Al Li is Founder and CEO of ARTIS COMMERCIAL CAPITAL and ARTIS MARKETING SOLUTIONS. Prior to his launching his own company, he has spent over 20 years in corporate finance in not-for-profit and Fortune 500 companies and banking for both national and super regional banks. Additionally, he serves as the Chair of the Missouri District Export Council and Finance Chair Executive Committee member of the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis and the former President of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of St. Louis. With an MA in Economics from University of Missouri and an MBA from the Olin Business School at Washington University, he is proven to be a mission driven, business professional who seeks to help his clients grow and his community improve as recognized by several awards including 100 St. Louisans You Should Know To Succeed In Business by Small Business Weekly and Diverse Business Leader by the St. Louis Business Journal. For more information on his background, you can view him here.

Sheldon Ripson owns R5 Communications, a firm providing businesses integrated communication strategy, content and consulting services. Notable clients include Husky Corporation, Roeslein & Associates Inc., Roeslein Alternative Energy LLC, Flower and Fendler Custom Homebuilders, Gunther Salt Company, Nooter Construction, and MedPlus Health Care LLC.

An accomplished journalist, Sheldon was a reporter, news anchor, and executive in seven Midwest cities. He’s interviewed and reported on a wide variety of people including presidential candidates, Nobel Peace prize winners, Fortune 500 CEOs, labor union presidents and entrepreneurs.

As an executive leading large news operations, Sheldon’s teams delivered content that resulted in local and state laws being changed, received numerous honors including regional Emmy awards, and earned high ratings and revenue.

Sheldon holds an Executive MBA from Washington University in St. Louis, where he graduated in the top 20 percent of the class and was voted Most Inspirational by his classmate peers. He received his undergraduate degree at the Drake University School of Journalism and Mass Communication, where he was named Alumni of the Year in 2006.