Tom Bakaitus

Partner
Louis Plung & Company

Tax Partner with Louis Plung & Company. Have 35 years experience primarily in tax. Focus area is transaction analysis. Undergraduate California University of PA. Masters in Tax from Duquesne University. Prior to Louis Plung I was regional managing partner and firmwide Director of Tax with a regional firm.

Bill Baker

CEO
Irwin Group of Companies

Brian Baum

Managing Director
Interchange Capital Partners

Brian is the Managing Director of Interchange Capital Partners. In this role he oversees strategic initiatives of the company with a specific focus on the Family Business and Entrepreneur client segment. His focus is on helping owners think through, build and execute on a value acceleration and transition strategy for the shareholders. He believes that at its core exit planning combines the plan, concept, effort and process into a clear, simple strategy to build a business that is transferable through strong human, structural, customer, and social capital. The future of each owner, their family, and their business are addressed by exit planning through creating value today.

Brian is also the President of the Pittsburgh Exit Planning Chapter, which he helped found in 2019. The chapters mission is to give business owners a forum to get educated on true exit planning – how to build a valuable and transferable business through a proven process. He graduated from Penn State with a Bachelors in Psychology and a minor in Business. He is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor and a CFP.

Robert Berdanier

Managing Director
Riveron

Beth Bershok

Chief Marketing Officer
Louis Plung & Company

Beth serves as the Chief Marketing Officer at Louis Plung & Company (LPC), a CPA firm that’s been serving clients in Pittsburgh for over 100 years. She joined the firm in October 2021 to develop marketing strategy, firm branding, strategic growth planning, staff development and pipeline management.

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Mike Blume

Partner
Tail End Capital

Mike Blume is a partner at Tail End Capital Partners. He is responsible for all aspects of investment management, including sourcing and executing new investments, monitoring existing portfolio company performance, and leading employee training and development.

Before joining Tail End, Mike spent three years on the investment team at Incline Equity Partners, where he was responsible for evaluating and executing new investments and managing existing portfolio companies.

Before Incline, Mike spent two years in PNC's Asset Backed Finance group, focusing on the origination, structuring, and execution of securitizations. Mike graduated with a BBA in Finance cum laude from the University of Notre Dame.

Dave Boyce

President & CEO
Bloom Engineering

Dave Boyce has been in a chief executive role for more than 12 years, responsible for cultivating successful businesses with meaningful social and environmental impacts, both locally and globally. A passionate, people-first leader, Dave embraces the different perspectives of his diverse employee base, building strong relationships with his union manufacturing employees as well as his corporate teams around the world.

Dan Broudy

CEO
Clayton Kendall

Dan Broudy is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Clayton Kendall Inc., a Pittsburgh-based marketing supply chain company. With his extensive experience in the industry, Dan has successfully led the company to new heights, focusing on innovation, customer satisfaction, and strategic partnerships. His strong leadership and vision have made Clayton Kendall a trusted partner for businesses throughout the USA and Canada

Michael Brown

Managing Director
First National Bank

Mike Brown is a Managing Director and Head of Commercial & Industrial Loan Syndications for First National Bank, a $44 billion bank based in Pittsburgh, PA. Mike manages a group that originates and structures senior credit facilities predominantly for middle market clients across all debt ratings, along with collaborating on syndication strategies and engaging with participant lenders across club-type and broadly syndicated transactions.

Prior to joining First National Bank, Mike spent 11 years as a Managing Director in Capital Markets at Huntington National Bank, a group that he co-founded in 2011 where he provided structuring and distribution support to corporate bankers throughout the regional footprint and specialty lending groups. Mike has also held the role of VP of Finance and Chief Financial Officer for Horsburgh & Scott, an industrial manufacturing business headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio where he had oversight for the finance, HR and IT functions of the private-equity owned portfolio company. Mike started his banking career as a Senior Associate in the Loan Syndications group at National City Bank after spending 5 years in the audit and transaction services practices for PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Mike earned an M.B.A. from The Ohio State University and a B.S. degree in Accounting from Miami University. He is a Certified Public Accountant and Series 63 and 79 licensed

Ryan Broze

Partner
Cohen & Co.

Ryan has served tax clients for more than 20 years in public accounting. His experience with real estate investment and management companies, closely held businesses and multimillion-dollar family owned businesses has given him the opportunity to hone his expertise in the areas of effective tax planning strategies and investor compliance. Ryan has worked on a variety of business issues for companies in a variety of stages — from start-ups, to those undergoing extensive growth periods, all the way to those strategizing for an exit.

Joe Cardosi

Founder + CEO
Free Market Health

Joe Cardosi is the Founder and CEO of Free Market Health. Prior to launching Free Market Health, he held sales and strategy leadership roles within Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy. Before joining Walgreens, Cardosi managed the business aspects of the pharmacy benefit at Gateway Health. Prior to that, Joe began his career in clinical and patient-facing roles at small and large specialty pharmacies. Joe holds both a Finance MBA and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Duquesne University. 

Kristine Carpenter

Vice President, Legal, Global M&A and Corporate Governance
Wabtec

Kristine is an experienced senior leader with strong business acumen leading transformational and bolt-on acquisitions and complex commercial transactions. She led inorganic growth initiatives for in-house industrial and transportation company, Wabtec (NYSE: WAB and Fortune 300) and for private equity clients across diverse industries. Kristine is experience working with public company boards, executive leadership teams, and operational teams to drive legal and commercial strategy. Diversity and inclusion advocate with a passion for equity in the workplace and leader of the Asia Pacific Forum - Americas, Employee Resource Group.

Jim Chiafullo

Member
Steptoe & Johnson

Jim is a trusted advisor who brings a “total client approach” to his practice. His firsthand experience working as in-house counsel for a large corporation gives him the practical knowledge necessary to handle any type of commercial transaction. Jim concentrates in the areas of finance, corporate securities, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, shareholder disputes, construction law, antitrust, securities, contract drafting and negotiation, commercial and real estate law, and franchise law.

He represents clients that cover a host of industries including banking, construction, real estate, health care, manufacturing, media, engineering, and franchising. His clients describe him as “creative and committed,” and know they always have their best interest clearly in focus to find not only the legal solution but the practical solution.

The transactions he has handled during his career have been as varied as the clients he has represented.

Jim’s experience includes serving as counsel to a bank in a structured financing transaction for the gaming industry and as counsel for the purchaser of a computer service company. In addition, he has been and continues to serve as general counsel for various companies, handling their mergers, acquisitions, and dispositions and general corporate and securities counseling. He has also served in the roles of custodian and special master appointed by the court in matters involving disputes among stakeholders.

Robert Codol

Managing Director
PNC Mezzanine Capital

Rob joined PNC Mezzanine Capital in 2007. Prior to joining PNC, Rob was an analyst for the Sterling Group, L.P., where he evaluated and executed leveraged buyout investments in middle market industrial companies. Before Sterling, Rob was an associate consultant for L.E.K. Consulting LLC where he provided strategic and operations advisory services to a broad range of clients.

Rob is a director of Eastern Vault Company, Inc., Identity Group Holdings Corp, Kellstrom Holding Corporation, Magnum Magnetics Corporation, Polycor, Inc., Rescon Holdings, LLC; and has oversight responsibility for PNC Mezzanine’s investment in SemiTorr Group. Rob was previously a director of Century Mold Co., Inc. and VWS Holdco, Inc. (dba Virginia Waste Services).

Rob received a BA in Economics from Northwestern University and an MBA with high honors from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

William Coleman

Senior Vice President
Aon

Bill Coleman is a Senior Vice President on Aon's Transaction Solutions team. Bill is responsible for the development and implementation of transactional-based risk solutions, including the deployment of insurance capital for M&A transactions through representations and warranties, litigation, tax and other contingent liabilities insurance. Bill is based in Pittsburgh and is further supported by a New York-based team of professionals in North America and colleagues in London, Hong Kong, Sydney and Bermuda who focus exclusively on transactional risk transfer. Prior to joining the Aon Team, Bill was an attorney at Sidley Austin LLP, where he specialized in mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions, with a significant focus in the energy sector.

Patrick Colletti

Co-founder, Net Health
CEO, CoSage

Growth oriented technology executive and board member with 20+ years of experience in PE backed companies and angel/VC funded start-ups. Served as President of Net Health for two decades, author of the book Refounder: How Transformational Leaders Take What's Broken and Make it Better (Per Capita, 2021)

Jeffrey Conn

Chairman & Member
Clark Hill PLC

Jeff’s primary areas of practice are mergers and acquisitions, general corporate, commercial and real estate finance and real estate law. He regularly represents private equity groups, small, middle-market and large corporations, lenders, borrowers and real estate developers in a variety of transactional matters and matters involving general corporate advice. Jeff has been selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America.

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.

Brian Dandrea

Partner
Continuim Equity Partners

Brian is a co-founder and Partner at Continuim Equity Partners, a Private Equity firm in Pittsburgh, PA. Brian leads Continuim’s relationship-based approach to identifying and acquiring successful, family-owned industrial businesses within the region. Brian previously led the business development effort for PNC Mezzanine Capital and served as a Commercial Lender for PNC Bank.

Bill Delaney

President
Distributor Service, Inc. (DSI)

Bill Delaney is the CEO of Distributor Service, Inc. (DSI) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. DSI was a family-run business, which was founded by Bill Delaney’s father in 1968.  Bill was named as President of DSI in 1998 and grew the business to 8 distribution locations in 5 states with approximately 150 employees.  DSI is headquartered in Carnegie, PA and provides raw materials to the cabinet and woodworking industries.  DSI was sold to Hood Industries, a MS wood manufacturer and distributor with 15 distribution operations located in 13 states. The geographical fit was a key component in making this an attractive acquisition for Hood. This makes the Hood - DSI combination one of the largest distributors in the architectural wood products industry. The work to begin integrating the two companies sharing synergies on both sides are now the primary focus for both companies.

Brad Domitrovitsch

Chairman & CEO
American Environmental Partners, Inc

Brad Domitrovitsch has 20 years of expertise in analyzing, identifying, and developing new market opportunities. His entrepreneurial background spans multiple industries including recycling, transportation, real estate, and environmental services. Brad brings his experience and skill set to provide value to his shareholders first, while putting to work a suite of environmental solutions with demonstrated success. He holds a B.S. in Economics and obtained his MBA from Moravian College with distinction of Valedictorian.

Ron Donatelli

Pittsburgh Regional President
First National Bank

Ronald is President of the Pittsburgh Region of First National Bank. He is responsible for integrating FNB’s successful cross-functional business model and for developing small business, middle market and corporate banking opportunities in the Company’s headquarters market. Donatelli also oversees FNB's Asset-Based Lending group, which operates across the Company footprint.

Donatelli joined FNB in 2009 to lead its Asset-Based Lending division and has had oversight for various corporate banking groups within the organization, including Syndications and International Banking Services. He has more than 40 years of financial services experience, having held a range of leadership roles with asset-based lending groups at major banks in the Pittsburgh area.

A graduate of LaRoche College, Donatelli is active in the community as board chairman for Bridgeway Capital and chair of the Watson Institute/First National Bank Pro Am golf tournament committee.

Shaun Duffin

Partner
FORVIS

Shaun, a member of FORVIS’ Forensics & Valuation Services, works with a wide variety of clients and organizations providing business valuation services. He has provided services to clients in numerous industries.

He has performed business valuation services for more than 19 years, completing in excess of 4,500 valuations during that time, including valuations for estate and gift taxation, ESOPs, going private transactions, purchase price allocation in accordance with ASC 805, goodwill impairment testing in accordance with ASC 350, C corporation to S corporation conversions, litigation support, dissenting shareholder opinions, stock option grants, fairness opinions, divorce proceedings, mergers and acquisitions, segment spinoffs, buy-sell agreements and other tax, litigation and corporate-related matters.

Shaun is a past member of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) Business Valuation Committee, which is composed of 12 valuation experts in the United States. This group provides leading-edge technical guidelines and high-quality educational offerings to CPAs practicing in the area of valuation services.

David Eichenlaub

Managing Director
Confluence Advisors, LLC

Confluence Advisors is a middle market investment banking firm focused on representing families, founders, corporations, and private equity firms in business sale and capital raise transactions. Since the inception of the company in 2009, Confluence has transacted more than $2B in transaction volume across a variety of industries including distribution, chemical, testing/measurement, manufacturing, healthcare, industrial services, software and business services.

Buddy Flerl

Chairman
Datastrike; RDX/Navisite

Buddy has been a global technology investor for over twenty years. Prior to that he had a career in enterprise software sales. He is currently backing Datastrike, a Pittsburgh-headquartered data-centric MSP (managed service provider).

Jeff Ford

Partner - A&A Services Group
Grossman Yanak & Ford LLP

Jeff has focused his career on providing accounting, auditing and consulting services to privately held companies and not-for-profit organizations. His experience includes furnishing compliance services such as audits; providing due diligence and investigation services related to business acquisitions; performing fraud investigations; developing and compiling projected and forecasted financial statements; and evaluating, selecting and implementing information systems for companies.

Meredith Meyer Grelli

Entrepreneur in Residence & Faculty Member
Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University

Meredith is a faculty member and Entrepreneur in Residence at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business. She has developed the Family Business Initiative at Carnegie Mellon, which brings together family business owners and entrepreneurs from an array of industries and geographies.

Meredith Meyer Grelli founded, led, and sold two craft beverage companies, Wigle Whiskey and Threadbare Cider & Mead. Wigle Whiskey was Pennsylvania’s first direct to consumer spirits company since Prohibition.

Stephen Gurgovits

Managing Partner
Tecum Capital

Stephen J. Gurgovits, Jr. is the Managing Partner and co-founder of Tecum Capital, a $500+ million private investment firm based in Pittsburgh, PA, which oversees pools of committed capital focused on mezzanine debt, subordinated notes, and private equity, along with a separate strategy via a multi-family office platform for control equity investments. In his current role, Mr. Gurgovits, Jr. is responsible for providing strategic, operational and investment management leadership to the funds, including its overall planning, fund raising, growth and execution of strategy. Mr. Gurgovits, Jr. previously served on the board of directors of Auburn Gear, Uncle Charley’s Sausage, Oberg Industries, Gibraltar Cable Barriers, Western Allegheny Capital and is currently on the board of directors for Primetac and the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Association of Corporate Growth (ACG).

Donald Hall

CFO & EVP ePMO
Zippo

Mr. Hall currently serves as a member of the board, Chief Financial Officer and EVP ePMO of Zipcorp and all of its subsidiaries. Don has been instrumental in corporate strategic planning, product and market diversification, establishing the Enterprise Program Management Office (ePMO) and the development of the Asia Pacific market.

Timothy Hays

Retired Business Owner
Metsch Refractories Inc. (former company - sold the business Sept. 2022)

Tim Hays is a former third generation family owner and past President of Metsch Refractories Inc. Founded in 1952, Metsch is a custom design manufacturer of technical ceramic components for OEM industries and consumable refractory ceramics for the foundry industry. Metsch serves over (200) customers in (20) countries being a "net export" company since the early 1990's. In September 2022, the family sold Metsch to Lanik s.r.o., a complimentary ceramics product manufacturer based in the Czech Republic to extend its reach to (500) customers in (40) countries.

Craig Heryford

National Chair Business Transactions Sections
Gordon Rees LP

Craig's practice is concentrated in the area of mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and corporate finance matters as well as the representation of mature and emerging businesses. He has experience in a wide variety of commercial transactions, including numerous corporate finance and venture capital funding transactions involving both equity and debt, as well as merger and acquisition and private equity transactions.

Mr. Heryford regularly represents investors, including private equity and venture based investors, in portfolio investments and acquisition and divestiture transactions. He has also represented fund clients in fund formation work, including the structuring and formation of the funds, negotiation and preparation of investor documents and constituent fund documentation.
Mr. Heryford is the chair of the firm's Business Services Section and Business Transactions Practice Group.

Adam Houseknecht

President
Best Line Equipment

Adam Houseknecht is a second-generation owner and President of Best Line Equipment. Opening its doors in 1985, Best Line started as an equipment rental company and has since grown to 14 locations doing business throughout PA, NJ, and MD. A combination of acquisitions, and green start has led Best Line to become one of the largest independent equipment companies in the multi-state region. Prior to joining Best Line in 2006, Adam worked for Bosch Rexroth, and Ingersoll-Rand. Adam also leads a local veteran-focused 501c3, and is a proud husband, and father of 4 children in State College, PA.

John Lewis

Founding Member
Metz Lewis Brodman Must O'Keefe LLC

John Lewis is a founder of his law firm, dedicates his focus to assisting clients in building their business value, including M&A, succession planning and corporate governance. John's passion comes from his childhood involvement in his father's trucking business, including being thrust into running the business and selling it when his father suddenly died when John was 29.

Dean Marshall

Managing Director
The Peakstone Group

Dean Marshall is a Managing Director at The Peakstone Group, where he is responsible for transaction origination and execution. Dean has extensive experience in merger and acquisition and strategic corporate development. He provides sophisticated advisory services, including M&A and capital raising, to entrepreneur and family-owned businesses.

The Peakstone Group helps business owners exit their businesses at the highest value with the best terms. Peakstone is a Chicago-based investment bank comprised of former Wall Street investment bankers and business executives from a broad range of industries. Combined with a high-touch local market presence, Peakstone delivers world-class execution step by step throughout the transaction process.

Brian McGowan

Chief Financial Officer
Armada

Brian oversees and has responsibility for all financial functions at Armada, which include accounting, treasury management, working capital management, budgeting & forecasting, risk management, legal matters, fuel hedging, master data maintenance administration, real estate, and all client related transparency reporting.  

Brian has been with Armada for sixteen years and has held various financial roles. He has more than 30 years of finance and accounting experience working for both privately and publicly held companies.

Prior to joining Armada, Brian held roles in public accounting, cost accounting, production planning and acted as a controller for large manufacturing corporations, such as Sony Electronics, Corning Asahi, Rubbermaid and Kennametal. He began his financial career at KPMG in Cleveland, Ohio.

Brian holds a B.S.B.A. in Accounting from John Carroll University.

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.

Kaylee Miner

CPA & Former Chief Financial Officer
Donegal Construction Corp

Kaylee Miner is the former Chief Financial Officer of Donegal Construction Corp and related companies, an asphalt milling company based in Western Pennsylvania with operations across the Eastern Seaboard. Kaylee joined the company in 2020 and was an integral part of the company’s sale to SurfaceCycle in 2023 - from preparing the business for sale to helping with the transition and integration of the business into the larger SurfaceCycle group.

Nathan Moeri

Managing Director
Mesirow Financial

Nathan has nearly 15 years of investment banking and financial advisory experience in a wide range of industries, including industrial technology and diversified manufacturing, among others. Prior to joining Mesirow Financial in 2014, Nathan was in the industrials group at Robert W. Baird, focusing primarily on mergers and acquisitions advisory. Before that, he worked at Deutsche Bank Securities and The Northern Trust Company.

Kenn Moritz

President & CEO
Stonewood Capital Management

Kenn Moritz has been with Stonewood since 2001 and has experience in business operations as well as in structuring, financing, and executing strategic transactions.

In addition to his general mergers and acquisitions activity at Stonewood, Kenn has helped management teams through post-acquisition transitions and assisted managers with product line extensions, identifying acquisition candidates, plant expansions, and other strategic growth initiatives.

Prior to joining Stonewood, Kenn was the owner and operator of a manufacturing company near Pittsburgh and practiced law with firms in New York City and Pittsburgh in the areas of structured finance, mergers and acquisitions, and venture capital.

Kenn attended Carnegie Mellon University’s business school (MSIA 1988), the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (JD 1988) and the University of Pennsylvania (BS 1984).

Kenn is a member of the boards of several of Stonewood’s portfolio companies.

Ron Mumbray

President & CEO
Anchor Holding Group - Fluid Sealing International

Ron Mumbray is President and CEO of Fluid Sealing International and Anchor Seals Inc., part of the Anchor Holding Group. Ron has over 40 years of experience in the mechanical, industrial engineering and fluid sealing industries. Mr. Mumbray has played an important role in steering both companies overall direction, overseeing operations, and ensuring continued success.

Pete Muth

Senior Vice President
Stonewood Capital Management, Inc.

Peter J. Muth joined Stonewood in 2007 and has experience in a full range of investment opportunities, including traditional LBOs and early stage ventures. Pete serves as a board director for several Stonewood portfolio companies. Prior to joining Stonewood, Pete was a principal of private equity group Birchmere Capital Limited Partnership.

Jim Nickel

Pennsylvania Region Head
CIBC Bank USA

Jim Nickel is Managing Director and Head of the Pennsylvania Region for CIBC US in Pittsburgh. Over his 30-year banking career, Jim has focused on providing relationship-driven commercial banking services to middle market companies. He joined CIBC in 2017 through the acquisition of The PrivateBank, the Chicago-based bank he joined in 2014 to spearhead the founding of a Pittsburgh office. Prior to that, he was with TriState Capital Bank and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. He began his career with PNC in Pittsburgh. A native of Pittsburgh, Jim has a finance degree from Bucknell University and a master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

Patrick O'Brien

CFO
Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Chris Reinhart

Director
KLH Capital

Chris is responsible for leading deal execution and the management of value-creation initiatives in KLH's portfolio. He works closely with his team, portfolio company management, and service providers to think creatively in evaluating new investment opportunities, structuring and closing M&A transaction, and developing strategic initiatives that align the interests of all stakeholders and ensure that all parties have the tools they need to succeed.

Lori Scott

President & CEO
The Selinsky Force LLC

Lori Scott brings a background of experience from several different industries including manufacturing, retail, and most recently, construction. She is a CPA who spent the first 11 years at The Selinsky Force as CFO before moving up to her current role of President/CEO for the last 4+ years. Lori has been involved in multiple buy and sell side transactions over the years involving private companies, family offices, and others. She also supports the construction trades by serving as a Board Trustee for Local 550's fringe benefit plans as well as Vice President of ECOMCA.

Pete Veltri

Partner & COO
City Line Capital

Pete is a Partner at City Line Capital and serves as the company’s Chief Operating Officer, where he is closely involved in all aspects of City Line’s operations

Prior to joining City Line Capital, Pete was a partner in the Pittsburgh-based law firm of Babst Calland, where he served as the chair of the firm’s Real Estate practice group.  Throughout his career, Pete has structured, led and participated in real estate transactions across a variety of asset classes.

Pete received his undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh and his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.  He is a member of the Circles Board of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

Brian D. Walters

Executive Vice President & General Counsel
Matthews International Corp.

Brian D. Walters was appointed Executive Vice President and General Counsel in 2021. In this role, he directs and manages all legal matters for Matthews, both nationally and internationally. Brian serves as the Secretary for the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of Matthews' Board of Directors. Brian is also responsible for overseeing the Corporation's evolving compliance programs, including anti-corruption, export controls, insider trading, anti-trust, and more.

Prior to his current role, Brian was the Senior Vice President and General Counsel. He first joined Matthews in 2005 as Corporate Counsel at a time when Matthews' global expansion was just beginning. Before this, Brian worked in private practice for ten years.

A graduate of Boston College and Duquesne University School of Law, Brian was a member of the Order of Barristers and a published author and editor of the Duquesne Law Review.

Andrew Wiechkoske

Managing Director
PNC Riverarch

Andrew joined PNC Riverarch Capital in 2011 from PNC Equity Partners. Prior to PNC, Andrew worked within the investment bank at JPMorgan. Andrew received a bachelor of business administration in finance and economics, magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA, with honors, from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He was previously a director of Authority Brands, Carbon's Golden Malted, Feeders Supply, Fire & Life Safety America, Global Claims Services, Goldco, Midway Dental Supply, North American Breaker Company, Painters Supply & Equipment Co., Pirtek Europe, Radiance Holdings, Shearer Supply and Steelite International. He is currently a director of APA Industries, Costanzo’s Bakery and Messenger.

Kevin Wills

Attorney at Law
Babst Calland

Kevin is a shareholder in the Corporate and Commercial, Energy and Natural Resources, and Emerging Technologies groups of Babst Calland. Mr. Wills’ practice includes representing business clients in mergers, acquisitions and divestitures; drafting and negotiating a wide variety of contracts, real estate agreements, commercial leases and software development and licensing agreements; advising clients on business planning and structuring matters; advising clients seeking certification as disadvantaged business enterprises; and advising clients involved in contract disputes.

Jason Wolfe

Founder & CEO
Wolfe, LLC

Jason created the first coupon web site, MyCoupons, in 1995, growing it to 20 million visitors per month before selling it in 2000 for $23 million. He then built Direct Response Technologies Inc. and sold it to Digital River in 2006 for $22 million.  From 2008 to 2015, he focused on GiftCards.com and OmniCard, growing GiftCards.com into the No. 1 gift card site in the world, selling over 10 million gift cards valued at more than $1 billion. In 2016, he sold them to Blackhawk Network for $120 million.

Today he is focusing on Wolfe LLC, and specifically on GiftYa, his next-generation gifting solution.

Penny Zacharias

Partner
McGuireWoods LLP

Penny serves as the office managing partner in the firm’s Pittsburgh office. She is an accomplished lawyer with nearly 20 years of experience representing financial institutions, private credit funds, and borrowers in a broad range of lending transactions.

Penny focuses her practice on debt financing and secured transactions, including the structuring and origination of asset-based and acquisition financing, leveraged finance, mezzanine finance and large syndicated transactions. Secured lenders as well as companies in the security alarm, medical alert, and other industries with a recurring revenue model, rely on Penny’s expertise in those sectors. Penny also advises domestic and international banking clients and investment firms in the areas of microfinance and impact investing.

Notably, McGuireWoods was “Highly Commended” in Financial Times’ Accessing New Markets and Capital category for Penny’s representation of Developing World Markets in connection with the origination, placement and investment of proceeds from a first-of-its-kind off-grid, renewable and climate action note (ORCA).

Penny’s leadership roles at the firm include chairing the Pittsburgh Women’s Leadership Forum, co-chairing the firm’s Women in Private Equity & Finance initiative, co-chairing the firm's Asset Based Lending team, serving on the ESG Executive Committee and serving on the National Recruiting Committee.

Wolfgang Zahner

Director
Capstone Partners

Wolfgang is a Director in Capstone’s Industrials Investment Banking Group, specializing in Engineered Products with a focus on Flow Control and Value-Added Distribution. He brings a diverse background of leadership and industry experience in manufacturing, supply chain, finance, and military operations to his team. At Capstone, his M&A experiences include a variety of industries including Flow Control, Manufacturing, Renewable Energy, and Industrial Operations.

Prior to joining Capstone, Wolfgang was an associate at General Electric’s Corporate Audit Staff with roles in the Oil & Gas, Transportation, and Power businesses. He also served as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer in the US Air Force as a Captain, with two deployments to Afghanistan and Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.