Joseph Angel

Senior VP, Head of Structured Finance
First Midwest Bancorp

Joe leads First Midwest Bank's Cash Flow and Asset-Based Lending units. Joe is responsible for building origination, underwriting and portfolio management teams across both lines of business, as well as developing new growth channels for the bank. Joe’s career includes experience in bank and non-bank environments, with roles including business development, credit and capital markets activities.

Joseph Baez

Principal, Private Equity
CLA

Joe is a private equity principal with CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA) and has been with CLA since 2001. He has 18 years of assurance and consulting experience, which includes working with a wide range of closely held companies as they deal with the challenges of mergers and acquisitions.

Robert Barnett III

Managing Partner
Wexford Capital Partners, LLC

Robert is managing partner of Wexford Capital Partners LLC, an independent sponsor platform for principal investing. He was a managing director and sector head of BMO Capital Markets’ Commercial and Industrial Group. Previously, he was head of Midwest Large Corporate Banking for Bank One Corp.

Elizabeth A. Browne

Vice President & Head of Business Development
DNS Capital, LLC

Elizabeth is a vice president on the investment team and head of business development at DNS Capital, which takes a long-term and flexible approach to investing by building relationships with business owners, management teams and entrepreneurs to align interests, evolve businesses and create lasting value. Previously, she was an associate in Goldman Sachs’ investment management division in Chicago, advising entrepreneurs, business-owning families and family offices on asset allocation, portfolio management, and direct investing strategies.

Miriam Burkland

Attorney & Counselor
Howard & Howard PLLC

As a transactional attorney, Miriam Leskovar Burkland assists clients in closing transactions, from the everyday to the once-in-a-lifetime. Miriam concentrates her practice on corporate and commercial transactions, with extensive experience negotiating and interpreting a full range of contracts that govern her clients and their businesses.

John Caltagirone

Founding Director
Loyola Business Leadership Hub

Prior to joining Loyola, Mr. Caltagirone was the Vice President of Global Supply Chain Strategy for The Revere Group. He was previously Senior Vice President, Chief Logistics and Operations Officer for Peapod, Inc., where he was responsible for distribution services, inventory management, purchasing, transportation management, logistics engineering, and customer service. John has also held senior management positions with the following companies: Rand McNally, RR Donnelley & Sons and Ryder Integrated Logistics.

Paul Carlisle

Executive Vice President
Wintrust

Paul is executive vice president and market head of Wintrust Commercial Banking, where he is responsible for leading and coordinating middle-market banking across all of the Wintrust banks. He has spent his entire career serving middle-market organizations in the Greater Chicago area. Before joining Wintrust in 2010, he spent more than 25 years with JPMorgan Chase and its predecessor banks, American National and Bank One.

Harry Cendrowski

Managing Director
Cendrowski Corporate Advisors

Harry is a founding member of Cendrowski Corporate Advisors and a licensed CPA in Michigan, Illinois and Florida. He is a veteran of the private equity and venture capital industries as an investor, founder and advisor to several funds. He has served as an expert witness in numerous disputes, as court-appointed receiver for multimillion dollar estates and as the accountant to the trustee in high-profile bankruptcy cases.

Brendan Deely

CEO
Banner Solutions

Evan Gallinson

Managing Director
Merit Capital Partners

Evan, Managing Director, joined Merit in 2005. Evan currently serves on the Board of Directors of Choice Slocum Holdings, LLC, Elgen Manufacturing Company, Glunt Industries Inc., RSA Engineered Products and TGR Industrial Services. Evan received an M.B.A. from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management in 2002 with a concentration in finance. In 1997, he received a B.B.A. from the University of Michigan with a concentration in finance and accounting.

Robert Johnson

Managing Partner
Solomon Group

Robert Johnson is the Managing Partner of the Solomon Group, a social enterprise management consulting company and the co-founder of The Collective, a social impact business incubator that raises capital for social enterprises.

Stephanie Kline

Managing Director, Commercial Banking
BMO Harris

Stephanie is a managing director in BMO Harris Bank’s middle-market banking group in Chicago, bringing more than 20 years’ experience and management in corporate banking. She leads a local team of commercial banking experts with focus on building relationships with middle-market companies by providing financial solutions to increase enterprise value, fund business growth, manage cash flow and optimize working capital.

Lee M. Koury

Managing Partner
Smart Business Network

Lee is managing partner of Smart Business Network, a national events, media and marketing company founded in 1989, primarily responsible for expanding the company’s Aspire deal-making conference throughout the U.S. He plays a key role in establishing corporate policies and developing long-term strategy and growth plans. Previously, he founded and chaired the Growth Group at national law firm Arter & Hadden LLP (now Tucker, Ellis & West), which focused on working with middle-market and high-growth technology companies.

Kristi Kunz

Private Wealth Advisor
Goldman Sachs

Kristi is a private wealth advisor in the Investment Management Division of Goldman Sachs & Co. She previously worked on mergers and acquisitions in the investment banking division of Mesirow Financial, providing valuation analyses and advisory services for middle-market business owners looking to sell their companies. She is a member of the firm’s Disability Interest Forum, which supports local community organizations and raises awareness across the firm.

Len Lillard

Managing Director
Glaucon Capital Partners, L.L.C.

Len brings more than 30 years of experience working in finance and capital markets, including co-founding a private equity firm focused on investments in lower middle-market companies. He has originated and invested more than $1 billion of privately held senior subordinated debt and equity securities, managed teams of up to 30 employees and performed all aspects of the investment process, including sourcing, negotiating, structuring and financing transactions working for Merit Capital Partners, Banc One Capital Partners and The Prudential Capital Group.

Diane Pearse

CEO
Hickory Farms, LLC

Linda Peddle

Director
RSM US LLP

Linda is director of Business Development of RSM US LLP in Chicago. With more than 25 years of experience servicing middle-market companies across manufacturing, distribution and business and professional service industries, she specializes in helping organizations identify, evaluate and address their business opportunities and challenges. By connecting companies with RSM resources, she successfully helps organizations to accelerate growth and profitability. She is responsible for sourcing audit, tax and consulting engagements including M&A diligence, QOE, cyber security, tax consulting, ERP selections and specialty tools.

Jeff Piper

Partner
Svoboda Capital Partners

Jeff joined Svoboda in 2004 and is responsible for evaluating potential investments, leading due diligence, executing transactions, fundraising and managing portfolio companies.  Jeff currently serves on the Boards of Cigar Accessories Holdings, Bully Pulpit Interactive and Sonoma Creamery, and was previously involved with Infinite Packaging Group, SWC Technology Partners, OPT Holdings (Optronics/Primos), The Glover Park Group, Nth Degree, and Coffee Bean International.  Previously, Jeff was an associate at Robert W. Baird & Co.

John Rowady

CEO
rEvolution

John is the Founder & President of rEvolution, a leading independent, fully integrated global sports marketing and media agency headquartered in Chicago, Ill. Rowady is a Hoosier B-School Alum whose advanced sports industry experience includes sales and leadership roles working with high-profile governing sports bodies and properties, such as NCAA, F1, FIFA World Cup, the Olympics and many more.

Ken Serwinski

Chairman
Prairie Capital Advisors

Tim Simonds

CEO
Merrick Pet Care

Tim is CEO of Merrick Pet Care Inc. He joined Merrick in 2016 with a proven track record of growing and leading organizations to improved performance. He served as vice president of marketing and president before assuming his current role in October 2018. A skilled general manager and innovative marketer, he is adept at brand strategy, customer experience and new product development.

Teri D. Tadros

Director of Development
Frontenac Company

Teri is Director of Development at Frontenac, a Chicago-based private equity firm, and is responsible for coordinating the firm’s professional outreach including the sourcing of transactions and CEO1ST executives.  Frontenac invests in lower middle market companies in the consumer, industrial, and services industries.

Mark Thomann

Managing Director
Spiral Sun Ventures

Mark is an entrepreneur dedicated to helping early stage companies and their management teams scale their businesses. The lack of seed capital available to early stage companies focused on better-for-you products inspired him to co-launch Spiral Sun Ventures. He also serves as CEO of Dormitus Brands, which acquires, redevelops and monetizes iconic dormant brands.

Mark A. Thomson, CPA

Managing Director
ORBA

Mark provides financial and business advisory services for a variety of industries, including manufacturers, distributors and service organizations. He provides guidance on audits, reviews and compilations, strategic management, income tax planning, litigation support and business advisory issues. He also has extensive experience with buy/sell situations and has helped clients plan for, and complete, their sales transactions.

Roger Veome

Regional Executive & Managing Director, Investments
Alex Brown A Division of Raymond James

Michael Wilson

Partner
Locke Lord LLP

Michael represents private equity funds (including SBIC funds), banks, companies and entrepreneurs in M&A, debt finance and venture capital transactions in a wide variety of industries. He has substantial experience with technology, health care, energy, and food and beverage transactions. He also serves as an officer on the Executives’ Club of Chicago Leadership Circle Advisory Board.

Warren Young

Chairman
Acme Industries