Jamie Benoit

Business Leader
N/A

Jamie Benoit has spent much of his career devoted to the intelligence and national security missions of the United States.  From 2009 until 2019, Jamie was the CEO of FEDDATA a provided of misson-enabling solutions to the intelligence community and Department of Defense. During that time Jamie led the company fro start-up to $30+ million in earnings. He closed several private-equity backed transactions, senior credit and asset based facilities. Jamie is a licensed attorney having practice corporate law prior to his tenure at FEDDATA. Previously, Jamie served in various capacities as an officer n the United States Army.

Tim Carroll

Director
Microsoft

Tim is a thirty year emerging technology builder with roles ranging from start up founder to global business leader. He most recently served as COO of Cycle Computing until their acquisition by Microsoft in 2017 where he currently serves as Director of High Performance Computing and Artificial Intelligence on Azure. He also mentors startups across multiple sectors.

Seema Chaturvedi

Founder & Managing Partner,
AWE Funds

Ms. Chaturvedi has over 20 years of capital markets and financial management experience. As an entrepreneur, investment banker and investor, she brings a unique perspective to the strategic planning and investment process. 

Seema is Founder & Managing Partner of Achieving Women Equity (AWE) Funds to invest in innovative enterprises which positively impact gender balance, by investing in women owned, led, influenced companies in India building on the investment thesis that investing in women businesses delivers both commercial returns and economic development impact. 

She is extremely passionate about promoting entrepreneurship in general and women entrepreneurship in particular. She founded and leads as chairwoman TiE Global’s marquee women’s entrepreneurship program: Project All India Roadshow for Women’s Economic Empowerment through Entrepreneurship (AIRSWEEE), for which she obtained funding from the US Department of State for an unprecedented 6 consecutive rounds of funding and has directly mentored 575 women from 106 Tier 2 and 3 cities in 20 states in India. These women further impacted 6,500+ women through a pay-it- forward multiplier. 

Jonathan Cohen

Founder, President & CEO
20/20 GeneSystems, Inc.

Jonathan is President & CEO of 20/20 GeneSystems, Inc. (Rockville, MD). 20/20 develops and commercializes machine learning powered laboratory tests for the early detection of cancer and other diseases. The company saw over 600% revenue growth in FY’20 and it expects to be listed as one of the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America in the summer of 2021.  

In Q’4 2021 the company will establish what is believed to be the country’s first shared CLIA lab accelerator for innovative developers of laboratory tests. 

As a seasoned health technology entrepreneur Cohen has raised over $20 million in equity capital and forged and managed license, technology transfer, investment, and sales & marketing agreements with Fortune 500 companies such as Eastman Kodak, Abbott Diagnostics, Johnson & Johnson, and Ping An, the largest health insurance company in China.

Mr. Cohen has also been a leading advocate for the life sciences industry at the state and federal levels. He is the architect of the Maryland Biotechnology Investor Tax Credit, the most aggressive investor incentive in the U.S.  Jonathan also led the legislative effort that resulted in the first increase in funding under the federal Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) in over 30 years.

Jonathan is a registered patent attorney with an M.S. in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University and a J.D. from the American University. 

McKeever Conwell

Managing Partner
RareBreed Ventures

McKeever “Mac” Conwell II is a software engineer by trade and was a former DOD contractor with a top-secret clearance. He was a two-time founder with an exit and a failure. Next Mac moved on to the venture capital world via the Maryland Technology Development Corporation as part of their Seed Investment Team.During his four years there, Mac amassed experience leading an initiative to create the Minority Business Pre-seed Fund, the first and only, at the time, state-backed pre-seed fund for women and minorities in the country. The program institutionalized the friends and family round for black-, women-, and minority-led startups and was subsequently funded long-term by the state of Maryland. In September 2020, Mac founded RareBreed VC, a pre-seed fund that invests in exceptional founders outside of large tech ecosystems.

Luke Cooper

Chairman & CEO
No Mud No Magic, Inc.

Recognized as one of Baltimore's “40 Under 40”' Business Leaders and Entrepreneur Of The Year by Ernst & Young, Luke Cooper is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, author, and trusted advisor to business, academic, and government leaders. He's only the 2nd Black founder in Baltimore to lead a company to a successful tech exit, capturing 11x revenues for Fixt. Impressively, he's done it twice. Luke is recognized as a prominent voice advocating for more equitable participation of underrepresented communities in entrepreneurship. His latest venture, No Mud • No Magic, seeks to bridge the gap between high-potential Black start-up founders and technical training, investors, and exit options.

Joe Cowan

Chairman & CEO
Cowan Systems LLC

Joseph, the son of W.T. Cowan, opened Cowan Systems, LLC. as a new operating entity in 1994. Cowan Systems expanded the company focus to include the services of a specialized truckload carrier, including fleet replacement and dedicated fleet services.

Randy Croxton

Co-Founder & Chief Investment Officer
Meridian Management Group / MMG Capital

Randy has nearly 35 years of experience in the public and private financing arena, with particular emphasis on small and minority business development. Mr. Croxton is Senior Vice President and co-founder of Meridian Management Group, Inc., which began in 1995.

As a Partner, Mr. Croxton is responsible for initiating, underwriting, structuring, closing, syndicating, and monitoring of investments for MMG Capital Partners.

Prior to joining BEDCO, he spent seven years with Commercial Credit Business Loans, Inc. (CCBL), where as assistant regional manager he was responsible for the management of more than $45 million in asset-based loans.

Guy D'Andrea

Managing Partner
Discern Health

As a Partner at Discern Health, Guy D’Andrea helps clients create breakthrough strategies that focus on driving better patient outcomes and improving value in the health care system. He advises clients about health performance measurement and about the programs that connect measures to incentives to drive improvement. The firm’s clients include life sciences companies, provider organizations, and government agencies that share a common goal of improving health care.

Before founding Discern in 2004, Guy spent ten years in various health policy roles in Annapolis and Washington, DC, including a role as a vice president at URAC, a health care accreditation organization.

Brian Davis

Managing Director & CEO
Clearview Group

Brian is the Managing Director and CEO of Clearview Group, a rapidly growing CPA and Management Consulting firm in Maryland. Brian is a proven leader with more than 20 years of experience in the accounting and consulting field. With principles rooted in transparency and integrity, Brian’s commitment and passion are the driving force behind Clearview’s growing team of dedicated professionals who cultivate solid, trusted relationships with clients, prospects, and candidates.

Sam DiPaola

President
Evergreen Advisors, LLC

Mr. DiPaola joins Evergreen after twelve years at SunTrust, most recently as Region President, where he led commercial operations for the bank in Maryland, Washington D.C. and southern Pennsylvania.

Prior to his Regional President role, Sam was an investment banker leading SunTrust Robinson Humphrey’s investment banking office in Washington D.C. and prior, with Stifel Nicolaus in Baltimore. While in these roles, he led efforts for mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, and private equity placement transactions in the region. Areas of focus included aerospace, defense, government services, technology and cyber security industries. He has led and worked numerous transactions, highlighted by the KEYW IPO and many others, going back to the formation acquisitions for USInternetworking in the late 1990s.

Sam has spent the majority of his career in Maryland, in sales and management roles at Acterna (now JDS Uniphase), BAE Systems, Stifel Nicolaus and SunTrust. Prior to his corporate roles, he served in leadership positions worldwide as a U.S. Marine.

As an active leader in the community, he has served on a number of boards, and worked with a variety of organizations, including the Greater Baltimore Committee Board, Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore Board, Baltimore County Economic Development Commission, Boy Scouts Baltimore Area Council Board, Catholic Charities, MPT Foundation Board (Chair), Historic Ships in Baltimore Advisory Board, Living Classrooms, American Heart Association, and Betamore Advisory Board, among others. He is also a 2015 graduate of Greater Baltimore Leadership.

William Finn

Consultant
WC Financial LLC

After a successful 27 year career in Commercial Banking for numerous top 20 US Banks, Bill has shifted his focus to other opportunities and industries. Bill was recently the CFO of Legacy Acquisition Corp (NYSE: LGC). LGC completed their Business Combination of PARTS iD in late November 2020. Currently Bill is acting as a consultant for a digital healthcare company in the Remote Patient Care and Remote Patient Management spaces. The Company is currently pursuing a Reverse Merger/Business with a US Listed SPAC.

Erik Ginsberg

Managing Partner
Slate Capital Group

Erik is the Managing Partner of Slate Capital Group, which he co-founded in 2004. Erik has worked in the private equity industry for over 20 years. He co-founded and is the former President of Let’s Dish! Mid-Atlantic, a retail chain of meal assembly stores in Maryland and Virginia.

Prior to Slate, Erik was a Director with DB Capital Venture Partners, investing in enterprise infrastructure and application software companies. He joined ABS Ventures, the predecessor to DBCVP, in March 2000. During his tenure with DBCVP/ABS Ventures, Erik served on the boards of several software portfolio companies.

From 1996-2000, Erik was a Senior Vice President with Sterling Capital, Ltd., a private equity investment firm, where he acquired and ran companies in the direct marketing and e-commerce industries (although the firm acquired businesses in various industries, including education/testing, specialty distribution, and marketing services). His tenure included operating stints with two of Sterling’s portfolio companies: as the Chief Executive Officer of NLP, Inc. and as Executive Vice President-Corporate Development of ICS, Inc.

From 1993-1996, Erik was an Associate with Kirkland & Ellis in their private equity group, where he specialized in mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts and venture capital transactions.

Erik either currently serves or has served on the board of directors for the following organizations: Broadcast Sports International, CoastTec, eCoast Marketing, First Source, LLC, Let’s Dish! Mid-Atlantic, Mercari Technologies, NLP, Inc., O’Donnell Metal Deck, Triplehop Technologies and White Distribution & Supply.

Erik is a 1988 graduate of Brown University and received his J.D./M.B.A. from the University of Chicago in 1993.

Eric Gomberg

Investment Banker
Odeon Capital Group

Eric is the Head of SPAC Investment Banking at Odeon Capital Group, a New York headquartered boutique investment bank which he joined in 2019. Odeon underwrites leading SPAC sponsors, and advises both SPAC sponsors, and target companies on their mergers into SPACs. Eric brings unique perspective and capital markets expertise to his role, having spent over a decade on the buyside working at value-focused hedge funds, including Obrem Capital and Dane Capital Management, which he founded in 2014, and which focused on fundamental analysis of, and investment in, SPACs. Before moving to the buyside, Eric spent a decade as an equity research analyst, including over 8 years at Thomas Weisel Partners where he was a founding member of the research team and was the firm’s senior semiconductor analyst. Eric earned a BS in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Matthew Gorra

Partner
DLA Piper LLP

Matthew is a transactional lawyer with extensive experience advising clients on mergers and acquisitions; private equity, venture capital and financing transactions; securities issuances and compliance; strategic transactions; shareholder disputes; and general corporate matters. He is a member of the firm’s Healthcare, Life Sciences and Technology Sectors and provides advice to private and public companies, investors, owners and entrepreneurs. Matthew has managed transactions for both private and public clients in a wide variety of industries, among them technology, healthcare, life sciences, aeronautical engineering, performance sportswear, financial services, investment management, propane gas distribution, commercial printing, chemical manufacturing, paint manufacturing, newspaper publishing, car dealership management, professional employee training, credit card consulting, education, real estate, construction, medicine, environmental engineering and human resource management. He advises clients from both the company/seller and investor/buyer perspectives. Matthew has structured transactions in a variety of forms, including common and preferred stock financings, debt issuances, asset sales, stock sales (public and private), mergers, recapitalizations, joint ventures and licensing arrangements.

Brian Guerin

Partner
Calvert Street Capital Partners

Brian is a Partner and 16-year veteran at Calvert Street Capital Partners, a lower middle market private equity firm in Baltimore, MD. He leads Calvert Street's sourcing efforts and its investment focus on the industrial services sector. Brian serves on the Boards of several Calvert Street portfolio companies as well as ACG Maryland and a local elevator inspection company, Allsafe Dominion. Prior to joining Calvert Street, Brian worked for Ernst & Young Corporate Finance as an investment banker and at Arthur Andersen in its audit and assurance practice.

Stephen Guy

Managing Director & Group Head
KPMG Corporate Finance LLC

Tim Hodge

Managing Partner
Nelson Mullins

Tim is the managing partner of the Baltimore office and provides outside general counsel for businesses in the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond—from the most promising newcomers arriving in the market today to serial entrepreneurs and established industry leaders. Mr. Hodge focuses much of his time on complex transactional matters that often prove crucial to a company's growth, evolution, or exit strategy. His legal experience includes handling general corporate matters, domestic and international M&A deals, intellectual property issues, and the full array of business disputes and challenges a corporate client might face. His past experience as a litigator also enables him to provide the advice clients require in a highly competitive and sometimes treacherous business world.

Gregory Hogan

Managing Director
SC&H Capital

Greg is a Managing Director with SC&H Capital, where he provides M&A advisory and business valuation services to private company business owners. With nearly 20 years of investment banking experience, he has successfully advised buyers and sellers on a wide variety of corporate transactions valued at over a billion dollars. In addition to his M&A work, Hogan oversees SC&H’s rapidly growing Employee Stock Ownership Plan practice having advised on over 100 ESOP transactions.

Jacob Hsu

CEO
Catalyte

Jacob is a man of two passions: his work and his family. A dedicated father of four, he works to make the world a better place for all families. This begins with reawakening the American dream that anyone from any background can succeed. His time leading Catalyte is dedicated to making this a reality and making the company a catalyst for a lifelong journey of personal, community and client improvement.

Jamil Jaffer

SVP for Strategy, Partnerships & Corporate Development
IronNet Cybersecurity

Jamil N. Jaffer is SVP for Strategy, Partnerships & Corporate Development at IronNet Cybersecurity, a startup founded by Gen (ret.) Keith Alexander, the former DIRNSA and Founding Commander of U.S. Cyber Command. Jamil leads IronNet’s strategic partnerships, including developing GTM and technology integration plans, evaluating potential acquisition targets, and developing overall corporate strategy around collective and collaborative cyber defense.

Rick Kohr

CEO
Evergreen Advisors, LLC

Rick is a founding member and Chief Executive Officer of Evergreen Advisors LLC. He has over 30 years of experience in advising early-stage growth and middle-market companies on finance, recapitalization and exit strategies. These financing alternatives and exit strategies include capital raises, recapitalizations, mergers, sales and ESOPs.

Rick was also a co-founder and managing member of the Chesapeake Emerging Opportunities Club, an early-stage venture capital fund. He chairs the Board of the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore and serves on the Board of Directors for: LifeJourney, Inc., Howard County Economic Development Authority, and on the Advisory Board for Healthcare Interactive, the Cyber Advisory Board for BWTechand the External Advisory Board for the University of Maryland Early-Stage Investment Fund. He held past Board of Directors positions with various entities including: Acuity Mobile, Inc. Butler Capital, Inc. e.maginationnetwork LLC, Platform Logic Inc., Emerging Technology Council, Metasource, Hi-Tech Fasteners Inc., and Maryland Development Technology Center (MDTC).

Rick also served on the Howard County Cyber Security Commission. He is actively involved with area incubators and other business development initiatives. Rick is a graduate of Loyola University in Maryland with an MBA from the SellingerSchool of Business with a concentration in Finance & Marketing and a BA in Accounting. He holds the Series 7 and 79 General Securities Representative Licenses, Series 24 General Securities Principal License, and the 63 Uniform Securities Agent License.He also has passed the Series 65 License Exam.

Troy LeMaile-Stovall

CEO & Executive Director
TEDCO

As the CEO and Executive Director of TEDCO—Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies—Troy leads the organization’s mission to support economic empowerment through the cultivation of a diverse and inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. He brings to bear more than 30 years of experience in investment management, venture capital, entrepreneurship, higher education, information/communication technology, and management consulting to this leadership role. He also serves as a Strategic Advisor for Hunter Lewis, LLC, an investment management advisory firm, led by Cambridge Associates Co-founder Hunter Lewis.

Alan Macksey

Managing Director
The Courtney Group

Mr. Macksey has over 30 years of experience in private equity and has completed over 100 investments including platform and add-on acquisitions. Before joining The Courtney Group in 2019, he was with Sterling Partners where he helped raise and invest seven institutional funds. Mr. Macksey received a BA from Yale University and an MBA from The Wharton School.

Laurens (Mac) MacLure

Retired President & CEO
Robert W. Deutsch Foundation, Inc.

Mac recently retired from the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation, where he was a director, and the Baltimore Arts Realty Corporation, a non-profit real estate development company. Previously Mac was President and CEO of RWD Technologies and held leadership positions at Pioneer EyeCare and PHH Vehicle Management Services.

Charlie Maskell

Founder & CEO
Chesapeake Corporate Advisors

Charlie began his career as a CPA with C.W. Amos & Company, a regional audit, tax and accounting firm, in 1982 and for over 15 years served as a Partner for accounting, audit and consulting services firms. Most recently Charlie served as the Advisory Practice Leader for the Mid-Atlantic region for McGladrey, a national audit, tax and consulting firm.

Charlie founded Chesapeake Corporate Advisors, LLC, in 2005, a boutique corporate advisory firm, committed to providing both investor-owned and/or closely held emerging growth and middle market companies with services in the areas of Value Creation and Mergers and Acquisitions.

William McComas

Partner & Managing Member
Bowie & Jensen, LLC

William is a partner at Bowie & Jensen and a member of the transactional and technology law departments. He is among the leading technology attorneys in the area.

Mr. McComas provides representation on commercial transactional matters to clients ranging from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 companies and investors, inventors and venture capitalists across many different industries. He concentrates his practice on working with clients to grow and improve the core functions of their business through legal counsel. A seasoned corporate attorney, Mr. McComas counsels clients across the country on financing, mergers and acquisitions, sales of assets, venture capital investments, and other general corporate matters. He is well established for helping companies manage and develop commercial technology and strategies.

Michael Mercurio

Principal
Offit Kurman

Mr. Mercurio serves as outside general counsel to clients on matters related to corporate and business law, commercial transactions, government contracting, health care, construction services, and real estate. As a strategic partner to firm clients, Mr. Mercurio regularly counsels entrepreneurial individuals and assorted entities on all aspects of business and commerce including formation and structure; ownership; management and control; financing and capital; expansion and acquisition; sale and transfer; and contraction and dissolution. He is well versed in the various issues and challenges companies of all sizes and industries face in the business life cycle including start-up, maturation, and end stage considerations. A core specialty practice area for Mr. Mercurio is mergers and acquisitions, both from the sell side perspective and buy side perspective. Further, Mr. Mercurio specializes in ownership planning, helping business owners prepare and optimally transition their businesses to third parties, management, or family. He also has significant experience representing clients in the government contracting arena, assisting them through growth and maturation issues as well as transition. Well versed in government contracts and procurement law, Mr. Mercurio has brought value to many clients by working closely with them on various contractual and administrative issues arising from doing business with federal, state, and local governments.

Penny Minna

Partner
DLA Piper LLP

Penny has experience representing both underwriters and issuers in public offerings of equity and debt securities, Rule 144A offerings, private equity investments and other private placements of securities Penny represents both buyers and sellers in public and private mergers and acquisitions. Penny's practice includes: advising public companies on the rules and regulations of the US securities laws, periodic reporting obligations and corporate governance and disclosure issues; advising Maryland corporations and REITS in mergers and acquisitions and securities offerings; and providing general corporate representation to private companies.

Chuck Morton

Partner
Venable LLP

Chuck is co-chair of Venable's National Corporate Group. Chuck is recognized for his abilities in guiding mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and financing transactions involving middle-market companies. Chuck assists lenders, investors, and entrepreneurs as they create, build, and buy or sell businesses, primarily in the healthcare, technology, and consumer products industries. He regularly acts on behalf of private equity groups and banks.

George Nemphos

Managing Member & Co-Founder
Nemphos Braue LLC

George J. Nemphos is a founding member of Nemphos Braue, a Mid-Atlantic boutique law firm, representing entrepreneurs, start-ups, emerging and mature companies, as well as venture capital and private equity funds. He has extensive experience working with private equity to lead M&A deals including spin-offs, roll-ups, minority interest acquisitions and joint ventures, as well as advising in capital raising efforts, and supporting entrepreneurs to grow and scale their businesses. George holds a LLM from Georgetown, and a JD from U of B. He volunteers his time at St. Paul’s School for Boys, was the 2019 Auction Chair for the American Heart Association Heart Ball, and serves on the Board of Directors for both Driving Force Group and the American Diabetes Association.

André Pienaar

Founder & CEO
C5 Capital

André is a Managing Partner and the Founder of C5, a specialist technology investment group that invests in the secure data ecosystem including cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, data analytics and space with offices in Washington, London and Luxembourg. André serves on the boards of IronNet Cybersecurity and Blue Voyant in the USA, Reduxio and Panoply in Israel, the Haven Group in Luxembourg, and ITC Secure in London. He previously served on the Boards of Omada, Balabit and Shape Security which C5 exited successfully.

André started his career at Kroll Inc in 1996 where he became the youngest managing director until the successful sale of the company to Marsh & McLennan. In 2004, André went on to found G3, an international consulting firm that advises global companies and international law firms on cybersecurity. In 2011, he sold G3 to Europe’s leading technology investment holding company.

André advised the 6th Duke of Westminster on the establishment of the new Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre (DNRC) in the United Kingdom as a state-of-the-art centre for the rehabilitation of British military veterans.

André’s charitable interests include being a Director of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) and a trustee of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, a British charity focused on wildlife conservation. In 2020, André set up the Cyber Alliance to Defend Our Healthcare, a voluntary coalition of cybersecurity companies to protect the healthcare services from cyberattacks. In 2020, Andre joined the Advisory Council of the Limitless Space Institute (LSI) a non-profit organization to support the research and development of enabling technologies that will allow for interstellar human space exploration. André is a lawyer and an expert on cyber law and cybercrime.

Martin Rosedale

CEO
Maryland Tech Council

Martin is the Chief Executive Officer of the Maryland Tech Council, a partner with Newport LLC, and a partner at WMCS Investments. An engineer turned microbiologist and industry leader, Martin is passionate about the human and business value of technology, life sciences, and biotechnology. A five-time CEO and twice company founder, his experience spans public, private and not-for-profit businesses. He has launched, branded, acquired or commercialized more than 10 products and companies. Over 30 years of experience, and a strong drive to achieve and help, enable Martin to work through complexity toward insight and solutions to grow businesses.

Martin has raised equity capital for public and private companies and non-dilutive capital through strategic partnerships. He led a biotherapeutics company through a period of hyper growth taking the company from first sale to $200 million in annual revenue in three years.

Andrew Sachs

Managing Member
Sachs Capital, LLC

Andrew is founder of Sachs Capital, LLC. Sachs Capital is industry agnostic and is a patient, sophisticated financial partner that offers flexible, non-control, long-term capital to successful entrepreneurs. Sachs Capital has invested approximately $180 million in 19 companies. Mr. Sachs started as an analyst at Morgan Stanley Capital Partners and its $1.9 billion private equity fund. Mr. Sachs left to co-found KMS Investments, Inc. with Broadway producer Kevin McCollum. Next, Mr. Sachs became President of Capital Investors II, LLC, an early-stage venture fund whose LPs include many of greater Washington DC's leading entrepreneurs and financiers. Subsequently, Mr. Sachs co-founded Bethany Partners, LLC, with Joshua Freeman of Carl M. Freeman Companies.

Andrew Segall

Partner
Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP

Andy Segall, a partner at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr, concentrates his transactional practice on the representation of clients in a variety of corporate and real estate matters, including corporate mergers, acquisitions and dispositions; joint ventures; real estate acquisitions and dispositions, development and leasing; financing transactions; corporate formation and governance; commercial contract negotiation and drafting; and securities reporting and compliance.

Dr. Linda Singh

Founder & CEO
Kaleidoscope Affect, LLC

Dr. Linda Singh is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kaleidoscope Affect, LLC providing leadership and management consulting, strategic advisory services for various public and private sector clients that span health, defense, state, and local government. Previously served as the Interim CEO, TEDCO; the Adjutant General/Cabinet Secretary for MD Military Department, and Senior Executive at Accenture.

Franklin Staley

Managing Director
Exeter Street Capital Partners

Franklin Staley joined the Patriot Capital Group in January 2020 to lead Exeter Street Capital Partners, Patriot’s micro-cap buyout strategy that makes control equity investments in promising lower middle market businesses with $2-5 million of EBITDA within the industrial growth & technology, business, consumer and healthcare services sectors across North America.  Franklin brings to Exeter Street more than 25 years of private equity, advisory and strategic operating expertise.

Most recently, Franklin spent over 9 years with DC Advisory LLC (formerly Signal Hill), where he founded the firm’s sponsor coverage effort and was a Managing Director in the Business Services practice area. Prior to joining Signal Hill, he spent 9 years as a Principal and founding member of Meriturn Partners, LLC, a private equity fund focused on buyouts of lower middle-market companies in basic industries.

Mac Tisdale

President, Mid-Atlantic Region
FNB Corporation

Mac is the Mid-Atlantic Regional President of First National Bank. With strong and relevant experience, Mac joined First National Bank in January 2013. Prior to joining First National Bank, Mac served for 12 years with SunTrust Bank in Baltimore, Maryland, as City President and Commercial Banking Manager. Previously, he worked for First National Bank of Maryland and SunTrust Bank in Atlanta.

Mac earned an M.B.A. in Finance from Maryland’s Johns Hopkins University, as well as a B.A. in Economics from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. Currently, he serves as a member of the board of directors for the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore, Downtown Partnership of Baltimore and Living Classrooms Foundation. He is currently president of the Maryland Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundaiton Board of Directors. In addition, he is also the past president of both the Maryland Chapter of Association for Corporate Growth and Washington and Lee University’s Alumni Association, Baltimore Chapter.

Pete Vrettakos

Chairman & CEO
ICSG Holdings-Incorp Industries, LLC

Pete is an entrepreneur, investor, and independent sponsor. Pete started and operated Atlantic Industrial, providing specialized services to energy sector industrial plants, government, and commercial contractors. When sold in 2008, Atlantic was operating in refineries, chemical plants, government facilities and commercial construction sites in 25 states and Puerto Rico. Since the start of Atlantic and after its sale, Pete has partnered with publicly traded and private equity partners to acquire and build many similar firms.

Dan Wahlberg

Assurance Office Managing Partner
BDO USA LLP

Dan has 25 years of experience providing exceptional client service across multiple organizations and industries including government contracting, retail dealerships, and real estate & construction. He is well experienced in providing financial reporting, accounting, and management advisory services to his clients. Dan’s many years of experience with the FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation), incurred cost submissions, and other projects related to Federal procurement compliance have made him an invaluable resource to his Government Contracting clients. At his previous firm, Dan was actively involved with the firm’s management and strategic initiatives. Over his career, Dan has advised a diverse group of clients across several industries on strategic and transactional projects.  

Tim Ward

Director
KatzAbosch

Tim, a Director with KatzAbosch, joined the firm in 2015. During Tim’s career, spanning over 30 years, he has specialized in providing assurance, tax and business advisory services to clients in the government contracting, construction & real estate and technology industries. Tim has assisted clients with banking and surety financing issues as well as profit and operational improvement. Tim has helped clients implement employee incentive plans and business succession plans. He is a key member of industry practice groups and is active in many industry-related associations. 

David Warnock

Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Camden Partners

David is a Managing Partner of Camden Partners and co-founded the firm in 1995. He has over 35 years of investment experience and focuses on investments in the business services and education sectors. He serves as Chairman of New Horizons Worldwide. In addition, David serves a director of Roshal Imaging Services, Pinnacle Automotive Hospitality Services, and Triumph Higher Education Group.

David was employed by T. Rowe Price Associates from 1983-1995. He served as President of T. Rowe Price Strategic Partners I & II as well as co-manager of the T. Rowe Price New Horizons Fund. David started his career at Welch and Forbes, Boston-based private trustees.

David is also involved with numerous non-profit organizations. He is the Chairman of the Warnock Foundation, and was formerly the Chairman of the Center For Urban Families and the Greater Baltimore Committee. He is Founder and Trustee of the Green Street Academy in Baltimore City. He also serves as a trustee of the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.

David earned a B.A. degree from the University of Delaware and a M.S. (in Finance) from the University of Wisconsin. David is also a Chartered Financial Analyst Charterholder.

Brett Williams

Co-Founder
IronNet Cybersecurity Inc.

Major General (Retired) Brett T. Williams is a co-founder of IronNet Cybersecurity. IronNet delivers the power of collective cybersecurity to defend companies, sectors and Nations. He served nearly 33 years in the U.S. Air Force and his last assignment was Director of Operations, U.S. Cyber Command. In that position, he was responsible for the operations and defense of Department of Defense networks as well as the planning and execution of offensive actions in support of national security objectives. General Williams is a highly experienced fighter pilot with more than 100 combat missions in the F-15C. In addition, he held several large operational commands to include Commander of the Air Force’s largest combat wing located in Okinawa Japan.