Michael Araten

President & CEO
Sterling Drive Ventures LP

Michael Araten is president and CEO of Sterling Drive Ventures LP, a family office that owns The Rodon Group. Rodon is a highly automated plastics injection molder, with a focus on small parts used in over 100 industries, including food, beverage, pharmaceutical diagnostic packaging and toys. Previously, he was president and CEO of K’NEX Brands, whose K’NEX™ construction toy is distributed in 40 countries. More than 95 percent of the K’NEX component parts are made at Rodon in Hatfield, Pennsylvania.

Emily V. Biscardi

Founder & CEO
Xelerate, LLC

Emily Venable Biscardi is founder and CEO of Xelerate LLC, an agile and data-driven recruitment process outsourcing provider. She founded the company in 2004 because she believed there was a better way to service customers in the talent acquisition industry by designing and implementing solutions that fill gaps in corporate recruiting programs. Xelerate was named to the 2018 Inc. 5000 list and received the SmartCEO Brava! Award in 2013 and the SmartCEO Hall of Fame Award in 2014.

Charles Bodie

Partner
Drayton Park Capital

Charles Bodie is the founder and Partner of Drayton Park Capital LP, an independent investment firm focused on providing structured and flexible growth capital to lower-mid market operating businesses.

Previously, he was a Partner of London-based Special Situations fund manager Kelso Place Asset Management.

Evan Brandoff

Co-founder & CEO
LeagueSide

Evan is the co-founder and CEO of LeagueSide, the nation's leading youth sports sponsorship platform. LeagueSide connects brands including Comcast and Dunkin' with families in the community through its network of 14k+ youth sports leagues and tournaments. Evan is originally from Long Island, went to the University of Texas in Austin, then spent a couple of years in Detroit before moving to Philly 6 years ago.

Don Braun

Managing Director
AB Bernstein

Donald R. Braun, Jr., is a Managing Director of Bernstein located in the Philadelphia office. He joined the firm in 2005 and was appointed a Principal in 2010, a Director in 2015 and Managing Director in 2016. In his role as a Principal he was responsible for advising high-net-worth families and institutions, as well as their respective trusts, estates, foundations, endowments and pension plans. Prior to joining the firm, he served for 10 years as vice president of a privately held family business, Greater Media, Inc., where his responsibilities included strategic planning, budgeting and analyzing cash-flow projections for companies targeted for acquisition. Donald earned a BS in business administration and finance from Drexel University. He is a member of the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Estate Planning Councils, the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), the Greater Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies (PACT), and The Union League of Philadelphia. Donald is also active with Drexel University, serving on the President’s Leadership Council.

Jonathan Chou

Partner
Eureka Equity Partners, L.P.

Jonathan, a Partner, joined Eureka in 2007. Jonathan is responsible for transaction sourcing, evaluation and negotiation, managing senior and subordinated debt lender relationships, and working with portfolio company management teams on strategic initiatives. Jonathan also serves on Eureka's Investment Committee. Jonathan currently serves on the Board of Directors of McCue Corporation. Jonathan's former Board affiliations include Campus Televideo, Creative Co-Op, Everite Machine Products, FlexManage and Total Military Management. Prior to joining Eureka, Jonathan was an Engagement Manager in L.E.K. Consulting’s Boston office. While at L.E.K., Jonathan managed over 20 strategy consulting engagements and 15 private equity due diligence transactions as part of L.E.K.’s M&A and Strategy Consulting practices. Prior to L.E.K., Jonathan executed acquisitions of investment management firms as an Associate with Value Asset Management and worked as a Financial Analyst in the investment banking division of BT Alex. Brown.

Ryan Clark

Co-Founder & CEO
PeopleShare, LLC

Ryan is among the most respected leaders in the staffing industry, known for his fierce commitment to providing outstanding customer service and his tenacious pursuit of excellence. His experience includes over twenty years in staffing as well as extensive experience in sales and sales management. Ryan spent seven years working at PDI, the world’s largest contract sales organization supporting the pharmaceutical industry, where he was continuously recognized as a top performer and was promoted several times.

In 2003, Ryan was hired by a major Dallas-based staffing company where he made significant contributions. Within three months, Ryan turned the unprofitable office into one of the most profitable offices in the company. In 2005, Ryan co-founded PeopleShare, a regional staffing firm dedicated to placing candidates in light industrial, administrative and clerical positions. Ryan’s vision was to create a staffing company that provides employees and customers the opportunity to achieve their goals and enhance their overall success. Having the expertise, industry experience, and resources to recruit the best talent for each and every opportunity have been a critical factor in PeopleShare’s success.

Ryan’s determination, drive and talent have propelled PeopleShare into the fastest growing staffing firm in Pennsylvania with 16 locations throughout PA, NJ and DE. Since their first year of eligibility in 2007, PeopleShare has been named “Best Places to Work” by the Philadelphia Business Journal every year and named to the Inc.500/5000 list. In 2015, PeopleShare exceeded $100MM in annual revenue and was acquired by Trivest, a Private Equity firm based in Coral Gables, Florida.

Neil Cooper

Executive Partner
Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld LLC

Neil Cooper is the Executive Partner of RCCB, attorneys who think and act like entrepreneurs and business people. Neil focuses his practice primarily on business and corporate law matters, effectively serving as outside general counsel to many of his clients. Neil advises clients on acquisitions and dispositions and a broad range of business agreements, with emphasis on emerging growth and middle market companies, entrepreneurs, and investors.

Jason Cunningham

Vice President, Business Development
Argosy Private Equity

Jason joined Argosy in 2019 as Vice President of Business Development. Mr. Cunningham leads the firm's transaction sourcing and origination activities, bringing more than 18 years of experience as an investment banker and private equity investor focused exclusively on middle market businesses. Throughout his career, Mr. Cunningham has advised middle market clients in across a broad range of industries on public and private company mergers and acquisitions, spin-offs, private placements, strategic alternatives, succession planning and capital formation issues.

Denise Devine

Co-Founder, CAO, and CFO
RTM Vital Signs

David Dunstan

President & Managing Director
Citizens Capital Markets

David co-founded Western Reserve Partners in 2004, which was acquired by Citizens in 2017, and has more than 25 years of experience advising middle market companies in mergers and acquisitions and capital raising across a wide range of industries. Prior to co-founding Western Reserve Partners, he was a Managing Director at KeyBanc Capital Markets and Manager of Consumer Investment Banking at McDonald Investments. David started his career at Ernst & Young, where he provided financial consulting and audit services to middle market companies.

Ted Durkin

Managing Director
UBS Financial Services

Ted joined the Financial Services industry in 1994 as a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch in the World Financial Center, NYC.Over the next twenty years he held numerous positions with Merrill Lynch. In April 2000 he transitioned from Financial Advisor to a career in Leadership. Those roles included: Regional Sales Manager in Washington, DC (2000-2002), Complex Director in Norfolk, VA (2002-2005), Managing Director for Philadelphia Complex (2005-20011), and PA/Delaware Markets, Head of the Affluent Segment for ML (2001-2014). In 2015 Ted had the great fortune to join UBS running the Philadelphia/ South Jersey Complex. Today, he is the Market Head for Pennsylvania. Our eight offices comprise 150 FAs, 85 CSAs, and an outstanding Leadership Team supported by incredible specialists.

Anuj Goswami

Partner
Ballard Spahr LLP

Anuj Goswami represents financial institutions and borrowers in structuring, documenting, and negotiating financing transactions, including secured and unsecured revolving credit facilities, term loans, asset-based loans, acquisition financing second-lien loans, and mezzanine loans. Anuj counsels financial institutions and borrowers, including buyout funds, in connection with senior and subordinated debt facilities used to finance leveraged buyouts and acquisitions.

Annamarie Hellebusch

Owner
AGH Holdings LLC

Annamarie Geppert Hellebusch entered the real estate investment market after practicing for 25 years as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. Since 2015, Annamarie has been buying homes in the Montgomery County area and reselling them after extensive renovations. Her team of realtors and subcontractors work closely together to create move in ready homes for her clients.

Gerri Henwood

President & CEO
Recro Pharma

Jeff Hornstein

Executive Director
Economy League of Greater Philadelphia

Prior to his appointment as executive director of the Economy League in 2018, Jeff Horstein served as director of Financial and Policy Analysis for the Philadelphia City Controller, where he worked on critical issues relating to Philadelphia's fiscal health. Under his leadership, the Policy Unit produced numerous data-driven policy analyses on topics including the city's property tax system, tax delinquency, incentive programs, charter school finances and the state of retirement security.    

Ryan Hurst

Partner
RKL LLP

Christine Jones

Managing Partner
Blue Highway Growth Capital

Robert Kenney

Regional Executive - Director
Alex. Brown

Rob is the Regional Executive of Alex. Brown Philadelphia and is responsible for the management and growth of the office. Rob and his team work with individuals and family offices to create highly customized, comprehensive wealth management solutions. He enjoys helping his clients navigate the complexities of the financial markets and providing strategies that are tailored to their needs and objectives. He specializes in asset allocation and portfolio management, utilizing equity, fixed income and alternative investments to balance risk, returns and liquidity.

Before joining Alex. Brown (now a division of Raymond James), Rob was a vice president of investments at UBS Private Wealth Management, a vice president at the JP Morgan Private Bank and a vice president at JP Morgan Securities. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Bloomsburg University.

Rob serves as a board member of Handi-Crafters, one of the largest employment and disability focused service programs in Chester County. A West Chester, Pennsylvania, native, he lives with his wife, Kelly, and their three children..

Jack Kolmansberger

Chief Marketing Officer
Herbein + Company, Inc.

Since 2008 Jack Kolmansberger has been the Chief Marketing Officer at Herbein + Company, Inc., one of Pennsylvania’s leading regional certified public accounting firms.

For the previous twelve years, Jack served as Marketing Director at Asher & Company, Ltd., one of Philadelphia’s largest regional certified public accounting firms. His responsibilities at Herbein include branding initiatives, promoting a firm-wide marketing culture across multiple offices, increasing process efficiencies, and directing new business development.

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. 

Frank Lordi

Partner
BDO, USA LLP

Paul Mattaini

Partner
Barley Snyder LLC

Paul has practiced in the business area for over 30 years, concentrating in the mergers and acquisitions, securities, banking and corporate areas. His practice includes complex and sophisticated transactions, and he has participated in hundreds of M&A transactions. For a representative sample of transactions in which Paul has participated at Barley Snyder, please see the tombstone announcements at www.barley.com/Mergers-Acquisitions. Among other recognitions, Paul maintains an "AV" Martindale Hubbell rating and he has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America (Securities, Corporate and Banking and Finance areas) and in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers (Mergers and Acquisitions).

Bob McCormack

Managing Partner
Murphy McCormack Capital Advisors

Bob is Managing Partner and Founding Partner of Murphy McCormack Capital Advisors, a boutique investment banking and corporate advisory firm in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Mr. McCormack has more than 32 years of financial services experience, and focuses on providing advisory services related to business sales, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, business valuations, debt and equity financing, and select turnaround projects. He formed Murphy McCormack Capital Advisors in 2005. He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Sun Bancorp, Inc., a $1 billion financial services holding company with bank branches and affiliates located throughout central Pennsylvania.

Daniel McDonough

Partner
Troutman Pepper

Bryan McGrath

Senior Wealth Director
BNY Mellon Wealth Management

Bryan T. McGrath, CWS® is a senior wealth director for BNY Mellon Wealth Management. In this role, he is responsible for new business development in the Mid-Atlantic region, and works with individuals and families to identify how BNY Mellon Wealth Management’s investment and wealth management capabilities can help them reach their overall financial goals.

Prior to joining BNY Mellon Wealth Management, Bryan was a Wealth Advisor and Vice President at Key Bank. Bryan also worked as a Senior Wealth Advisor for PNC and TD Bank in addition to serving as a Regional Executive at Sovereign Bank/Santander in Philadelphia.

Bryan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ursinus College, with minors in Finance and Business Administration. He has completed other certifications from Bucknell and Northwestern University in Chicago.

Jeffrey McGroarty

Chief Financial Officer
Annovis Bio, Inc.

Jeff is a financial executive with experience in investor relations, working with analysts, creditors and financial institutions, planning and analysis, IPOs, capital allocation, SEC communications and reporting, accounting, acquisitions and turnarounds. He is currently the CFO of Annovis Bio, Inc., a clinical stage biotech developing drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and was previously CFO of Safeguard Scientifics.

Louis Rappaport

Partner, Co-Chair, Corporate, M&A and Securities Practice Group
Blank Rome LLP

Stephen Robinson

Master Chair
Vistage

Stephen is a business adviser who utilizes his entrepreneurial leadership and CEO background to facilitate CEOs, presidents and owners of companies in achieving successful professional and personal goals. He enjoys working in the strategy world and has been a master chair with Vistage for more than 11 years.

Steven A. Scolari

Partner, Co-Chair, Closely Held & Family Owned Business
Stradley Ronon

Steven provides practical and strategic legal advice to executives and owners of both private and public businesses in connection with a variety of transactional matters. As co-chair of Stradley Ronon’s Closely Held & Family Owned Businesses practice, Steve’s business succession planning engagements encompass corporate, tax, estate planning and family issues, including complex intergenerational shareholder and voting trust agreements and numerous liquidity transactions.

Jordan Space

President, Eastern PA Market
S&T Bank

Jordan is president of the Eastern Pennsylvania market for S&T Bank. In his role as market president, Jordan is responsible for the leadership, growth and development of the overall region, including all business lines (commercial, business banking, retail, mortgage and wealth management). Currently, the Eastern Pennsylvania market spans west of Harrisburg, northeast to the Greater Berks region, southeast into Philadelphia and all geography in between.

Previously, Jordan was responsible for overseeing all commercial banking operations throughout southcentral Pennsylvania. Since joining the Bank in 2010, he has contributed significantly to developing customer relationships and growing business throughout the region.

Jordan is a member of the Board of Trustees for Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health where he also serves on the Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Finance/Capital Allocations Committee. In addition, he serves on the executive leadership team for the Lancaster City Alliance Economic Development & Planning and is a member of Young Presidents’ Organization.

Michael Verrill

VP Strategic Development
The Sharp Financial Group

Mike joined The Sharp Financial Group in 2016, where he focuses his efforts on helping business owners realize financial success for their hard work and taking risks. He provides advice on buying and selling a businesses and raising capital to grow. Across a variety of industries, he has spent more than 25 years building trusted relationships with business owners, entrepreneurs and the advisers they turn to when running their businesses.

Additionally, Mike serves as a board member for a number of community and educational programs in the greater Philadelphia area. He holds a BBA from the Fox School of Business at Temple University.

Adam VeVerka

Managing Director
NewSpring Capital

Adam leads business development efforts for all of NewSpring's investment strategies. Before joining NewSpring, Adam was an Investment Banking Analyst at Credit Suisse where he assisted on several transactions in the financial services and financial technology sectors.  Adam is highly involved in the private equity and venture community with leadership roles in Mid-Atlantic ACG, PACT, AMAA the New Jersey Entrepreneur Network.