Board of Directors
FRANK AU
Chairman
Frank Au is the Executive Chairman of PacificPine Sports and oversees strategy, corporate development, M&A and fundraising.
Mr. Au is the co-founder and Managing Partner of PacificPine Group, an investment firm focused on technology, healthcare and consumer businesses in China. Mr. Au has spent over 20 years covering the technology and healthcare market in China. Mr. Au has spent over 15 years as an entrepreneur having founded, built and sold an independent investment banking business in China.
Mr. Au is the former President of China Renaissance Securities (HK), the wholly-owned broker dealer subsidiary of China Renaissance Group (1911:HK). Mr. Au was the former CEO of Cowen Asia. Mr. Au was the co-founder and President of Latitude Capital Group, a boutique M&A and private placement advisory firm, which was acquired by Cowen Group (COWN:US). Prior to co-founding Latitude, Mr. Au was the former Head of Internet investment banking for Greater China at Lehman Brothers Asia.
Mr. Au holds a MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Columbia University.
RAYMOND ROESSEL
Board Director
Raymond Roessel is the Co-Founder & Co-CEO of PacificPine Sports.
Mr. Roessel was the former CEO, Golf of Shankai Sports and oversaw their 20-year partnership with the PGA TOUR to grow the PGA TOUR Series-China, China’s leading domestic professional tour and only pathway to the Korn Ferry and PGA TOUR.
In 2002, Mr. Roessel founded i3 Sports, one of China’s leading boutique sports marketing agencies. i3 has brought the likes of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Derek Jeter to Asia, i3 was acquired by Shankai Sports in 2018. Mr. Roessel has spent nearly 20 years in the Chinese sports marketing industry working with key stakeholders to advance the industry.
A Member of the PGA of America since 1998 and based in Hong Kong since 2001, Mr. Roessel was formerly Vice-President, Golf, at Lagardère Sports and Entertainment where he was responsible for managing the company’s relationship with the China Golf Association / Ministry of Sport and developing the domestic professional tour.
Mr. Roessel holds an MBA from the Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and a BBA from Mississippi State University.
JOEL HAINES
Board Director
Joel Haines is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of PacificPine Sports.
Mr. Haines founded Five-Star Sports Academy in 2012 and developed the initial unique curriculum for Five-Star and over time has built a full range of products including weekly classes, club programs, tournaments & leagues, holiday camps, overseas tours and a full-time academy program. Mr. Haines has provided the vision behind critical growth efforts including multi-city expansion, pursuit of strategic branding and operational partners, corporate negotiations, and hiring of key expansion-focused staff.
Mr. Haines has lived in China since 2006 working in youth education and is fluent in both written and spoken Mandarin with HSK Level 6 Certification from Shenzhen University. Mr. Haines is also a founding investor in the PGA Youth Development business in China.
Mr. Haines is originally from Canada and graduated from Crandall University with Degrees In Education and Psychology.
ANGELA CHANG
Board Director
Angela Chang is the Managing Director of JN Partners, a private investment firm. Ms. Chang is also the founder and CEO of The Point Dining Group, a restaurant chain based in Hong Kong.
Prior to this, Ms. Chang had extensive experience in finance and corporate development. As Head of Investor Relations at AIA, she was a core member of the IPO team and developed the IR strategy roadmap for AIA's transition from a private subsidiary of AIG to one of the largest listed companies globally. Prior to AIA, Ms. Chang was Head of Investor Relations for CLP Holdings Ltd, a Hong Kong based electric utility with operations across Asia.
Ms. Chang holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Wesleyan University.
ARJUN H. CHOWDRI
Board Director
Arjun H. Chowdri is the designated PGA of America Board Director.
Mr. Chowdri, a member of the PGA of America staff since 2012, serves in the newly-created position of Chief Innovation Officer. Mr. Chowdri is responsible for fostering a culture of innovation, idea generation and free thinking at the Association and throughout the game of golf.
Mr. Chowdri was previously the Senior Director of Global & Corporate Strategy for the PGA of America (2015-18), where he was responsible for the Association’s strategic planning process, research and global initiatives. During this time, Mr. Chowdri developed an international strategy for the PGA, which included their partnership with PacificPine Sports. In addition, Mr. Chowdri led a comprehensive bidding process for a new PGA Headquarters, which produced the announced relocation of the PGA’s headquarters to Frisco, Texas. Previously, he led the PGA’s Marketing & Communications Department (2012-15), which included creative, public relations, digital, production and communications across all the Association’s initiatives and events.
Mr. Chowdri holds an MBA from the University of Oregon and a BA from the University of Chicago.
JEFF OLYNIEC
Board Director
Jeff Olyniec is the co-founder and Vice-Chairman of Five-Star Basketball Academy.
Mr. Olyniec is the co-founder and CEO of New Vision Display, a provider of custom LCD/OLED display and PCAP touch solutions for OEMs worldwide. Mr. Olyniec is also an active investor and former entrepreneur involved in startups across golf resorts, high-tech electronic components, renewable energy development, sports equipment, sports academies and real estate.
Mr. Olyniec previously worked at International Display Works (which was later acquired by Flextronics and is now the current NVD) in senior management roles including sales and supply chain. He then moved on to Solar Power Inc, a worldwide leader in the design and construction of solar power generating facilities, overseeing all of the company’s operations in Asia as the EVP of the company.
Mr. Olyniec holds a BBA from Mississippi State University and is a PGA of America member.
