30 Best CEOs of the Year 2020 30 Best CEOs of the Year 2020 | Page 41

Neil Fineman, CEO
Neil Fineman, a Formidable Leader: In His Own Words
My father, Jerry Fineman, was one of the first men in the US to gain custody of his boys; well before he had
made a name for himself. This forced my brother to watch over me. His toughness shaped me from an early
age. I was forced to compete and hold my own physically (and mentally ) against his friends that were
quite older and bigger than I was. Adapting became a neccessity. I parlayed this adaptability into being
one of the first scholarship students of what is now IMG’s Sports Academy for future professional athletes.
I again trained with kids that were bigger, stronger, and more experienced. I found that the flexible and
tough mentality that was forged through sports, and competition, served me even better in the business
world. I watched and listened to my father who included me at a very young age in his strategic thinking
and product development. I was allowed, and encouraged, to go to the office with him, and attend meetings
and preparation for sales presentations. This even led to independent thinking and improving some of his
existing products. This kind of problem-solving was far more exciting to me and was ultimately the reason
why I chose to attend a top scholastic college, rather than a top athletic one.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance from Emory University.