Board of Advisors

Cherilyn Murer

Chair of the Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship Board of Advisors | Founder, President and CEO of Murer Consultants, Inc.

Cherilyn G. Murer, J.D., C.R.A., President and CEO of CGM Advisory Group LLC and the founder, President and CEO of Murer Consultants, Inc. (a firm she sold in January 2017), has been an active voice in the advancement of quality, cost-effective health care and higher education for more than three decades. Ms. Murer received a Juris Doctor degree with honors from Northern Illinois University College of Law and coupled it with her previous operational experience at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, to create the innovative business model and launch Murer Consultants.

The author of seven books published by McGraw Hill Education Publishing, Ms. Murer is a sought-after consultant, lecturer, educator and author. Her focus on helping clients navigate the complex regulatory, strategic and financial issues facing healthcare and higher education in these transformational times has influenced multi-hospital health care systems, academic medical centers and large physician group practices with a focus on strategic positioning, operational and governance restructuring, consolidations and acquisitions, regulatory compliance and financial management. Private and public board appointments include Sterling Partners’ private equity portfolio company Surgical Solutions LLC Board of Directors, the Advisory Council for the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy, the Illinois Board of Higher Education, two gubernatorial appointments to the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees, Chairman of the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees, and Vice Chair of the Lebanese American University Board of Trustees. In December 2020, Ms. Murer was unanimously elected to Board of Directors of the Sinai Health System, Chicago, a multi-hospital and clinics integrated service model. Additionally, in January 2021, Ms. Murer joined the Board of Advisors for Healthwell, a healthcare-focused special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) which completed its IPO on August 3, 2021 and is listed on Nasdaq as HWELU. Ms. Murer is currently the chair of the Real Estate Foundation, which serves as the real estate venture and acquisition entity for Northern Illinois University.

In addition to her leadership and expertise in healthcare and higher education, Ms. Murer is a passionate advocate for the arts, holding appointments on the Executive Editorial Board of Chicago Woman magazine, along with multiple terms on the Luminarts Cultural Foundation and Union League Club of Chicago boards. Ms. Murer also serves as Board of Governors Vice Chair of the School of the Art Institute: Chicago, the Ryan Opera Center of the Chicago Lyric Opera Company, and the NSU Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale. She was also pleased to accept the invitation to serve on the Board of Governors of the Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University, Florida.

Ms. Murer, who is fluent in French, holds dual citizenship in the United States and Italy, and owns homes in Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale and Costa Brava, Spain.

Paul M. Sallarulo 

Emeritus Chair of the Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship Board of Advisors

Paul Sallarulo is President and CEO of Nexera Medical Inc., a developer and distributor of antimicrobial textile products worldwide. As the company’s principal government contact, Paul was responsible for Nexera receiving the first certification in Europe for an antimicrobial mask, in addition to the first certification of a predicate device antibacterial respirator mask issued by the FDA.

Paul has an extensive financial career in capital markets and investment banking, holding senior positions from January 1990 to April 2006 with Raymond James, Wachovia Securities, Prudential, Meridian Capital Markets, and CoreStates Capital Markets. 

He was appointed Commissioner of the North Broward Hospital District by Florida Governor Jeb Bush for two four-year terms and served as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners and Chairman of the Executive Committee. He oversaw four major hospitals, 38 clinics, 6,000 professionals, and a budget in excess of $2 billion. He served as Chairman of the Audit Committee, Legal Review Committee, Joint Conference Committee, Broward Health Foundation, Community Relations Committee for Broward General Hospital, Community Relations Committee for Imperial Point Medical Center, and he currently serves on the Liberty Health Foundation Board in Jersey City, New Jersey.

In January 2006, The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) appointed Paul to serve on the Medicaid Reform Technical Advisory Panel. The panel was created by the Florida Legislature in House Bill 3B and will advise AHCA on various implementation issues with Medicaid reform. The panel is intended to be a source of advice for AHCA as the state moves forward to implement Florida’s groundbreaking reform plan in Broward and Duval counties. In 2007, Governor Charlie Crist selected Paul to join his transition team to serve on the Citizens Review group for the Office of Financial Regulation. 

Paul served on the Board of Directors of Basinate Industries, Board of Directors of Ubii Corporation, Board of Southwest Charter Foundation, Inc., and Board of Renaissance Charter School, Inc. At NSU he has served on the Board of Trustees, International Alumni Association (President), and the Dental Medicine Advisory Board. He was inducted as the first Honorary member into Sigma Beta Delta Society – International Honor Society in Business, Management and Administration, and he was on the Board of Directors of the Symphony of the Americas and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Tower Club. Paul has served on the following Boards: Board of Directors of Foss manufacturing, Board of Directors and Executive Board of Winterfest, American Diabetes Leadership Council Board, National Advocacy Leadership Board – American Diabetes Association, Board of Directors of the Heart Center of Excellence Foundation, Leadership Circle of United Way, Chairman of the American Red Cross of Broward County, Board of Directors of the Museum of Discovery and Science, Board of Directors of Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center, Board of Directors of the Tower Forum, Member of the Planning and Zoning Board of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County Personal Advisory Board Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale Marine Advisory Board, Kids Voting USA – Florida State Board of Directors, and the Economic Development Advisory Board. He was Co-Chair of 100 Men Who Care, which raises money for many charitable organizations. Paul was also knighted in 2015 by St. John’s of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus Fourth degree, and a member of the Order of Alhambra.

Paul was Co-Founder of Broward Bank of Commerce and served on the Board of Directors. He was Chairman of the Budget Committee, Strategic Planning Committee and Nominating Committee. He also served on the Marketing Committee, Loan Committee, ALCO Committee, and Compensation Committee. Paul assisted in the sale of Broward Financial Holdings, the parent company of Broward Bank of Commerce for $33.96 million to Home BancShares, parent company of Centennial Bank in 2014. He currently serves on the Regional Board of Directors of Centennial Bank and serves on the Loan Committee and Strategic Planning Committee. 

Paul is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award – Nova Southeastern University 1996. In 2018 the Broward Special Olympics created the Annual “Paul Sallarulo Honorary Board Member of the Year Award” to be awarded to an Honorary Board member for exemplary performance. In 2019 he received the Florida State Volunteer Recognition Award by the Florida Knights of Columbus. Sallarulo was Chairman of The Special Olympics of Broward County, and he has been an advocate for people with physical and mental challenges for more than 48 years. He has assisted in raising over $20 million for Special Olympics and other charities. He and his children, Patrick and Samantha, are the founders of the “Sallarulo Race for Champions,” which raised over $10 million in the last ten years for Special Olympics. He served on The Board of Directors of the Mental Health Association of Broward County. He was presented with the “Volunteer of The Year” award by The Broward County Advisory Board for Persons with Disabilities and The Broward County Disability Affairs Section, and the “2006 Volunteer of The Year” award by The Broward Special Olympics. He was recognized for outstanding advocacy, contributions, and achievements that bring increased awareness of disability-related issues. In 2011, The Broward County Board of County Commissioners appointed Paul to The Advisory Board for Individuals with Disabilities. He served as Chairman of the Children’s Fund at the North Broward Hospital District. He also served on the Advisory Board of Best Buddies. Paul and his family received the “2016 Family of the Year Award” for their contribution to the Special Olympics. He also received the “2016 Jack Crutchfield Award” for Outstanding and Distinguished Service to Special Olympics by the Florida State Special Olympics. 

In 2008, Governor Charlie Crist recognized Paul with the Point of Light Award for Outstanding Volunteerism. “By choosing to devote his energy to the Special Olympics, Paul has helped brighten the lives of many persons with disabilities in Broward County,” said Governor Crist. “I applaud his leadership and dedication to helping athletes and volunteers do their best and understand the importance of teamwork.”

Paul graduated with an A.A.S. degree from SUNY Adirondack, a B.B.A. degree in Business Administration from Baruch College, Dean’s List, in New York City, and an M.B.A. from Nova Southeastern University with honors (4.0 GPA).

Sallarulo has co-authored and published the following articles: 

• “Spread Creates Opportunity That’s Not Readily Apparent,” in Credit Union Times, February 11,   1991. 
• “How Your Investments Measure Up – Interest Rate Risk and ALM Strategies,” in Executive Journal, New York, October 1991. 
• “Opportunities in FNMA ‘FLEX’ ARMs and FHLMC ‘WAC’ ARMs,” in Credit Union Times, New York, April 4, 1991.
• “Riding The Yield Curve,” in Credit Union Times, July 5, 1995. 
• “A Portfolio Strategy and Laddered Portfolios as A Passive Investment Strategy,” in Credit Union Times, May 10, 1995. 
• Contributing Author “Residential Mortgage Lending,” 1995, Marshall Dennis.
• Acknowledgment By Roberta Guigerio for her book “The Do’s and Don’ts of Hypoglycemia,” 2011.