The Smart Business Dealmakers Dealmaker of the Year Awards recognize exceptional individuals who are shaping the landscape of business and innovation in South Florida.
In addition, The South Florida Dealmakers Hall of Fame recognized a dealmaker who 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 2025 class of winners on November 20 at the South Florida Smart Business Dealmakers Conference. Together, they provide a strong picture of the South Florida business community.
Dealmaker Of The Year Honorees
Yash Daftary, CEO of FanBasis. FanBasis, a Miami, FL-based provider of an end-to-end ecosystem powering digital businesses, raised $20 million in Series A funding. The round was led by Left Lane Capital, with participation from Ryan Serhant, The Sidemen (via Upside Ventures), Gerard Piqué, and Connexa Capital. The company has grown to run rate over $1 billion in revenue this year and is the fastest growing company in the internet economy.
Alexander Esposito, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Circuit. Circuit raised $17 million as part of its Series B in February of this year, led by MKB. Tribeca Venture Partners, Groundswell Ventures, K Street Capital, Impact Engine and several other investors also participated in the round. The funds will be used to help fuel Circuit’s expansion, further enhance its proprietary tech platform, and to strengthen partnerships with cities, properties, and businesses.
Dan Florian and M. Steven Liff, Co-Founders and Managing Partners of Palm Peak Capital. Led by seasoned investors M. Steven Liff, Jeremy Stone, and Dan Florian, Palm Peak completed two platform investments and one add-on acquisition in 2025, deploying its Peak Performance operating system to accelerate growth and operational improvement. With disciplined execution and a hands-on approach, Palm Peak is shaping high-performing industrial and business services companies.
Peter Goldstein, CEO of Emmis Acquisition. Emmis Acquisition Corp. raised $100 million in its initial public offering on the NASDAQ, and then expanded the offering by an additional $15 million, bringing its total IPO proceeds to $115 million. Concurrently, the company received another $3.68 million in development capital through a private placement (PIPE) from its sponsor. Together, these fundraising efforts totaled approximately $118.68 million, marking key milestones in Emmis’ capital formation and financial strategy, where it is now poised for significant growth.
Benjamin Gordon, Managing Partner of Cambridge Capital. Benjamin helped lead the growth and successful sale of Greenscreens.ai, a company delivering AI-powered predictive pricing and data analytics for logistics professionals. Under Cambridge’s guidance, Greenscreens scaled from startup to $8 million in annual recurring revenue, ultimately being sold for $160 million to Triumph Financial, whose Triumph Intelligence platform brings unprecedented accuracy and transparency to freight market pricing. It’s a standout win in a rapidly evolving logistics technology landscape.
Jeff Magny, Founder & Managing Partner, Lincoln Road Global Management. Jeff’s leadership at Lincoln Road has driven an impressive string of acquisitions over the past 24 months. Most recently, he and his team acquired Silversand Services and SLI Landscape, combining them with portfolio company Zodega Landscaping to create the largest commercial landscaping provider in Houston. The new Silversand Services now serves more than 1,500 customers across Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, and Bryan–College Station.
Social Impact Honorees
Russell Krueter and Kevin Elwell, Co-Founders of PE Build, a Habitat for Humanity annual event. Kevin and Russell have demonstrated exceptional leadership in launching PE Build in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County. In only three years, the initiative has mobilized more than 100 members of the private equity ecosystem, raising over $600,000 to support affordable housing. Participation spans five PE firms and dozens of financial, legal, insurance and advisory organizations. In 2026, the PE Build model will expand to Nashville and Los Angeles, with an ambitious goal of generating $1 million to fuel community development nationwide.
Dealmakers Hall of Fame Honoree
Charlie Santos-Buch, Operating Partner at AE Industrial. With 45 years of investment banking and private equity experience, Charlie has shaped AEI’s growth since the firm’s inception, helping establish and expand its Industrial Services vertical. He has played a critical role in sourcing, executing and advancing value creation across multiple platforms, serving on the boards of BHI Energy, Resolute Industrial, Altus Fire & Life Safety, and now chairing the board of United Building Solutions, a recent HVAC investment.
Over the course of his career, Charlie has executed more than $35 billion in financing and M&A transactions. Before joining AEI, he led transaction origination at UBS Capital and UBS Capital Americas, and founded the Financial Sponsor Coverage Groups at both UBS AG and PaineWebber. His path also included senior roles at CIBC World Markets, Oppenheimer, and Alex Brown & Sons, after beginning his career in corporate finance and M&A at Kidder Peabody. Beyond his work in private equity, Charlie is Chairman and CEO of Compact Container Systems.
