. In March 2010, the family adopted three siblings from Kazakhstan: Andrew, Victoria, and Nicholas. In his free time, Sarsam is an active member of his church and enjoys spending time with his family, including watching movies, traveling both internationally and domestically, and participating in the kids’ various sports pursuits.

A board certified and fellowship-trained surgeon, David Jacofsky is an international speaker and respected authority in complex adult joint reconstruction and oncology, and a leading authority on healthcare reform strategies.

Jacofsky is CEO and chairman of The CORE Institute, following a successful tenure as a division director and assistant residency director at Mayo Clinic. Jacofsky graduated magna cum laude from medical school and completed his orthopedic residency at Mayo Clinic and his fellowship at Johns Hopkins University.

Arizona Business Magazine recognized him with its Special Merit Award and Surgeon of the Year honors. He also received the Leaders in Joint Replacement: Generation Next award from Orthopedics Today, and was recognized as a PHOENIX magazine Top Doc. He has authored more than 50 peer reviewed publications, 20 book chapters, and three orthopedic textbooks.

Mark Emmert became the fifth president of the NCAA in October 2010. As president he has championed greater support for student-athlete wellness and academic success. His commitment to the academic success of athletes is also reflected in newly heightened academic standards for initial eligibility. Additionally, he ushered the Association into a new Division I governance structure.

Prior to assuming his current role, Emmert served as president of his alma mater, the University of Washington, beginning in 2004 and has been named president emeritus. During his tenure, the university rose to its standing as second among all public and private institutions in research funding with $1.3 billion in annual grants and contracts. Under his leadership, the university concluded a $2.6 billion fundraising campaign. 

Prior to returning to his alma mater, Emmert was chancellor of Louisiana State University from 1999 to 2004. He served as provost and chancellor of the University of Connecticut (1995-1999), provost and vice president for academic affairs at Montana State University (1992-1995), and associate vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Colorado (1985-1992).

A Washington native, Emmert earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Washington and has both a master’s degree and a PhD in public administration from Syracuse University. He holds an honorary doctorate of humanities degree from Monmouth University and an honorary doctorate of laws degree from Molloy College.

Emmert and his wife, DeLaine, have two adult children and three grandchildren.

Joe Shoen’s parents founded U-Haul in 1945. He has worked at the company for 40 of the 50 years that U-Haul International has been headquartered in Central Phoenix. In 1987, Joe was chosen as the chairman of the board of directors for AMERCO, the parent company of U-Haul. Joe and his brother Mark have devoted most of their adult life to managing U-Haul as a family business. Joe’s sons, Sam and Stuart, are continuing that tradition as the third generation actively involved in managing the business.

Under three decades of Joe’s leadership, U-Haul has greatly increased choices available to consumers in the do-it-yourself moving and self-storage industry. In 1987, there were 4,600 U-Haul rental outlets. Today, U-Haul has more than 21,000 locations, 285,000 trucks, trailers or towing devices and over 50 million square feet of rentable self-storage space in North America.

With 1,100 locations providing propane, U-Haul has one of the largest propane refilling networks in North America and is the largest seller and installer of aftermarket hitches.

Joe lives in Phoenix with his wife Sylvia and sons Carty and Joseph. While most of his spare time is consumed with his children and their activities, Joe’s interests also include American history and aviation. He is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross, Harvard Business School, and Arizona State University's Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law.