2023 Dealmakers of the Year Honorees
Ashley Hawks
CEO
Forever Bride
Operator of a community-based platform connecting brides with a curated list of trusted wedding businesses.
- The company was acquired by David's Bridal, via its financial sponsor Oaktree Capital Management, through an LBO in Jan/Feb of 2022 for an undisclosed amount.
Mary Anderson
CEO
RXFunction
Developer of an assistive medical device designed to provide balance to people with peripheral neuropathy.
- Raised $7.50 million of venture funding from undisclosed investors in November of 2022.
- The funds will be used for commercialization of wearable technology geared toward improving balance and preventing falls.
David Talen
CEO
PathRight Medical Inc.
Formed in 2015 to meaningfully improve the lives of men with Peyronie’s disease or those with side effects associated with urological surgeries or chronic disease.
- PathRight Medical, Inc. was acquired by a group of private investors for an undisclosed amount.
- Ballard Spahr and Barack Ferrazzano were advisors on the deal.
- Multiple sellers and buyers of the shares were involved.
Mark McDonald
Founding Partner
Stacy Harmsen
Founding Partner
NorthCoast Mezzanine
Provides subordinated debt and non-control equity to stable and growing lower middle-market companies.
- The team raised a $286MM SBIC fund III
Jeffrey Kiesel
Chairman, CEO and President
Restaurant Technologies
Developer of automated solutions for the food service industry — automating the delivery of cooking oil, storage, handling, filtration monitoring and disposal management systems; plus automation of the cleaning of hoods flues and fans to prevent the risk of fires
- The company completed a $75 million debt refinancing round in December of 2022.
- Proceeds from the credit facility will be used to refinance existing indebtedness and for general corporate purposes.
- Previously, the company was acquired by Energy Capital Partners, Enlightened Hospitality Investments, and Continental Grain Company through an LBO in April of 2022.
Jonathan Rowntree
Chief Executive Officer & Board Member
Niron Magnetics, Inc.
Developer of high-performance rare earth free permanent magnets
- The company has raised more than $100 million – including $60 million from investors and another $42 million from the federal government.
- Recently received a $17.5 million grant funding from Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Program Agency- Energy (ARPA-E) in November of 2022 to scale production of iron nitride permanent magnets 100% free of rare earth materials.
Thompson Aderinkomi
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Nice Healthcare
Provider of accessible and integrated comprehensive healthcare, providing care for patients' everyday needs, in-home and virtually.
- The company raised $25 million of Series A venture funding in a deal led by DNA Capital in January 2022.
- Waterline Ventures and 7 other investors also participated in the round.
- The funds will be used to bring the company's true impact model of care to more homes nationwide.