Management Team

Claudio Osorio is the Co-Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of InnoVida Holdings, LLC. Claudio got his start in 1977, when he founded a sporting goods and wholesale company in his hometown, Caracas, Venezuela. After successfully selling his company, his vision turned towards the computer industry and started CHS Electronics, Inc. in 1983. As Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, CHS became the third largest computer distribution company in the world, with revenues of $8.7 billion. In 1997, CHS was ranked #189 on the Fortune 500. In 1997, Claudio was honored with the "Entrepreneur of the Year" award given by Ernest & Young, NASDAQ, Citibank, Sprint and USA Today. In 1997, 1998 & 1999, Computer Reseller News (CRN) named Claudio one of the "Top 25 Executives in the Computer Industry". He was also ranked amongst the "Top 20 US Business Visionaries" by World Trade Magazine, in 1997.

In the last 15 years, Claudio and his wife, Amarilis have been involved in different philanthropic activities in the USA and internationally. They funded and operated orphanages and day care centers in Russia, Uganda, Venezuela and Dominican Republic. They are also involved as trustees with Community Partnership for Homeless, Miami Science Museum, Big Brothers Big Sisters and The Gloria Estefan Foundation, among others. In 2008 they created "A House For You", a not-for-profit organization that provides shelter to unprivileged people internationally.
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Claudio Osorio is the Co-Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of InnoVida Holdings, LLC. Claudio got his start in 1977, when he founded a sporting goods and wholesale company in his hometown, Caracas, Venezuela. After successfully selling his company, his vision turned towards the computer industry and started CHS Electronics, Inc. in 1983. As Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, CHS became the third largest computer distribution company in the world, with revenues of $8.7 billion. In 1997, CHS was ranked #189 on the Fortune 500. In 1997, Claudio was honored with the "Entrepreneur of the Year" award given by Ernest & Young, NASDAQ,... More >>

 

Born in Hamburg, Germany, Uli Schwartau is the person who invented the InnoVida technology. For over 25 years, he has developed and built products out of composite materials for maritime use. For many years, he has lived in houseboats that he designed. He was constantly asked to sketch designs for other houseboats and yachts.

Uli Schwartau built up and managed several shipyards abroad. During his sailing experiences on long distance trips he had acquired the necessary knowledge to solve the most difficult tasks in the maritime arena, such as floating homes and offices.

Uli created and developed numerous products and projects:

SIGNUS - The first worldwide digital system for foil inscriptions production
Ohlala Beschriftungen und Werbe GmbH - The first combination agency for classical advertisement and outdoor advertising including store construction
Carpe Diem - The first comprehensive swimming wellness hotel of the world
Catch the Wave - Complete Day Cruise operation with 5 locations
BOND - One person submarine for tourist use
Daytona Spyder - Complete development and construction of coal fiber vehicles
EDEL Catamaran - Development and construction of open day charter catamarans
Pro Cat Marine - Construction of a Multihull shipyard in the USA
Calypso Yacht - Construction and management of a shipyard in Mexico
Aqua House - Development and construction of floating houses
Troia House - Development and construction of "Low cost Homes"
InnoVida - Development and construction of factories for the production of composite panels used in the construction industry
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Born in Hamburg, Germany, Uli Schwartau is the person who invented the InnoVida technology. For over 25 years, he has developed and built products out of composite materials for maritime use. For many years, he has lived in houseboats that he designed. He was constantly asked to sketch designs for other houseboats and yachts.

Uli Schwartau built up and managed several shipyards abroad. During his sailing experiences on long distance trips he had acquired the necessary knowledge to solve the most difficult tasks in the maritime... More >>

 

Mr. Toll graduated with Bachelors and Masters degrees from the Wharton school of the University of Pennsylvania. He obtained his CPA certificate, joined Deloitte & Touche and became an audit partner. In 1994, he retired from Deloitte and became the CFO of a publicly traded multinational computer distributor. In 2000, he became the CFO of a privately held tour operator. In 2004 he became the CFO of a company specializing in hard equity mortgage loans. In December 2007, he joined InnoVida as the Chief Financial Officer.

 

 

Prior to joining InnoVida, Mr. Morris was the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Florida. In May, 2005 he was sent to Florida from Washington D.C., to run FEMA’s recovery efforts from the unprecedented 2004 Hurricane Season when four major hurricanes devastated the state over a course of only six weeks. In the months to follow, he successfully took on the response, recovery and mitigation operations to the four additional hurricanes that battered Florida, including Hurricane Wilma, the third costliest storm to ever strike the United States. Mr. Morris led a team of nearly 3,000 employees and oversaw the delivery of over $14 billion to Florida’s communities. Morris received praise from both sides of the political aisle as a strong leader, straight shooter, visionary and agent of change. Even the harshest of FEMA’s critics were won over – impressed by the no-nonsense efficiencies Morris brought to operations in the state.

Over the last 15 years, Morris has served in numerous executive positions including Deputy Chief of Staff of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security, Deputy Chief of Staff and White House Liaison for the Small Business Administration and Marketing Director for the world’s largest eBusiness applications software company. He has also helped develop strategies and campaigns for Presidential candidates, Governors, Senators, Members of Congress, grassroots organizations and corporations across the nation.

In 2007, Morris was selected to serve as a Fellow at the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas, bringing to the Institute a level of candor and first-hand experience.

Mr. Morris is a native of Emporia, Kansas and a proud University of Kansas Jayhawk. He currently lives in Orlando, Florida with his wife, Minnie and their two boys, Walker and Chase.
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Prior to joining InnoVida, Mr. Morris was the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Florida. In May, 2005 he was sent to Florida from Washington D.C., to run FEMA’s recovery efforts from the unprecedented 2004 Hurricane Season when four major hurricanes devastated the state over a course of only six weeks. In the months to follow, he successfully took on the response, recovery and mitigation operations to the four additional hurricanes that battered Florida, including Hurricane Wilma, the third costliest storm to ever strike the United States. Mr. Morris led a team of nearly 3,000 employees and oversaw the delivery of...More >>

 

Walter Rest is Innovida’s Chief Operating Officer where he is responsible for shaping, reviewing, approving and deploying InnoVida’s corporate vision, strategy and performance targets into all aspects of day-to-day operations. He has a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering from Universidad Simon Bolivar, Caracas, Venezuela and a Masters degree in Engineering Management from the University of Southern California. He spent 8 years as VP of Operations for a Heat Exchanger manufacturing facility in California. He sold his interest in the company and moved to Mexico for 4 years where he applied his entrepreneurial skills in setting up a successful business in the Food Service industry. He has spent the last 14 years managing international sales of equipment and components for automotive engine cooling and A/C systems, through his Miami firm. Mr. Rest extensive experience in handling foreign clients, his commitment to professionalism and his no non sense type of approach to tackle the new challenges provided by our increasing global footprint has proven invaluable to the organization.
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Walter Rest is Innovida’s Chief Operating Officer where he is responsible for shaping, reviewing, approving and deploying InnoVida’s corporate vision, strategy and performance targets into all aspects of day-to-day operations. He has a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering from Universidad Simon Bolivar, Caracas, Venezuela and a Masters degree in Engineering Management from the University of Southern California. He spent 8 years as VP of Operations for a Heat Exchanger manufacturing facility in California. He sold his interest in the company and moved to Mexico for 4 years where he applied... More >>

 

Herb Margolis, is a lifelong resident of South Florida, educated with B.A. Degree from the University of Central Florida and has a long history of business experience first as CEO and Founder of his well known sporting goods business for 26 years that included a retail chain of 6 stores, an import export company, and a scuba diving manufacturing company with domestic and export sales throughout the Caribbean and South America. Mr. Margolis also has acted as merchandising consultant for Don King Productions and operations director for Jared M. Custom Clothing. In 1999, Mr. Margolis was one of the founders of Globaltron Communications Corp. and served as Sr. Vice President when the company went public on first as GBCP, then later renamed to Phone 1 (PHGW). Mr. Margolis has been with InnoVida since January, 2007.

 

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Mario Sanchez is the Vice President of Construction Operations for InnoVida. Mario has over 20 years of construction experience, multi project management and real estate development. After finishing grad school for Architecture in 1986, he immediately entered the construction industry. He has worked on everything from simple interior build outs to large scale housing developments to large mixed use infill projects over a million square feet. He is responsible for the construction and development process in multiple and regions throughout the globe.

 

Mr. Machado graduated with Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering from the Universidad Simon Bolivar-Caracas-Venezuela. He joined Petroquimica de Venezuela S.A (PEQUIVEN)a subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) and became Plant Manager. In 1987, he retired from PEQUIVEN and became Project Manager of different privates Chemicals companies in Venezuela. In 2003, he joined PEQUIVEN as a Project Leader of the largest Fertilizer expansion in Venezuela, and become the General Managers of Moron Fertilizers Complex, In September 2007, he joined Innovida as Chief Manufacturing Officer (CMO) responsible of all manufacturing operations of all Innovida group of Companies.

 

Amarilis is the President of A House For You Foundation, a not-for-profit organization sponsored by InnoVida, that provides housing and community infrastructure to undeveloped regions and in Disaster Relief Areas. In 1995, she started CHS Cares, a not-for-profit organization that founded and operated Day Care Centers in Venezuela and Dominican Republic. In 1997, she partnered with Red Cross to create and support eight orphanages in Siberia, Russia. She also founded The Phoenix Initiative, which has donated more than 10,000 renovated computers to schools and hospitals in Latin America and Eastern Europe. In 2000, Amarilis co-founded i2 Cares, which supports day care centers and orphanages for children in Uganda, India and Latin America. In 2004, she joined the Board of Community Partnership for Homeless. She has been involved with the capital campaigns and fund-raising activities for the Miami Children’s Museum, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, The Cushman School, the Miami City Ballet, "Las Damas Salecianas", "Seeds for Live", Red Cross International, Recovery for Katrina’s Victims, Recovery for the Tsunami’s Victims, Junior Coalition of Miami, among many others. She received a Proclamation from Miami-Dade County in May, 2007and received the "2007 Humanitarian Award of the Year" from the March of Dimes and South Florida Business Journal.
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Amarilis is the President of A House For You Foundation, a not-for-profit organization sponsored by InnoVida, that provides housing and community infrastructure to undeveloped regions and in Disaster Relief Areas. In 1995, she started CHS Cares, a not-for-profit organization that founded and operated Day Care Centers in Venezuela and Dominican Republic. In 1997, she partnered with Red Cross to create and support eight orphanages in Siberia, Russia. She also founded The Phoenix Initiative, which has donated more than 10,000... More >>