Private Equity Fast Pitch

Jeff is a Managing Principal at Windjammer Capital, where he co-leads the firm's Management and Investment Committees. Together with the other Managing Principals, Jeff is responsible for the overall strategic direction of the firm and management of the investment staff, diligence/operating protocols, the partnerships, and administrative functions. Jeff received his BS in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University. Jeff joined Windjammer in 2007 and has significant experience in private equity investing and mergers & acquisitions with over 30 years of experience in working solely with niche-oriented, middle-market companies. Prior to Windjammer, Jeff was a principal at an industrial-oriented private equity, where he was also a member of the firm's investment committee and was a principal at a Los Angeles-based M&A boutique firm where he provided strategic and M&A advice to middle-market entrepreneurial companies. He currently serves on the boards of AXH, Paragon Energy Solutions, IPS Group, Compex Legal Services, Vital Records Control, Mission Critical Electronics and Flinn Scientific; previously, he served on the boards of JWC Environmental, Infinite RF Holdings, and BBB Industries on behalf of Windjammer.

Greg is a Managing Principal at Windjammer Capital, where he co-leads the firm's Management and Investment Committees. Greg has over 30 years investment experience including 24 years of private equity investing since joining Windjammer in 2000 to help establish the firm's East Coast presence. In conjunction with Windjammer's other Managing Principal, he is responsible for the overall strategic direction of the firm and management of the investment staff, diligence/operating protocols, the partnerships, and administrative functions. He currently serves on the boards of BioXCell, Radix Wire & Cable, Fecon, Hilco Vision, TRG, Component Hardware Group and Propel Health; he previously served on the boards of Hermetics Solutions Group, Parts Town, Heritage Food Service Group, Advanced Instruments, Protective Industries ("Caplugs"), S.T. Specialty Foods, Rotex Holdings and Maxcess International. Prior to joining Windjammer, Greg was with Prudential Capital's Corporate Finance Group in Dallas, Texas, where he was responsible for originating, structuring and managing private debt and equity investments in companies located in the Southwest United States. At Prudential, Greg was involved in transactions aggregating approximately $2 billion spanning a variety of industries. Greg received his BBA from The University of Texas at Austin and has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

Scott is a Partner at HighVista Strategies where he co-leads the firm's Private Equity strategy and is a member of the Private Equity Investment Committee. He joined HighVista in 2023 as part of its acquisition the former FLAG Capital Management business from abrdn. Prior to joining FLAG in 2007, Scott was a Principal at Portico Capital LLC, and a Senior Associate at J.H. Whitney & Co. Previously, he worked at Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co. Scott received a BA from Colby College and an MBA from the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College.

Nate Wasson is Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer of HalBar Partners. Based in Chicago, Nate leads strategic fund initiatives related to the research and development of HalBar Partners' investment theses. He is responsible for investment management, impact strategy, and leadership of the firm. He also serves as a Co-founder and principal member of Alvearia* and Founding member of the Angel/VC group Keiretsu Forum Chicago. Nate's prior experience includes consulting with JPMorgan, Principal and Managing Director for Bank of Montreal's US Private Bank, developer of Capital Group's Midwest family office practice, and Senior Managing Director with Silicon Valley Bank. During his tenure developing investment platforms, strategies and office practice, he served as a subject matter expert in private equity, secondaries, impact investment potential and portfolio construction. Nate holds an undergraduate degree from Valparaiso University and an MBA from the Yale School of Management with a concentration in asset management, where he studied under Nobel Laureate Robert Schiller, David Swensen, and AJ Wasserman.

Jesse Serventi is a founding partner of Renovus Capital Partners. Founded in 2010, Renovus is a lower middle-market private equity firm specializing in the Knowledge and Talent industries. From its base in the Philadelphia area, Renovus manages over $1.5 billion of assets across its several sector focused funds. Mr. Serventi is actively involved in all areas of the firm, including strategy, investing, value creation, talent development, and limited partner relationships. Prior to co-founding Renovus, Mr. Serventi was an investment professional at Leeds Equity Partners and Citigroup Private Equity. Mr. Serventi graduated summa cum laude from Bucknell University with a B.A. in economics.

John Block is the Co-Founder and CEO Unity Partners, a Dallas-based private equity firm that partners investors and operators to build better together.

John Garcia Strategy, Driving Engagement Deliverables John's diverse experience includes leading as an Executive and Entrepreneur in multiple start-ups, small and midmarket companies, and Fortune 500 businesses across energy, tech, life science, food & beverage, and transportation/logistics industries. He has extensive experience in IP licensing, corporate strategy, marketing, private equity, M&A, technology R&D, manufacturing, sales, operations, and board leadership. John currently leads Solyco as managing director and several companies as a strategy executive through management consulting engagements and others as a board member, investor, managing partner, and/or shareholder. John has been a keynote speaker on affecting strategy for Fortune 500 companies, Universities, and various leadership groups. John is a community contributor and leader through Gen Next Global Membership, participation in a symposium on energy and technology through the MIT alumni association, appointment as a Charter School Board Member by the State of Michigan, Advisory Board Member for the School of Engineering and Computer Science at Oakland University, selected as L.B.P. Elite 40 under 40, Big Brother in BBBS for over 10 years, and Leadership Detroit Graduate, among others.

Anthony Maniscalco Managing Partner & Business Head at ISCG Anthony Maniscalco is the Managing Partner and Head of Investcorp' s Strategic Capital Group (SCG), based in New York. SCG is focused on providing strategic and financing solutions to mid-sized private market GPs including the acquisition of minority equity interests. SCG currently manages $1.25 bn of AUM and has completed eleven minority investments across buyout, structured capital, private credit, real estate and infrastructure. Anthony is on SCG's investment team and Chairperson of its investment committee. Anthony's primary responsibilities include overall business management, sourcing new investment opportunities, managing select GP relationships and overseeing portfolio construction. Prior to his current role, Mr. Maniscalco was a Managing Director and Co-Head of Credit Suisse' Anteil Capital Partners. Prior to this, he was Managing Director of the Hedge Fund Solutions business at The Blackstone Group. At Blackstone, he was a founding member, key person and on the investment committee of Blackstone Strategic Capital Holdings, a USD 3.5 billion private, permanent capital vehicle focused on acquiring minority interests in alternative asset management GPs. Prior to Blackstone, Mr. Maniscalco was Head of Alternative Asset Management Banking at Barclays (and its predecessor Lehman Brothers) within its Financial Institutions Group. In this role, Anthony was at the forefront of advising GPs on selling minority stakes to other GP staking platforms. Prior to this role, Mr. Maniscalco was head of the Media and Telecom vertical within Lehman Brothers' Leveraged Finance Group. In this role, Anthony covered mid and large cap private equity firms financing buyouts across the globe. Early in his career, he worked at Bank of America and its predecessor Continental Bank in Chicago, focused on high yield, mezzanine, syndicated bank loans, and interim financing products. Anthony holds a B.S. from Indiana University and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago. Investcorp's perspectives can be found in their insights document available at the following link: Investcorp Insights

Ben is the Chief Investment Officer at Aspen Funds, where he combines his analytical nature with a passion for delivering outstanding client service and strong returns through out-of-the- box investments. Prior to joining Aspen, Ben served as a Commercial Lender at First Business Bank, one of the top SBA lenders in the nation. There, he specialized in government-backed loan originations, specifically SBA and USDA loans. Before that, he worked as a Commercial Credit Underwriter for Crossfirst Bank, where he personally underwrote over $125MM in C&I and CRE loans across various industries. Ben also has experience working in the asset management industry, having served as a key member of the team at Tortoise Capital Advisors. At Tortoise, he helped grow institutional managed accounts from ~$3BN AUM to ~$7BN AUM. Ben holds an MBA from Azusa Pacific University and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Kansas, where he graduated magna cum laude. Ben is the co-host of the "Invest like a Billionare" podcast where he joins his father, Bob and Aspen co-founder Jim Maffuccio, to dive into the world of alternative investments and speak with successful investors. The trio also discusses economic trends, including megatrends such as inflation, energy prices and deglobalization. Their goal is to empower others looking to explore less volatile investment opportunities improving their portfolio's performance and enabling them to become more financially secure.

In this highly anticipated annual episode of Northstar's Private Equity Fast Pitch, we bring together the industry's top leaders from the past year. Join us as we delve into the personal mantras and driving forces that fuel these prominent figures in the Private Equity and Invesment Banking arena. Guest Speakers: · [04:22] Jeff Armbrister, Hamilton Lane · [06:47] Caroline Stevens, MPK Equity Partners · [08:54] Stephen Vaccaro, Hirtle, Callaghan & Co · [10:21] Ganesh Rao, Thomas H. Lee Partners · [11:55] Jeff Eaton, Eaton Partners · [13:58] Arthur Hollingsworth, Texas Private Equity · [14:52] Dave Tayeh, Investcorp · [16:46] Brian McGee, New Water Capital · [18:52] Marc J. Leder, Sun Capital Partners · [20:06] Christiaan van der Kam, Schroders Capital · [21:39] Mark Sotir, Equity Group Investments · [22:53] Jeff Collins, Cloverlay · [24:19] Chris Burbach, Fundamental Income · [26:27] Rami Cassis, Parabellum Investments · [27:12] Christopher Merrill, Harrison Street · [28:26] Ross Jones, Berkshire Partners · [32:49] Jeffrey Stevenson, VSS Capital Partners · [35:15] Pardis Nasseri, Palm Tree LLC · [37:33] Michael Butler, Cascadia Capital · [40:01] Neha Champaneria Markle, Morgan Stanley · [41:40] Michael Bego, Kline Hill Partners · [43:03] Drew Maloney, American Investment Council (AIC) · [45:19] Chris Sznewajs, Pacific Avenue Capital Partners These top professionals will share their favorite quotes and mottos, offering insights into what motivates and drives them on a daily basis. Get ready for a captivating journey into the minds of these industry leaders Tune in to gain valuable insights and inspiration from these influential voices shaping the Private Equity landscape. Discover the mantras that power success in this dynamic industry.

Chris Sznewajs is the Managing Partner, Founder and Investment Committee Member of Pacific Avenue Capital Partners. Mr. Sznewajs is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the firm's investment activities along with chairing the Boards of the active portfolio companies. Prior to founding Pacific in 2018, Mr. Sznewajs served as a Principal with The Gores Group where he focused on investing in special situations and corporate carve-outs in the industrials sector. Mr. Sznewajs also was a Manager at Bain & Company in the restructuring and turnaround practice. Mr. Sznewajs graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Finance and Accounting. He has an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sey5_87-XWY

Drew Maloney is President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the American Investment Council (AIC), an advocacy and resource organization that represents the private equity and private credit industry. Maloney first joined the AIC in 2018 and has since played a critical role helping private equity and private credit tell its powerful story about creating jobs, growing businesses and strengthening millions of Americans' retirement savings. During that time, he has educated policymakers, the media and the general public about the industry's importance to the American economy and to American workers, testifying before Congress about the benefits of private equity and launching a sustained education campaign to highlight the industry's role supporting the economic recovery from COVID-19. Under Maloney's leadership, the AIC has almost doubled its membership and revenue. Maloney is recognized as a leading government affairs expert, with more than 25 years of experience in both the public and the private sectors. Prior to joining AIC, Maloneyserved as the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Legislative Affairs, as a corporate officer and Vice President of Government and External Affairs for the Hess Corporation, and as CEO of prominent bipartisan government affairs firm Ogilvy Government Relations. Maloney began his career working on Capitol Hill and later advised several presidential campaigns and transition teams.

Michael A. Bego is the Founder and Managing Partner of Kline Hill Partners, which he founded in 2015. Mr. Bego sits on the Investment Committee of all of the Kline Hill Partners funds and is a board member of organizations including the American Investment Council and the Greenwich YMCA. From 2005 through 2015, Mr. Bego was a partner at secondary firm Willowridge Partners, where he was instrumental in developing a focused strategy around small-deal secondary transactions. Mr. Bego was a consultant at McKinsey & Co. until 2005, conducted a turnaround at Vincent Longo in 2003, was in venture capital at LGP from 2000 to 2003, and ran projects and sold enterprise software at Numetrix (now part of Oracle) from 1993 through 1998. Mr. Bego founded and runs "THE Secondary Day" since 2006, an annual, collegial event that each year brings together executives across the secondary industry. Mr. Bego received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Cornell University in 1993 and an MBA (Beta Gamma Sigma) from Columbia University Business School in 2000.

Neha Champaneria Markle Head of Morgan Stanley Private Equity Solutions Neha Champaneria Markle is a Managing Director and the Head of Morgan Stanley Private Equity Solutions. Prior to joining the firm, Neha served on the investment teams at Apax Partners and Pomona Capital. She also served on the management team for Springboard Enterprises, Inc., a non-profit organization focused on improving female entrepreneurs' access to venture capital. Neha started her career as part of the financial analyst program at Morgan Stanley. Neha received a B.S. magna cum laude in economics from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. with honors from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Michael Butler is the Co-founder and Chairman of Cascadia Capital, one of the most active independent investment banks in the country. He has deep capital raising and M&A expertise having been involved in hundreds of transactions worth over $5 billion throughout his career on Wall Street and at Cascadia Capital. For over twenty years, the firm has strived to deliver the best outcomes for its clients by providing entrepreneurs, family-owned businesses and private equity firms with trusted merger and acquisition advice, capital raising and strategic advisory services.

Pardis Nasseri CEO & President, Palm Tree LLC Pardis Nasseri is a driven entrepreneur and the architect of Palm Tree, the modern M&A advisor. The firm integrates investment banking, strategic finance, and transaction support services for private equity sponsors, business owners, and management teams. Over the course of his career, Pardis has been personally involved in successful M&A transactions with an aggregate value of over $30 billion. Pardis began his career in M&A with the transaction services practice of PwC, as an investment banker with Jefferies, and an investor with Platinum Equity. He founded Palm Tree in 2010 and grew the firm from its roots as a boutique M&A consultancy to a nationwide enterprise offering a suite of integrated financial services. The firm became a registered member of FINRA in 2020 and is led today by a team of accomplished managing directors who execute on engagements worldwide. The Los Angeles Times has recognized Pardis as a visionary leader who prepares organizations for next-level growth, and The Los Angeles Business Journal has recognized Pardis among the most influential private equity advisors in the nation. Pardis is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization, where he serves on the board of its Santa Barbara chapter. He is a recurring guest lecturer at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, has served as a panelist at M&A and entrepreneurship events, and has moderated panels at the annual ACG business conference. Pardis graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara with a double major in Business Economics and Philosophy and is currently attending the Owner/President Management Program at Harvard Business School. He and his wife, Dr. Sherry Nasseri, reside in Montecito, California with their two children.

Jeffrey Stevenson is the Managing Partner of VSS and has overall responsibility for the management of the firm and each of its funds. Mr. Stevenson joined VSS in 1982, shortly after its formation, and founded its private equity business in 1987. Mr. Stevenson is the Chairman of the investment committee and has served on the boards of over 31 portfolio companies and currently serves as a member of the board of the following VSS portfolio companies: Center for Rheumatology, Ambulatory Management Solutions, Ascent Behavioral Health, BRC Healthcare, Specialty1 Partners, Pacesetter Health, Coretelligent, ITN Networks, MetSchools, Southern Theatres LLC. Previously, he served as a director of Advanstar, Brandshop, Cambium Learning, Canon Communications, Cast & Crew, De Telefoongids, Mediatel, Ebiquity, Hanley Wood, ITE Group, Pepcom, Tax Credit Co., TMP Worldwide, and Yellow Book USA, among others. Mr. Stevenson serves as a member of the finance committee for the not-for profit organization, Fraxa Research Foundation. He is also involved with the following organizations: YPO/WPO, SBIA Board of Governors and Lincoln Center Leadership Committee. He previously served on the board of Dojan TV Holdings, and as the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vencerx Therapeutics. Mr. Stevenson holds a BA from Rutgers College.

Ross is a Managing Director at Berkshire Partners in Boston. He began his career in private equity over 35 years ago. Ross joined Berkshire Partners in 1993 and became a Managing Director of the firm in 2000. During his tenure, Ross has represented the firm's interests on a wide range of portfolio company boards, including: Advanced Drainage Systems, Asurion, Bare Escentuals, Carter's, Inc., CrossFit, Melissa & Doug, Torres Unidas, and Tower Development Corporation. Prior to Berkshire Partners, Ross worked at a start-up merchant bank, at Bain & Co. and in the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley & Co. He earned a BA from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. Ross enjoys travel adventures with his family, exploring the great outdoors, and a variety of sports including biking, golf, tennis, and skiing. He is engaged in several non-profit organizations including The Imago Dei Fund, which he cofounded with his wife, Emily, in 2010, Seed a Stanford GSB-led initiative that is working to end the cycle of global poverty, and the Dartmouth College President's Leadership Council. Ross and Emily raised their three now grown children in Needham, Massachusetts, where they currently reside.

Mr. Merrill is the Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Harrison Street, a real assets investment management firm he co-founded in 2005 that has completed over $65 billion in transactional volume and as of 2Q 2023 has nearly $56 billion in AUM. Mr. Merrill is currently the largest individual shareholder and serves as Chairman of the Board and the Investment and Executive Committees of the Firm. The Firm was a first mover and innovator of a focused investment strategy around the Education, Healthcare, Life Sciences and Storage segments of the real estate market (launching nine closed-end funds as well as industry leading open-end funds). Over 590 investors ($29 billion since inception) participate in Harrison Street funds including U.S., European and Asian pension funds, corporate plans, insurance companies, endowments, foundations and family offices. The Firm is headquartered in Chicago with offices in Berlin, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, New York, Tokyo, Toronto, San Francisco and Washington DC. Prior to co-founding Harrison Street, Mr. Merrill was a partner, owner and Managing Director of a large U.S. Pension Fund Advisory firm where he developed the firm's presence in Europe, creating the first ever real estate funds exclusively targeting the markets of Central Europe. This initial fund was one of the Top 10 performing global funds during vintage years 1996-2000 as noted by Preqin. Throughout his career, Mr. Merrill has been awarded numerous distinctions from leading publications and institutions, most recently being recognized as PERE's Industry Figure of the Year: Global for the year 2022. Mr. Merrill is a member of YPO, Economic Club of Chicago, and Chicago Commonwealth Club. He serves on the board of the Pension Real Estate Association ("PREA"), Rush University Medical Board (Facilities Committee), University of Wisconsin Graaskamp Center for Real Estate, TCU Center for Real Estate, Roanoke College, the real estate advisory boards of Gore Creek and Kinship Capital, The First Tee of Greater Chicago, Salisbury School, and Chicago Botanic Garden (Financial Committee). He is also an active angel investor in many early-stage companies. Mr. Merrill earned his MBA from the CASS School of Business in London, England.

Rami Cassis is an international investor, operations expert, and founder of Parabellum Investments. Rami founded Parabellum Investments, his family office and private equity firm, in 2012. His investments include automation firm Parseq, serialisation specialist Advanco, fintech company ieDigital and digital transformation experts MajorKey. Rami usually acquires a controlling interest in businesses, where he provides CEOs and decision-makers with the tools, expertise, and strategies to drive organic growth – a pragmatic business philosophy taken from an extensive career in operations. Rami has held a number of executive positions with corporations, including Operations Director, Chairman, CEO, and COO. Prior to this, Rami worked in line management with Atos, where he was Managing Director of BPO/ITO for the firm in the UK. He also had a brief consulting career with KPMG, as well as a 10 year career at Schlumberger, starting as an operating engineer before holding a succession of management roles. Rami holds two degrees – one in Aerospace Engineering and the other in Pure and Applied Mathematics – both gained at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. In his personal life, Rami is a professional kickboxer and has fought in 13 competitive bouts. He has chalked up six wins and one draw as an amateur; and four wins, one draw, and one loss as a pro. He has a black belt, 1st Dan and trains at least three times a week. He is also passionate about music production

Chris Burbach is a Co-Founder, Partner and the Chief Executive Officer of Fundamental Income. Chris is a member of the Board and jointly leads the Company's Investment Committee. Before founding Fundamental Income, Chris served as Executive Vice President of Underwriting for STORE Capital Corporation (NYSE: STOR) for seven years. In that role, he led the underwriting of approximately $12 billion in net lease investments, including over $7.5 billion in closed transactions. Chris also served as both a member and chairman of STORE's Investment Committee. In addition to his investment and management responsibilities, Chris co-led numerous aspects of STORE's capital markets activities, including corporate capital strategy, corporate credit ratings, the issuance of $725 million in investment grade corporate unsecured notes, and the issuance of over $2 billion in asset-backed notes, including A+ and AAA-rated notes. Before joining STORE, Chris spent six years at Spirit Finance Corporation, where he served as the Vice President of Investment Management responsible for managing the company's $3.5 billion real estate investment portfolio, in addition to managing the underwriting group. He also previously served as CEO of VM Management, Inc., an owner and manager of private charter schools, and as a consultant for Navigant Consulting working with construction and government industry groups. Chris earned his B.S. in Finance from Santa Clara University and his M.B.A. from Arizona State University. Chris is also a CFA® charterholder.

Jeff serves as Managing Partner of Cloverlay and is a member of the Firm's Investment Committee and Board of Directors. Prior to founding Cloverlay, Jeff was a Managing Director with Morgan Stanley Alternative Investment Partners (AIP), a division of Morgan Stanley's institutional asset management business. While at AIP, Jeff was a member of the Executive and Business Committees and served on AIP's Private Markets Investment Committee as a Portfolio Manager responsible for leading primary fund, co-investment and secondary transactions focused on special situations globally and North American buyouts. Prior to AIP, Jeff advised and traded equity options and futures with U.S. hedge funds in Morgan Stanley's Equity Derivatives Group in New York. Prior to Morgan Stanley, Jeff was on the investment team at Petra Capital Partners, where he was responsible for screening, researching, structuring and monitoring private equity investments in health care and information services companies. Prior to Petra Capital, Jeff was an investment banker at Robertson Stephens, where he executed a variety of public and private equity, debt and convertible offerings along with mergers and acquisitions in financial services, health care, and business services.

As president of EGI, Mark oversees all aspects of the business. He focuses on maximizing and sustaining the value of the firm's investment portfolio and applies his 20+ years of board and CEO experience inside and outside the organization by actively engaging with the investment team and portfolio companies to improve business strategies and operating capabilities. In addition, Mark is the chair of the Chai Trust Company, LLC (Chai) investment committee as well as the executive vice president of Chai, which serves as the corporate trustee for the Zell family trusts. He also serves as board chair for Ardent Health Services, East Coast Warehouse & Distribution, Lanter Delivery Systems, Paper Transport, and an agricultural equipment dealer. Mark joined EGI in 2006 as a managing director and has held temporary in-house assignments within EGI portfolio companies to accelerate and increase the effectiveness of turnarounds, including stints at Tribune Interactive and Exterran Holdings, Inc. Prior to joining EGI, Mark was the chief executive officer of Sunburst Technology Corporation and on the company's board of directors. He also served as the president of Budget Group, Inc. (Budget Rent A Car and Ryder Truck Rental) and was on the company's board. Earlier in his career, Mark worked at The Coca-Cola Company in senior brand management and sales roles. Mark holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Amherst College.

Head of Secondary Investments Private Equity Responsibilities at Schroders Capital Christiaan van der Kam is the head of Schroders Capital's secondary investment program, responsible for all secondary investment activities globally. Background Prior to joining Schroders Capital in 2020, Christiaan spent more than 12 years at Unigestion, where he co-lead the global secondary investment program and was responsible for all secondary investments in North America and Asia. Prior to that, he worked at New Amsterdam Capital, a hedge fund based in London, where he provided financial and advisory services to companies. Christiaan started his private equity career at ATP Private Equity from 2001–2006. ATP is the largest pension fund in Denmark and one of the largest private equity investors globally. Education Christiaan holds a Bachelor of Science in International Business and a Master degree in Applied Economics and Finance from Copenhagen Business School, Denmark.

Marc J. Leder, Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Sun Capital Partners, Inc., has been engaged in leveraged buyouts, investment banking, and business operations for more than 30 years. In addition, Mr. Leder is a member of the Sun Capital Executive Committee which oversees and manages the overall strategy of the firm. Mr. Leder received a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Leder is a Member of the International Counsel for the Museum Berggruen in Berlin and also sits on the Board of the Institute of Contemporary Arts at the University of Pennsylvania.

Today's special episode isn't simply "advice". It provides deep insight into life's journey, successes, and failures from top private equity and investment banking professionals. We've compiled a video of college photos from our speakers to connect the past with the present. To explore the journey and look at what it takes to achieve your dreams. Want to listen to a particular guest, see below: Kurt Haras - Cowen (5:20) Jay Jester - Plexus Capital (7:45) Charlie Gifford - New Heritage (12:04) John Huhn - Compass Group (17:58) Doug McCormick - HCI Equity Partners (20:11) Ken Firtel - Transom Capital (24:30) Brandon Knapp - Evercap Advisors (36:18) Jim Mahoney - Huron Capital (40:49) Julia Buthman - Prudential Private Capital (44:44) Connor Mitchell - Solomon Partners (48:13) Vikram Agrawal - American Resilience Partners (51:28) Paul Hobby - Genesis Park (54:51) Alex Western - Terminus Capital Partners (58:47) Tom O'Rouke - Baypine (1:05:00) Jeffrey Armbrister - Hamilton Lane (1:07:49) Caroline Stevens - MPK Equity Partners (1:14:36) Stephen Vaccaro - Hirtle, Callaghan, & Co (1:16:59) Ganesh Rao - Thomas H. Lee Partners (1:21:13) Jeff Eaton - Eaton Partners (1:22:51) Arthur Hollingsworth - Lone Star Investment Advisors (1:26:01) Dave Tayeh - Investcorp (1:27:55) Brian McGee - New Water Capital (1:31:35)

Brian McGee is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at New Water Capital with over 20 years of private equity and investment banking experience. Before joining New Water, Brian was a senior member of the Transaction team at Sun Capital Partners, where he most recently served as a Principal. Prior to joining Sun Capital in 2007, Brian was a Senior Associate at Chanin Capital Partners, a boutique investment bank focused on debt restructurings, special situations and bankruptcy advisory. Brian began his finance career with Banc of America Securities Investment Banking as an Analyst in the Industrials Group. Brian earned a BA in both Economics and Political Science from Davidson College.

David Tayeh joined the Firm in 1999 as a Partner in the Private Equity team. From 2003 to 2005, David served as the Chief Financial Officer of Jostens, Inc., a former Investcorp portfolio company. Prior to Investcorp, David was a Vice President with DLJ. ​ In 2015, David rejoined Investcorp as the Head of North American Private Equity from CVC Capital Partners where he was a Partner from 2011. David is a member of Investcorp's Operating Committee, Investment Committee and the Financial & Risk Management Committee. ​ He currently serves on the board of directors of AlixPartners, CrossCountry Consulting, Fortune International, Health Plus Management, ICR, KSI Auto Parts, RESA Power, Revature, Roadsafe, Sunrise Produce, Alex Lee, and Arab-American Family Support Center. David holds a BA degree in Politics, Economics, Rhetoric and Law from the University of Chicago and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania

Mr. Hollingsworth is Managing Partner of five private equity funds with over $350 million under management. He has 30 years of experience in private equity investing and investment banking with the funds mentioned above, Paine Webber Incorporated (now UBS), and First Boston Corporation (now Credit Suisse). He served on the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee, was Chairman of VisitDallas, was Chairman of the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce, and also has served as the Vice Chairman of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Authority. Mr. Hollingsworth currently serves on the boards of Continental Electronics Corporation, Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations, Frac Tank Rentals LLC (Managing Member), Oil Works, Inc. (Chairman), Trinity Forge, Inc. (Chairman), Mall Area Redevelopment Board, Safety Storage, Inc., and Yellow Checker Cab Company of Dallas/Fort Worth, Inc. He is a former board member of the City of Dallas Reinvestment Zone Board, the City of Dallas Privatization Technical Subcommittee, the LBJ Executive Board, which developed the construction plan for IH 635 Freeway, and the University of Texas Southwestern University Hospitals and Clinics Board of Visitors. Mr. Hollingsworth was a Director and largest shareholder of Accessbancorp which was successfully sold in 2022 to Texas Regional Bank. A Harvard College Scholar, Arthur Hollingsworth earned an undergraduate degree in Economics from Harvard University and has served as Chairman of the Harvard Club of Dallas. He received Harvard's Albert H. Gordon '23 Award. He is an inductee in the Harvard Varsity Club Hall of Fame for his role as Co-Captain of the National Championship 1985 Harvard Rowing Team, as referenced in Devin Mahony's book, The Challenge. (Chicago: Contemporary Books, 1989. Print.) In January 2009, the Dallas Business Journal awarded Mr. Hollingsworth with the Community Impact Dealmaker of the Year award. Mr. Hollingsworth was honored as the 2014 Human Relations Award recipient by the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance. A direct descendant of Alexander Hamilton, Mr. Hollingsworth serves as President of the Alexander Hamilton Scholars Board of Directors (www.hamiltonscholars.org). Mr. Hollingsworth's daughter is currently a senior at Harvard College and Co-Captain of the Harvard Cheerleading Team.

Jeff Eaton is the Global Co-Head of Eaton Partners, a leading global private capital markets and fund advisory and placement firm. Eaton Partners has raised over $130 billion for over 175 funds, including over $41 billion raised for energy and real asset funds. In addition to overseeing the firm, Jeff sits on the Investment Committees for the North America, EMEA, and APAC private funds groups as well as for the General Partner Advisory and Directs (GPAD) group. Based out of our Houston office, Jeff also manages our energy and real asset businesses. Jeff has more than 23 years of experience in the investment and financial services industry. Jeff is serving on the Board of Advisors at Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Jeff also is on the Board of Advisors at 51 Vets. Prior to joining Eaton Partners, he was a Director at Constellation Energy Commodities Group leading principal transactions for their natural gas structuring and trading division Jeff graduated with honors from Duke University with degrees in Economics and History, and received his MBA from Duke's Fuqua School of Business. He holds Series 7, 63, 57, 79 and 24 licenses and is also licensed with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in Europe.

As Head of the Financial Technology & Services vertical and member of the firm's Management Committee, Ganesh manages a large and diverse portfolio and works closely with the Strategic Resource Group to drive growth for the firm's portfolio companies. He also contributes thought leadership to THL's Identified Sector Opportunity (ISO) platform and fosters a thriving culture through mentorship and professional development. Ganesh is a Director of 11 businesses, including CARET, Dun & Bradstreet, AmeriLife Group and a board observer of Guaranteed Rate. His prior investments include Comdata, Optimal Blue, Nielsen, MoneyGram International, ServiceLink Holdings, Ten-X Commercial, Sedgwick, FIS and Ariel Re. Before joining the THL team, Ganesh worked at Morgan Stanley. In his spare time, he enjoys cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers and traveling to explore new cultures and cuisines.

Stephen is a Managing Director and Head of Private Equity. In his role, he focuses on forming long-term partnerships with leading private equity managers, including buyouts, growth equity and venture. Stephen serves on the Investment Committee, which is directly responsible for the firm's asset allocation strategies and the selection of investment managers for client portfolios. Stephen has over 15 years of industry experience, most recently at the University of Pennsylvania's Office of Investments, where he focused for eight years on growing the private equity investment program for the University's $13 billion endowment and $2 billion pension fund. As a senior team member, Stephen played an active role in investment committee discussions across public equity, private equity, real assets, and absolute return strategies. Prior to joining Penn, Stephen was a Senior Associate at Princeton University's endowment. At Princeton, he worked in private investments across buyouts, venture capital, natural resources, and real estate. Before Princeton, Stephen was a Principal with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where he led a wide range of projects in the firm's Corporate Finance, Technology & Telecom, and Healthcare practice areas. Stephen began his career in telecommunications software for Nortel Networks. Stephen holds a B.A. from Vanderbilt University and an M.B.A. from Yale University. He is a CFA® charterholder. In addition, he is an Investment Committee member for a global non-profit.

Caroline Stevens, an Investor with MPK Equity Partners based in Dallas, Texas. Caroline is a franchise expert, having been a part of 14 franchisor investments across the home services, health, beauty and wellness, and family entertainment spaces. Prior to working in private equity, Caroline was a management consultant with the Boston Consulting Group. She shares how the strategic toolkit acquired while at BCG helps her in her investing career. Caroline currently serves on the board of the Human Trafficking Institute, an organization working to stop human trafficking at its source around the globe. She formerly served on the advisory board of the Canfield Business Honors Program at The University of Texas at Austin – her alma matter. While a Texan through-and-through, Caroline and her husband, Logan, are avid travelers. Caroline visited her 30th country, Egypt, in 2022. Caroline prioritizes and enjoys time with family and friends, traveling, playing tennis and watching the Longhorns or Cowboys on a fall Sunday.

Jeffrey Armbrister, Managing Director, Head of Direct Equity Investments Jeff is a Managing Director and the Global Head of Direct Equity Investments where he is responsible for direction and oversight of the firm's direct equity investment platform. Jeff has over 20 years of private equity and public market investing experience, and has served on the board of directors of several portfolio companies and non-profit organizations. Prior to joining Hamilton Lane in 2018, Jeff was a Managing Director at Versa Capital Management, where he focused on making control-oriented, special situations, debt and equity investments in middle market companies across a variety of industries. While at Versa, Jeff participated in all major investment functions and his responsibilities included origination, underwriting, transaction execution and portfolio company development. Prior to joining Versa in 2003, Jeff was an Equity Research analyst at Oppenheimer + Close. He has also held private equity, venture capital, corporate development and investment banking positions at Berwind Financial Group, Redleaf Group, ICG Commerce and Wheat First Butcher Singer, respectively. Jeff received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia

We are excited to present a montage of quotes and mottos from prior guests that have inspired them throughout the years in both their careers and personal lives. As we begin a new year, we hope this special episode sets the stage and provides you with a new mindset for conquering the challenges & opportunities that lie ahead.

Tom O'Rourke is a Partner at BayPine. Previously, he was a Principal at Bain Capital, which he joined in 2008 and where he was a member of the North American Private Equity team. Most recently, he worked in the Consumer and Business Services verticals, where he was a member of the senior leadership team and evaluated and executed investments across a broad spectrum of industries, including auto services, consumer health, retail, and travel & leisure. Prior to that, he worked in the Healthcare vertical, spanning opportunities across the healthcare ecosystem. Mr. O'Rourke began his career at Goldman Sachs as an analyst in the Private Equity Group covering a variety of industries across primary, secondary, and direct investments. Mr. O'Rourke serves on the Boards of Penn Foster and Mavis. He holds an AB from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Alex Western is the Founder and Managing Director of Terminus Capital Partners ("TCP"), an Atlanta-based private equity firm focused on majority recapitalizations of $10-$50m business software companies who want a growth-oriented and operationally-oriented partner to reach their potential. Previously, Alex was a managing director at Trilogy, a hold-co. of more than 100 enterprise software companies. Before Trilogy, Alex was an investment analyst at GMT Capital, a $5B value-oriented hedge fund. Alex began his career as a consultant at McKinsey & Company and as a private equity associate at Audax Group. Alex received his AB from Harvard College and his MBA from Harvard Business School. He lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife and two daughters.

Paul is a founding partner of Genesis Park and GP Capital. He has extensive M&A experience, decades of diverse public company board service, and proven management ability. Mr. Hobby's sector expertise ranges from network infrastructure to downstream energy (both renewable and traditional gas fired) to media and telecom. His executive roles over time include Columbine JDS Systems, which became the world's largest provider of back-office media software, CEO of Alpheus Communications, which built out the largest alternative fiber optic network in Texas, and CEO of Texas Monthly, expanding the print media brand to include podcasts, social media, a national alliance with Creative Artists Agency, and syndicating content through new channels that include Apple News, Flipboard, Pocket, Random House, Google News, Audm and Trip Advisor. Paul has served as the Chairman of the Texas Ethics Commission, the Greater Houston Partnership, the Houston Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, the Texas General Services Commission and the Texas Business Hall of Fame. Paul holds a BA in History from the University of Virginia and a JD from the University of Texas Law School. Paul serves on the Management and Investment Committee of GP Capital.

Vikram Agrawal is a mission-driven, operationally-focused investment and management professional who believes that everyone deserves an opportunity to be successful, however they define success. Vikram is currently collaborating with Texan businessman and environmentalist Trammell S. Crow with a dual mandate focused on leading investments and catalyzing impact in environmental sustainability and resilience. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of American Resilience Partners (a Texas-based, entrepreneurial private investment firm) and supports the international non-profit EarthX as the Director of EarthxCapital (EarthX's team that has a mission to help raise awareness, educate, convene, and catalyze impact related to sustainability investment and business innovation). Vikram has 15 years of investment and management experience across several industry sectors in the United States and the emerging markets (Latin America & the Caribbean and Europe, Middle East, & Africa) through his prior roles with Citigroup (a global investment bank), International Finance Corporation (private sector arm of the World Bank Group focused on sustainable development), Patriarch Partners (a multi-billion dollar turnaround-focused private investment firm dedicated to saving American jobs by saving iconic American companies), and Prophet Equity (a middle-market private equity firm that makes control investments in strategically viable & underperforming companies). Vikram received his MBA from Yale School of Management, where he was a recipient of the Award for Excellence in Ethics and Leadership. He received his Bachelor of Science from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, where he studied International Political Economy, and is currently a member of the Board of Governors for the Georgetown University Alumni Association.

Connor joined Solomon after 11 years at FocalPoint Partners, where he was a Managing Director in their Business Services practice. During his tenure, he co-founded and expanded FocalPoint's Chicago office. Over the course of his 15-year career, Connor has advised clients across the most active Human Capital and Professional Services sub-sectors, including Professional Staffing, Healthcare Staffing, Consulting and Business Process Outsourcing. Select recent transactions include: The sale of 8020 Consulting to ShoreView Industries The Planet Group's (a portfolio company of Odyssey Investment Partners) acquisition of Strive Consulting The sale of The Planet Group to Odyssey Investment Partners The sale of ADI Strategies to Huron Consulting (Nasdaq: HURN) The sale of Rightpoint Consulting to Stella Point Capital The sale of The Planet Group to MidOcean Partners The Recapitalization of Amerit Fleet Solutions by Elm Park Capital (aka Atalaya Capital Management) and Seacoast Capital The sale of BrandRep to Millpond Equity Partners The sale of Heartland Automotive, a portfolio company of Sun Capital Partners, to Wynnchurch Capital The sale of Easy Ice to Freeman Spogli

Julia Buthman is the Managing Director of Prudential Private Capital's Dallas Corporate Finance office. She oversees the private placement and junior capital activity in a six-state region of the Southwestern US. Prior to this role, Julia served as Senior Vice President in Prudential Private Capital responsible for the Minneapolis office-based territory. Julia joined PPC in 2000. Prior to joining PPC, Julia was with Bank of Montreal for approximately 15 years in a variety of roles. Her most recent role at BMO was serving as a Managing Director in the Food Group, with a specialization in Food Retail/Wholesale and Foodservice. Julia currently serves as a Director on multiple portfolio companies, as well as Volunteers of America, Texas chapter. Previously, Julia served on the board of the North Texas Food Bank, The First Tee of Dallas and is a former chairperson for Dallas-based Executive Women's Roundtable. Julia received a BS in Psychology from Oklahoma State University and an MBA from the University of Houston's Bauer College of Business.

Jim is the Managing Partner of Huron Capital. In addition to sourcing, evaluating, executing and managing investments, Jim is responsible for setting strategy and managing the operations of the firm. Jim is a member of the firm's Investment Committee and the Huron Capital Board of Directors. His experience includes mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt financings and restructurings for middle market businesses across a variety of industries. Prior to joining Huron Capital in 2007, Jim was with Conway MacKenzie, Inc., a boutique firm focused on restructurings and special situations. Prior to Conway, Jim was an investment banker with Robert W. Baird & Co. Although his experience covers a range of industries, he is focused primarily on niche segments within the business services space, including facility, infrastructure, and utility services. B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Villanova University; M.B.A. from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business with concentrations in Finance and Accounting.

Brandon is the Founder and Managing Director of Evercap Advisors. Throughout his career, Brandon has successfully completed numerous middle-market merger and acquisition and recapitalization transactions in the software, technology-enabled business services, industrial, and distribution industries. Prior to Evercap, Brandon was a Managing Director at an M&A-focused investment banking firm with a 30+ year history where he led buy-side engagements for private equity firms and strategic acquirers Brandon earned a B.B.A. in Finance from Texas A&M University, where he graduated magna cum laude. He holds the Series 7, 63, and 79 licenses. Additionally, Brandon enjoys tennis and is an advisor to the Northwestern Ohio Christian Youth Camp.

Ken Firtel is a Co-founder and Managing Partner of Transom Capital Group. Prior to Transom, Mr. Firtelwas an investment professional at Platinum Equity and was responsible for evaluating, structuring, and negotiating transactions and transitioning and overseeing operations of portfolio companies. Before joining Platinum, Mr. Firtel was an associate in the Transactions Department of O'Melveny & Myers, where he specialized in mergers and acquisitions, investor and company-side private equity, venture capital and debt financing, joint ventures, and general representation of middle-market companies. Mr. Firtel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Yale University; a Master of Science, Industrial Relations-Diploma in Business Studies from the London School of Economics; and a Juris Doctor from the USC Gould School of Law. He played Varsity soccer at Yale and published an article in the Southern California Law Review. He serves on the board of Angel City Sports, an organization focused on providing athletic and other opportunities for children and adults with physical disabilities, and on the board of LA Breakers FC, a youth soccer club located in West Los Angeles. When he's not at work, Mr. Firtel enjoys spending time with his wife and three children (one boy and two girls) and is an avid fly fisherman, especially in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Doug McCormick is a Managing Partner and Co-Founder of HCI Equity Partners, a lower middle market private equity firm focused on partnering with family and founder owned manufacturing, service and distribution companies. Doug has been an active investor in numerous markets to include aerospace, defense, distribution, food services, packaging, manufacturing, outsourced business services, transportation and logistics. He currently serves on the board of AmercareRoyal, Echelon Supply & Service and Pacific Defense and serves as board chair for Consolidated Hospitality Supplies, MSI Express, SDS Rx and Tech24. Doug actively supports the veteran community as the Chairman of Team Red, White and Blue. He is also a member of the board of trustees and Chair of the investment committee for the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE); a board member of The Heritage Group, founding member of Capital For Children, and a 2011 Henry Crown Fellow. Doug is the author of Family Inc. and uses this content to empower others with financial literacy skills, with an emphasis on the veteran community. His work and recommendations regarding investing and personal finance topics have been cited or featured by leading media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, The NY Times, USA Today, CNBC, PBS, NPR, TIME, Investor's Business Daily, Fast Company, The Larry Kudlow Show, Huffington Post, Motley Fool, The Art of Manliness and others. Before founding HCI Equity, Doug was a Managing Partner at Thayer Hidden Creek and Thayer Capital and worked in the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley & Co. He also served as a Captain in the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Division. Doug received his Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and his Bachelor of Science in Economics from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he served as First Captain of the Corps of Cadets and Captain of the Army Wrestling team.

John Huhn brings a 30-year track record of success in private equity, entrepreneurism and strategic consulting to his leadership of Compass Group. Over the course of his career, he has been involved in more than 75 transactions representing over $3 billion in enterprise value. Prior to founding Compass Group, John launched and led HBM Holdings, a family office focused on diversifying its core holdings. Earlier in his career, he served as Senior Vice President of Strategy & Corporate Development for Aegion (NASDAQ: AEGN), where he was responsible for corporate strategy, mergers & acquisitions, joint-ventures and strategic alliances. His earlier experience also includes serving as Managing Principal of an international consulting firm, where he provided strategic and organizational consulting to Global 1000 customers. John is a graduate of the University of Illinois, where he received degrees in Engineering and Business Administration.

Charles K. Gifford, Jr., Senior Partner Charlie co-founded New Heritage Capital in 2006 and has been investing private equity in founder-owned, lower middle market business es for 23 years. He focuses his efforts on generating proprietary investment opportunities, developing and maintaining intermediary relationships and providing capital markets expertise in the areas of transaction pricing and structuring. Prior to joining Heritage, Charlie spent two years at a start up sports venture. His previous experience also includes two years at Smith Barney in Boston and New York. Charlie earned a Masters in Management degree from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Business and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Denison University.

Jay is a Partner at Plexus Capital. Jay is a member of the senior leadership team and works alongside the other team members to chart the strategy and vision for Plexus. In addition, Jay interacts with investors, assists with sourcing new investment opportunities, and helps oversee the portfolio. Jay is a graduate of the University of North Carolina where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Interdisciplinary Studies. After UNC, Jay was an investment banking analyst with Bowles Hollowell Conner & Company in Charlotte, NC. After BHC, Jay spent eight years as a Partner at Florida Capital Partners, in Tampa where he helped to lead the firm and to build the firm's business development engine. In January of 2000, Jay joined Audax Group. During his 19 years with the Audax, he served as senior member of the leadership team of Audax Group and Audax Private Equity. Jay focused on deal sourcing and business development, but also served on the investment committee and played an active role in charting the strategy and direction of the firm, contributing to recruiting, training, investor relations, professional development, financing and portfolio operations. Jay is an active member of several M&A and business networking organizations, including YPO and ACG. Jay is originally from Greensboro, North Carolina. Jay and his wife live in Raleigh.

Kurt Haras is a Managing Director, Mergers and Acquisitions at Cowen. Mr. Haras has over 20 years of investment banking experience advising clients on mergers and acquisitions, private placements, public offerings, corporate restructurings and business valuations. His transaction experience includes representing private companies, private equity firms and public companies in domestic and international transactions involving a number of industries, such as business services, consumer products, environmental services, distribution, industrial manufacturing and technology. Prior to joining Cowen, Mr. Haras was a founding member and Partner at Quarton International. Prior to Quarton, he spent nine years at W. Y. Campbell & Company. He also held positions at Oppenheimer & Co. and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Mr. Haras has a B.A. in Accounting from Michigan State University and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan. He is also a certified public accountant (inactive).

For our 100th episode, we've created a montage of our past podcast guests providing their advice to recent graduates and young professionals in Investment banking and private equity. We encourage you as a listener to contribute your advice to young professionals on Jeff Henningsens LinkedIn post.