Chapter Award Honorees

Jay Jester is the recipient of the 2018 Peter Hilton Award

Since its founding in 1999, Audax Private Equity has been focused on building leading middle market companies. Audax has invested $4.5 billion in 112 platform and 645 add-on companies. Through its disciplined Buy & Build approach, Audax seeks to help platform companies execute add-on acquisitions that fuel revenue growth, optimize operations, and significantly increase equity value. Audax Private Equity is an integral part of Audax Group, an alternative asset management firm specializing in investments in middle market companies. With offices in Boston, New York, and San Francisco, Audax Group has over $11.5 billion in assets under management across its Private Equity, Mezzanine, and Senior Debt businesses.

Mr. Jester joined Audax Private Equity at its inception in 2000 and is one of the original senior investment professionals at the firm.  In addition, he leads the firm’s marketing and business development efforts.  This team sources more than 1,000 new investment opportunities per year.

Mr. Jester also serves on the board of ACG Global. He was also previously Co-Chair of Membership for the 850 member Boston ACG Chapter and he was one of the founders and the first President of the Tampa ACG Chapter.  Mr. Jester is a current member of YPO, New England.

Prior to joining Audax, Mr. Jester was a General Partner with FCP Investors, Inc., a leading middle market private equity firm in Tampa, Florida.  Mr. Jester also worked as an investment banker at Bowles Hollowell Conner & Company in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Jay received a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He is originally from Greensboro, North Carolina.  He and his wife of 24 years live in Weston, MA with their three children.

Walker Jester, a rising senior at Duke University, will present Jay with his award.

Kathy Nalywajko is the recipient of the 2018 Chapter Leadership Award

Kathy Nalywajko is a Senior Vice President and Investment Counselor for Capital Group Private Client Services. For over 25 years, Kathy has worked directly with high net worth individuals, business owners, corporate executives and their families to create customized solutions for protecting and growing their wealth, often across multiple generations. She has expertise in investment planning and implementation, financial planning, intergenerational wealth transfer, philanthropy, risk management and business succession planning.

Prior to joining Capital Group in October 2017, Kathy spent 10 years at 1919 Investment Counsel as a Principal and Senior Client Advisor, and previously held positions at U.S. Trust Company, City National Bank, Credit Suisse and Citibank.

Kathy serves as First Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Ukrainian Institute of America, and is a member of the Advisory Boards of the New York Common Pantry and Pace University’s College of Health Professions. Kathy also served two terms as a Director of the ACG-NY Board, and now serves on the Board of ACG Cares, where she continues to chair the ACG-NY Educational Cup Committee.

Kathy earned a B.A. degree in Applied Mathematics from Barnard College and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School. She is a Certified Trust & Financial Advisor (CTFA)® and a recipient of the SmartCEO 2015 New York Money Manager Award. Kathy has lectured on topics such as preparing for the sale of a business, major life transition planning and finances for women.

Kathy lives in NYC with her daughter, Andrea.

David Acharya, Partner at AGI Partners, LLC, will present Kathy with her award.

Marilyn Adler is the recipient of the 2018 Lou Halstead Women of Leadership Award

Marilyn S. Adler is a Senior Managing Director & Head--Medley SBIC at Medley Management Inc.  Ms. Adler launched Medley SBIC in 2012 and is on the Investment Committee.  Medley SBIC is the top performing fund on the Medley platform. 

Prior to joining Medley, Ms. Adler had senior management roles with SBIC investment funds including Sunrise Equity Partners LP and Hudson Venture Partners LP.  Prior to that, Ms. Adler worked at Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association in the fixed income group and at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette in the investment banking division.

Ms. Adler is a board member of SBIA Board of Governors, past Chair of the BDC Committee for SBIA, member of SBIA Northeast Committee; UJA’s Private Equity division, Banking & Finance division and Women of Wall Street division.   She is also treasurer of her NYC co-op board and prior finance chair of the board of Cornell University Hillel and board of ACG women of leadership division. 

Ms. Adler earned an MBA from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a BS with distinction from Cornell University.

Marilyn lives in New York City with her husband of 27 years and their three children.

Kristi Craig, Director of Private Markets from the Georgetown University Investment Office, will present Marilyn with her award.