Speakers

Andrea is a Partner at Cambridge Associates and Head of Global Private Investments, where she leads a 50-person global team sourcing and underwriting private equity, growth equity, distressed, and venture capital funds, as well as direct, coinvestment, and secondary investment opportunities. Her career with CA spans nearly two decades. Andrea regularly co-authors in-depth private investment research, backed by over 40 years of CA’s proprietary data, most recently focused on growth equity, co-investing, and investment level benchmarking in private equity and venture capital. Andrea is frequently asked to keynote at private investment industry conferences worldwide. She is also a faculty member at the International Limited Partner Association (ILPA) Institute, where she has taught classes for 10 years. Andrea joined Cambridge Associates in 2001 as Head of International Private Equity and Venture Capital Research. Prior to that, she was a Senior Director in the Leveraged Buyout Group at Prudential Insurance. There, she led early efforts to benchmark Prudential’s $5 billion buyout portfolio, and domestic and European private equity and venture capital fund investment portfolios, among other investment responsibilities. Andrea has an MBA, Harvard Business School and BA, Economics, Smith College. 
 

Rich Lawson is the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of HGGC. Based in Palo Alto, California, HGGC is a leading private equity firm with over $4.3 billion in cumulative capital commitments and oversees portfolio companies that employ more than 65,000 employees globally. Over its history, HGGC has completed platform investments, add-on acquisitions, recapitalizations and liquidity events with an aggregate transaction value of $25 billion. Mr. Lawson has been involved in all phases of the firm’s development since its inception and directs HGGC’s firm governance, investment decisions and investor relations.

Mr. Lawson currently serves or has served as a director or chairman on the boards of HGGC’s portfolio companies, including BIG, Monotype, AMI, Mi9, RPX, HelpSystems, IDERA, Denodo, Nutraceutical, Aventri, Davies Group, Integrity, FPX, Selligent, Dealer-FX, Dynata, Serena Software, AutoAlert, MyWebGrocer, hybris Software, Innovative Interfaces and Sunquest Information Systems.

Mr. Lawson also serves as a director, chairman emeritus or trustee of several philanthropic and cultural institutions including the Capital Impact Foundation, San Francisco Zoo, Wasatch Adaptive Sports and the Forever Young Foundation, the organization that is a primary benefactor of HGGC's carried interest proceeds used to support extensive philanthropic work in children's causes around the world.

Prior to leading HGGC, Mr. Lawson established predecessor private equity funds Huntsman Gay Capital Partners in 2007 with industrialist Jon M. Huntsman and Robert C. Gay, as well as Sorenson Capital in 2002 with medical products pioneer James LeVoy Sorenson.  Mr. Lawson also worked at Morgan Stanley in its mergers and acquisitions department and served as President and Chief Executive Officer of enterprise software company Found, Inc.

Laurence is a Senior Managing Director and Member of the Investment Committee at Branford Castle Partners.  His responsibilities include sourcing and evaluating acquisition opportunities as well as conducting due diligence and oversight of Branford Castle Fund investments.  He is a board member of Earthlite Massage Tables, Vitrek and Drew Foam. Prior to joining Branford Castle, Laurence founded Rubicon Associates, an independent sponsor, where he invested in and took on senior operating roles in small, private companies. Prior to that, Laurence was a Principal at ACG Capital, where he sourced, evaluated and executed private equity investments for a family office. Earlier in his career, he worked in the Investment Banking Division at Morgan Stanley in New York and Singapore, and at Castle Harlan, the New York-based private equity firm.  Mr. Lederer received a B.A. from Carleton College and his M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees of Riverdale Country School and the City Parks Foundation.

Mark founded New Heritage Capital in 2006 and has been investing private equity in founder-owned, lower middle market businesses for 26 years. With experience in healthcare, manufacturing, distribution, consumer and business services deals, Mark leads the firm’s investment teams.

Jim focuses his practice on domestic and international transactions and corporate finance. He advises private equity funds and corporations pursuing growth in the U.S. and throughout the world, including Europe, Latin America and Asia. His clients are involved in a variety of sectors and subsectors such as fintech, software, software-enabled services, health care and life sciences, business services, industrial, and manufacturing.

Jim structures and negotiates major transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, platform and follow-on acquisitions; distressed buyouts, corporate carve-outs and restructurings. He represents U.S.-based companies in transactions throughout the world, and is particularly experienced in the United Kingdom, Europe, India and China. Companies based in Europe, India, South America and Asia rely on Jim’s guidance through mergers and acquisitions, financing and licensing transactions with domestic implications. He also works with management-led groups in the acquisition of businesses from divesting corporations.

Jim also advises corporations and financial institutions on all aspects of domestic and international public offerings and other capital markets transactions. He represents domestic and foreign issuers in public offerings in U.S. and foreign listings,  venture and mezzanine capital raising, and traditional bank financing transactions. His clients also include issuers and bondholder groups in debt restructuring, recapitalization and work-outs. Jim regularly serves as international legal counsel to issuers and underwriters on off-shore public offerings in India, the United Kingdom and Europe.

Jim is a leader in the international business and legal communities, and a well-known advocate for expanding cross-border economic ties. He is founder and president of the European American Chamber of Commerce in New York and co-founder of its Paris-based chapter. He has served as president of the Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Commission of the Union Internationale des Avocats / International Association of Lawyers (UIA) since 2016.

Jim has decades of experience as a member of the board of directors of numerous companies, including several with international operations. He is president and a board member of the National Association of Corporate Directors, and is active in the Association for Corporate Growth, whose New York chapter named Jim “Lawyer of the Year” in 2015.

Long active in charitable and community matters, Jim is also founder and chairman of the board of the American Battle Monuments Foundation, a nonprofit organization created to augment and expand the work of the American Battle Monuments Commission, an independent U.S. agency that operates 26 cemeteries and 29 memorials, monuments and markers in 16 countries commemorating the U.S. armed forces.

Stephen joined Stifel in 2017 and is a Managing Director on the Electronics & Industrial Technology team. He has over 20 years of investment banking experience and specializes in advising clients within the 3D printing, factory, warehouse automation, digital and packaging print, rapid prototyping, manufacturing services, technology reseller, integration, and distribution sectors.

Prior to joining Stifel, he worked at Citigroup as an investment banker in both the Global Industrial Group, Global Transportation Group, and as a workout specialist in Citigroup’s North American Substandard & Non-Performing Loan Workout Group. Stephen began his career at Arthur Andersen in corporate restructuring.

Stephen received a BS in Accountancy from the W.P. Carey School of Business Honors Program at Arizona State University.

Bryan Cummings is a Managing Director and Head of Financial Sponsor Coverage for D.A. Davidson & Co. Previously, he founded and led the U.S. middle market sponsor coverage practice at RBC Capital Markets and led corporate development at a global information services firm. With 20 years of experience across investment banking and corporate finance, Bryan also brings extensive MA& and capital markets experience to his clients in the technology, diversified industrial and aerospace/defense industries, with tenures at J.P. Morgan, Bear Stearns and UBS.

Before beginning his advisory career, he served as a U.S. Army combat arms officer in the U.S. and overseas with a focus on small unit leadership and shoulder-fired Stinger missiles. Bryan holds a master’s degree in public policy with a concentration in trade /finance and negotiation from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a bachelor’s degree in Politics and Near East studies from Princeton University. Bryan lives with his wife and daughter in New York City.

Brad has worked at Scott Capital Partners, LLC and its predecessor company since 2007.  His responsibilities include originating, evaluating and negotiating private equity and growth capital situations.  Brad’s experience includes working with industrial manufacturing and business service companies, as well as several other industries.  Prior to joining Scott Capital, his career included working as an accountant at Arthur Young & Co, at various investment banking boutiques as a consultant to several major corporations and private equity firms, and as an independent sponsors.  Brad received his M.B.A. from New York University’s Stern School of Business and his undergraduate degree from Washington and Lee University.

Scott Capital is a single family office investing directly in companies that offer the opportunity for solid, achievable growth and capital appreciation.  Scott Capital takes a long-term commitment to achieve significant growth and superior value for both employees and stockholders.  We focus our resources to furthering a company’s growth prospects by finding complementary acquisitions, developing new product lines, accessing new markets, sourcing goods internationally, investing in capital equipment, and expanding facilities.  For more information, please visit our website at www.scottcap.com.

Ted Morgan is an industry practice builder for Plante Moran’s private equity, automotive, and plastics industries. As a part of the industry leadership team, Ted focuses on go-to market strategy and activities that enhance the Plante Moran brand and value proposition. Within strategy and operations consulting, Ted leads projects primarily for manufacturing and distribution clients focused on strategic planning, commercial due diligence, market analysis, and business advisory. Having spent half of his career working directly in the manufacturing industry and the other half in consulting, he brings a broad and balanced perspective that helps clients grow profitably.

Ted has been invited to speak at a number of industry events, including the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), Manufacturers Association for Plastics Processors (MAPP), Plastics News, and Precision Metal Formers Association (PMA). Topics have included industry trends and their impacts, business model analysis, and restarting operations after COVID-19.

Wendy Buxton joined LynnCo in 2002 as the CIO, leading the development of a then robust, web-hosted software package. Since her appointment as President, Ms. Buxton successfully enhanced LynnCo's supply chain service and consultative offerings to encompass full supply chain strategic guidance. In 2015, LynnCo ownership and the executive team became firmly entrenched in the private equity market, becoming the marquee trusted advisor for supply chain value creation. 
 

As an executive level strategist, Ms. Buxton has an established reputation in diverse industries for excelling growth of organizations. Globally known as a thought leadership expert, she speaks in various venues on providing strategic and operational supply chain solutions that radically leapfrog conventional options. A member of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, APICS, and several women-owned and minority-owned diversity councils throughout the U.S., she has recently received awards as Women of Distinction, Most Admired CEO, and Top 10 Women in Logistics as well as Most Innovative Supply Chain Management Solutions and Top 10 Big Data Companies.

Carrie DiLauro is the Director of Operations at Hamilton Robinson Capital Partners.  She joined HRCP in 2009 and brings over 25 years of experience in global manufacturing and finance. She is responsible for a wide scope of operations management for the firm including investment sourcing, investor relations, marketing, IT, facilities management, human resources, compliance, ESG and accounting. Prior to HRCP, Carrie spent 15 years overseeing worldwide textile production for Jones New York and Baby Togs, Inc. Carrie received a Bachelor’s Degree from Cornell University and a Master’s Degree in Finance from Harvard University. She is an active member of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), a committee member of ACG NY Women of Leadership. She also sits on the Industrial Exchange Advisory Board and is a member of the Small Business Investor Alliance (SBIA), M&A Source, Opus Connect and the National Association of Professional Women.

Kelly is a Managing Director at Probitas Partners responsible for research. Previously he was the Chief Operating Officer at Pacific Corporate Group focused on the private equity partnership investment program globally. Before joining PCG, Kelly held various positions at First Interstate Bancorp, including management of a $170 million private equity portfolio. He has a MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management and a BA from Stanford University. He is currently a member of the Advisory Board at the Investment Management Due Diligence Association.

Mr. Hargraves has been investing in private equity since 1993 and is a Partner at Private Advisors, LLC, where he is responsible for private equity investments in lower middle market buyout, growth and turnaround funds, coinvestments and secondaries in North America. Prior to joining Private Advisors, he had primary responsibility for over 120 fund commitments, co-investments and secondary purchases focused primarily on small buyout and venture capital funds in North America and Europe. Mr. Hargraves was previously a Partner at Rho Fund Investors, led the development of the National Bank of Kuwait’s private equity activities in New York, and began his private equity career at GCC Investments in Boston, working on growth investments. Mr. Hargraves received an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago and a B.S. in Investments and Entrepreneurial Studies from Babson College.

I joined EDSCO in 2014 as CFO to manage all accounting and finance functions. In January of 2017 was promoted to Executive Vice President, with responsibilities for all functions at EDSCO other than sales and marketing. In October 2017 promoted to current position of President and CEO. I have extensive experience in steel, galvanizing, industrial manufacturing with a primary focus on Electrical generation, transmission and distribution. Prior to joining EDSCO I spent 22 years in roles of increasing responsibility within AZZ, Inc., ending my tenure as Chief Accounting Officer for ten years and managed all facets of accounting responsibility including SEC reporting, system integrations , with a high involvement in planning and executing acquisitions.

Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting and a Masters of Business of Administration from Texas Christian University.   

Steve co-founded LFM Capital and brings to the Fund over 23 years of operating experience, having served in a variety of senior executive and functional roles in manufacturing, supply chain, engineering, technology and sales.

Prior to founding LFM, Steve was a Principal with TVV Capital (2010-2014), where he directed portfolio value creation efforts of six portfolio investments, with a focus on operating improvements, management recruiting, leadership development training and performance. Steve also helped to identify investments and served in a leading role on deal negotiations. He has served on the boards of four TVV portfolio companies: INDCO, Critical Solutions International, Big 3 Precision Products, and Bigham Brothers.

Prior to joining TVV, Steve was Chief Operating Officer of MFG.com (2009-2010), the world’s largest global online marketplace for the manufacturing industry where he directed all functions, excluding finance and HR, for a global six-office (U.S., Asia, Europe), 250-employee, fast-growing company.

Prior to MFG, Steve spent 11 years as a Southeastern regional Senior Director with The Dell Corporation (1998-2009) serving in a range of executive roles that included: GM Dell Nashville Consumer Business and Nashville Site lead, Director of Manufacturing for Dell’s Nashville Campus,  and, Director of Dell’s Supply Chain Engineering and Demand/Supply balancing.

Prior to joining Dell, Steve served as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy (1989-1996), where he flew combat missions in support of Desert Shield and was selected to participate in test squadron flying test missions in all Navy/Marine Corps aircraft.

Steve currently serves as the Chairman of Vektek, PSI and Heartland and also serves on the boards of Eckhart, Pratt, Fecon, ShopSabre, J&E, and Medix, all LFM portfolio companies.

Steve received a BS in Electrical Engineering from the United States Naval Academy and his MS in Electrical Engineering from MIT’s School of Engineering and his MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management where he graduated first in his class. He has served for over 19 years as a member of MIT’s Leaders for Global Operations Operating Committee where he speaks to classes annually on executive leadership and career management.

Wendy Buxton joined LynnCo in 2002 as the CIO, leading the development of a then robust, web-hosted software package. Since her appointment as President, Ms. Buxton successfully enhanced LynnCo's supply chain service and consultative offerings to encompass full supply chain strategic guidance. In 2015, LynnCo ownership and the executive team became firmly entrenched in the private equity market, becoming the marquee trusted advisor for supply chain value creation. 

As an executive level strategist, Ms. Buxton has an established reputation in diverse industries for excelling growth of organizations. Globally known as a thought leadership expert, she speaks in various venues on providing strategic and operational supply chain solutions that radically leapfrog conventional options. A member of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, APICS, and several women-owned and minority-owned diversity councils throughout the U.S., she has recently received awards as Women of Distinction, Most Admired CEO, and Top 10 Women in Logistics as well as Most Innovative Supply Chain Management Solutions and Top 10 Big Data Companies.

Faton Gjuka is an Operating Principal focused on Product Leadership and Go-to-Market Acceleration of the firm’s software company investments. He has more than fifteen years of product management and sales & marketing experience. Faton joined Sumeru Equity in 2018. Faton co-founded LocateYourCare, a digital healthcare company directly connecting patients and providers through a real time mobile platform. He was responsible for product management, overall strategic planning and growth marketing.

Faton previously led the solutions team at C3 IoT, a digital enterprise platform for AI & IoT. He worked on developing products, solutions and go-to-market strategies to help enterprises capture value from AI and ML deployed at massive scale. Prior to C3 IoT, Faton was a management consultant at Bain & Co, where he advised enterprises, vendors and public sector on a broad spectrum of strategic topics and organizational challenges, including next-generation IT, cloud computing, corporate and growth strategy. Faton began his career at GE as part of the Commercial Leadership Program with subsequent roles in sales and marketing. Faton attended University of Toledo, B.S. Computer Science; B.S. Electrical Engineering and University of Virginia, M.B.A Darden Graduate School of Business. 

Julia Karol is President and COO of Watermill Group. She is responsible for overall firm operations and helping Watermill portfolio companies develop and implement their strategies. Previously, as a Watermill Principal, Julia helped guide the day-to-day operations of the firm, directed the firm’s investor relations and managed fundraising initiatives for acquisitions.

Prior to joining Watermill, Julia worked at Jumpstart, a national nonprofit organization. While at Jumpstart, she managed Boston-area fundraising, coordinated communication and marketing efforts, cultivated partnerships, developed alumni relations programming, and oversaw staff recruitment efforts.

Julia currently serves as a Partner with Social Venture Partners Boston, a venture philanthropy organization which connects Boston’s most promising nonprofits with the money and minds to fuel their success. Julia has served as a Mentor for Endeavor, a global high-impact entrepreneurship movement and that promotes economic growth and job creation. She also serves as a member for the Budget and Administration Committee for Combined Jewish Philanthropies. Previously, Julia founded and served as board chair for the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network in Boston. Julia is a member of ACG Boston and the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and has been named as one of the Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A by Mergers and Acquisitions Magazine for three consecutive years. In 2019, Julia received the Women of Influence Award from ACG Boston and was named one of Boston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 honorees. In 2017, Julia was named an Emerging Leader by the M&A Advisor.

She received a M.A. in Education Policy, Organization and Leadership from Stanford University, completed the Owners, Presidents, Managers program at Harvard Business School, and the Summer Institute for Entrepreneurship at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and earned a B.A. from Tufts University.

Alan Peyrat is a Partner at The Riverside Company. Prior to joining the firm in 2007, Peyrat was a Principal at Apax Partners, where he served on deal teams and portfolio company boards with a focus on the technology and telecommunications sectors. Previously, Peyrat helped found Telephia, where he served as Director of Sales and Director of Engineering and Operations. He has also worked at the Mayfield Fund, A.T. Kearny and Public Financial Management, Inc. Peyrat holds a BS in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and both an MBA and an MA in Education from Stanford University.

Brandon Barksdale is a Director with CohnReznick’s CFO and Business Advisory Practice who specializes in finance management, strategy, and transformation consulting.  He is an experienced finance leader driving finance transformation with a focus on finance performance management, process improvement, and operations.  Brandon leverages his industry and consulting experience, which ranges from small to large domestic and multinational companies across various industries, to drive immediate and long-term value for his clients in an ever-changing environment.

T. J. Maloney is the Chairman and CEO of Lincolnshire Management, which he joined in 1993. T.J. is on the Investment Committee and is actively involved with the portfolio companies. Prior to joining Lincolnshire, T.J. practiced merger, acquisition and securities law in New York City. He is the former Chairman of the Boston College Wall Street Council, and has served on the Board of Trustees at Boston College and Fordham University. T.J. has lectured extensively and has been a guest lecturer at several universities including the Columbia University MBA Program. He is the 2007 recipient of the Richard J. Bennett Memorial Award, presented by Fordham Law School in recognition of corporate leaders with the highest moral standards. T.J. previously served on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the English Speaking Union of the United States and the Board of Trustees of The Tilton School. T.J. holds a BA from Boston College and JD from Fordham Law School.

Mr. Morgenthal is the Managing Director of Argosy Private Equity and established Argosy’s operating partner program and Value Accelerator Methodology (VAM™) in 2007.  He is responsible for general fund administration, developing and assessing investment opportunities, providing strategic management support, and monitoring investments.

Steven received his MS in Human Factors Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and his BS from Pace University.

Prior Experience includes: Managing Director – SMF Ventures; CEO – Q Group Holdings; Venture Partner – SCP Private Equity Partners; CEO – Regenative Network Management Solutions; President – Opencon Communication Systems; Senior Vice President, Global Product Management and Marketing – Datatec; President, Enterprise Management Division – Computer Horizons; Co-Founder – Unified Systems Solutions; Vice President, Network Technology and Network & Systems Management – General Logistics International; Technical, Product and Marketing Management - AT&T
 

Jonathan Saltzman is a managing director and co-founder of Torque Capital Group LLC (“Torque”).  At Torque, Mr. Saltzman takes a lead role in the sourcing, structuring, and financing of investments and the management, strategy, and growth of its portfolio companies, all in niche manufacturing.  Together with the firm’s investment team and operating partners, Mr. Saltzman takes a hands-on, operational approach to building value in Torque’s portfolio companies.

Before co-founding Torque, Mr. Saltzman was a senior investment professional focused on manufacturing investments at The Cypress Group, a New York-based private equity firm.

Prior to The Cypress Group, Mr. Saltzman sourced and led transactions at BG Strategic Advisors, a boutique investment bank focused on the supply chain sector, leveraging the supply chain and operations experience and network he developed while working as the corporate finance manager of the Amsterdam-based transportation, logistics, and shipping multinational TNT NV (“TNT”).

Before TNT, Mr. Saltzman worked in the financial institutions group in Salomon Brothers’ investment bank, where he advised on a broad array of capital markets and M&A transactions for banks, specialty lenders, asset managers, and insurers.  Mr. Saltzman began his career as a public auditor in Ernst & Young’s financial services group.

Mr. Saltzman is currently a director of Brake Parts Inc. (automotive parts manufacturing), Remy International and Maval Industries (automotive parts re-manufacturing), and J-Pac Medical (medical outsourced manufacturing).  Mr. Saltzman was a director of various Torque and The Cypress Group portfolio companies, including in the aerospace, building products, and logistics sectors. 

Mr. Saltzman is a CPA and earned an MBA from The Anderson School at UCLA and a BBA with highest distinction from Emory University.  Mr. Saltzman is active in a variety of industry organizations as well as local charitable organizations in Fairfield County, Connecticut where he resides with his wife and three children and enjoys tennis, mountain biking and travel.

Ted Morgan is an industry practice builder for Plante Moran’s private equity, automotive, and plastics industries. As a part of the industry leadership team, Ted focuses on go-to market strategy and activities that enhance the Plante Moran brand and value proposition. Within strategy and operations consulting, Ted leads projects primarily for manufacturing and distribution clients focused on strategic planning, commercial due diligence, market analysis, and business advisory. Having spent half of his career working directly in the manufacturing industry and the other half in consulting, he brings a broad and balanced perspective that helps clients grow profitably.

Ted has been invited to speak at a number of industry events, including the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), Manufacturers Association for Plastics Processors (MAPP), Plastics News, and Precision Metal Formers Association (PMA). Topics have included industry trends and their impacts, business model analysis, and restarting operations after COVID-19.

With 29 years of experience in the Employee Benefits sector, David Neikrug has a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by HR during an M&A transaction. Today, David advises executives and key stakeholders (employers, payors, vendors, investors) to identify and deliver value to the HR workstream.

Together with the investment community (PE/VC/Family Offices), David supports organizations throughout the entire M&A lifecycle ensuring sound due diligence, seamless integration, day-one readiness and post day-one synergy capture along the HR workstream. David understands ever changing deal dynamics and has been involved in integrations within and across industries such as hospitality, retail, manufacturing, consumer products, financial services and pharmaceuticals. He is well versed in the legal and regulatory environments which allows him to ensure his clients remain informed and compliant.

Following the acquisition of David’s prior firm by PE backed Capital H Group, David established Optimatum in 2007 to deliver the rigor of vendor management to the HR workstream. David is based in New York.