Facing Life is
not such an easy
thing to do.
Just ask Ross
Mandell. He's
had good times
and bad. His
highs have been
higher than
most, and his
lows have
likewise been
lower than most.
At the young age
of 16 Mandell's
father died
suddenly of a
massive heart
attack. Left
without a
father, his
world shattered,
Mandell's life
became
rudderless. As
he was quoted in
the Wall Street
Journal, he
"lived life in
the fast lane."
All that came to
a screeching
halt 17 years
later.
Mandell
Discovers he has
a Disease �
Alcoholism and
Drug Addiction
During those 17
years, Mandell
also became one
of the most
successful stock
brokers on Wall
Street. He was
part of the
telecommunications
boom in the late
70s and early
80s that brought
Wall Street to
Main Street.
Along the way,
he raised
hundreds of
millions of
dollars for
companies and
made millions
for himself.
Yes, the good
times were
indeed quite
good. However,
Mandell
discovered he
had a disease.
He suffered from
alcoholism and
drug addiction.
Mandell became a
poster child for
the go-go days
and the boom
times on Wall
Street. On March
14th, 1996, a
front page news
article titled,
"The Art of
Survival," that
appeared in the
Wall Street
Journal profiled
Mandell. "That
story threw my
life open to the
public," says
Mandell, "I was
clean and sober
for six years,
but it discussed
the issues and
challenges I had
with substance
abuse." The
echoes of that
story have
continued to
reverberate
throughout
Mandell's life
and have become
an indelible
part of his
persona. In June
2002, a front
page story in
the leading
daily British
newspaper, The
Observer, led
with the
following
headline, "Greed
is Good Comes to
London." The
caption further
states, "Gordon
Gekko Style
Investment
banking comes to
London in the
persona of Ross
Mandell."
Naturally, the
paper is
referring to the
lead character
played by
Michael Douglas
in Oliver
Stone's 1987
Oscar-winning
film, Wall
Street. For all
practical
purposes,
Gekko's
character could
likely have been
based on
Mandell's life.
In October,
2005, Forbes
Magazine in a
two page spread
proclaimed
Mandell as Wall
Street's "bad
boy broker," in
an article
titled, Second
Act, which
featured Ross
Mandell and Sky
Capital's
success in the
Wall Street
arena.
One fateful day,
September 27th,
1973, a day that
changed
Mandell's life
forever, David
Mandell, Ross's
father,
unexpectedly
died from a
heart attack on
Rosh Hashanah, a
religious
holiday. Thus
began a whirling
dervish of
Dionysian
decadence for
nearly two
decades. Mandell
now found
himself bottomed
out, burned out
and broke.
Mandell was a
living clich�.
Lots of money,
fast cars, fast
women, and all
the trappings of
early success.
From the outside
he had it all.
On the inside he
was empty. Of
that moment,
Mandell says, "I
woke up one day
and realized I
couldn't
continue to live
like this, I was
a wreck and a
million dollars
in debt, all at
the age of 33."
In October,
1990, Mandell
checked himself
into the Silver
Hill Foundation,
a world famous
rehabilitation
clinic, in New
Canaan,
Connecticut. He
was there for 28
days. It was the
first time that
he was clean and
sober since his
teen years. At
Silver Hill, he
was introduced
to the 12-Step
Program,
Alcoholics
Anonymous. "The
AA program is
amazing," says
Mandell, "my
life changed
immediately for
the better." AA
is a spiritual
program that
emphasizes
personal
admission, moral
inventory and
service.
"Recovery is not
an easy thing,"
says Mandell,
"its' a daily
struggle and the
most difficult
thing I have
accomplished in
my life." On
October 12th,
2009, Mandell
celebrated 19
years of
continuous
sobriety. Upon
leaving Silver
Hill, Mandell's
personal and
professional
life, bolstered
by the
principals of
AA, became
better than
ever.
Built like a
bull-dog,
dressed in the
finest suits,
with the swagger
of body-builder
meets investment
banker, Mandell
dedicated
himself to work,
fitness and
sobriety.
Mandell's public
profile
continued to
grow and earn
him close media
attention as
well as scrutiny
by financial
regulators. In
1995, in a
blanket
settlement with
the New York
Stock Exchange,
he was suspended
from securities
dealing for six
weeks. In
another instance
he settled a
difference with
a trading client
for $75,000.
"That's the
price you pay
when your
professional and
personal life
become public,"
says Mandell.
The 90s were a
great time to be
on Wall Street.
Fueled by a
stimulated
Clinton economy
and a technology
boom, the
capital markets
expanded to new
heights. During
the next decade
Mandell went on
to work for,
founded and
funded many
companies. Along
the way he
closed scores of
transactions
worth hundreds
of millions of
dollars. Mandell,
with two other
partners, went
on to create
Roan Capital
Partners, a New
York City-based,
NASD registered
broker-dealer.
After leading
and successfully
managing its
rapid growth
Mandell sold his
interest and
went on to join
the Thornwater
Company as a
Senior Vice
President.
By the end of
the 90s Mandell
felt the market
changing. "The
boom was about
to bust," says
Mandell of that
time, "and I
thought this the
right moment to
try something
new and
different."
Mandell, ever
independent,
intuitive and
entrepreneurial,
decided to start
an international
Merchant Bank
and stock
broker, Sky
Capital
Holdings. He
raised $9
million dollars
to seed the
venture, but
even more
dramatically,
Mandell brought
his company
overseas. "I was
the first
American to
bring a
regulated U.S.
company to the
London Stock
Exchange," says
Mandell. In July
2002, Sky
Capital went
public on
London's
Alternative
Investment
Market. On the
day it went
public the
company was
valued at more
than $30
million. On two
separate
occasions, Ross
Mandell and Sky
Capital were
privileged to
speak and to
host luncheons
in the British
Parliament.
Matthew
Carrington, a
former member of
the British
Parliament, and
Alexander Duma,
a parliamentary
appointee, were
also members of
the Board of Sky
Capital, as was
former Senator,
Larry. L
Pressler.
According to
Mandell, "On
September 11th,
2001, the world
as we know it
changed forever
when 19 Islamic
fundamentalists
hijacked four
American planes,
destroying the
World Trade
Centers and
attacking the
Pentagon. The
United States
government
responded by
creating the
Department of
Homeland
Security, an
American
initiative, to
reorganize the
Federal
Government's
ability to
protect its
citizens.
Mandell's
business savvy
and keen pulse
on the market
compelled him to
form
GlobalSecure
Holdings. In
early 2003,
Mandell and Sky
Capital founded
GlobalSecure
Holdings , along
with former
United States
Congressman, C.
Thomas McMillen.
GlobalSecure was
dedicated to the
acquisition and
development of
companies in the
homeland
security sector,
acquiring
numerous
companies such
as one that made
gas masks,
another that
made breathing
apparatus. It
acquired another
company that
made Hazmat
Suits and
another that
provided
hazardous
materials
response
training. There
was also a
company that was
involved in the
detection of
biological
threats as well
as the software
business. "We
made a sincere
and legitimate
attempt to help
America win the
fight against
terrorism," says
Mandell.
In the years
that followed
forming Sky
Capital and
GlobalSecure,
Mandell, as a
clearly
identified
person of
interest,
continued to
generate media
attention and
headlines. Both
his business
interests, as
well as his
personal life,
as a very public
recovering
alcoholic,
"appear to be
something that
is always
lurking in the
background,"
says Mandell.
Among numerous
other
publications,
The New York Sun
spotlighted him
in 2005 with the
following
headline, "The
Rehabilitation
of a Wall Street
Bad Boy," an
article that
recounted the
resurrection of
his career; and
Forbes Magazine
featured him in
a two page
spread that
chronicled his
career
highlights, as
well as his
lowlights.
On July 8, 2009,
Ross Mandell's
world would be
rocked, yet
again. Just days
from getting
ready to launch
a new Mixed
Martial Arts
franchise, he
was indicted by
the Southern
District of New
York. He
surrendered to
the FBI at New
York
headquarters
where he was
charged with
conspiracy to
commit
securities fraud
and securities
fraud. Mandell
reaffirms that
he is not guilty
of the charges
brought against
him and that he
has been
wrongfully
accused. At 52
years old,
Mandelll, finds
himself in the
biggest battle
of his life to
not just save
his freedom, and
his family, but
continue his
path of
sobriety. "I
attend an AA
meeting at least
once a day,"
says Mandell,
"sometimes
twice; it is
absolutely
cathartic for me
to be surrounded
by others who
face substance
abuse
challenges."
While
conventional
wisdom is to get
small, lay low
and lawyer up,
the media
continue to seek
out Mandell.
Between the
highs and the
lows, and the
success Mandell
has achieved on
Wall Street,
it's no surprise
the media
continue to seek
out his story.
His case and his
struggles have
now captured the
attention of
Hollywood.
Barely three
months after he
was charged, and
while out on $5
million bail, a
promotional
teaser has been
made about
Mandell and his
most recent
life-altering
ordeal. "The
trailer is so
good and Ross's
story so
compelling, I
find it not just
worthwhile, but
fascinating
enough to
represent," says
John Ferriter, a
Los
Angeles-based
top talent
executive, who
believes that
Ross's story can
actually start a
new sub niche,
or genre, within
the world of
reality TV.
Ferriter was the
former Executive
Vice President,
Worldwide Head
of Non-Scripted
Television for
The William
Morris Agency.
Past and current
clients include
Jeff Probst,
Jimmy Kimmel,
Dick Clark,
Carson Daly,
Kneau Reeves,
and others. He
packaged shows
including Fear
Factor, Biggest
Loser, The
Singing Bee, The
Man Show, The
Tom Green Show,
Celebrity Rehab,
Project Runway,
and Miss
America, amongst
others.
Facing Life,
under the best
of circumstances
can be
difficult. If
you are Ross
Mandell, a
colorful,
controversial
character
saddled with a
big public
profile, life
can be even more
challenging.
With the weight
of a looming
court battle and
facing the most
severe penalties
one can imagine,
Ross Mandell is
in the fight of
his life for his
freedom, his
family � for his
survival.
Real Life Drama
Makes Real Life
Reality TV
Always a
fighter, ready
to face any
challenge, Ross
Mandell
continues to
live his life as
a husband to his
wife, a father
to his children,
and as an
entrepreneur,
who is free on
$5 million bail.
He is a
defendant facing
criminal
charges, the
subject of a new
reality
television show
and a recovering
alcoholic with
19 years
sobriety. Ross
Mandell has got
a lot on the
line, a lot to
lose and a lot
to live for as
the drama
continues to
unfold in this
real life saga.
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Mandell's next
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drama unfolds.