ACG Tampa Bay 2024 Outlook for Florida Middle Market M&A - Sarasota

Cason joined Truist in August of 2023 covering Tampa down to Naples for Truist Middle Market when she moved to Florida earlier this year. Prior to joining Truist, she was the Head of Middle Market and Treasury Management for Independent Financial headquartered in Texas. She has also held several leadership roles in the Middle Market segment at Capital One, BBVA/PNC and Wachovia/Wells Fargo bringing over 23 years of expertise in the Middle Market. 

Passionate about helping underpriveleged children reach their potential, while Cason was in Dallas, she served on the Young Women's Preparatory Board. Additionally, she served as Chair of the American Red Cross of North Texas, Chair of Communities in Schools of Tarrant County and Chair of the Child Study Center. Other boards Ms. Cason has served on the board of include the Davey O'Brien Foundation, The Ladder Alliance and the Kupferle Health Board. Cason looks forward to engaging in the Florida community and bringing her expertise and passion to these local organizations.

Cason earned a BA in Finance and Marketing from Baylor University as well as a MBA from Pepperdine University. When she isn't working, Cason enjoys traveling the globe to watch her children play soccer and swim

Gretchen Perkins is a Partner and Head of Business Development at Avance Investment Management, LLC, and is responsible for sourcing investment opportunities both for the firm and for portfolio companies. Ms. Perkins brings over 20 years of private equity sourcing and business development experience, having created and implemented successful business development organizations and programs at her two prior firms: Huron Capital and Long Point Capital, in addition to many prior years in a variety of financial services and consulting roles.

She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan. Gretchen has been an active member of the Association for Corporate Growth for over twenty years, having held multiple board and leadership positions in the ACG at the chapter and national levels. Gretchen will Chair the ACG Intergrowth national conference in 2022. Ms. Perkins is also involved in multiple non-profit endeavors, including the following organizations: Endeavor Detroit, Detroit Police Athletic League, United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan, and 100 Businesses Who Care. Gretchen is also a member of WAVE (Women’s Association of Venture & Equity) and PEWIN (Private Equity Women Investor Network). Ms. Perkins resides in Florida and has two grown children.

Ms. Cahill began her career with Chemical Bank, N.A. in New York, transitioning from traditional listed securities portfolio management to institutional private company investment banking with Alliance Capital. Prior to joining Windsor Capital, Ms. Cahill was Senior Managing Director at CEA Group. She has worked on many cross border transactions throughout her career, having traveled to over 30 countries working for her clients. Ms. Cahill has been involved in several hundred transactions over her multi-decade banking career, spanning many industries. Most recently, she has participated in transactions involving healthcare, energy, aerospace and defense, cyber security and infrastructure.