Samuel Agresti

Director
Brady Ware & Company

Sam joined Brady Ware as partner in January 2006. He leads the firm’s Dealership Services team, working with dealerships to decrease their tax burden, maximize tax benefits, streamline processes and financial reporting, increase profits, prevent fraud, and expand operations to new markets. He links these services with overall tax, audit, and strategic planning initiatives to help his clients realize financial rewards across their businesses.

Mike Arguelles

Partner
Stonehenge Partners, Inc.

Michael D. Arguelles, Partner, is responsible for initiating investment opportunities, structuring investments, performing due diligence, negotiating transaction terms, working with Portfolio Company management teams, and managing the disposition of investments. Mr. Arguelles graduated from The Ohio State University in 1993 with a B.S.B.A. in Finance. Mr. Arguelles received his MBA with a concentration in finance from the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University.

Mary Auch

Regional President, Central Ohio
PNC

Mary E. Auch is regional president of PNC Bank for Central Ohio. With a career spanning more than 28-years at PNC, Auch has extensive banking experience and deep roots in Columbus. She began her career as part of the bank’s Retail Development Program in 1995 and then moved into Corporate Banking in 2001. She has been the regional president since 2019.

Benton Bodamer

Member
Dickinson Wright PLLC

Ben is a corporate transactional attorney who has represented a wide range of public and private companies and many of the leading international private equity sponsors. He has significant experience advising clients on domestic and cross-border M&A, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures, minority investments, divestitures and restructurings. Ben also is an adjunct professor at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and serves on the board of NoticeAbility and the advisory board of Calmer Choice.

Frank Capella

Founding Partner
Oxer Capital

Frank is founding partner of Oxer. By partnering with community banks as investors and obtaining additional capital through the SBA, Oxer has invested in over 28 companies since 2016. Capella originates and manages portfolio companies , in addition, to sitting on Oxer's investment committee, and has been involved in financing middle market companies for more than 30 years.

Hugh Cathey

CEO
ChromoCare

Hugh Cathey is the chairman and CEO of ChromoCare, a company involved in genetic testing of patients’ medication compatibility. He is also the founder of Columbus Partners, an advisory that provides technology firms guidance on capital acquisition, M&A activity and growth strategy.

Rick Corcoran Jr

Partner, Co-founder
Slate Capital Group

Rick is Co-founder and Partner of Slate Capital Group and he runs Slate's Cincinnati office. Having been a CEO multiple times in the lower middle market, Rick spends most of his time with Slate portfolio companies on talent development and operational excellence. In his spare time, Rick serves on a few philanthropic boards, spends time with his family, and completes ultra-hikes with his fellow Sufferfesters (ask him! :)

Scot Crow

Member
Dickinson Wright PLLC

Scot manages the firm’s corporate, M&A, private equity, securities and tax practices, and is also the head of the cannabis group, which consists of more than 40 attorneys throughout the U.S. and Canada. He has extensive experience in corporate, mergers and acquisitions and tax law and has served as lead counsel in mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, private offerings, venture capital financings, mezzanine debt offerings, divestitures and other related financial transactions, in a number of industry sectors, including the cannabis industry.

Josh Curtis

Managing Partner
Footprint Capital

Josh works with business leaders on ownership transactions and liquidity events, including sell-side and buy-side engagements and transactions, such as management buyouts, succession and exit planning, ESOP formations, capital sourcing and leveraged recaps. Prior to leading Footprint Capital, Josh was vice president at Insource Spend Management Group. He led Insource through two synergistic acquisitions and ultimately, its sale.

J.D. Davids

Managing Partner
SmartMoney Ventures

Jeff (J.D.) Davids is a seasoned startup executive and founder with over 25 years of experience building companies in California. He has raised over $100M in venture capital and corporate investments and has closed over $1 Billion in exit transactions. He is a speaker, teacher & advocate for entrepreneurs and veterans and is a Marine Corps veteran himself.

Matt Davis

CO-founder, CEO & Community Orchestrator
COhatch

COhatch was born out of Matt’s desire to merge his business energy and talent with his calling to help the least, the last and the lost. He develops innovative brands and business models that also sustainably support the community. Previously, he was vice president of Business Excellence for Velocys, ran a large business unit for Parker Hannifin, designed and implemented new manufacturing plants for Honda and was a consultant for Arthur Andersen.

Jennifer Dean

Co-founder, CMO
Five Star Fans

Jennifer Barr Dean, Co-Founder & CMO of Five Star Fans, is a seasoned executive with a distinguished career marked by success in marketing, public relations, and event management.

Armed with a degree in English from Ohio State University and further fortified by an MBA from Ohio Dominican University, Dean brings a unique blend of literary insight and strategic business acumen.

Cindi Englefield

Chief Investor Relationship Officer
Accelerating Angels

Cindi is a serial entrepreneur, business advisor and coach. She is passionate about working with like-minded people ready to support and invest in women-owned businesses. She is excited by the opportunity to create wealth for female founders and ROI for investors. Cindi leads the organization as the fund manager. As a long-time angel investor herself, Cindi looks forward to helping founders scale and successfully exit their businesses.

Todd Federman

Managing Director
North Coast Ventures

Todd is the Managing Director of North Coast Ventures - a Cleveland-based venture firm with 470+ individual LP investors, and $100M+ deployed across 80+ startups. Previously, Todd consulted for AOL and DiamondCluster, and co-founded the One With Nature line of body care products carried in 4,000 retail locations. Todd holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Kent State University and an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.

Reese Fields

Founder
Columbus Area Family Exchange

Reese founded the Columbus Area Family Exchange, a private club for family offices and ultra high net worth individuals with at least $100M in net worth. He also is the Managing Partner at Columbus Venture Partners and he hosts weekly events for business owners, investors, C-suite executives and family offices.

Mark Fleming

Managing Partner
MEMM Capital

Mark Fleming is the managing partner of MEMM Capital, a holding company focused on acquiring and tech-enabling businesses that generate between $1 mil and $3 mil of EBITDA. Previously, Mark was the founder of Signature Closers, LLC, a real estate services and technology company that was acquired by Fortune 800 Stewart Title Company in Feb '21.

Ryan Frederick

Principal
Transform Labs

Ryan Frederick helps people and organizations to transform for greater fulfillment, value, and impact. Ryan is a Principal at the digital innovation firm Transform Labs and its financial arm, Transform Labs Capital. Ryan has written two books about starting and managing companies.

Ryan Giacomarro

Managing Director, Ohio Market Head
J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Ryan Giacomarro is a Managing Director at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. As the Head of the Ohio Market, Ryan leads a team of Bankers and Specialists to deliver holistic wealth management advice, strategies and services for affluent individuals and their families. His focus is on providing the resources necessary to help clients fulfill their purposes and leave legacies for the next generation.

Ryan believes strongly in a “One Ohio approach,” essentially a single team sitting in multiple locations, united in delivering the best of J.P. Morgan. Collaborating together, they serve as a powerful gateway to the strengths of the firm—opportunistic ideas and intellectual capital, the Investment and Commercial Banks, and other sophisticated capabilities necessitated by substantial assets. Ryan recruits a diverse group of talented Bankers, and forges a culture where everyone can thrive and succeed. He has deep roots in the area, and plays an active and visible role in expanding J.P. Morgan’s brand recognition and presence in the community.

With over 25 years of industry experience, Ryan brings a strong track record in managing the challenges inherent when running a complex organization. He is drawn to the tremendous growth opportunity in Ohio, and welcomes the chance to be part of an organization that spans the globe.

Before joining J.P. Morgan, Ryan spent much of his career with UBS as an influential force in the expansion and evolution of the firm. His management capabilities extend across products, sales, operations and markets, and he has held senior leadership roles in New Jersey, North Carolina and Ohio.

Girish Gowda

CEO
SteepGraph Corporation

Girish Gowda is a Serial Entrepreneur, currently serving as a CEO & Director for 2 Tech Companies - Steepgraph & eShocan. Previously co-founded Cresttek and grew revenues from 0 to $18M in 4 years and made a successful exit. Currently working on creating a $100M Tech services group via organic & inorganic strategy.

Chris Greenfelder

CFO
CK Construction

Chris Greenfelder is a CFO who has completed over 20 buy-side transactions for public, private and PE-sponsored companies during his career as well as leading two PE-sponsored, sell-side exits in his last two jobs at Salon Lofts Group, LLC and Sunless, Inc. He is currently the CFO of CK Construction Group, Inc. in Westerville, OH.

Jordan Hansell

CEO & Founder
Tradepost

Jordan Hansell is the Founder and CEO of Tradepost, LLC., an investment platform, providing growth capital to mid-market firms ($1MM to $20MM in EBITDA and $10MM to $100MM in enterprise value) with proven growth trajectories and management teams who have a strong vision. Tradepost selectively seeks investments in businesses it can understand that enjoy defensible, competitive positions with demonstrable opportunities to grow.

Most recently, Jordan served as the President of Rockbridge, a private equity firm focused on the hospitality industry with just under $3B in assets under management. Mr. Hansell also served as a member of the firm's Executive and Investment Committees.

Prior to joining Rockbridge, Jordan served as the Chairman and CEO of NetJets Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway Company and the world's largest private aviation provider, which focuses on providing premier, personalized customer service to highly discerning consumers. At NetJets, Jordan led a complete overhaul of the business's culture, processes, and marketing strategies as well as an international expansion into China and India. More specifically, during Jordan’s tenure, NetJets enjoyed its longest-ever string of profitable years, culminating in the highest level of annual profit in its history (which resulted in $1B P&L improvement from the year Jordan arrived at NetJets). In addition, during Jordan’s tenure, NetJets placed $17.5B worth of aircraft purchases, the largest of any such orders in private aviation history, and retired $1.8B in debt.

Before joining NetJets, Jordan was a partner with the law firm Nyemaster Goode, where his practice focused primarily on general corporate matters, complex real estate transactions, private placements, and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining Nyemaster Goode, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

Jordan is the Executive Chairman of Consolidated Metals, Inc., a national tubing supplier, the Executive Chairman of GO Companies, a technology-forward combination of businesses serving the residential real estate market, and a board member of Feazel Roofing, LLC, one of the 10 largest residential roofing companies in the US. Jordan also served for 7 years as the Executive Chairman of QuickInsured, a fast-growing digital insurance agency (which was sold in 2022 to one of the country’s largest insurance brokerages). Jordan was also the Chair for Mount Carmel Health System, which included serving as the Chair of the Finance Committee, and on the Board of Trustees for Simpson College for 17 years, which included stints as Treasurer for the College as well as Chair of the Finance and Audit Committees.

Jordan has spoken internationally on a variety of topics, including global supply chains, intellectual property for emerging businesses, and leadership. Mr. Hansell received his

A.B. Honors degree in Political Science, summa cum laude, from Duke University; a Juris

Doctorate, magna cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School; and a master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Michigan School of Public Policy.

Jordan has been married to Silvia for 26 years, and the two of them have two daughters and a son, Emery, John and Collier. They live together on Daufuskie Island, South Carolina.

Matt Hartman

Chairman & CEO
FST Logistics, Inc.

Matt is currently the Chairman/CEO and President of FST Logistics, Inc. FST Logistics (FST) is a 100% employee owned, third-party logistics provider based out of Columbus, Ohio, with over 500 employees.

Matt’s career started in the wholesale electrical distribution industry, serving the industrial, automation and construction sectors, and has expanded through many facets of supply chain and technology. This broad background provides him with a very deep understanding of the supply chain and the many ancillary lines of business within the supply chain, from new construction through final delivery of goods.

As a serial entrepreneur, Matt’s focus has always been on creating very efficient and very effective business operating processes through the utilization of technology. Matt’s broad experience in new construction, facilities, finance, sales & marketing, operations and technology allows him to provide valuable insight across the enterprise.

Matt resides in Dublin, Ohio with his wife Stacy and their youngest son Blake.

Cory Hinaman

Manager
Windsor Advisory Group

Cory Hinaman is a Manager at Windsor Advisory Group. Windsor is an investment advisory firm providing family office services to highly successful individuals, their families and family offices. Cory joined Windsor Advisory Group after he graduated from The Ohio State University in 2019 with a B.S.B.A. in Finance and Economics.

Christopher Hopkins

Partner
Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff LLP

Christopher has diverse experience representing top-tier leveraged buyout and private equity funds, fund sponsors and investors, and their portfolio companies. Chris advises clients on corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, venture capital and private equity financings, joint ventures, and other investment transactions with an emphasis on middle-market transactions. Chris represents financial sponsors and their portfolio companies, as well as strategic buyers in connection with mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, growth equity financings, and other investment transactions. Prior to joining Benesch, Chris practiced at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP in New York, New York.

Joe Huber

Founder & CEO
Huber Equity Group

Joe Huber is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Huber Equity Group. Joe brings more than nine years of real estate investment experience and has achieved a 100% profitable track record across 56 unique deals. At Huber Equity Group, he is responsible for client relations, reviewing markets, overseeing asset management from acquisition to disposition, and directing company values and vision.

Joe pushes his team to balance traditional best practices and innovative technological solutions to add value to every deal. He’s passionate about providing accessible communities to residents, value to investors, and stabilized assets to the multifamily industry.

Huber Equity group is committed to social responsibility and giving back to the community. Joe has mentored several young and aspiring real estate professionals and speaks at various real estate and non-profit events. Joe volunteers his time on a scholarship committee and serves on the board of a local non-profit that fights against childhood neglect and trauma by encouraging and supporting family stabilization.

Prior to founding the company, Joe was a partner at a boutique real estate investment firm focused on creative value add investments. Joe holds a bachelor of science in physics and business from The Ohio State University. He lives in Bexley, Ohio with his wife of nine years and their three children.

Lee M. Koury

Managing Partner
Smart Business Network Inc.

Lee is managing partner of Smart Business Network Inc., 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. 

Benjamin Kozberg

Sr. Director of Development
Nationwide Children's Hospital

Wade Kozich

Senior Director & Director of Transaction Services
GBQ Partners LLC

As senior director and director of transaction advisory services at GBQ, Wade coordinates a team of 10 professionals, highly skilled in various aspects of transactions, including valuation, due diligence, ESOPs, tax structuring and buy and sell side advisory. He also serves as chief liaison to Footprint Capital, GBQ’s investment banking affiliate, where he helps complete investment banking deals. Since 2015, GBQ’s transaction group has collectively worked on over 550 transactions.

Cameron Little

Investor
Talisman Capital Partners

Cameron is a Columbus-based private equity investor with Talisman Capital Partners. He focuses on developing long-term investment partnerships with founder and family owned businesses with a focus on services companies across healthcare, consumer, business/industrial, and technology/software industries. Prior to joining Talisman, Cameron worked in mergers and acquisitions with Greenhill & Co. in New York City. He is originally from Zanesville, OH and is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.

Behrad Mahdi

Acquisition Entrepreneur
Forrester Research, Inc.

Columbus-raised entrepreneurial manager with over 15 years operational and strategy experience across commercial and government sectors. Currently, he is an Executive Advisor to commercial teams at Forrester Research, supporting strategic enterprise B2B initiatives and sales. Prior to Forrester, he led the SaaS Deal Negotiations practice at a boutique consulting firm, establishing multi-year enterprise agreements with Fortune 500 and Public Sector organizations.

Nathan McGill

Managing Director
Grandview Partners

Nathan is the Managing Director of Grandview Partners. He has spent his career directly investing in lower middle market companies across a wide range of industries. Nathan has executed nearly $400 million of private equity and debt investments (subordinated debt, preferred equity, minority/majority common equity) in a variety of transaction types, including management buyouts, recapitalizations, and growth capital investments.

Kai McKinney

Founding Partner
Relay Product

Kai runs a new kind of product agency called Relay, where they work with industry experts to bring ideas to market. They focus on building vertical SaaS.

His work is primarily at the intersection of product strategy and design, with an eye on building, investing in, and acquiring vertical SaaS and valuable software businesses.

On the side, Kia is an executive-in-residence at his alma mater, Ohio State, where he occasionally teach classes and help founders launch new businesses.

Al Melchiorre

President
MelCap Partners, LLC

Al Melchiorre is President and founder of MelCap Partners, a middle market investment banking firm that he founded over 22 years ago, Over the past few years, MelCap has been recognized as boutique investment banking firm of the year multiple times by The M&A Advisor. MelCap's clients are predominately privately-held, family owned businesses going through a once in a life-time transaction.

Dwight Montgomery

President
National Christian Foundation Ohio

Dwight Montgomery serves as the President of The National Christian Foundation of Ohio, whose mission is to mobilize resources by inspiring biblical generosity. Dwight has 34 years of experience as a financial professional and was the CEO of his own wealth management firm. Through his leadership and vision his firm became one of the most respected financial firms in the Columbus Ohio area.

In 2013, Dwight sold his firm in order to devote his time to the ministry of NCF. Dwight is also a member of the coaching team at SMART Concepts Group. SCG is focused on providing financial advisors strategic and operational advice to achieve business success. Team members help advisors define their operating models and processes to enhance growth, drive performance and the value of their business.

Prior to his career in financial services, he was an educator and college football coach.

Dwight received his BA in Education from The Ohio State University and his MA in Education from Bowling Green State University. Dwight currently holds a Certified Financial Planner CFP® designation and a Certified Kingdom Advisor® designation. He is active in the community serving as a board member for, For Columbus. Leisure time for Dwight involves fishing, fishing and more fishing. Dwight lives with his wife Dona in Dublin. They have three children, Matt, Luke, and Ellie.

Doug Muszynski

Market President
Truist

Doug is the Central Ohio Market President for Truist, leading a team of bankers to grow, retain, and attract long term client relationships and serve as our client’s trusted financial partner by leveraging deep industry knowledge and best in class advisory solutions. Prior to joining Truist, Doug held leadership roles in Corporate Banking and Credit Administration with Central Ohio financial institutions.

Andrea O’Carroll

Managing Director, Corporate Partnerships
Rev1 Ventures

Andrea O'Carroll is an experienced leader, supporting a wide variety of Fortune 500 clients and industries throughout her career. As Managing Director, Corporate Partnerships at Rev1 Ventures, she ensures that their innovation partners leverage all aspects of Rev1’s Startup Studio to deliver strategic, high-impact innovation outcomes. With an extensive background in strategic operations and customer experience, as well as her entrepreneurial spirit, Andrea fosters strong relationships and offers solutions to a wide range of stakeholders from corporate executives to startup founders. Previously Andrea served for nearly 7 years in a variety of leadership roles at CoverMyMeds, experiencing the rapid scale and exit of one of Ohio's preeminent start-ups.

Matthew Orr

Vice President
Crane Investment Company

Matt is responsible for the underwriting and administration of equity and mezzanine investments as part of the Stonehenge Community Development team in Columbus. With extensive experience in underwriting federal and state New Markets Tax Credit investments, he is uniquely qualified to assist with equity, mezzanine and early stage investments. Mr. Orr gained his early experience as a financial analyst at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati.

Prior to joining Stonehenge, Mr. Orr served as an advisor for the Evans Scholarship Foundation at The Ohio StateUniversity, overseeing 76 Evans Scholars and managing the off-campus group living facility. Mr. Orr, who is an Evans Scholar, earned his BS in finance from The Ohio State University.

Rob Ouellette

Partner
Ice Miller LLP

Rob Ouellette is a partner in the Business Group and focuses his practice on complex corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, particularly private equity investments and transactions, and a range of financing transactions.

Rob actively assists clients from a wide variety of industries including manufacturing, distribution, logistics, financial services, high technology and professional services; and at all levels of the capital structure.

Prior to joining Ice Miller, Rob practiced for 20 years with Schottenstein Zox & Dunn Co., LPA where he was co-chair of the Corporate Practice Group for 12 years and a member of the management committee.

Tom Pampush

Vice Chair - Business Group
Ice Miller LLP

Tom is Vice Chair of the Firm’s Business Group where he focuses his practice on complex corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions including private equity and independent sponsor investments and transactions, debt and equity financing transactions, as well as general corporate and commercial matters. He also serves as outside general counsel for a wide array of closely held businesses, family offices and entrepreneurial businesses.

Tom’s practice encompasses a variety of industries including manufacturing, technology, software, franchising, energy and alternative energy, retail, real estate, construction, wholesale, marketing and advertising, and personal and professional services ranging from financial services, wealth management and accounting to healthcare and related services.

Prior to joining the Firm’s Business Group in 2000, he served as Vice President and General Counsel of Shoe Corporation of America, Inc. Tom holds a Certificate in Family Business Advising from the Family Firm Institute.

Ryan Parish

Managing Director
Triskelion Equity Partners

Ryan Parish is co-founder and Managing Partner of Triskelion Equity Partners, an independent sponsor focused on partnering with lower middle market businesses in the automotive aftermarket, industrial, niche manufacturing and value-added distribution markets. He currently serves as Chairman of Nickson Industries, Inc. Prior to co-founding Triskelion Equity Partners, he was an investment banker for 20 years, advising on over $30 billion of M&A and capital markets transaction value.

Jeff Parson

Business Performance Advisor
Insperity

Jeff Parson, MBA, specializes in assisting business leaders in achieving smoother business growth through tailor-made HR solutions. My services encompass a range of options, including PEO and non-PEO solutions, employee benefits, HR strategy, compliance support, technology integration, and more.

Derek Pittak

Chief Executive Officer
Lingo Staffing

Derek has worked for large organizations between the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, and KeyBank. After gaining an appreciation for the staffing industry, he joined TalentLaunch, a network of independently operated staffing companies. Derek oversaw the corporate support functions of the then $125M organization as their Chief Operating Officer.

In 2019, he started an EOS practice. Derek has been able to make a meaningful difference by helping business owners get what they want from their business. His unique style brings his own experience as an Integrator of a rapidly growing organization and now as an entrepreneur himself, he sees the complexity that even small organizations can quickly become immersed in.

After five years running his EOS practice, in January 2024, Derek took on another new challenge by joining Lingo Staffing full time as CEO, while maintaining a small EOS practice to continue helping local small businesses. In his role as CEO, Derek has full day to day responsibilities of the entire organization focusing on overall growth and profitability of the company.

Parker Sinclair

Director, Corporate and M&A Law
Greif, Inc.

As in-house corporate and M&A counsel for Greif, Parker Sinclair counsels Greif and its subsidiaries and affiliates in North America on a variety of legal matters, with a primary focus on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, customer and vendor contracts, corporate governance, compliance, and other general business matters.

Greif is a global leader in industrial packaging products and services. The Company produces steel, plastic and fibre drums, intermediate bulk containers, reconditioned containers, containerboard, uncoated recycled paperboard, coated recycled paperboard, tubes and cores and a diverse mix of specialty products.

Dwight Smith

Director
Retired Executive

Smith is the founder of Sophisticated Systems, Inc. (SSI), a technology services and solutions firm he started in 1990. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, SSI was at the top of its game and doing well – until it wasn’t. Turning SSI from a company with a $715,000 loss and $2.1 million in debt to the highly profitable and award-winning company it turned into was the proving ground for some of Smith’s biggest leadership lessons.

Smith's inspiring stories are lessons in triumph and failure. They are an amazing journey from being a rebel youth to a thought leader in the board room of some of this nation's most influential companies.

As a speaker – with compassion, authenticity, and humility – Smith inspires, informs and motivates his audience to be the great leaders they are meant to be.

Smith is available as a keynote speaker on topics covering business, leadership, and motivation.

Jeff Sopp

CEO
Kensington Hill Partners

Jeff leads Kensington Hill Partners, a board of directors and corporate growth advisory firm, which concentrates on five business competencies: board advisory services, private equity investments, business consulting, executive search and sales advisory services. Its focus and expertise is on mid-market and entrepreneurial companies with high-growth potential. With offices in Columbus, Ohio, Jeff supports and invests in companies throughout the Midwest.

Tom Springer

Shareholder
SD Capital

With over 20 years of professional experience, Tom developed a deep, hands-on understanding of M&A and technical advisory services while working for the world's most prestigious professional services and private equity firms. He has served as a PE portfolio company CEO and a strategic advisor to the PE community and has built, run, and sold multiple companies. In addition, Tom has led or participated in numerous transactions, including small to enterprise-level M&A deals. He has considerable experience with strategic planning, business development, interim management, and technical advisory services, catering to private equity firms, portfolio companies, and public and private enterprises.

Tom creates and unlocks value, helping owners evaluate and prepare for various financial events, such as recapitalization, management buyouts, family transitions, or other forms of monetization. His unique blend of experiences as a former business owner, PE operating partner, and C-level executive equips him with the insight to maximize enterprise value and the stakeholder's benefit. 

Further, Tom is well-known for his ability to solve intricate business challenges for middle-market clients across industries. He leverages his technical knowledge in application development, cyber security, and systems integration, along with his business acumen, to create unique, out-of-the-box solutions.

Before joining Schneider Downs, Tom co-founded Springer Lawson and Associates, LLC, which assisted clients in various industries with value creation and sell-side advisory services.

Tom is married with three children and enjoys outdoor activities, youth sports, and spending time with his family. He is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Computer Information Systems from North Carolina Wesleyan and an M.S. in Telecommunications from Johns Hopkins University.

Wolf Starr

CEO; Managing Partner
Atlas Partners; Ohio Impact Fund

Jason Stevens

COO
Copper Run

Jason Stevens is a Managing Director and COO at Copper Run, a middle-market investment bank focused on M&A Advisory. Prior to joining Copper Run in 2016, he founded an energy start-up, led energy equity research at Morningstar, and worked in corporate financial planning at property-casualty insurer Zurich North America.

Catherine Strauss

Managing Partner
Ice Miller

Catherine Strauss is the Managing Partner of Ice Miller's Columbus office. She is also an adviser and advocate for employers with workforces in Ohio and nationally. She is also a skilled coach to human resource professionals and business executives. Preferring practical outcomes based on a keen knowledge of the law and common sense judgment, Catherine is an effective adviser in managing risks and conflict avoidance.

When disputes are unavoidable, Catherine is a tenacious trial attorney, having successfully represented employers and businesses in all types of legal proceedings, both in Ohio and nationally.

Finally, Catherine serves as a neutral investigator in all types of matters involving or impacting employees.

Donald Trigg

CEO
Vera Whole Health, an apree health company

Donald Trigg is the Chief Executive Officer of apree health. The company, formed through the combination of Castlight Health and Vera Whole Health, has a simple mission to "reimagine how we deliver and pay for health care."

Trigg has spent more than two decades at the intersection of health care and IT. Prior to apree health, he was the President of Fortune 500 Cerner Corporation. He also has extensive experience scaling early-stage growth businesses, including natural language processing category-leader CodeRyte.

Trigg believes deeply in the potential for information technology to create a first-time system in health care with the person at the center. He is the co-author of The New Health Economy: Ground Rules for Leaders (Georgetown University Press).

Michael Triplett

Founder & Chairman
Armatus Bio

Dr. Michael Triplett is a serial life sciences entrepreneur focused on disruptive biotechnology innovations, co-founding and serving on the board of Clarametyx Bio, Armatus Bio, and Neucore Bio. He also serves the boards of Andelyn Biosciences, the NeuroTech Institute, the Ohio Life Sciences Association (chair), and InnovateOhio. He previously founded Myonexus Therapeutics, serving as CEO until its acquisition by Sarepta Therapeutics. Dr. Triplett received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering (summa cum laude) and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from The Ohio State University as a United States Department of Defense National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellow and University Fellow.

Faith Voinovich

Principal
Ohio Innovation Fund

Faith Voinovich is a Principal at Ohio Innovation Fund where she serves as a key member of the investment team. Since joining the team in 2018, Faith has led investments spun out of top research institutions, helped facilitate numerous follow on equity (and non-dilutive) rounds across the portfolio, assisted on several M&A exit transactions (value exceeding $500 million), and served in a variety of board roles including at Invirsa, Clarametyx, Genetesis, DatAnchor, Complion (merged with Realtime CTMS), and Stirling Ultracold (merged with BioLife Solutions, NASDAQ: BLFS).

Andrew Vollmer

Managing Director
BellMark Partners, LLC

Andy is Managing Director and Co-CEO of Bellmark Partners, LLC, and head of the firm’s Cleveland office. Andy has 30 years of investment banking experience, having personally completed well over 100 M&A, special committee, and board advisory assignments. Previously, he was with KeyBanc Capital Markets, where he was head of the sponsor coverage, consumer & retail, and M&A investment banking groups.

Julie Ward

Audit Partner
Crowe LLP

Julie is an Audit Partner with Crowe and has over 18 years of experience. She serves upper middle-market privately owned clients in the manufacturing, distribution, and service industries. Julie’s clients range in size from $20 million to more than $1 billion in revenues, across a wide range of industries and companies with multi-national and multi-state operations and complex accounting and audit issues. Julie works with family owned and private equity owned businesses.

Al Yambor

Senior Director, Family Wealth
Sequoia Financial Group

Al Yambor CFP®, CEPA® is a Senior Director in Sequoia Financial Group's Family Wealth team. He delivers family office and investment advisory solutions to ultra-affluent families, entrepreneurs, and family offices. He is energized by working with entrepreneurs and has helped dozens prepare for exits and liquidity events. He brings significant experience helping entrepreneurs incorporate philanthropy into transactions. Prior to joining Sequoia in 2019, he was a vice president for PNC’s Private Bank.

Dean Zody

Founder and CEO
GhostWave Inc.

Dean Zody is a business-oriented Global Operations Leader with an engineering background delivering innovative solutions with measurable growth and profitability. Accomplished background in start-ups, cost reduction initiatives, and operations management in telecommunications, chemical and consumer product. Multiple disciplines include operations, supply chain, procurement, and logistics. Strong database and data analytical skills. In 2016, he founded GhostWave, commercializing patents from Ohio State University.

Frank Zonars

Partner
Vorys

Frank is a partner in the Vorys Columbus office and a member of the corporate and business organizations group. 

Frank’s practice focuses on advising privately owned companies in merger & acquisition and joint venture transactions.  Frank represents private equity firms and their portfolio companies, family offices, startup companies and other growth-oriented companies and entrepreneurs in numerous industries including manufacturing, technology and fintech, retail and consumer brands, consumer services, industrial services, esports and gaming and others.  Frank guides clients through strategic and financial merger & acquisition transactions on both the buy- and sell-side, joint ventures and other business combinations, capital raises and other transactional matters.  Frank is a leader in the Vorys private equity practice, which represents private equity firms and their portfolio companies in a broad range of matters across the United States.

Frank is the leader of the Vorys esports and gaming practice group.  Frank works with esports businesses, teams, corporate partners and sponsors and others in the esports and gaming industries.  Contact Frank for more information about the legal services Vorys can provide to esports and gaming companies and sponsors.

Frank received his J.D. magna cum laude from Boston College Law School, where he was an editor for the Boston College Law Review, a member of the National Moot Court team and a member of the student government.  Frank earned his B.A. with honors from the University of Chicago and attended St. Charles Preparatory high school.  Prior to joining Vorys, Frank served as a law clerk to the Honorable Roslynn R. Mauskopf in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and a summer associate lawyer at Ropes & Gray LLP in Boston.

Brian Zuercher

General Partner
1870 Ventures

Brian Zuercher is a General Partner of 1870 Ventures. 1870 Ventures is a venture capital studio bringing brilliant IP to market. We discover, fund, and build companies around breakthroughs that originated at universities and institutions. Brian has been the co-founder of several companies and is passionate about supporting entrepreneurs in the Central Ohio region.