The Smart Business Dealmakers Dealmaker of the Year Awards recognize exceptional individuals who are shaping the landscape of business and innovation in Pittsburgh.
In addition, The Pittsburgh Dealmakers Hall of Fame recognized a class of dealmakers that has made an often-groundbreaking impact on their organizations, industries and the region over the course of decades in business.
We celebrated the accomplishments of the 2026 class of winners on February 19 at the Pittsburgh Smart Business Dealmakers Conference. Together, they provide a strong picture of the Pittsburgh business community.
Dealmaker Of The Year Honorees
Roger Berry and Terry Collins. Roger Berry and Terry Collins are two founders of Sudoc, a Pittsburgh-based chemical company dedicated to replacing toxic chemicals with sustainable alternatives. The two have guided the development of Sudoc’s breakthrough molecule, taml, enabling safer solutions for mold remediation, wastewater treatment and pharmaceutical waste mineralization. Sudoc’s $10 million early-stage financing, led by PureTerra Ventures and Momentum Capital, is supporting global expansion and entry into European markets.
Jake Klinvex . Jake is a two-time founder and accomplished technology leader whose career is defined by building and scaling innovative AI-driven businesses. As co-founder of withSoul, Jake helped create a platform that leveraged advanced AI to transform content discovery, personalization, and engagement for faith-based publishers and media organizations. The recent acquisition of withSoul by Gloo reflects a strong strategic alignment around mission, values and the responsible use of technology to serve the “big C” Church. Following the transaction, Jake continues to drive impact as Head of AI Product at Gloo, where his vision and expertise are helping expand trusted, values-aligned AI solutions across the faith ecosystem.
Jonathan Steckbeck. Jonathan is the founder, CEO, and president of Peptilogics, a Pittsburgh-based biotechnology company advancing a novel peptide platform to address multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Since founding the company in 2013, Jonathan has led Peptilogics from early discovery through significant clinical momentum, including a recent $78 million Series B2 financing led by Presight Capital, Founders Fund, and Thiel Bio. The raise supports the company’s Phase 2/3 pivotal trial of zaloganan (PLG0206), an investigational treatment for prosthetic joint infections.
Larry Toscano. Larry is the founder and CEO of Barchemy, a category-defining manufacturer of better-for-you chocolate and confectionery ingredients serving many of the fastest-growing brands in the nutrition and snack space. Barchemy’s recently announced strategic partnership with Avance Investment Management reflects a shared commitment to founder-led growth, customer-first values and long-term innovation. With Larry retaining significant ownership and leadership, the partnership positions Barchemy to expand capacity, strengthen its team and accelerate growth while preserving the culture and capabilities that made the company an industry leader.
Patrick Welch. Patrick is the CEO of Noveome Biotherapeutics, which is advancing novel biotherapeutic products designed to treat inflamed and damaged tissues. Since joining the leadership team, Patrick has guided Noveome through a period of significant growth and clinical progress, culminating in a $51 million Series E financing led by long-time, local Pittsburgh investors, and New York based MAK Capital. The raise supports the advancement of Noveome’s clinical-stage program targeting necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious unmet medical need.
Thomas Womble, CEO of Liberty Tire Recycling. Liberty Tire Recycling is an environmental services leader dedicated to helping customers achieve their sustainability goals through large-scale tire recycling solutions. Under Thomas’ leadership, Liberty has grown into a nationwide platform with a robust network of processing plants and a workforce of more than 3,500 employees. The company’s $1.5 billion acquisition by I Squared Capital represents a major milestone, validating Liberty’s essential role in circular economy infrastructure. With continued strategic acquisitions and operational expansion, Liberty is positioned for long-term growth while advancing environmentally responsible solutions for distributors and tire manufacturers alike.
Social Impact Dealmakers Award Honoree
Tammy Thompson, CEO of Catapult Greater Pittsburgh. Tammy is a driving force behind innovative social impact investing focused on economic empowerment and generational wealth creation. Under her leadership, Catapult has developed asset-building programs that expand access to homeownership, financial education, credit readiness, home repairs and savings initiatives for disenfranchised communities. A hallmark of this work is CLEAR, the organization’s groundbreaking Tangled Title program, which helps families secure legal ownership of the homes they already live in. An accomplished entrepreneur and community leader, Tammy’s vision and execution are delivering measurable, lasting change, helping families stabilize, build wealth and reshape their long-term economic futures.
Dealmakers Hall of Fame Honorees
Stephen Gurgovits , Managing & Founding Partner of Tecum Capital. Under Stephen’s leadership, Tecum has built a differentiated investment platform spanning mezzanine debt, subordinated notes, private equity and control equity investments through its multi-family office strategy. He has played a vital role in shaping the firm’s strategic vision, fundraising efforts and disciplined execution across market cycles. Throughout his career, he has served on the boards of numerous middle-market companies, providing hands-on guidance to help management teams drive growth and long-term value creation.
Greg Coticchia is a distinguished entrepreneur and business leader whose career spans decades of building, scaling, and exiting high-impact technology and software companies. A six-time CEO and two-time COO, Greg has founded multiple companies and led organizations across both public and private markets, consistently driving growth, innovation and profitability. He has repeatedly scaled businesses from start-up to billion-dollar industry leaders. Over the course of his career, he has participated in successful exits totaling more than $4.4 billion in value, including taking a company public and completing more than 28 notable M&A transactions, two involving public companies. Beyond his operating success, he is a dedicated educator and mentor, committed to developing the next generation of entrepreneurs, product leaders, and marketers.
