Committee

David Acharya is the Managing Partner of Acharya Capital Partners (“ACP”) where he oversees all aspects of the firm’s investing, management, and strategic activities. He brings over 25 years of investing and transacting experience to ACP. He is a frequent speaker at industry events and is recognized by his peers for his expertise in private equity, capital markets, and portfolio value creation. He has served on the board of directors for Impact XM and On Location, portfolio companies which he has managed and was recently successfully sold to a global private equity firm.

Yair Amsterdam is the CEO of Verbit, bringing decades of leadership experience driving growth, innovation and operational excellence across global SaaS and software organizations. Previously President of Verbit and COO of ProQuest, he led large-scale operations and customer experience teams, helping guide ProQuest through its $5.3B acquisition while serving over 25,000 customers worldwide. Yair has deep expertise in cloud transformation, post-merger integration and optimizing the end-to-end customer journey. As CEO, he is guiding Verbit’s AI transformation to redefine how enterprises leverage intelligent technology at scale. A technology-driven, client-focused leader, he fosters high-performance cultures that deliver measurable business impact. Yair holds engineering and MBA degrees, and is an avid long-distance runner and triathlete.

Director at Cartesian Capital Group, a global private equity firm. Martin currently serves on the board of directors of Aloo Telecom and Flybondi. Prior to joining Cartesian, Martin was a Senior Portfolio Manager at First Private Investment Management in Frankfurt, Germany, where he managed two long/short equity hedge funds.

Matt Briggs leads DYOPATH's PE and M&A practice, leveraging 27 years of IT and cybersecurity experience, including 22 years with DYOPATH. Launched in 1996 and based in Houston, TX, DYOPATH is a founder owned and operated industry leader, specializing in IT advisory, outsourcing, and cybersecurity. DYOPATH excels in supporting PE firms with pre-close due diligence and post-close transitions and growth, driving value creation through a broad suite of IT and cybersecurity solutions.

Brad is a Private Capital Consultant at Insperity. He partners with investors and portfolio companies on pre-close organizational assessments and post-close add-on integration, helping identify workforce risk, strengthen operating infrastructure, and support scalable growth throughout the investment lifecycle.

Ben Cary is the Vice President of PME (Premium, Midscale and Economy) Development at Accor where he leads USA and Canada expansion efforts. Accor Brands that Ben is focused on are Pullman, Swissôtel, Novotel, Tribe and Handwritten Collection. PME hotels represent more than 80% of Accor’s footprint, sitting alongside the equally prestigious luxury and lifestyle portfolio. Each hotel is plugged into The Accor Reservation System and ALL Accor, the most international loyalty program with more than 100 million members. Over the past year, PME has opened hotels in San Francisco, Las Vegas, Orlando, Miami and Puerto Rico.

Ben has been with Accor since 2021. Prior to Accor, he was SVP at Meininger Hotels, where he led all facets of the company’s North America expansion, including developing and implementing the regional strategy, leading the team and overseeing the development of the first USA hotel. Prior to that role, Ben was Development Director at Starwood Hotels & Resorts where he earned Deal of the Year three times. Earlier in his career, Ben worked for the investment company Hotel Capital Advisers and on property at The Carlyle Hotel in New York City.

Tom Cassidy is a Principal with Stellex Capital. Prior to joining Stellex, he was with The Halifax Group and High Road Capital Partners.

Pavel Chernyshov is a co-founder of Arkview Capital. Prior to Arkview, Mr. Chernyshov was a Managing Director and Investment Committee member at Ziff Brothers Investments, a prominent NY-based family office. At Ziff, Mr. Chernyshov was responsible for the private equity portfolio.

Before his tenure at ZBI, Mr. Chernyshov worked at a private equity fund, Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co., focusing on the technology and retail sectors. He successfully completed multiple transactions during his time at KKR.

Mr. Chernyshov started his career in finance at the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley, where he was involved in several public listings, acquisitions, restructuring, and financing transactions across various industry segments.

He holds a BA in Computer Science and Economics from Amherst College and was recognized as an Osathanugrah Scholar, as well as awarded the James R. Nelson Prize in Economics.

Paul is a Director at MBX Group responsible for identifying and underwriting investment opportunities for the family office. He has 20+ years of experience in corporate credit, covering investment grade, emerging market, high yield debt and leveraged loans. Prior to joining MBX Group, Paul held senior research roles as Vice President at Schroders Investment Management and AIG Asset Management. Paul holds a Bachelor of Business Studies from University of Limerick in Ireland.

Jim is a senior industrials research analyst at PitchBook, where he lead’s the firm’s coverage of the industrials space, including aerospace and defense, construction and engineering and airlines, among other sectors. Prior to joining PitchBook, he had a 30 year career in public equity including director of industrials equity research roles at S&P Global and CFRA, and as a senior equity analyst at Argus Research.

Jim has a B.S. from the State University of New York at Albany where he graduated with a bachelors in finance and economics. He is based in PitchBook’s New York office.

Courtney De Beaucourt is a Vice President at Aon. She’s worked at the company for 17 years as a Relationship Director in Commercial Risk and Human Capital.  Courtney helps her Private Equity clients by providing them with guidance and expertise for their various insurance needs including Transaction Liability, Due Diligence, Portfolio Purchasing Programs, Fund Liquidity Solutions – as well as deep sector-specific expertise from Healthcare, Tech, Data Centers, CPG, FAB, Manufacturing, Life Sciences, Retail and more. Courtney has a Bachelor of Arts from Claremont McKenna College.

Vikram leads a dynamic team specializing in transaction advisory services, guiding clients through buy-side and sell-side due diligence processes. With a keen eye for identifying opportunities and navigating challenges, Vikram helps his clients achieve optimal outcomes, safeguarding and enhancing stakeholder value throughout their business lifecycle.

Carrie DiLauro joined HRCP in 2009 and oversees all operations management, administrative functions, investor relations, and marketing initiatives. She brings over twenty years of experience in organizational processes, data-driven system improvements, fiscal responsibility, and global manufacturing.

Prior to joining HRCP, she was a fund administrator at a bio-tech hedge fund. She began her career running production for textile manufacturing facilities around the world.

Carrie received a B.S. from Cornell University and a Master of Liberal Arts, Finance from the Extension School at Harvard University.

Michael leads PE/VC business development at Consero, where he helps private equity and venture-backed firms rapidly stand up finance teams and scale their finance operations through Consero’s “Finance-as-a-Service” model. Previously, he built a strong foundation in capital markets and risk intelligence, including senior business development roles at PitchBook Data and Intelligo, giving him deep insight into what investors value in high-growth companies. He combines analytical rigor with operational acumen to help portfolio companies improve financial visibility, establish scalable back-office infrastructure, and accelerate growth readiness.

Holbrook Forusz is a Managing Director of Tamarix Capital Partners ("TCP"). TCP provides debt and equity to lower middle market companies. Holbrook has over 24 years of direct principal investing in both private credit and private equity.

Adam regularly represents private equity funds and their portfolio companies in a wide range of transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts and preferred equity investments. Adam is also active in the private investment fund area, representing both financial sponsors and institutions in secondary transactions, and co-investments. Adam also advises early- and growth-stage companies and investors in venture and growth capital financings and serves as outside general counsel to emerging growth and established operating companies.

In addition, Adam represents theater owners as well as filmmakers, publishers, writers and illustrators in intellectual property matters.

Etienne is a distinguished entrepreneur and leader with a robust track record in propelling innovation and corporate growth through cutting-edge product development, sales, and marketing strategies. As the guiding force behind Grignard Company, LLC, Etienne has steered the company into new markets and product categories, ensuring sustained growth for this specialty solutions producer.

A central theme of Etienne's innovation lies in parallel technologies, where his keen understanding of market dynamics has enabled the successful launch of new products across various sectors. His work spans numerous industries, including Infection Control, Biological Nutrient Removal, Mineral Scaling Control, Corrosion Protection Systems for Marine and Bridge Super Structures, and Eco-friendly Solutions in the Cleaning and Lubrication markets.

Etienne's extensive experience includes collaborations with leading academic institutions such as Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Babson, Oxford, Lehigh, Rutgers, NYU, Columbia, and CUNY, as well as engagements with major corporations like Disney, JB&B, Weidlinger, Parsons, Oceaneering, Tyco, DOD, Naval Air Warfare Center, and Rustoleum.

Rob Grimaldi is chief operating officer of Viscogliosi Brothers, a leading investor and innovator in the med-tech space, and co-founder and CEO of Ad Infinitum Cell Preservation Technologies, a firm creating novel cryopreservation solutions for medical research applications. He has been directly involved in many entrepreneurial led companies across multiple sectors from seed and venture stage to exit/IPO.

Jodie M. Gunzberg, CFA, is the Managing Partner of InFi Strategies, leading the firm in providing innovative indexing and investment strategies. With over 20 years of experience in the investment industry, she is a distinguished leader with buy-side, indexing, and investment consulting expertise.

Recently, Jodie was Head of Strategic Partnerships at Cboe Global Markets, where she developed strategic partnerships and managed key commercial relationships to drive growth. She crafted policies and strategies for multi-party arrangements, expanded into new business lines, and established global fund issuer services. Jodie was also on the Investment Committee overseeing Cboe’s employee benefit plans.

Before Cboe, Jodie was Managing Director at CoinDesk Indices, directing index product management and strategy, and serving as the company's public spokesperson. She defined digital asset industries, shaped index offerings, and created groundbreaking products for 401(k) plans and financial advisors.

Sarah is a Director of Business Development at Trivest. Trivest is a private equity firm focused on the support and growth of founder-led & family-owned businesses in the middle market. Sarah is responsible for business development initiatives at the firm, including the origination and evaluation of investment opportunities. She is based in New York and covers the Northeast region, managing Trivest’s deal relationships in that geography. Prior to Trivest, Sarah spent 10 years at The Riverside Company.

Andrew Hansen is part of the Founder-Owned Business Advisory group based in the firm’s Chicago office. He focuses on helping owner-operators understand their liquidity options, the different types of investors/partners available, and how best to prepare for a future transaction. Andrew joined William Blair’s investment banking team in 2018 and spent his first four years in the Mergers & Acquisitions group advising public and private companies.

Charlotte Hausemer was VP of Partnerships for the Americas at BNP Paribas, which she joined in 2010. With14 years of experience in Corporate & Transaction Banking, in her last role, she led AI-driven digital transformation projects, alongside building the Partnerships practice focused on new acquisitions. In 2015, Mrs. Hausemer relocated to the US to expand BNP Paribas’ operations, launching the Solution Design & Advisory team to support CFOs of Fortune 500 companies with post-M&A integrations across 30+ countries. Previously, she advised the BNP Paribas Executive Committee on business and digital transformation across the Group. Mrs Hausemer began her career in 2008 in the energy sector, managing refinery construction at Foster Wheeler after serving as Deputy Head of Production at a French manufacturer. An active investor and advisor, she collaborates with startups and serves on the Board of Angel Partners. She holds a Master of Science in Engineering (2009) from École Centrale.

As Partner and Head of Origination at HiGro, Chadd has nearly 20 years of private equity and capital raising experience. He specializes in sourcing off-market deals and driving growth for portfolio companies. His expertise spans business and tech-enabled services, as well as media, and he leverages a broad network to deliver strong outcomes for investors and management.

Milan is a Senior Vice President on the Heartland Growth Partners team and is responsible for sourcing, transaction due diligence, underwriting, and future portfolio company activities for Heartland's private equity deals.

Milan has been a private equity investor since 2020 and spent 5+ years at Brown Brothers Harriman Capital Partners Private Equity (“BBHCP”), the private equity investing arm of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (“BBH”) that today manages over $3.0B of committed capital. At BBHCP, Milan focused on transactions with founder- and family-owned and operated businesses across industrial and infrastructure services, distribution, and other B2B services within the lower middle market. 

Milan began his career in the Consumer & Retail Investment Banking group at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey (now Truist Securities), advising on sell-side M&A and strategic capital engagements across food and beverage manufacturing and distribution.

Milan received a B.A. in Economics from Vanderbilt University. An Atlanta, GA native, Milan currently resides in New York City with his fiancée.

At Gridiron Capital, Sean focuses on developing new business partnerships, marketing, communicating with business owners, and managing investment sourcing and exit planning. Prior to joining Gridiron Capital, Sean served as vice president at BB&T Capital Markets in Richmond, Virginia. His responsibilities at BB&T included executing mergers and acquisitions advisory for middle-market businesses, as well as establishing and strengthening business development relationships with middle-market investors. Earlier in his career, Sean worked at Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank.

Fenella Kim is a three-time exited founder and CEO, serial entrepreneur, investor, and leadership coach. She founded Leader Transcend in partnership with Vistage Worldwide and serves as a Vistage Chair, mentoring and coaching three peer advisory boards of CEOs and executives focused on strategy and growth. She also leads her family office VC fund, Allenef Ventures, investing from pre-seed through Series C.

Lee is managing director of Smart Business Network LLC, a national events, media and marketing company founded in 1989, primarily responsible for expanding the company’s Dealmakers Conferences 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. 

Annie Lan is a Partner at Egis Capital Partners. With 15 years of experience in finance and investing, she began her career at UBS AG and joined Egis in 2017. Responsible for the origination, execution, and management of investments, along with Egis founder Robert Chefitz, Annie is involved in all aspects of Egis portfolio companies, from growth strategy, corporate development, financing, management recruiting, and governance. She currently serves on the boards of Shields and Sensera. Annie has originated and led the evaluation of numerous companies in the security industry from video, access, identity, IoT analytics/AI, property and construction technology, supply chain, risk management, and public safety. Annie brings her energy and creativity and has been instrumental in enhancing the value of the portfolio as well as the management of Egis.

Robert Landis is a Founding Partner, Origination in the New York office of The Riverside Company, a private equity firm investing in premier companies at the smaller end of the middle market. Robert joined Riverside in 2002 and has over 42 years of commercial and investment banking experience gained at Deutsche Banc Alex Brown (18 years) and its predecessors, and at Citibank/ Chemical Bank.

At Deutsche, he created and led the Aerospace and Defense Group in North America. He previously headed the firm's North American corporate finance group as it transitioned to an investment bank in the mid 1990's 1992-1987). the Multi-National Group. Prior to that, Robert was a Major (ret.) in the U.S. Army, serving 6 years active duty and 14 years active reserve with the 42nd Infantry Division, NYARNG.

David Lane is CEO of Sports Illustrated Tickets at sitickets.com. A market leader and one of the largest secondary ticket marketplaces aim North America. Considered an expert and avid speaker in the media, ticket and sports betting industries. David has been named to the top 25 media executives in 2024 and featured in several publications and shares his perspective industry-related topics and trends. Prior to SI Tickets, David’s professional experience includes twenty five years of C-level experience. He has lead business units with a number of well-known sports and media businesses such as FanDuel, TouchTunes, and Outfront Media. Lane founded and built market-leading organizations in the wireless communication and digital media industries which he received multiple patents for wireless transmission of digital media.

Scott is the CFO of KickCharge Creative, a New Jersey-based, award-winning branding/digital marketing agency. Scott has an MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business. is a licensed CPA, and has experience in a variety of industries including digital marketing, customer service, real estate, and a broad spectrum of financial services. Previously he served as the regional CFO of a publicly traded property management company where he led financial management, human resources, risk management and operating departments while piloting impactful improvements in revenue and EBITDA growth.

Michael Livanos is a co-founder and Managing Partner of Altair Industries. Previously, he was a founding member of Stellex Capital Management since its formation in 2014. Mr. Livanos's prior board roles have included A Stucki, Continental Global Material Handling, Custom Glass Solutions, Fenix Parts, and Ferroworks.

Prior to Stellex, Mr. Livanos focused on restructuring and turnarounds at Barclays and Houlihan Lokey and worked with the senior management team at Citigroup's Corporate Headquarters.

Mr. Livanos holds a BS in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon and MBA from Columbia Business School. He served on the alumni advisory board of Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science and remains active within Columbia Business School's Private Equity Program.

For the past 25 years, Dan has been helping startups and large companies shape their online product strategy. His startup work includes launching Foursquare, Rent The Runway, The Skimm, Blade and Skift. He's also redefined the digital strategy and designed the experiences for more staid organizations such as The New York Times, CNN, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, TD Ameritrade, The Tate Galleries, Saturday Night Live, Eurobank, Booking.com and The Wall Street Journal. One of his most noted projects was creating the original strategy and user experience for Hulu. Prior to Charming Robot, Dan co-founded the design agency Hard Candy Shell. He is the host of the podcast Story in a Bottle and the author of Audible Original book The Barstool MBA. Dan received his Master’s Degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and his Bachelor of Arts from Colby College in English and Performing Arts. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

Meahgan is the Head of Business Development and Capital Markets for Palladium Equity Partners. Prior to Palladium, Meahgan was Vice President and Head of Global Business Development for KPS Mid-Cap. Meahgan also serves as a limited partner for Dash Fund – a micro-cap venture capital fund looking to invest in the next phase of industry leading entrepreneurs. As Head of Business Development, her primary focus is on new investment generation and intermediary, founder, executive and corporate relationship management across North America and Europe. Furthermore, Meahgan assists portfolio companies with add-on acquisition strategy development and the sourcing of tuck-in opportunities.

Clients value Randi’s unique combination of legal skills, people savvy and business acumen. She makes a point to listen carefully to her clients’ interests and objectives, devising effective and practical strategies and tactics to purse her clients’ goals. Randi uses her people skills and high EQ to negotiate outcomes that maximize her clients’ interests. Her approach is bolstered by excellent technical skills and deep legal knowledge borne out of decades of advising clients on a vast array of sophisticated and complex legal matters. 

Randi’s clients include private equity and venture capital funds, pooled investment vehicles, public companies and mature privately held companies, as well as early- and growth-stage businesses and their founders. She has represented clients in a broad range of industries, including consumer products and services, health and wellness, apparel and accessories, food and beverage, software and technology, medical equipment, industrial manufacturing, and advertising.

Randi joined Morrison Cohen in 2005. She was previously an associate in Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP's capital markets group.

Jack McGovern is the Area Managing partner with SeatonHill Partners, LP for the Northeastern U.S. where he is responsible for new business, engagement oversight and Partner management.

Jack is a senior executive with deep experience in multiple industries and including healthcare services and technologies, FinTech, consulting, manufacturing, and technology. Jack has held the roles of CEO and CFO for numerous private and public companies and was a significant contributor to various corporate boards, including the Chairmanship of a public company and multiple audit committees. Earlier in his career, he was a senior member of Merrill Lynch Interfunding, Inc. an investor in middle market leveraged buyouts.

Jack has extensive experience and relationships within the Investment Banking, Private Equity and Banking industries with many successful debt and equity raises. Jack also has an extensive background in mergers and acquisitions including negotiation, closing and post-closing integration. He is known as a big picture strategic thinker adept at leading successful ventures within high growth, fast paced environments.

Jack holds an MBA degree from Columbia University and a BS in accounting from Monmouth University. He is a CPA in the state of New Jersey (inactive).

Martha Mistretta currently serves as a Risk Advisor with HUB International Northeast. Based out of the New York City office, Martha specializes in leveraging her extensive background to help individuals and businesses achieve their personal and professional goals. Whether through strategic consulting, tailored insurance solutions, or effective risk mitigation strategies, Martha is committed to delivering results that ensure long-term success.

Jason is the Head of the Northeast Region for CIBC’s US Regional Commercial Banking unit. Jason has nearly 30 years of experience providing debt and equity capital to middle-market businesses across North America. In his new role, Jason leads a team of relationship and portfolio managers providing CIBC’s commercial banking and capital markets solutions to private equity-backed and founder-owned companies in the northeastern US.

Prior to joining CIBC, Jason was an Investment Director with MML Capital Partners, a UK-based private equity firm focused on trans-Atlantic investments in middle-market companies. Before MML, Jason was with CIT Group, actively managing a portfolio of syndicated bank loans. Jason began his career with GE Capital in its Financial Management Program before taking investment roles GE’s private equity financing business and Energy Financial Services unit.

Jason graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.B.A. in Finance from UMass Amherst.

Sidney N. Nakahodo is the Founder and General Partner of Seldor Capital, a NYC-based Venture Capital firm specializing in SpaceTech. A thought leader, he blends his investment expertise with scholarship as a Columbia University faculty member and operational excellence as a co-founder, advisor, and mentor of several startups and entrepreneurial organizations.

As a Senior Market Director at Vistage Worldwide, Inc., I bring a strong background in business development and leadership to drive strategic growth and innovation. With a deep understanding of market dynamics and member needs, I craft impactful strategies that elevate the value and reach of Vistage’s peer advisory services.

I'm also a certified expert in communication skills through the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, a credential that enhances my ability to engage diverse audiences, foster clarity, and lead meaningful, results-driven conversations.

My focus is on building a culture of collaboration, creativity, and excellence—continually advancing the success of our Chairs, members, and the broader Vistage community.

Andrea is a Principal at Heartwood Partners, where she is a member of the investment team focused on pursuing new transactions and working with existing portfolio companies. Andrea currently serves on the board of directors for Sur-Seal, Patten Seed Company, Bush Brothers, and Royal Products.

Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, she was an investment professional with Cambridge Capital where she focused on the supply chain sector. Previously she worked at Seale & Associates, a boutique investment bank, and Cambridge Associates, an investment advisor to institutional clients

Josh Pang is Managing Director and Head of Digital Infrastructure for Apollo’s Infrastructure Funds.

Prior to joining Apollo, Mr. Pang was Managing Director and Head of Digital Infrastructure for Carlyle Global Infrastructure and previously a Managing Director at The Blackstone Group, where he focused on communications, technology, and data infrastructure investments across multiple funds and capital strategies. Throughout his career, he has invested in and partnered with leading businesses and management teams across digital infrastructure asset classes, including data centers, broadband/bandwidth, mobile infrastructure, and adjacencies such as asset-backed finance, structured capital, services, communications IT, and software for the TMT ecosystem.

Prior to Blackstone, Mr. Pang was a Principal in the Private Equity LBO group at BC Partners, where he primarily focused on the TMT sector. He began his career as an Analyst at Blackstone.

Mr. Pang received his B.S. in Finance and Financial Accounting from the Stern School of Business at New York University, graduating magna cum laude. He is based in New York.

Jeffrey Perlman is the Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Bright Power. An experienced energy auditor, energy analyst, and solar-energy-system designer, Jeff is as happy in a boiler room or on a rooftop as he is in a corporate boardroom.

As CEO, he built Bright Power from a single rented desk in a shared office into an industry leader. Jeff was named to Crain's New York 40 Under 40 Class of 2018, listed as a 2019 Environmental + Energy Leader 100 honoree, recognized as a top power player by City & State’s Energy & Environment Power list in 2019 and 2020, recognized as a RealLeaders Earth Advocate in 2021, and recognized as a top impact CEO by the MO 100 Awards in 2022 and 2023. In 2023, he moved into the role of Chief Strategy Officer to focus on the growing opportunities that are emerging from city, state and federal initiatives as well as driving the sustainable buildings industry forward through policy activities and thought leadership.

Oscar N. Pinkas is a leader of the firm’s Global Restructuring & Bankruptcy Practice, and a member of the Corporate and Finance Practices. He focuses on M&A and debt transactions (front-end and back-end) as well as turnarounds and workouts, including in-court practice and estate representations. His clients include investors, purchasers, lenders/noteholders, companies, indenture trustees and collateral agents, and creditors’ committees.

Oscar has been named one of The Best Lawyers in America, a Top Restructuring & Turnaround Professional, and an Emerging Leader in M&A, Financing and Turnaround. In addition, many transactions or restructurings Oscar has led have received awards due to the outsized results obtained. Those accolades equally show the breadth and depth of skill and experience of his practice groups at the firm, with Greenberg Traurig’s Restructuring and Bankruptcy Group named “The Elite” and Corporate/M&A Group named “Highly Regarded” by Chambers USA.

Sunil brings over 20 years of leadership experience across Banking, Corporate Finance and Venture Capital. Sunil specialises in strategy execution, operational excellence, financial risk management and business profitability. He is passionate about building profitable businesses whose solutions have a significant impact on human productivity. He is currently the COO and CFO with Plum Alley Ventures Company.

Stanley is a Partner at Crate Capital, an investment firm focused on buying, building, and operating exceptional small businesses.

Prior to founding Crate Capital, Stanley worked at Clairvest, a private equity firm investing out of its $1.2B Fund VII, where he was responsible for investments in distribution and industrial services businesses. Stanley joined Clairvest from Evercore, where he was a Vice President in the M&A group.

Earlier in his career, Stanley led the growth of a national surface coverings distributor, working with the owner to professionalize the business, strengthen the management team, and expand into adjacent products and markets, ultimately doubling the company's sales over four years.

Stanley earned an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, where he graduated as a Zell Fellow, and his HBA with distinction from Ivey Business School at Western University in Canada.

Farai Sanyangore is a Market Executive for Business Banking in NYC covering middle market companies with a specialization in the technology sector and asset managers. Farai and his team provide access to capital and strategic advice to middle market companies in the Tri-State region. Farai has 20 years of banking experience spanning Investment Banking, Equity Capital Markets and Middle Market banking.

Erina Shan is a Principal on the structured capital team, where she is focused on credit and structured capital investments across a wide range of industries. Prior to joining Viking in 2023, Erina was a Senior Associate at Athyrium Capital Management and an M&A Analyst at PJT Partners. Erina received a B.S. in economics and a B.A. in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Eran Shir is co-founder and CPO at Nexar.

Previous to founding Nexar, Eran was an Entrepreneur in Residence at Aleph Ventures in Tel Aviv. Prior to that position, Eran co-founded and served as CEO of Dapper, until it was acquired by Yahoo! in 2010. After the acquisition, Shir was the Senior Director & Head of the Creative Innovation Center, a global team within Yahoo!, based in part on Dapper’s engineering team. Before co-founding Dapper, Eran founded the DIMES Internet research project, and Cogniview, a machine learning startup.

Apart from his entrepreneurial career, Eran has also served as a Board Member of the Israel Center for Excellence through Education for the last 25 years.

Eran has a B.A. and M.A. in Theoretical Physics from the Technion Institute of Technology and doesn’t have a Ph.D from Tel Aviv University, since he bailed out to become an entrepreneur.

Tom has spent the last 22 years at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch where he considers himself an “Intra-Preneur”. He is the founder of a 9 person boutique within the company called Singh & Associates.

He and his team specialize in pre-exit planning for business owners looking to sell their company in 12-36 months. By using their Proprietary financial Modeling Process, they run various simulations and prescribe strategies to help owners maximize their desired outcome.

He also oversees the Avalon location of Merrill Lynch managing 9 Billion of client assets and has been named the top 13 “Best in State Wealth Advisors” list by Forbes Magazine – 4 years in a row.

A founder of Pine Street in 2004, Tim is involved with all activities at the firm, including deal sourcing, deal structuring, portfolio management, fundraising and administration. Tim currently serves as a board member on Pine Street portfolio companies Express Medical Transporters, Filterworks USA, NPL HomeCare, and DeIorio Foods, and is a board observer on Pine Street portfolio company Alexis Russell.  He is also active as a board member of several other for profit and not for profit entities. Tim's career has included a variety of roles, including as Chief Operating Officer and board member of Colonial Data Technologies, a $75 million revenue publicly traded provider of telecommunications equipment; Chief Financial Officer of First Albany Companies Inc., a $300 million publicly traded investment banking and brokerage firm; and more than 12 years as a senior investment banker providing advice and capital raising services to small and middle market companies in various industries. Tim began his career as a corporate and securities attorney at Cahill Gordon & Reindel in New York City. He is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany and Albany Law School.

Gary Zammit, PhD is the President & CEO of Clinilabs, a contract research organization dedicated to the development of drugs and devices to treat psychiatric and neurological disorders. Dr. Zammit has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications and three books. His latest book, "Beyond the Science: How People, Process, and Systems Transform the Business of Life Science," is an Amazon best seller.

Adam is a Market Executive leading a team of bankers in the NYC Business Banking market. With 15 years of experience at Bank of America and previously at JPMorgan Chase, he specializes in partnering with small to emerging middle market companies. Adam supports businesses in securing capital and optimizing operations through enhanced financial controls and cash flow management, fostering growth and long-term success.