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AEG is an ecosystem of elite professional advisors
in 25 complementary disciplines. We integrate
capabilities, capital, community, and connections
to help owners of midmarket companies grow their
business, exit on their terms and build personal wealth.
1 www.enterprisegrowth.org
www.enterprisegrowth.org
Mark Haas, Co-Founder and CEO
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 301-442-5889
John Yetman, Co-Founder, CEO Advisory Board Chair, DC Chapter Director
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 301-452-4999
Brian Meritt, Baltimore Chapter Co-Director
Email: [email protected]
Office: 410-246-9123
Ed Mullin, Baltimore Chapter Co-Director
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 410-235-3600
Tien Wong, Principal Advisor
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: (703) 932-9191
Paula Boyland, AEG Administrative Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 571-236-8007
Lyka Aldemita, John Yetman’s Executive Assistant
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 208-970-4636
General Inquiries: [email protected]
2 www.enterprisegrowth.org
About AEG
Why Does AEG Exist? ........................................................................................... 5
How Does AEG Work? .......................................................................................... 6
What is Unique About AEG? ................................................................................ 7
What is the AEG Strategy? ................................................................................... 7
What is AEG’s Business Model?.......................................................................... 8
What is the Structure of AEG? ............................................................................. 8
How Do I Make the Most of My Membership? ................................................... 9
How Do I Refer Business to Other Members? .................................................... 9
How Can I Get to Know Fellow Members Better? ............................................ 10
What Do I Do When I Receive a Referral? ........................................................ 11
How Do I Leverage AEG for My Business? ........................................................ 12
What are AEG Ethical Standards? ..................................................................... 12
AEG Leadership .................................................................................................. 14
John Yetman ....................................................................................................... 15
Mark Haas .......................................................................................................... 16
Brian S. Meritt .................................................................................................... 17
Ed Mullin ............................................................................................................. 18
S. Tien Wong ....................................................................................................... 19
AEG DC Advisory Board ...................................................................................... 20
Carr, Lyles ........................................................................................................... 21
Galvin, Jeff .......................................................................................................... 22
Gumbinner, Fred ................................................................................................ 23
Gupta, Anita ........................................................................................................ 24
Johnson, Beth ..................................................................................................... 25
Jordan, Jiemin .................................................................................................... 26
Kessler, Joe ........................................................................................................ 27
Litalien, Ben ........................................................................................................ 28
Niggel, Michael ................................................................................................... 29
Puri, Amit ............................................................................................................ 30
Shoemaker, Tom ................................................................................................ 31
AEG Baltimore Advisory Board .......................................................................... 32
Ávila, Marco ........................................................................................................ 33
Cornish, Tasha .................................................................................................... 34
Davis, George ..................................................................................................... 35
3 www.enterprisegrowth.org
DiGiacomo, Mike ................................................................................................ 36
Gill, Mike ............................................................................................................. 37
Rosendale, Marty ............................................................................................... 38
Sadowski, Tom ................................................................................................... 39
Wilson, Alicia ...................................................................................................... 40
AEG DC Elite Advisors ........................................................................................ 41
Ainsworth, Ron ................................................................................................... 43
Altman, Gary ....................................................................................................... 44
Appelbaum, Joe .................................................................................................. 45
Berman, Beth ..................................................................................................... 46
Birmingham, Guillermo ...................................................................................... 47
Durrer, Tom ........................................................................................................ 48
Fell, Deborah ...................................................................................................... 49
Ghais, Aaron ....................................................................................................... 50
Halpin, Ryan ....................................................................................................... 51
Huey, Rob ........................................................................................................... 52
Jordan, Katie ...................................................................................................... 53
Katz, Stephanie .................................................................................................. 54
Meza, Scott ......................................................................................................... 55
Mukhi, Manish .................................................................................................... 56
Nani, Silvana ...................................................................................................... 57
Nolan, John ......................................................................................................... 58
Olinger, Don ........................................................................................................ 59
Phonpadith, Mali ................................................................................................ 60
Reed, Leigh ......................................................................................................... 61
Sage, Ola............................................................................................................. 62
Shafie, Shevy ...................................................................................................... 63
Sorkin, Stuart ..................................................................................................... 64
Teague, Wes ....................................................................................................... 65
Wainger, Liz ........................................................................................................ 66
Wendt, W. Douglas ............................................................................................. 67
Wolk, Michael ..................................................................................................... 68
Zonghetti, Bill ..................................................................................................... 69
AEG Baltimore Elite Advisors ............................................................................. 70
Bjonerud, Matt ................................................................................................... 71
Cavanaugh, Jack ................................................................................................ 72
4 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Heffner, Kevin D. ................................................................................................ 73
Hueter, Bill .......................................................................................................... 74
Marks, Todd ........................................................................................................ 75
Martinez, Augusto J. ........................................................................................... 76
Michael, Andrew ................................................................................................. 77
Miller, Len ........................................................................................................... 78
Molignoni, Justin ................................................................................................ 79
Mosebrook, Laurie ............................................................................................. 80
Piotrowski, Brian ................................................................................................ 81
AEG DC Preferred Partners ................................................................................ 83
Dobransky, Angie ............................................................................................... 84
Mann, Charles .................................................................................................... 85
Mesmer, Cindy.................................................................................................... 86
Van Dyke, Bill ...................................................................................................... 87
Young, Joe .......................................................................................................... 88
5 www.enterprisegrowth.org
What is AEG?
AEG is an ecosystem of professional advisors and CEOs in more than 25
complementary disciplines, curated from the region’s top firms, who work
together to help midmarket business leaders:
• Grow their business
• Exit on their own terms
• Build personal wealth
We started in Washington, DC and are starting chapters across the US in
cities with economies of more than $100 billion GDP. We also facilitate the
Inner Circle, a selective group of midmarket CEOs, who develop close
relationships through unique and intimate experiences with each other and
void of service providers.
Why Does AEG Exist?
For midmarket companies, increasing speed, complexity and uncertainties of
business stall growth. For business advisors, specialization creates silos that
hinder coordination for support of optimal growth. For capital markets, deal
flow is hindered by lack of sellable companies. AEG was created specifically
to facilitate and speed connection of companies, advisors and capital.
AEG’s business model creates a multidisciplinary advisor community to
coordinate disciplines and tools to identify personal and business growth
opportunities and deliver the right capabilities and capital at the right time to
companies and position them for eventual exit.
• For companies and owners, AEG identifies growth opportunities and
operational deficits and deploys the capabilities, capital and
connections needed to address them.
• For elite advisors, AEG creates a community where perspective and
skills can grow, and marketing time and budget can be leveraged
efficiently.
• For capital markets, AEG generates deal flow by identifying high-
potential companies and preparing them for transition on favorable
terms.
Mission: create personal and business growth through trusted relationships.
6 www.enterprisegrowth.org
How Does AEG Work?
We leverage four keys to growth, what we call the “4C’s”: specialized advisory
Capabilities, appropriate Capital forms and strategies, building Communities
to share benefits of growth, and Connecting businesses to these growth
resources.
AEG member dues is combined to promote AEG as a trusted source of
capability and capital. We sponsor business leader-focused events (e.g., CEO-
only dinners, educational seminars, executive radio shows, workshops, social
events) to build relationships and promote member services to help
companies grow value, exit on their terms and build personal wealth.
AEG also connects capital markets to growing companies interested in sale or
M&A strategies. Whether finding deals or helping to build value to get ready
for sale, AEG connects and builds the advisor, business and capital
communities. In doing so, we strengthen the midmarket business ecosystem
for the benefit of all.
7 www.enterprisegrowth.org
What is Unique About AEG?
AEG was designed to generate midmarket business growth, not just be
another networking group. We are deliberate about growth and do so by
connecting advisors, businesses and capital markets.
Our culture and values are also purposeful. Our advisor ecosystem is also
intentionally limited in size to create community. We are values based: Give
First, Do Good Work, Live Passionately and Have Fun.
Finally, we focus on the whole – for advisors, businesses and community. Our
advisors are critical to our success and we work hard to know each other
personally. We cultivate businesses through both personal and professional
contacts. Finally, our focus is on the whole company lifecycle from startup,
growth, exit and personal journey after exit.
What is the AEG Strategy?
AEG has a straightforward strategy in its aspirations, where we play and how
we will win, and what capabilities and management systems we need.
8 www.enterprisegrowth.org
What is AEG’s Business Model?
AEG's business model continues to evolve. It connects three communities:
business advisors, midmarket companies and capital markets. A high-level
business model canvas shows how parts of the business relate. Details are
available to members.
What is the Structure of AEG?
AEG has a simple organization structure, with an executive, CEO Advisory
Board, five committees and professional counsel. Committees are made up
of 3-5 members and headed by members who devote their time and
expertise to strengthen and grow AEG.
The CEO Advisory Board consists of executives or business owners who have
built, run or sold companies. They associate with AEG because they see the
value of the business model and vision, want to help members succeed and
are committed to the growth of the local business community.
9 www.enterprisegrowth.org
How Do I Make the Most of My Membership?
AEG membership is like a gym membership. You get out of it what you put
into it – participation and engagement lead to success. The most highly
engaged members grow their networks fastest, are most satisfied with their
professional development, and receive the bulk of referrals because they are
top of mind.
We have more than a dozen ways to get involved and to be known to other
members and our business leader community. Each member has unique
business skills, experiences and connections we can share. Those skills can
be applied to companies, to the businesses of other members, and to the
successful operation and growth of AEG as an organization.
How Do I Refer Business to Other Members?
Referrals are critical to the success of AEG, its members and the midmarket
business community. The diversity of our complementary skills creates a
unique network of overlapping contacts and clients. Getting to know the skills
and perspectives of other members allows us to see opportunities – for
members and businesses – we might otherwise miss.
There is an art to making an effective referral. While introductions between
two people who “should know each other” is often useful in the long run, the
best referral is one passing the BANT test (Budget, Authority to buy, Need for
service, and Timing).
10 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Once a referral is given, it is critical to follow up immediately. Poor referrals,
not following up or providing poor service are bad for both members, the
client and AEG. Referrals are tracked in our CRM to assure we remain
connected to the business leader and are available to provide additional
needed services.
We review referrals given and gotten each month to make sure we are doing
right by members. If a member is not getting referrals, we work to raise their
profile and better articulate their services. If a member is not giving referrals
or giving less effective one, we also help them become more effective
referrers.
How Can I Get to Know Fellow Members Better?
I can’t refer you if I don’t know you. One of the highest obligations of
membership is to become familiar with the services and character of other
members. Our ability to recognize a need by a business leader of advisory
services comes from knowing the full range of services AEG membership
offers. AEG offers five major and more than a dozen informal ways to get to
know other members better:
• Member meetings – We hold monthly meetings to update members
on recent and upcoming AEG activities, including marketing efforts,
CEO events, introduce new members and to discuss how to improve
marketing and client service. These are held monthly from 4-6pm on
the second Tuesday. Virtual Happy Hours are held on the other 3
weeks of the month to deepen social bonds (and do some business).
• 1 on 1 meetings – Members are encouraged to meet with each other
member once a year. It is often only after a second or third deep
conversation that we truly understand what the other person’s
services, the value of that service to a client and how you could work
together to create a new high-value service. With more than 40
members, it might be impractical for some to meet every other
member 1 on 1, so select those you have not spent much time with
yet to meet 1 on 1.
• Power of 3 – AEG organizes “Power of 3” groups, which meet once a
month, as 3 (or 4) members, each taking one session to explain their
services in detail and discuss who they are as a person. New groups
are formed each quarter, but some continue to meet for months later.
11 www.enterprisegrowth.org
• Affinity groups – AEG encourages members to form groups around
topics of their choosing. Current groups include GovCon, Nonprofit,
Exit, Personal and International. Other groups may form around
transactions, joined by members specializing in investment banking,
M&A law, wealth management, accounting, and estate planning.
• AEG Committees – Working with other members on AEG activities is a
great way to see them in action. You’ll quickly understand how
innovative, giving, accountable and capable they are by how they
contribute to building AEG. Committees are Member Services,
Marketing, CEO Outreach, Operations and Finance.
AEG provides more informal opportunities to grow, connect, build your
business and help your colleagues.
What Do I Do When I Receive a Referral?
Follow up immediately. Reaching out to the business owner you were referred
to within the hour shows your professionalism and responsiveness when
interest is likely to be highest. Even if you are tied up, send a short text or
email saying you acknowledge the referral and when you will reach out to
talk.
12 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Acknowledge the referral to the person making it and thank them for it. Keep
them advised with the progress, including if you find that the referral won’t be
productive.
Finally, let AEG know what happened to the referral. Our ability to improve the
referral process and the skills of members in handling referrals rests on our
tracking and evaluating the effectiveness of those referrals.
How Do I Leverage AEG for My Business?
Be an ambassador for personal and business growth and the AEG mission. As
elite advisors we are in business because we want to use our skills to help
businesses thrive and to make a living doing it.
Leverage AEG’s collective capabilities, community, connections and
reputation. Members are part of an exclusive, highly vetted and powerful
network – let people know. Get to know other members’ capabilities and
clients. Look out for opportunities for growth by making referrals. Invite your
prospects and clients to AEG events – whether they attend or not, they
appreciate that you are thinking of them.
What are AEG Ethical Standards?
The value of advisory services is based on the trusted relationship between
advisor and client, between colleagues or between an advisor and the
community. The AEG is committed to provide technically competent,
collaborative and ethical advisory services to member clients.
As such, it requires all of its members who choose to participate in its
operations to attest to their understanding of and adherence to the AEG Code
of Ethics. This attestation is the basis for investigation and adjudication of
allegations and violations of the AEG Code of Ethics under enforcement
policies as approved by AEG.
The AEG Code of Ethics follows.
13 www.enterprisegrowth.org
14 www.enterprisegrowth.org
AEG Leadership
15 www.enterprisegrowth.org
John Yetman
Co-Founder and Chair, Advisory Board, AEG,
DC Chapter Director
Wealth Manager
John is an experienced financial services expert
who works with Business Owners to help them
align business and personal goals. He is a
Certified Exit Planner who helps owners map out
the best path to grow and create value in their
business and exit on their terms. As a co-founder of AEG John has an extensive
network of both Business Owners and Professionals that he can access and connect
to you to as needed. John’s career has spanned more than three decades working
with leading investment firms including: Morgan Stanley, UBS and Shearson Lehman
Brothers.
A recognized expert and authority, John is a sought-out speaker for educational
seminars and a trusted advisor who provides Financial Planning, Wealth
Management, Insurance, Retirement Plans, Corporate Cash and Key Employee
Retention Services. John has worked with Executives from major corporations and
organizations, such as The International Monetary Fund (IMF), The World Bank, The
Organization of American States (OAS), Chevron, The Discovery Channel, The Bureau
of National Affairs (BNA), General Electric/NBC, Charles E. Smith Companies, The
Society of Human Resource Managers (SHRM) and many others. He has also hosted
Mid-Day Money Talk on WRC Radio and Executive Leaders Radio.
John received a Certified Investment Management Analyst ® (CIMA ®) certification
from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He holds an
undergraduate from the University of Maryland with a degree in accounting.
Areas of Expertise: Wealth Management, Financial Planning, Corporate Cash
Management, Exit Planning, Insurance, Stock Options, Executive Benefits and Key
Employee retention, Tax and Estate Planning, Retirement Plans and Hedging
Strategies.
Email: [email protected]
1. Do you have a financial plan that includes the range of values for your
business? Do you know what your number is (how much you have to save to
meet all your goals and objectives)?
2. Do you have golden handcuffs for your key employees? / What are you doing
to attract and retain key talent?
3. Do you have an up to date buy/sell agreement with your partner? Are you
happy with it?
16 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Mark Haas
Co-Founder & CEO, AEG
President and Founder, Research and
Organization Management
Mark helps executives and boards create
powerful strategies, execute with discipline
and make decisions with confidence, impact
and pride. As management consultant for 40
years, he has brought to leaders from commercial, nonprofit and government
organizations perspectives and practices from high-performing organizations and
helps implement mindsets and processes that open new paths to growth.
He leverages experience across industries to integrate organizational
diagnostics, strategy formation, business models and performance management
systems. Clients span biomedical research, manufacturing, social services,
associations, sports, finance, education, energy, defense, professional services,
and trade and membership groups. His work ranges from facilitating a STEM
forum and helping structure WWIV military strategy, to standing up a
management consulting industry in former centrally planned economies and
training Tanzanian government executives in leadership and management.
Mark’s is an award-winning advisor, holds the ISO-accredited Certified
Management Consultant designation, has built two companies, is an expert
witness, current Ethics Officer and former Chair/CEO of the Institute of
Management Consultants USA, and is a quality examiner, facilitator, author, and
international trainer with clients in US, Europe, Asia and Africa. He speaks on
ethics, decision making, business simulation, and strategy. Mark is a graduate of
Colgate and Harvard Universities.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (301) 869-5889
Mobile: (301) 442-5889
1. How do you cascade your strategy through the organization?
2. How are you preparing yourself & team for 2021?
3. What part of your company’s dysfunctions are you personally responsible
for?
17 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Brian S. Meritt
Baltimore Chapter Co-Director
Partner - Tax Services, RSM US LLP
Brian is a Partner with RSM’s Tax Services
Group, specializing in providing leading edge
solutions to solve the multiple compliance
and complex planning needs of
entrepreneurial businesses including private
equity portfolio companies and their
respective owners. He has over 30 years of
experience assisting various businesses,
from entrepreneurs involved with start-up
operations to CFOs responsible for hyper-growth businesses with national
and international operations. He is well-versed in C Corporations, S
Corporations, Partnerships (including LLCs) and Individuals.
Brian has served clients in a wide range of industries, including technology,
life science, alternative fuels, business services, healthcare, automotive,
manufacturing and real estate. He provides clients with responsive service
and multi-disciplinary skills; he creatively develops and implements tax
strategies focused on meeting client objectives and optimizing total tax
liabilities of enterprises and their owners.
Money magazine named Brian as one of the leading financial planners in the
region, and Worth magazine named him as one of the 60 best financial
planners in the nation. In addition, SmartCEO magazine has honored Brian
repeatedly as one of the area’s leading certified public accountants.
Brian has a Master of Science in taxation, University of Baltimore and a
Bachelor of Science in taxation, Bryant University.
Email: [email protected]
Office: 410-246-9123
18 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Ed Mullin
AEG Baltimore Chapter Co-Director
Vice President & CIO, Think Consulting
Ed is Vice President and Chief Information
Officer for Think. He has extensive
experience in leading the teams of Fortune
1000 clients to success, as well as a proven
track record of leading software
development teams that successfully implement solutions to complex
business problems.
In the past, Ed has lead software development teams at Fortune 1000 clients
such as Becton Dickinson, Under Armour, Geico and UPS. As a CTO/Project
Manager/Solution Architect, Ed was responsible for matching business needs
with technical architecture. Ed holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from Loyola
College in Baltimore and has worked at Maryland firms such as UPS-Roadnet,
Becton Dickinson, CMSI, PHH-Element, Catalyst Research, SMC-SAIC,
Hartman Executive Advisory and SC&H Group.
Email: [email protected]
Office: 410-235-3600
Mobile: 410-303-5418
19 www.enterprisegrowth.org
S. Tien Wong
AEG Principal Advisor
Tien Wong is a tech entrepreneur, CEO, and investor.
He is CEO of Opus8, Inc. an investment and strategic
advisory firm which helps raise capital for early
stage and middle market companies, as well as
alternative investment funds (VC, private equity, real
estate, etc.).
He is Founder and Host of the Big Idea CONNECTpreneur Forum, a global
community of over 20,000 founders, CEOs, angels, VCs, and other business
leaders mostly on the East Coast. The community hosts monthly Forums with
upwards of 550 attendees, featuring VIP speakers, exciting presenting
companies, and the best CXO to CXO networking in the region.
Mr. Wong received the 2001 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award
and was inducted into the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of
Fame. He is a 2012 and 2013 Washington Business Journal “Power 100”
selection as one of the region’s most influential leaders, and a 2017, 2018
and 2019 Washingtonian Magazine "Tech Titan." He lectures frequently at
the University of Maryland and Georgetown University where he has been an
Entrepreneur in Residence since 2012.
Mr. Wong's board work includes Maryland Venture Fund Authority;
Montgomery County Economic Development Corp., Northern Virginia
Chamber of Commerce, The Washington Institute; and the Center for
Innovative Technology GAP Fund. In the past, he was Chairman of the
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship’s Executive Leadership Committee;
Trustee of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and on the Boards of the
Maryland Tech Council, Association for Corporate Growth, and the Potomac
Officer's Club. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College.
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: (703) 932-9191
1. Would you like to meet tech CEOs in the mid-Atlantic area?
2. Are you looking to raise capital for your ventures?
3. Is a lack of equity capital holding you back?
20 www.enterprisegrowth.org
AEG DC Advisory Board
21 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Carr, Lyles
SVP, The McCormick Group
Lyles is Senior Vice President of The
McCormick Group (TMG), the largest
Independent executive search consulting
firm based in the Washington metropolitan
area. Lyles represents the company with
business and civic organizations in the
region and nationally.
Lyles believes strongly in civic engagement, having served on more than a
dozen nonprofit boards and advisory councils. Numerous organizations have
recognized him for his commitment to the Washington region. Among the
honors are Leadership Washington’s Volunteer of the Year, the Sister Eymard
Gallagher Award for Corporate Social Responsibility, the Golden Links and
Leader of the Years Awards from The Greater Washington Board of Trade,
and selection as a Washingtonian of the Year by Washingtonian magazine
and to the Washington Business Journal “Power 100”.
The McCormick Group (TMG) conducts searches and provides related
consulting services for clients throughout the United States and
internationally. TMG’s scale and over four decades of experience provide the
ability to respond to client needs for strategic hires from mid-management to
the executive suite across all functional disciplines. Consequently, clients
rely on TMG as a partner to fill critical needs for talent at all levels.
With headquarters in Arlington, VA, TMG also has developed superior
knowledge of the industries, people, and professions that impact the
Washington, DC metropolitan region. In addition, TMG’s extensive
involvement with the business and civic networks of the region provides
significant insight into the area economy.
The unique combination of expertise and engagement positions TMG as a top
recruiter of talent both locally and across the country.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (703) 841-1700 x248
22 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Galvin, Jeff
CEO, American Gene Technologies
Jeff Galvin is the CEO and Founder of
American Gene Technologies™ (AGT). He
earned his BA degree in Economics from
Harvard in 1981 and has more than 30
years of business and entrepreneurial
experience including founder or executive
positions at a variety of Silicon Valley startups. Several of his companies were
taken public and/or sold to public companies, including one in the medical
technology arena that was sold to Varian, the leading maker of linear
accelerators used in cancer therapy. Following his startup experience, he
retired to become an Angel Investor in real estate and high tech. He came out
of retirement to found and fund AGT after meeting Roscoe Brady at NIH.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (301) 337-2108
23 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Gumbinner, Fred
AEG Advisor, President, DC Keiretsu Forum
Mr. Gumbinner is a serial
investor/executive/advisor/capital raiser. He has
been in Micro-Cap Private Equity, Special
Situation and Angel Investing for over thirty years
and formally for over fifteen years. He has
worked in various capacities with hundreds of
early stage and development companies. He has
extensive experience in finance and capital-
raising matters, involving all levels of the capital stack, having participated in over
US$35 billion of successful financings and corporate transactions, ranging from 4Fs,
Angel and Seed funding, creative bridge rounds to IPOs, dispositions or other exits.
In addition to his numerous private investments and high-yielding funding activities,
Mr. Gumbinner has been a consultant and advisor to several early stage technology,
alternative energy, renewable energy, life science, SaaS and real estate ventures,
and has served in an executive capacity or as a board member or advisor to over 75
companies. He currently is a Managing Director of several Private Equity firms and is
the President of the DC Metro Chapter of Keiretsu Forum, the largest and most
prevalent Angel Investor Group on the planet. A couple highlights of his achievements
are serving as President and CEO of an early-stage magnetics company where he
increasing the value of the company by over 1000 fold in four years; structuring
investments that have generating triple digit returns, and serving as VP & GC of an
electricity generation development company that yielded a $400 million return on
$110 million total investment, with an IRR well in excess of 100%.
Mr. Gumbinner received his BA (magna cum laude) from Colgate University and his
JD. degree (magna cum laude and Contributing Editor of the Michigan Law Review)
from The University of Michigan Law School.
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: (703) 577-6696
1. Are you interested in learning about and participating in high-yielding special
situation investment opportunities?
2. Are you concerned about climate change and would investments in projects
that reduce global warming be of importance to you?
3. What is the size of your investment portfolio/ what level of investment you
would feel comfortable with?
24 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Gupta, Anita
Co-Founder & CRO, KiwiTech
In 2009, Anita co-founded KiwiTech, an
innovative firm that has created a unique
eco-system for entrepreneurs to succeed by
supporting their technology development
and investment efforts. The company is
leveraging technology and a proven
entrepreneurial team to develop a range of products and solutions. KiwiTech
is also actively making investments in and partnering with technology
startups.
Anita is part of a sibling entrepreneurial team, with Rakesh and Neal Gupta.
The team founded Aptara in 1989. The company grew to be the largest
publishing services company in the world with over 5500 employees and was
acquired in 2012.
A passion for the entrepreneurial dream led to speaking opportunities at
various conferences and events, including the Society of Physician
Entrepreneur’s National Capital Meeting, FICCI’s Big Data and Analytics
Conclave in New Delhi, and KiwiTech’s Female Founder Demo Day. Anita has
also been featured in the Marietta College’s alumni magazine, Trailblazer.
From Marietta, Ohio, Anita has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from
Marietta College. A deep interest in public and private governance led to a
master’s degree in Public Policy from Harvard University.
Email: [email protected]
1. Do you have technology road map of what you are trying to get done?
2. Are you looking for investment of any kind?
3. Would you be interested in participating in the KiwiTech ecosystem?
25 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Johnson, Beth
CEO, RP3 Agency
Beth Johnson is Founder and CEO of RP3
Agency, an award-winning, 50-person creative
communications agency whose client roster
includes Fortune 500 brands like Norfolk
Southern, Marriott and The Coca-Cola Company,
as well as leading regional brands such as
Children’s National Health System, Giant Food
and Long & Foster.
RP3 has assembled a diverse and talented team of strategists, creatives, and
technologists from some of the top agencies and brands in the business. With
strategy as the GPS, creative as the driver and culture as the fuel, the agency creates
culturally relevant, category-defying campaigns, content and experiences that
strengthen connections between people and brands.
In 2009, Beth launched RP3 with a new agency model to meet the changing needs of
marketers amidst a transformative time in the industry. In addition to leading RP3’s
dramatic growth, Beth is deeply committed to improving the community. She actively
serves on the boards of Junior Achievement of Greater Washington, Leadership
Greater Washington and Greater Washington Board of Trade. She’s Past Chair of
Washington Area Women’s Foundation and a founding member of that organization’s
Together We Lead initiative to increase the representation of women in leadership
and improve opportunities for all women and girls. Beth is an active member of the
Young Presidents’ Organization and the Girl Scouts Women’s Advisory Board. She
was named one of Washington Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business and
is a graduate of Leadership Greater Washington’s Class of 2015.
Email: [email protected]
1. Do you have a comprehensive communications strategy to connect and
engage with your internal and external audiences?
2. Do you always speak with a consistent voice and messaging in every
interaction with your customer?
3. How are you handling your content needs within your organization?
4. Does your communications strategy support your business goals?
5. How are you handling your earned media needs, and do you have a
compelling narrative that moves the needle with key audiences by garnering
coverage in traditional and digital media outlets?
26 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Jordan, Jiemin
Managing Partner of Decisive Investment
Group
Jiemin is a seasoned entrepreneur and an angel
investor. She is a mentor and an investor of
Mach37, a cyber security accelerator.
She was the founder and CEO of Endeavor
Systems, Inc., a cyber security firm providing
products and solutions to US market since 2003.
Endeavor Systems was recognized by
Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the 100 fast growing companies in America.
Over the past nine years, as the CEO of Endeavor Systems, Jiemin has managed the
day-to-day operations and provided the strategic direction for Endeavor’s long-term
growth, which includes building the Endeavor culture, process and the management
team, identifying the technology, product and marketing strategies, and maximizing
earning potentials.
Jiemin has more than 20 years of experience in the IT industry. Prior to Endeavor,
Jiemin had held increasing management responsibilities in the Internet, satellite and
mobile communication industrials. She led the engineering department at Orbcomm,
a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communication company and helped to grow the
organization from 40 people to 400 people. She managed the multiple development
projects for mobile cellular phone communication at Sprint & Nextel. And, she
launched email services offering at VeriSign.
Jiemin received her bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering from Shanghai
Jiaotong University, and completed Master of Computer Science degree at George
Mason University. She is a graduated member of MindShare Executive Management
Program.
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: (703) 728-3002
1. What's your growth and exit strategy?
2. Do you want to go public or do a private reverse buyout?
3. How big is your business/what is your revenue?
27 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Kessler, Joe
Managing Partner, Next-Stage Development
Group
Joe co-founded Next-Stage Development Group
LLC in 2001 to offer investment capital and
hands-on support that brings promising
companies to the “next stage.”
Before this, he spent over 20 years in finance
with his own company, Executive Auto Leasing,
which grew through a strong B2B sales force,
service that ensured customer loyalty, and several acquisitions until merging with
SunTrust Bank. Through his valuable experience as SunTrust SVP and division CEO,
Joe knows business mergers and bank borrowing and lending practices from both
sides of the table.
After leaving SunTrust, he started Next-Stage as its managing partner and later co-
founded three commercial finance companies including Bethesda Funding LLC and
Bluescale Capital LLC (factoring and asset-based lending) to offer creative business
capital solutions to companies not positioned for bank or venture financing.
Past and current board roles include Gold Lasso (marketing and software), Global
Edge Group (oil and gas industry staffing), Cliqued (social media marketing), Personal
Web Assistant Corporation (IT), and MHR Technologies (RFID).
Joe served as a mentor and panelist for the University of Maryland’s Dingman Center
for Entrepreneurship, MIT Enterprise Forum, Wharton School Innovation Summit and
ASM Resources.
Joe is President of the Montgomery Cty Collab Board and founding member of the
Montgomery Cty Students’ Information Technology Foundation (ITF) – which just
means he helps local students with career education. Kessler served as Past
President and Chairman of Premier Homecare, Inc. Joe is also in the music business
as tour manager and co-producer for blues artist Otis Taylor.
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: (301) 466-7400
1. Do you need money to grow your small business to the next stage?
2. Do you need help raising equity or debt?
3. Would it be helpful to discuss your strategy for growth with a fellow
entrepreneur who has "been there"?
28 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Litalien, Ben
Franchise Consultant, Speaker & Educator
A recognized expert in franchising, Ben
offers strategic consultation on network
development and growth, new concept start-
up, supply channel partners and turn-around
planning. His unique involvement in the
social sector coupled with his dissertation
research provides him with unparalleled ability to guide nonprofit leadership
into the franchise arena. The franchise management program at Georgetown
University that Ben created and teaches each semester to nonprofit and
franchise professionals from across the country and around the world is the
only such program offered at a major university in the U.S.
Specialties: Franchise Development and Strategic Management, Nonprofit
Organizational Assessment
Email: [email protected]
Office: 540.657.1427
Mobile: 540.845.2885
29 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Niggel, Michael
Co-Founder & CEO, Advanced Concepts and
Technologies International, L.L.C. (ACT I)
As CEO of ACT I, Mr. Niggel sets the firm’s strategic
direction leading enterprise growth initiatives, overseeing
successful delivery of ACT I programs, and guiding
enterprise value, governance, and employee satisfaction.
He also directs the firm’s Joint Venture Partnerships to
ensure customer satisfaction.
Mr. Niggel’s program management experience spans 35 years providing
program/financial management and contract negotiations support for complex DoD
programs, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) cases.
Before founding ACT I, Mr. Niggel served as a VP/Operations Manager of SAIC’s
Technical/Business Solutions Operation providing support to the Secretary of
Defense’s Office on the National Defense Panel and overseeing 3 acquisition
Divisions supporting the Armed Services.
He served as a Presidential Management Intern in the Reagan Administration (1983-
86) with the Air Force and OSD.
He is a member of the Ronald Reagan Institute’s National Leadership Council, and
on the Board of Directors of Professional Service Council (PSC), the National Defense
Industrial Association (NDIA) and the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.
He is a Board Advisor to the Association of Enterprise Growth (AEG), the Cyber Bytes
Foundation, and is a member of the Small and Emerging Contractor Advisory Forum
(SECAF).
Mr. Niggel earned an MPA in Financial and Policy Analysis from Indiana University
and holds a BA with Distinction in Political Science and History from Hendrix College.
He is a graduate of the Defense Systems Management College Program Manager’s
Course (DAU PM Level III).
Email: [email protected]
Office: 703-418-0636
Mobile: 310-721-6077
1. Describe your firm's customers and how your firm has customer intimacy.
2. Describe what discriminators your firm has from its competitors.
3. Describe how you believe your firm measures enterprise value. 4. Who are your unofficial advisors/who do you call for advice on any topic?
30 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Puri, Amit
Former CEO, Ingenicomm
Executive with strong general management
experience including engineering, program
management, and business development.
Proven track record of consistently
increasing market share by entering new
markets, cultivating customer relationships
resulting in superior financial growth, and commercializing technology
products. Strategy focused with strong leadership skills and effective in
leading change in a competitive market. Maintains the highest level of ethics.
Specialties: Business Development (Gov Contracting - DoD, Civil and IC),
Strategy Formulation and Execution, General Management, Product
Management, ITAR Specialist, M&A Specialist.
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: (703) 943-7236
1. Are you looking to enhance or grow an advisory board?
2. Do you need help creating a balance within your business in terms of
value capture and value creation?
3. Do you need help in commercializing products if you are a services
organization or vice versa?
4. Do you need help in making your company more attractive to the
capital markets?
31 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Shoemaker, Tom
CEO Advisor | Executive Coaching | Vistage
Chair
My mission in life, both personally and
professionally, is to have a positive impact on
every person I meet. Having been a CEO for over
12 years, and with nearly 30 years of executive
experience in companies ranging from small
businesses to large public companies, I thrive on
helping CEOs and key executives in their journeys to become better leaders, make
better decisions, and deliver better results.
I’m thankful for many rewarding business experiences throughout my career,
especially the last 8+ years as CEO of Phacil, Inc. Growing the company from a very
small business to over $140M in revenue was a great ride. After leading the
conversion of Phacil to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in 2016, we
successfully sold the company to a private equity firm in 2019. Prior to Phacil, I held
CEO or executive management positions in several small businesses and large
technology firms, including nearly 20 years at AT&T Bell Laboratories in various roles
including Vice President/Director/Department Head.
Coaching has always been a passion. Whether coaching seasoned CEOs or young
aspiring leaders, I strive to empower and build confidence in people so they can
create value for themselves and their employees. Helping them realize their full
potential and achieve their dreams has been the most rewarding work of my career.
In my current role as a Vistage Chair, I invite executives and business owners to step
away from their day-to-day duties to connect with other leaders and gain outside
perspectives in a safe and confidential setting. We roll up our sleeves to work
through their most significant issues and opportunities.
There are openings in my Vistage group. If you’re in the Fairfax/Tyson’s Corner area
and are searching for help to rapidly grow your business, let’s talk about your goals.
Email: [email protected]
1. Are you running a company between $5-150 million in revenue?
2. Are you the CEO or business owner of the company?
3. Are you within a 15-mile radius from Tysons?
32 www.enterprisegrowth.org
AEG Baltimore Advisory Board
33 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Ávila, Marco
Director, WSP USA
Marco Avila is experienced in providing
engineering and program management
services for major infrastructure projects in
the public and private sector, including
transit, highways, bridges, Public-Private
Partnership and telecommunications. He
has served as program manager for mega projects overseeing quality
assurance, quality control for the development of procurement processes,
procedures and overall program/project coordination. He has served as third
party program manager coordinator on a mega P3 project. As a program
manager, Marco has developed new procurement processes and procedures
as well as new templates/checklists and worked directly with the client to
make sure the QA/QC process is implemented. These templates include
Invitation for Bids (IFB) and Request for Proposals (RFP) for construction,
maintenance and service contracts, and Request for Qualification (RFQ). By
standardizing these templates, the client was able to reduce the procurement
process drastically. He has a consistent track record of cost-effective project
delivery under demanding circumstances. He has served as Project Engineer
for the design of a variety of highway improvements where his responsibilities
included the development of plans for utility agreements, right-of-way (ROW),
geometrics, and maintenance of traffic. He has experience in bridge
inspection services for a variety of structure types. He has managed fast-
track telecommunications construction projects, where his responsibilities
included coordination of ROW activities, performance of feasibility studies,
development of route alternates, and production of construction documents.
Marco has extensive experience using a web base secure Internet-based
collaboration tool that allows project teams of all sizes to communicate easily
regardless of their location.
Marco has strong interpersonal and project management skills, strong
computer skills, fluent in Spanish and speaks Portuguese.
Email: [email protected] Office: 410-385-4168
34 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Cornish, Tasha
Executive Director, Cybersecurity Assn. of
Maryland, Inc. (CAMI)
At CAMI, we provide the education,
resources and connections to foster a cyber
aware and cyber secure Maryland.
The Cybersecurity Association of Maryland,
Inc. (CAMI) is a statewide, 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization established in
2015. CAMI is Maryland's only organization dedicated 100% to the growth of
Maryland's cybersecurity industry.
Strategy: Connect MD cybersecurity companies with businesses and
government entities seeking cybersecurity products and services. Connect
cybersecurity job seekers in Maryland and beyond with MD cybersecurity jobs
as well as with MD resources for gaining the skills, education and
certifications needed for jobs of interest. Create and share resources to
entities in need of cybersecurity guidance, expertise or awareness. Provide
subject matter experts through our Speakers Bureau for partners requiring
training, panelists, conference facilitators or keynote speakers.
Email: [email protected] Office: 443-376-8667
35 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Davis, George
Executive VP Strategic Advisory, Evergreen
Advisors
George is an Executive Vice President, in
Evergreen Advisors's Strategic Advisory practice.
He is well-known for his successes in investing,
building and managing biotech, IT, and software
companies, often from the start-up stage. Prior
to Evergreen he completed a 2-year tenure as
Executive Director and CEO of Maryland’s Technology Development Corporation
(TEDCO), the State’s Technology Transfer, Innovation Development and Venture
Investing Platform. Prior to that role, George was a Partner in Gamma3 LLC, a
Maryland based investment platform which provides early-stage financing to locally
based startups. Under his guidance, Gamma3 has invested in several Maryland
based portfolio companies that cover a broad spectrum of life science and
cybersecurity early-stage opportunities. He also served as the CEO of one of
Gamma3’s portfolio companies, Gemstone Biotherapeutics LLC, a Baltimore-based
research and development company founded in conjunction with Johns Hopkins
University to develop innovative, high-efficiency, evidenced-based wound care
solutions.
With over 30 years of management experience, having served in various C-level
positions, including President and CEO of publicly traded companies, George offers a
broad range of experience and business acumen. Over the course of his career, he
has helped secure over $1.5B in capital for several technology sector companies
including leading several public offerings. He is also recognized for his executive
leadership abilities. From 1996 to 2003, he served as the President and Vice
Chairman and led the public offering of Aether Systems, an early pioneer of mobile
and wireless data computing. In 2006, he became the CEO of Avatech Solutions, a
publicly traded company specializing in Computer-Aided Design Software sales and
support and he led the merger of the company with Rand Worldwide in 2010,
doubling the size of the business. Prior to his roles at Aether and Avatech, George
was a director of enterprise management systems at Northrop Grumman Corporation
and managed advanced military electronic development and production projects at
Westinghouse Electric Corporation. He has also served on various advisory boards for
locally based early-stage technology companies.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 410-997-6000
36 www.enterprisegrowth.org
DiGiacomo, Mike
Executive Director, Governor's Workforce
Investment Board
For more than 20 years, Mike worked as a
business development and sales executive
in the IT market. Focusing on business
expansion, he specialized in building sales
teams, channel programs, and
implementation teams. Transitioning into the commodities market, Mike
continued to build, manage, and mentor his sales team while finding
meaningful solutions for his clients.
Throughout his work, Mike developed the skills necessary to successfully and
sustainably grow a business. As a result, he has a vast understanding of both
the sales and implementation aspects of business within the markets of both
goods and services, as well as strong business relationships across the
country.
The Governor's Workforce Investment Board (GWIB) is the Governor's chief
policy-making body for workforce development. The GWIB is a business-led
board of 53 members, which includes the Governor, Lieutenant Governor,
cabinet secretaries, college presidents, the State Superintendent of Schools,
elected officials, the business community, labor, and representatives of non-
profit organizations. The GWIB is responsible for developing policies and
strategies to form a coordinated workforce system from a variety of
education,employment and training programs to provide opportunities for all
Marylanders to succeed in the 21st century workforce.
Email: [email protected]
Office: 410-767-2408
37 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Gill, Mike
Chairman, Evergreen Advisors
Mike Gill serves as Chairman of Evergreen
Advisors, LLC. Mike is a business leader with four
decades of experience as an entrepreneur, a
veteran of large technology firms, and a public
servant.
He was tapped by Governor Larry Hogan to lead the Maryland Department of
Commerce in January 2015 and the led the department until 2019.
Previously, Mike founded Hoyt Capital, an investment and advisory firm
serving startups and growth companies. He also founded First Page, which
was acquired by Metrocall; served as chairman of Curtis Engine, a Baltimore
power generator company; and was chairman of Bluefire Security
Technologies, a mobile cybersecurity developer, from 2006 to 2008. In
1981, Mike founded AMERICOM, a Baltimore-based provider of cellular
products and services to businesses in the area. Under his leadership,
AMERICOM expanded nationwide with more than 1,200 employees and
annual revenue topping $70 million in 2000, when it was acquired by
Solectron. Mike remained with the electronics manufacturer as a business
development executive until 2003. Earlier in his career, he spent time in
sales and marketing at IBM, as Director of Data Systems in the mid-Atlantic
region for Ernst & Young, and with American Teleservices, the majority
shareholder of Cellular One.
Mike served on the University System of Maryland Board of Regents from
2004 to 2009, heading the audit committee and technology transfer and
commercialization workgroup. His past and present board memberships also
include the Calvert Hall Board of Trustees, Baltimore County Economic
Development Commission, St. Joseph's Medical Center, Bay National Bank,
and Towson University of Board of Visitors. He is also a member of the
President's Advisory Board at Clemson University.
Email: [email protected]
Office: 410-997-6000
Mobile: 410-382-3380
38 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Rosendale, Marty
CEO, Maryland Tech Council
Martin is the Chief Executive Officer of the
Maryland Tech Council, a partner with
Newport LLC, and a partner at WMCS
Investments. An engineer turned
microbiologist and industry leader, Martin is
passionate about the human and business
value of technology, life sciences, and biotechnology. A five-time CEO and
twice company founder, his experience spans public, private and not-for-profit
businesses. He has launched, branded, acquired or commercialized more
than 10 products and companies. Over 30 years of experience, and a strong
drive to achieve and help, enable Martin to work through complexity toward
insight and solutions to grow businesses.
Martin has raised equity capital for public and private companies and non-
dilutive capital through strategic partnerships. He led a biotherapeutics
company through a period of hyper growth taking the company from first sale
to $200 million in annual revenue in three years. He worked with the Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services to establish Medicare reimbursement for
a complex product category. He also facilitated the merger of the two largest
technology industry organizations in Maryland, forming the Maryland Tech
Council and strengthening its industry presence.
Email: [email protected]
Office: 301-893-4721
Mobile: 301-300-5752
39 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Sadowski, Tom
Vice Chancellor for Economic Development,
University System of Maryland
Tom has 30-years in the economic
development profession. His work has
focused on growing and attracting
companies, talent recruitment, workforce
and infrastructure development,
public/private partnerships and creating programs supporting innovation,
tech commercialization and entrepreneurship.
His career projects exceed $10 billion in value and 50,000 jobs; these
include the 2005 BRAC win for Aberdeen Proving Ground and numerous HQ,
R&D lab and industrial projects for major public and private sector clients.
His work spans all industry sectors, to include aerospace, autonomous
systems, bio-health, cybersecurity, data-science, energy, manufacturing, ed-
tech, finance, and global logistics and transportation.
Tom is active on many boards related to business, economic development,
public policy, science, health, technology and education.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 410-576-5742
40 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Wilson, Alicia
Vice President for Economic Development,
Johns Hopkins University
Alicia Wilson is vice president for economic
development for The Johns Hopkins University and
the Johns Hopkins Health System. In this role, she
leads the institution-wide Office of Economic
Development and builds on Johns Hopkins’ strategy and initiatives as an anchor
institution in and around Baltimore. She focuses on issues including economic
development, neighborhood revitalization, civic engagement and community
partnerships.
Since 2016, Ms. Wilson has led economic development, community engagement and
impact investment strategies for the Port Covington Development Team. She served
as vice president of community affairs and legal adviser at Sagamore Development
Company, and then was senior vice president of impact investments and senior legal
counsel for Port Covington. Prior to her work with the Port Covington Development
Team, Ms. Wilson spent eight years as a litigation partner at Gordon Feinblatt LLC.
Her accomplishments and public service include receiving numerous awards and
honors, such as the Whitney M. Young Jr. Award from the Greater Baltimore Urban
League and a Distinguished Women Award from the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland,
each in 2019. Also that year, Forbes magazine profiled Ms. Wilson as the “black
millennial lawyer making Michelle Obama more accessible to Baltimore’s youth,” and
Savoy magazine named her one of the most influential women in corporate America.
In late 2018, the National Business Journal featured Ms. Wilson as one of the
nation’s top 50 influencers under age 40, and Black Enterprise produced a feature
highlighting her economic development work.
Ms. Wilson graduated from Baltimore’s Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High
School, where she was class valedictorian, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in
political science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and a Juris
Doctor from the University of Maryland.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 410-340-7794
41 www.enterprisegrowth.org
AEG DC Elite Advisors
42 www.enterprisegrowth.org
The AEG
Advisory Ecosystem
AEG is more than just a traditional “network.” A network is a collection of elements,
while an ecosystem represents a dynamic interaction between elements. This
interaction is the source of unique value to members and businesses. The availability
of complementary capabilities in every area a business needs to grow, exit and build
personal wealth is available to a business leader. Furthermore, the ecosystem grows
stronger through member interaction and joint projects, giving members the
opportunity to learn new perspectives and capabilities.
43 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Ainsworth, Ron
Principal, Boustead & Company Limited
Ron E. Ainsworth has been involved in Mergers &
Acquisitions, Capital Markets, Financial
Restructuring, and Business Valuations for over
thirty-five years. Mr. Ainsworth’s career
experience encompasses 400+ domestic and
cross-border transactions totaling over $15
billion in value across an array of industries,
including food services, healthcare,
manufacturing, apparel, and technology. Ron
currently is a Principal of Boustead & Company Limited, focusing on providing
mergers & acquisitions and capital markets advisory to the middle market.
Previously, as CEO of Trenwith Securities, Inc., he partnered with BDO and grew
Trenwith’s footprint to over 135 offices across 110 countries. Ron ran Trenwith BDO
for 10 years, during which he worked with his partners in Latin America, Canada,
India, and China to develop an international M&A and Corporate Finance business.
During this period the firm conducted hundreds of transactions with prominent
Fortune 500 companies and established relationships with a variety of international
capital providers. After selling Trenwith Securities, Inc. in 2008, Ron pursued various
personal investments, detailed below:
In 2017, Mr. Ainsworth completed the acquisition of a minority interest in Gussing
Renewable Energy America. Gussing Renewable Energy is a carbon recycling
business headquartered in Vienna Austria and has power plants in Thailand, Japan,
Austria, and the USA.
Email: [email protected]
1. In the last year or two have you ever considered a liquidity event with your
company? --> If yes, do you have a succession plan/ what would it be?
2. If you were to sell your company, have you thought about how much it would
have to generate for you to maintain the lifestyle you have today?
3. If you were to sell your business, have you looked at the tax issues?
4. Have you ever talked to your attorney about a potential liquidity event?
5. Do you have a need for additional capital?
44 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Altman, Gary
Principal, Altman & Associates
Gary Altman, Esq. is the Founder and Principal
Attorney of the estate planning law firm, Altman
& Associates, where he has been serving the
Washington metropolitan area for more than 30
years. His legal practice is dedicated to all
aspects of estate law: estate, tax and charitable
planning; business succession and exit planning;
special needs planning; asset protection strategies; reformation of irrevocable trusts
and failed estate plans; trust beneficiary and fiduciary representation; trust and
probate administration; and fiduciary litigation.
A nationally recognized estate, legacy and business planning authority, Gary’s
“outstanding expertise, trustworthiness and commitment to his clients’ needs” has
earned him repeated recognition by Washingtonian magazine and Northern Virginia
magazine as among the DC region’s “Best Estate Planners.” He has also been
honored as a “Top 100 Attorney” by Worth magazine and likewise recognized as a
Maryland and Washington, DC “Super Lawyer.”
As a trusted legal analyst, Gary has lent his expertise and authored articles for a wide
range of media outlets including: The Washington Post, The NY Times, The Journal of
Financial Advisors, The Wall Street Journal, Northern Virginia Magazine, and
CNN. Gary has taught various estate planning courses to attorneys, accountants and
financial planners. He is currently on the board of Hope Connections for Cancer
Support. In 2015, he was a member of Leadership Montgomery’s Core Program.
Gary graduated from NYU Law School (JD, 1980) and Georgetown University (LLM
(Tax), 1990). He writes an estate planning blog at altmanassociates.net. Altman &
Associates’ main office is in Rockville, MD, with offices in Columbia, Frederick and
Annapolis, MD, as well as D.C. and Northern Virginia.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (301) 468-3220
1. When was the last time you did your estate plan?
2. Do you have any concerns about someone taking your children's inheritance
from them after you die?
3. Are you worried that your child is going to marry the wrong person?
4. Are you worried for yourself or your family members about lawsuits?
45 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Appelbaum, Joe
CEO, Potomac Companies and Founding
Sponsor, Executive Leaders Radio
Joe founded Potomac Insurance in 1990 with
one guiding principle: to build relationships with
clients, to exceed their expectations by providing
exemplary service, support, and expertise, and to
become the comprehensive source for clients’
employee benefits needs. He has been an insurance practitioner for over 35 years
and his experience in and knowledge of the employee benefits industry affords
clients a unique and innovative approach to employee benefit selection. Joe is a
subject matter expert on controlling healthcare costs, PPACA (healthcare reform), and
HR issues. He speaks frequently at various trade association conferences and SHRM
functions across the country. Joe is the thought leader, advisor, and chief analytics
officer for all his clients.
Joe is a lifelong entrepreneur and started his first business at the age of 13 in
Manalapan, New Jersey. He is an active member of the Association for Enterprise
Growth (AEG) and is a founding sponsor of Executive Leaders Radio. Joe enjoys
helping other CEOs and local business owners connect and collaborate with fellow
leaders and is a longtime philanthropist for the Brain Tumor Society and Leukemia &
Lymphoma Society. Joe attended Carnegie Mellon University and graduated from
Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (301) 674-1429
Mobile: (301) 591 8411
1. How much earlier would you like to receive your insurance renewals?
2. If you didn't need to take a medical exam and you could have more life and
disability insurance, how much more would you like?
3. How many different systems does your company use for their HR, payroll,
insurance benefits, and retirement?
4. How many different logins are you using? Would you like it all in one?
5. If you could put away more money for retirement than the current limits, how
much more would you like to put away each year?
6. Do you know that the national average for health insurance increases has been
approximately 6% each year for the past decade? Did you average more? Would
you like to be less than the national average?
46 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Berman, Beth
CEO and Founder, Compellications
Pro EOS Implementer
Beth, an internationally recognized Speaker and
Facilitator, loves optimizing leaders and teams. A
Certified EOS® – The Entrepreneurial Operating
System Implementer, Beth helps entrepreneurial
companies gain the traction needed for growth
and scale. Using this proven system, Beth helps
leaders get clear on where they are going; execute on their vision with discipline and
accountability; and create healthy, open, cohesive leadership teams.
Despite her tiny size, Beth commands the attention of even the toughest room with
her charm, command, and insight. This powerful presence has been honed over
years of facilitating; for her own companies, for clients, and for peer groups.
After a successful career in B-to-B Sales and Marketing, exceeding quotas for the
company’s top multi-million dollar accounts, Beth left to do what she was meant to
do – facilitate. As Partner in a Recruiting and Job Search Coaching business, she
helped her company navigate the complexities of a post-Financial Crisis business
landscape.
Beth launched her consultancy, Compellications™, to help entrepreneurial
companies craft their messaging and align their teams. Now, Beth is on a mission to
bring EOS®, and her communications/team building skills to help growth-driven
leaders create better businesses and reclaim their lives.
Beth has delivered highly rated, dynamic presentations and workshops to Vistage,
Wells Fargo, XPX, Entrepreneurs Organization (EO), National Association for
Entrepreneurs and Business Owners (NABOE), COO Forum, CEO Focus, and
numerous conferences, leadership seminars and client organizations.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (240) 560-8946
1. How would you rate your meetings-all - leaders, staff, managers, customers
(on a scale of 1-10)?
2. Do you have a clear plan for getting where you want to go (and is everyone
executing on that)?
3. How certain are you that when you give someone in your company
something to do, it will get done correctly without anyone intervening?
47 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Birmingham, Guillermo
Partner, B2BCFO
Guillermo A. Birmingham, CPA/CGMA has over
35 years of experience in financial management,
taxes, accounting within the private sector,
nonprofits, government, and UN organizations.
As a partner of B2B CFO®, he provides Strategic
Management Advisory services to owners of
privately held companies.
In his practice he focuses on increasing cash and company value by helping business
owners achieve improvements in finance, accounting operations, company growth,
as well as exit strategies to transfer or sell their companies.
Guillermo is a highly decorated retired US Air Force Colonel with postings throughout
the world. Prior to his retirement from the USAF, Guillermo rose to be assigned as the
Chief Financial Officer of a $2 billion per year quality of life operation at the
Pentagon. He also served 3 years as Director of Administration of the World Health
Organization’s America Region office overseeing Finance, Information Technology,
Procurement, and Human Resources.
He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the
Greater Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants. Guillermo currently
serves on the Audit and Finance Committee of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS,
Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Previously he served as the Board Treasurer of Ayuda Inc.,
providing legal services to DC immigrant communities; Chair of Express
Microfinanzas SAS, which provides small business micro loan products.
Mr. Birmingham has native fluency in both Spanish and English. He holds a Master of
Science Degree in Accounting and certifications as Certified Public Accountant,
Chartered Global Management Accountant and Certified Business Transition
Expert™.
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: (202) 230-2225
1. What are your thoughts about the ideal sale or transfer of your company?
2. What are the risks of your company staying where it’s today?
3. How will you benefit personally, if you get where you want it to be?
48 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Durrer, Tom
Sr. VP, Atlantic Union Bank
Tom Durrer is a Senior Vice President who is
a commercial loan officer providing financial
solutions to businesses in the Washington
D.C. area. Tom knows who he wants to serve
– mid- sized businesses, real estate
developers and investors, as well as
consumers in the mid-Atlantic market. By staying focused on our market, our
customers, and our products, Xenith knows we will be better than anyone
else at the things that help our customers prosper. There’s nothing wishy-
washy about our mission and that is what makes us unique.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (571) 405-2682
Mobile: (703) 966-5962
1. How are you funding yourself?
2. Do you have any pain points with your bank?
3. When is the last time you've had your banking relationship renewed?
49 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Fell, Deborah
Area Managing Partner & CMO
Chief Outsiders | Outsourced CMOs
Deborah is Partner & CMO at Chief Outsiders, the
nation’s largest firm providing Chief Marketing
Officer level expertise to middle-market
companies on a part-time, project, or interim
basis.
Deborah has 25+ years of hands-on operational
marketing and executive experience. She has insight and expertise growing both
business-to-business and business-to-consumer operations across numerous
industries through her corporate and consulting background in industries including
healthcare, hospitality, restaurants, fitness, entertainment, retail & commercial
design, commercial parking, water and hygiene solutions and higher education.
In addition to her personal expertise, Deborah has access to over 70 seasoned
marketing executives on the Chief Outsiders roster which she can match with specific
client needs to bring instant talent and deep expertise, backed by the knowledge of
the entire Chief Outsiders tribe to accelerate market growth. With her network of
associates, she can support any industry’s marketing challenge.
Deborah’s past roles have included Senior Vice President of Global Marketing
Strategy for Marriott International, Division Manager for AT&T and Senior Product
Leader for Ecolab. Deborah holds her undergraduate and MBA degrees from George
Washington University, and resides in Bethesda, MD.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (240) 494-6404
1. What are your growth goals? / Where are you trying to take the company?
2. What are the challenges/obstacles to get you to where you want to be?
3. How long have you been dealing with these challenges?
4. What have you tried in the past?
5. What’s your sense of the marketing playbooks for your portfolio companies?
6. How would you assess the productivity of your marketing team and spend?
50 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Ghais, Aaron
Shareholder, Shulman Rogers
Business owners, CEOs, and investors turn
to Aaron Ghais when they need an attorney
who can help them get a deal done, whether
it’s buying, selling, or financing a business.
Aaron specializes in representing mid-
market companies that aspire to grow
through acquisitions, while also helping business owners maximize value
when they sell their companies.
Aaron’s clients benefit from his ability to lead them successfully through the
M&A process using his creative problem-solving skills, well-honed business
sense, and results-oriented style. As a former “big firm” lawyer who now
serves as Chair of Shulman Rogers’ M&A Practice and Co-Chair of the Firm’s
Business and Financial Services Department, Aaron leverages the knowledge
gained through 25 years of successfully completing complex transactions to
accomplish his clients’ objectives and overcome their legal and business
challenges.
Aaron has a national practice representing corporate, venture capital, and
private equity clients in connection with a variety of transactional and
securities matters across a wide range of industries. These include mergers,
acquisitions, dispositions, exchanges, and joint ventures, as well as venture
capital financings, securities offerings, debt financings, recapitalizations and
other strategic transactions.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (301) 255-0557
1. Are you looking to sell your business or grow it through acquisitions?
2. Do you have any plans to seek debt or equity financing for your
business?
3. Do you or your business need legal advice of any kind? How happy
are you with your current business attorney?
51 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Halpin, Ryan
Partner - Audit Services, RSM US LLP
Ryan has over 12 years of public accounting
experience, specializing in the audits and
reviews of publicly traded companies and
commercial clients primarily in the
technology, media and telecom (TMT), life
science and government contracting sectors.
Ryan has extensive experience working with complex, fast-growing and highly
acquisitive companies that are generally venture capital, growth capital or
private equity backed.
Ryan has assisted his clients with a variety of critical issues, including
revenue recognition, business combinations, complex lease transactions,
stock-based compensation, debt modifications, asset impairment
considerations and complex financial instruments such as convertible debt
and warrants.
Ryan has a strong understanding of the investment life cycle and is
accustomed to building strong working relationships with investors ranging
from venture and growth capital to private equity funds. He works closely with
clients, delivering advice and consultation regarding complex accounting
matters, and ensuring adherence to audit schedules and deadlines. He is
responsible for work performed by the audit team and for maintaining open
lines of communication with the entire engagement team.
He is a CPA and received his BS in business administration, with a
concentration in accounting, from Longwood University
Email: [email protected]
Office: (703) 336-6529
1. Where are you now and where do you want to be?
2. What obstacles are in the way of you getting to where you want to be?
52 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Huey, Rob
CPA, President, Huey & Associates, PC
Robert D. Huey, CPA graduated Summa Cum
Laude in 1981 from the University of
Delaware. Rob began his professional
accounting career at Coopers & Lybrand
(now Price Waterhouse Coopers) before
joining his father and grandfather at Huey &
Associates in 1985.
Rob brings a current understanding of sophisticated tax and estate planning
as well as a broad knowledge of accounting and tax laws as they apply to
businesses, non-profit organizations and individuals.
Huey & Associates, PC, with offices in Bethesda and Herndon, serves over
2,000 clients with varying tax needs. The firm holds itself to the highest
professional standards of service and is actively involved in the local
community and professional organizations.
For individuals or companies looking for trusted and personalized tax advice
and preparation, bookkeeping, audits, financial reviews, compilation services,
estate planning, or general business advice, Huey and Associates, P.C. will
gladly meet and exceed your needs. For over 95 years our professional staff
of 10+ CPAs (and growing) have provided valuable services to help our clients
achieve their professional and personal goals. The firm takes great pride in
helping and watching our clients grow, prosper, and become successful in
their fields. We look forward to talking to you to see how we can be of service.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (301) 951-3744
Website: http://hueyassociates.com
1. How does the new tax reform act affect you?
2. How confident are you that you are taking advantage of the tax laws
to their fullest extent?
53 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Jordan, Katie
Principal, Verasolve
Katie Jordan joined Verasolve as the Vice
President of Business Development in
2013. Since then, Katie has successfully led
the strategic business efforts for the firm
and demonstrated her ability to help clients
exceed their revenue goals and increase
market share. Specific clients include $50M
and $300M construction companies,
multiple mid-size government contracting companies, independent wealth
management firms, and professional services firms. Katie has also played an
integral role in shaping and leading Verasolve’s operational initiatives. The
combination of these achievements and her proven leadership skills led to
Katie being named as a Principal of the firm in January 2015.
She has more than 10 years of experience in business to business sales and
operations across a number of industries, and is responsible for developing
and leading the growth strategies of the firm throughout the Washington, DC
metropolitan area. Before joining Verasolve, Katie was a Senior Consultant
for Paychex, Inc., the leading SMB payroll provider, where she helped
hundreds of small-to-mid-size companies operate more efficiently.
Because of her diverse background, Katie understands the challenges facing
business owners across private, public, government, not for profit, and
boutique operations. Katie earned her BS in Business Management from the
University of Maryland, College Park.
Katie gives back when she can and has spearheaded a local Toys for Tots
campaign for her friends, family, and clients for several years. She has also
volunteered her time at Potomac Horse Center’s Therapeutic Riding Program
and worked with underprivileged adolescents in Burton Snowboard
Company’s Chill Program.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (301) 708-1671
54 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Katz, Stephanie
Founder, CETA Benefit Consulting Group
Stephanie D. Katz is the President and Founder
of CETA Benefit Consulting Group, LLC (CETA).
She has over thirty years of experience in the
design, implementation, and administration of
human resource and employee benefit programs
and has worked for a variety of firms including:
ADP Benefit Services, T. Rowe Price, Ernst &
Young, and Coopers & Lybrand.
Since 1997, CETA has provided a wide range of specialty consulting services to
clients of all sizes across business sectors including: commercial, non-profit, and
government. The consultants have broad, multi-disciplinary experience which assures
that best thinking and analysis are brought to meet client needs and objectives.
Active in professional organizations, Stephanie serves on the National Board of WEB
(Worldwide Employee Benefit Network), is President of the Board of Directors for The
Arc Montgomery County, and Communications Chair and Board Member of the
Greater Washington Chapter of the Brandeis National Committee. She has served on
the Board of the American Society of Pension Actuaries, Programming Committee for
the HR Leadership Forum, and is a charter member of XPX DC Metro. In June 2018,
Stephanie received the Joseph Wharton award which recognizes Wharton alums who
have contributed significantly to their profession and community.
Born and raised in New Orleans, Stephanie received a BA in Psychology from
Brandeis University and an MBA with a concentration in Insurance from The Wharton
School of the University of Pennsylvania. Also, she is an Enrolled Retirement Plan
Agent, Certified Pension Consultant, Qualified Pension Administrator, and Resident
Broker for Life/Accident and Health.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (301) 881-8883
Mobile: (240) 432-0163
1. What challenges or issues are keeping you up at night with respect to your
employees?
1. Describe your current company culture. And, is this what you would like it to
be?
2. Are you losing employees that you may not want to lose, or are you having
trouble hiring employees with the right skill sets?
3. How compliant are your HR programs and benefits with federal, state, and
local laws and regulations?
55 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Meza, Scott
Shareholder, GreenbergTraurig
Scott Meza has more than 25 years of
experience assisting businesses in complex
transactions such as mergers, acquisitions,
spin-offs of public and private companies,
and sophisticated equity and debt financings
and recapitalizations.
Scott’s broad industry experience includes managing transactions for
technology-based companies as well as companies operating in highly
regulated environments like government contracting, telecommunications,
and health care.
Representative transactions include stock-for-stock combinations, cash-out
mergers, tender and exchange offers, management buyouts, stock and asset
purchases, distressed company acquisitions (e.g., bankruptcy auctions),
corporate spin-offs and divestitures, and corporate governance matters.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (703) 903-7587
56 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Mukhi, Manish
Financial Advisor, Ameriprise Financial
Services
As an Ameriprise financial advisor, Manish
believes success should be measured not
just by your financial well-being, but by how
confident you feel about your future. His
mission is to help you reach your financial
goals through a personal relationship based on personalized, knowledgeable
advice. This focus is designed to help you reach your goals, giving you greater
confidence.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (301) 634-5580
57 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Nani, Silvana
Principal and Chief Innovation Officer, Korabi
Consulting
Insightful growth Advisor & Coach and M&A
strategy advisor adept at helping business
owners build and grow a sellable business and
guide them through the ultimate finish line – a
successful business and personal exit. As a
seasoned business executive, IT entrepreneur,
and M&A strategy advisor I focus my practice on value creation, growth strategies
and exit planning. I have an in-depth knowledge of current technology and acquisition
trends in GovCon IT, Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence sectors. A recognized
leader of technology innovation, I led market expansion programs with Booz Allen
Hamilton, The Software Revolution Inc. (TSRI), and Fortune 1000 companies as well
as technology startups.
My expertise is grounded and laser focused on developing the right value creation or
growth strategy, guiding leadership teams to execute that strategy, and delivering
value to the stakeholders and shareholders. I drive new opportunities and lead
higher profits, solid results, and innovation. The value I bring to C-Suite leadership is
a practical, cost-effective and best-fit approach, from guidance on capital, mergers
and acquisition, launching and exiting businesses and market expansion– it is my job
to share my experiences and expertise to move you and your business forward.
My roles are tangible with critical underpinning to proactively plan founders' exit with
the ultimate goal to increase exit value. Currently I am working on a growing portfolio
of expansion stage technology companies developing most advanced products and
services in the health and financial industry.
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 301-502-6867
1. If we were meeting 5 years from now looking back on what has happened
professionally and personally
a. What has happened for you to feel happy about the progress?
b. What obstacles have you met in achieving your goals?
c. If the obstacles were eliminated what opportunities would
transpire?
d. What were the strengths that would maximize the results?
58 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Nolan, John
SaaS CFO
John Nolan is an accomplished strategic,
finance and operational executive who
assists growth-stage companies primarily in
the D.C. metro area. He is an expert at
creating the financial infrastructure
(forecasting, pricing, team building and
reporting) for software and other subscription-based service providers. He
has been recognized as a CFO of the Year finalist by the Washington
Business Journal, and his work and career have been featured by the
Washington Post. His insights on costing work have been featured in the
Harvard Business Review press book, Competing on Analytics.
John has also offered his expertise to multiple charitable organizations
including serving on the advisory boards of So Others Might Eat and
Imagination Stage, and as the current board chair of the Center for Inspired
Teaching.
John currently serves as the CFO of iControl Data Systems, a leader in SaaS
software and payment processing enabling improved execution and
profitability for distributors, retailers and restaurants. He formerly served as
CFO of Determine, Inc., a NASDAQ Traded enterprise SaaS company.
Determine provided contract management, sourcing and procure to pay
products and services. There he raised $20m in equity and debt, quadrupled
analyst coverage and led the process that resulted in a successful sale of the
company.
John also served as President, Chief Operating Officer and CFO for Quadel
Consulting Corporation. John also served as VP of Finance for MCI
Communications, where he ran the Corporate Finance group and led the
process to sell the firm to Verizon.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (301) 816-4490
Mobile: (202) 341-4245
59 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Olinger, Don
Partner, Cordia Partners
Don is a Partner in Cordia Partners and
Resources, a leading firm providing
accounting staffing and operations solutions
from offices in Tysons Corner, Rockville and
DC (Metro Center). Cordia provides finance,
accounting, human resources, and contract
administration recruiting and staffing services, technical accounting and
systems support and outsourced accounting to a wide range of companies
and industries. Don is Co-Managing Partner of the overall recruiting and
staffing practice, with direct responsibility for the Maryland and DC offices.
Don has over 30 years of professional experience, including nearly 20 years
as a leading hotel and real estate industry financial executive. He served as
CFO and Corporate Controller of two of the nation’s largest publicly owned
hotel Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). His experience has included
numerous capital market transactions, and several major corporate
restructurings in addition to establishing and building several highly
successful accounting and finance organizations. He has deep knowledge
regarding capital raising (including IPO’s), financial reporting, effective
organization structures, budgeting and forecasting, strategic planning and
governance. He has industry experience with companies in the hospitality,
real estate, government contracting, telecommunications, and technology
industries, among others.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (301) 463-4631
Mobile: (301) 717-4025
60 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Phonpadith, Mali
CEO, SOAR Community Network
Mali Phonpadith is the CEO of SOAR
Community Network, a consulting firm
partnering with organizational leaders to
help design, build and maintain their C3
cultures.
A C3 culture is one where Compassionate
leaders thrive, Cohesive teams drive results and employees Collaborate and
innovate.
Mali is also the CoFounder of SOAR Nebula, a global resource hub for
transcendent leaders. She is a TEDx and keynote speaker, twice a #1
international bestselling author and certified Talent Optimization Leader.
Her hard work and dedication in the SMB community has rewarded her with
many accolades which include being chosen as a Belief Team Partner
through Values Partnership and the Oprah Winfrey Network along with her
nomination for the March of Dimes’ Heroines of Washington D.C. Award. She
was nominated twice for the Women of the Year Award by NEW – Network
Executive Women and recognized as the iBoss Capital Navigator for helping
small businesses grow and thrive.
Mali is a business coach for CONNECTpreneur, consultant supporting the
Latino Economic Development Center, reviewer for the Catalogue for
Philanthropy, and Board Member of the Lao Heritage Foundation.
Sample list of clients include HUD, George Washington University, Latino
Economic Development Center, Crooked Media, Loudoun County Parks and
Recreation, University of Michigan Ross School of Business, Flaherty Family
Foundation, Social Impact, Clements Worldwide, Industrious and many
others.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (571) 403-0565
Mobile: (703) 608-2182
61 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Reed, Leigh
Sr. VP, Heller Coley Reed
Leigh Reed loves meeting new people. The
diversity of cultures in the Washington
metropolitan area brings forth a full spectrum of
fascinating individuals with whom to work. She
also has a keen interest in the structural
complexities of contract law. Since a single
sentence within a real estate contract can have
several interpretations, she works through each contract with great care. As for
presenting each contract, Leigh "lives for the negotiation", which is when she is at her
very best! Leigh spends time absorbing the nuances of a given situation, including
the personalities of the individuals involved. Consequently, she can tailor a scenario
to meet her clients' needs with a proven track record of successful outcomes. With
30 years of award-winning results, Leigh has proved to her clients to be intuitive,
energetic, and determined to get the job done right the first time.
* Bethesda Magazine Readers' Pick, Best Real Estate Team 2019
* Washingtonian Best Agents 2019
* Washingtonian’s Top Producers 2019 (Heller Coley Reed)
* Ranked #120 in the US out of 1.2M 2017 (The Wall Street Journal/Real Trends)
* #1 Top Sales Team in Montgomery County for Long and Foster 2018
* #1 in Overall group in the State of Maryland 2017 (Long & Foster-Group)
* #1 in Overall group by Settled Sales Volume for Mont. Cty 2017 (Long & Foster)
* #1 in Units Sold for Montgomery County 2017 (Long & Foster-Group)
* #1 in Listings for Montgomery County 2017 (Long & Foster-Group)
* #1 in Total Sales for Montgomery County 2017 (Long & Foster-Group)
* Top ½% of Realtors Worldwide 2000-2019
* Associate Brokers in Maryland; Licensed Agents in Washington, D.C. and Virginia
* Distinctive members of an international network of the finest luxury brokers in the
world including Christie’s International Real Estate, Extraordinary Properties and The
Leading Real Estate Companies of the World
Email: [email protected]
Office: (301) 674-2829
62 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Sage, Ola
CEO, CyberRx
Ola Sage is the founder and CEO of CyberRx, a
cybersecurity risk and compliance assessment
company, that works with growth- minded
companies to protect themselves from the costly
and sometimes unrecoverable impact of cyber
theft, disruption, and damage. CyberRx equips
companies with software tools and services to
assess, mitigate, and continuously monitor cybersecurity risks. Clients can also
subscribe to CyberRx’s distinctive concierge service that educates them about the
options they have, provides technical cybersecurity resources on an as needed basis,
and connects them with qualified and vetted suppliers of a range of cybersecurity
hardware and software products at discounted rates.
Prior to founding CyberRx, Ola spent over 18 years leading an IT professional services
company that she founded and grew until a successful exit in 2018. She advised
government CIOs on cybersecurity, spearheading over $150 million in funded
contract wins with large agencies, ranking four times on the Washington Technology
Fast 50 and Inc. top companies lists. Her company helped in the arrest of a cyber-
criminal responsible for a large government agency breach.
A certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Ola holds the Federal Chief
Information Officers (CIO) certificate and earned the Certified in Risk and Information
Systems Control (CRISC) certification. She has a master’s degree in Technology
Management from George Mason University.
Email: [email protected] Office: (301) 755-0479
1. When was your company's last cybersecurity risk assessment?
2. How do you identify and prioritize cybersecurity risks today?
3. What cybersecurity requirements do you need to meet or comply with (e.g.
regulatory, legal, customers, etc.) and how is that done today?
4. Do you have a DoD (department of defense) prime contract? ---> If yes, are
you aware of the new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)
requirement? --> if no, when was your company's last cybersecurity risk
assessment?
5. Are you a subcontractor to a DOD prime contractor? --> if yes, are you aware
of the new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) requirement?
6. If you were to experience a cybersecurity breach, do you have an
approximate idea how much it would cost you
63 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Shafie, Shevy
CEO & Chief Marketing Officer, Marstudio
Are you struggling to find the right strategy for
marketing your company? Perhaps you've tried
serval companies and been less than impressed.
I am the CEO & Chief Marketing Officer of
Marstudio, Inc. an award-winning Strategic
Branding & Creative Marketing Firm specializing
in Branding, Print, Web, Multimedia, Film & Photo. We provide diverse augmented
marketing department capabilities by formulating strategies that are scalable across
any industry.
I’ve joined LinkedIn to assist the professional community with my knowledge and
advice in multiple fields and industries. My background involves leading
entrepreneurial initiatives, including start-ups, as well as repositioning established
company's brand and marketing message to improve lead generation and
conversion, which can lead to increased ROI.
At Marstudio, we're happy to share our multidimensional strategic branding and
marketing experiences and network with interested individuals. We've completely
reshaped companies marketing campaigns in order to achieve maximum returns and
formulated brand strategies to ensure the desired results. Our creative initiatives and
customer engagement techniques have optimized market awareness, competitive
position and the financial performance of the organizations we have served. Creating
positive change and sustainable profitability, are important to us.
Topics of interest to me include business development while branding and marketing
in the 21st century. I am also an avid news and documentary follower with a special
interest in business planning and the entrepreneurial activities of companies. If
you're looking for a professional community with knowledge and advice in multiple
fields and industries, please take a look at my LinkedIn group listed below.
Email: [email protected]
1. What is your current marketing structure?
2. What initiatives are you currently working on?
3. Are you experiencing any pain points?
4. Do you get it? (Do you understand marketing?)
5. Are you interested in growing your business?
64 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Sorkin, Stuart
Founder of The Business and Legal Advisors
and Entrepreneurial Growth Advisor
Stuart Sorkin specializes in the design and
implementation of strategic and integrated
business plans for start-ups and small to midsize
businesses to successfully combine the business
and personal objectives of the owners and
executives. As a former entrepreneur, CPA, and
attorney licensed to practice in the District of Columbia with more than 30 years of
experience, Mr. Sorkin’s unique background allows him to assist owners and
executives with executing on the complex decisions regarding incorporating their
personal and financial goals with the appropriate growth or exit strategy for the
business.
In addition, Mr. Sorkin supports clients throughout the United States with the
planning, negotiation and documenting all forms of transactional work, including
choice and formation of business entities; raising of capital and financing; mergers
and acquisition; real estate acquisition and development; incentive compensation;
federal and state income tax planning; succession and retirement planning; estate
planning and asset protection; family and charitable gifting strategies; and family
partnerships. Mr. Sorkin also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Jack R.
Anderson Charitable Foundation.
Mr. Sorkin is the co-author of "Expensive Mistakes When Buying & Selling
Companies...and How to Avoid Them in Your Deals." He has been interviewed by the
Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, USA Today, Money Magazine and BankRate.com
on a wide range of business, financial, and tax issues and is a frequent lecturer on
corporate and succession planning to various industry groups.
Email: [email protected]
Office: 301 320-1152
Mobile: 202-368-7075
1. What would happen to your business if you got hit by a bus?
2. What is your plan to hire and retain key employees?
3. What keeps you up at night regarding the growth of your business
4. Are you and your partner in alignment for your long-term goals? 5. Are you aligning your personal goals with your business goals?
65 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Teague, Wes
Senior Managing Director, Boustead
Securities
Wes focuses on mergers and acquisitions of
small-to mid-cap businesses. Wes was a Partner
in Indian River Advisors, a DC-based niche M&A
firm focused on the small- to mid-cap market, a
principal of Samson Partners Consulting, a
privately held consultancy providing small- to
mid-sized companies services and advice related to corporate growth and Managing
Director of Pierce Capital Partners, a DC-based firm that provides investment banking
services and private equity investment to US-based corporations and management
teams.
Wes has held a number of senior executive positions at both an investment banker,
commercial banker and as an owner/operating principal. As such, Wes is uniquely
qualified to address the needs and concerns of business owners who want to grow
through either organic growth or acquisition, or who are seeking a liquidity event
involving the sale or recapitalization of their business.
He has been advisor, executive or principal in the acquisitions or sales of companies,
performing operations management, pre-acquisition due diligence, and post-
acquisition integration services internally or externally, as part of executing on
companies’ growth strategies.
He holds a BS in Economics from Auburn University, an MBA in Finance and
Investments from The George Washington University, currently holds FINRA Series 82
and 63, and has held NASD Series 7 and Series 63 Licenses, Virginia Real Estate
Broker and Agent Licenses, and was a Certified Property Manager (CPM). He is a
FINRA Dispute Resolution Arbitrator.
Email: [email protected]
Direct: (703) 628-4532
1. Do you have a current will?
2. Do you have a money manager?
3. How much money do you need to sell your business?
66 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Wainger, Liz
Founder and President, Wainger Group, LLC
Liz Wainger, CPF, has spent the past 25 years at
the side of executives at Fortune 500
companies, associations, nonprofits and
government agencies to bring clarity and
understanding to their work both inside and
outside of their organizations. Liz and her team
at Wainger Group work with organizations to
clarify and deliver messages to bring their brands to life. Through workshops,
consulting and speaking, Liz’s clients connect with and engage their target audiences
so that they win more business, are viewed as authorities in their industry or field and
grow effectively.
Liz is a Certified Professional Facilitator who creates dynamic strategic planning,
team building and corporate retreats and workshops that get to the heart of the
matter and foster collaboration and alignment so that internal teams and Boards can
be effective brand ambassadors.
Prior to founding her firm in 2000, Liz was Director of Communications for the Morino
Institute. She held senior positions at The National Trust for Historic Preservation and
The American Institute of Architects. She was a reporter at The Washington Post on
the Metro and Style desks.
In 2015, she was named by the Washington Business Journal to the distinguished
cadre of Women Who Mean Business in Washington, D.C. She is the author of the
book, Prism of Value: Connect, Convince and Influence When It Matters Most. She
currently serves on the Boards of School for Ethics and Global Learning, Jubilee
Housing and on the steering committee of the Urban Land Institute DC Women’s
Leadership Initiative.
Liz holds a Bachelor of Arts in Russian from Tufts University and spent a semester at
Leningrad (St. Petersburg) State University in Russia.
Email: [email protected]
Office: 301-340-6831
1. How well does your corporate messaging help current and potential
customers understand why they should choose to work with you?
2. How effectively do you think your company tells its story?
3. How consistently do your teams communicate your messages?
4. How well does what you say to your employees match what you say to
external audiences?
5. How visible to you feel you are to your target audiences?
67 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Wendt, W. Douglas
Chief Growth Officer, Wendt Partners
Doug Wendt is a proven and highly
accomplished executive who possesses in-
depth experience in guiding organizational
growth strategies. Doug developed the
Wendt Partners business growth consulting
model through nearly 25 years of experience
across the enterprise software, electronics,
aerospace and quality systems fields including worldwide management of
new product launches, channel sales and technology marketing.
He has worked with NEV Electric Vehicles, MedSched LLC, GEC Alsthom,
Ciber, Raytheon, L-3 Communications, Thomson-CSF (Thales Group), Lucent,
Ahlstrom Materials, United Technologies and Hitachi, as well as companies in
the Boeing aerospace and defense supply chains. Doug also developed
customized field training programs, which he deployed for U.S. and
international sales and support teams, and he collaborated on key
engagements with major consultancies including Pricewaterhouse Coopers
(PWC), Ernst & Young (EY), Deloitte and Grant Thornton.
In addition, he is the executive director of the Cardinal Cancer Foundation, a
nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting women facing ovarian cancer
and helping women protect their health first.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (718) 841-7169 ext. 101
Mobile: (703) 628-4157
68 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Wolk, Michael
Principal Consultant, Expense Reduction
Analysts
Mike is a Principal with Expense Reduction
Analysts and has 30 years of experience in
serving clients globally and across a range of
industries. Leveraging his years of experience in
Information Technology and Financial
Operations, Mike works with ERA’s team of
category specialists to identify and implement qualitative and cost improvement
opportunities in a wide range of areas.
Prior to joining ERA, Mike was a Partner with Accenture and SunGard Consulting, and
was a Managing Director of services with Allegro Development.
Mike’s career with Accenture spanned 15 years, during which he served as
Engagement Partner responsible for several enterprise IT implementations, and as
part of the business strategy practice analysed synergy savings for client mergers
and acquisitions. With SunGard (now Fidelity National Information Systems) Mike
implemented strategic IT projects with his clients in the Northeast US. Mike’s
experience also includes managing consulting services teams for Allegro
Development, a leading global Commodities Trading and Risk Management (CTRM)
software vendor.
Mike has led programs that helped clients with customer billing and call centres,
commodity trading and reporting, fuel procurement, logistics and shipment of bulk
cargo, fleet route optimization, and migration to cloud IT architectures.
Mike has worked with start-ups to Fortune 500 clients in the energy and utilities,
financial services, airline, healthcare and agriculture industry sectors. Mike also has
global client experience having worked with clients in the UK and Ireland, and with
operations in India and the Philippines.
Mike has an MBA from Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem, NC), and a BA in
Economics from the University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA). Mike has also served
on a local Little League board of directors.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (703) 966-6943
69 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Zonghetti, Bill
Vice President, Colliers Intl.
Bill Zonghetti is among the most accomplished
real estate professionals in the Washington D.C.
region. In his 30-year career, Bill has specialized
in tenant representation and has been honored
with numerous industry awards including
recipient of Maryland’s 2012 deal of the year,
Newmark Knight Frank’s national broker of the
year, 2003 & 2014 and CoStar’s Power Broker award for multiple years. He has
represented clients in transactions in excess of 25 million square feet for tractional
value of over $2 billion. He is responsible for the headquarters locations of multiple
companies including NJVC, LLC: 125,000 SF, EMMES: 91,000 SF, ASM Research:
104,000 SF and Ropes & Gray: 80,000 SF.
His diverse and prestigious client list includes major corporations such as Coca Cola,
JP Morgan, Beyond Meat and Goldman Sachs and non-profit organizations such as
American Institute of Architects, The Girl Scouts, RTI International, Human Rights
Watch, ACLU and Sierra Club. In addition, Bill has represented many of the region’s
most recognizable government contractor and technology firms. He has lectured at
numerous real estate forums as an expert in lease review, state of the office leasing
market and most recently COVID-19 real estate implications.
Bill started his real estate career in 1991 and was a principal in The Bank
Companies, a real estate firm he co-founded in 1993. In 2000, he merged The Bank
Companies with Newmark Knight Frank where he oversaw exponential office growth
for 18 years. In 2019, Bill and his six-member team joined Colliers International.
Bill graduated from Catholic University with a master’s degree in engineering
management and a bachelor’s degree in business management.
Email: [email protected]
Office: (202) 728-3500
Mobile: (202) 255-3700
1. Do you have an office lease that is expiring over the next few years?
2. How happy are you with your current real estate broker?
3. Are you looking to stay in your current location or relocate?
4. Are you looking to downsize or expand?
70 www.enterprisegrowth.org
AEG Baltimore Elite Advisors
71 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Bjonerud, Matt
Founder & CEO, Cerebro Capital
Mr. Bjonerud has broad experience across
several areas of corporate finance especially
across debt and equity transactions. Prior to
founding Cerebro Capital, Mr. Bjonerud
worked for Laureate Education, a billion-
dollar multinational company, where he was
part of the corporate finance team that
ushered the company through $3.5 billion of financing transactions including
Laureate’s IPO. Prior to Laureate, Mr. Bjonerud was a Vice President within
the PNC Corporate Banking Group where he was responsible for growth and
management of large-scale corporate and public finance portfolios.
Mr. Bjonerud also serves as the chairman of his Catholic parish and on the
board of At Jacobs Well (AJW), a nonprofit that is the only exclusive provider
of housing to the mentally ill homeless in Baltimore City. He is a graduate of
Georgetown University McDonough School of Business.
Email: [email protected]
Office: 301-798-9081
Mobile: 240-643-4962
72 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Cavanaugh, Jack
Founder & CEO, Cerebro Capital
Jack is a partner, client advisor, and
member of the Baltimore Private Client
Leadership Team. Since 2010, he has
served as Head of the Private Client
Business, Private Client Chief Operating
Officer, and Head of Baltimore Private
Client. Prior to joining the firm, Jack served
as Chief Executive Officer of Cavanaugh Capital Management (CCM), a fixed
income investment management firm. Prior to CCM, Jack spent 11 years in
marketing and sales roles for Morgan Stanley Investment Management, AOL
Time Warner, The New York Times Co., and Young & Rubicam, all in New
York.
Education
• Columbia University, MBA
• Duke University, BA
Community Involvement
• Board of Visitors: Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment
• Board of Trustees: Mercy Health Services, St. Mary's Seminary &
University, First Fruits Farm, Gilman School
• Audit Committee, Associated Catholic Charities of Baltimore
• Former Advisory Board Chair, Stella Maris
• Former Executive Committee, American Heart Association Heart Ball
Email: [email protected]
Office: 410-537-5301
73 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Heffner, Kevin D.
President & CEO, LifeSpan Network
Kevin Heffner has served in the role of President
and CEO of LifeSpan Network since March 2017.
LifeSpan Network is the largest senior services
provider association in the Mid-Atlantic,
representing more than 260 senior services
provider organizations in Maryland and the
District of Columbia. LifeSpan’s members
include not-for-profit and for-profit organizations providing care and services to
seniors including retirement living, assisted living, skilled nursing, affordable housing,
hospice, adult day, home care, and other community-based and hospital-based
programs.
Prior to March 2017, Kevin served as Director, External Relations, with UMBC’s
Management of Aging Services Program/The Erickson School. Kevin’s responsibilities
included development of strategic relationships, and oversight of the school’s IT,
marketing and recruitment efforts, recruiting more than 200 students for the
Graduate Program in Management of Aging Services, and developing partnerships
with the country’s largest senior living providers.
Before joining the Erickson School, Kevin served as Executive Director of The Beacon
Institute, the Educational Affiliate of LifeSpan Network, from its founding in 1997. He
oversaw the creation of The Beacon Institute's Handelman Learning Center, The Mid-
Atlantic Wellspring Program, and The Beacon Institute's scholarships program,
among other responsibilities. In addition, Kevin co-hosted WCBM's weekly radio
program, "Focus on Seniors," with more than 15,000 regular listeners, from 2003 to
2006.
Kevin is a Member of Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s Work Force Development
Board (GWDB) and a Member of the Board of Directors of the Maryland Patient
Safety Center.
Kevin’s areas of professional certification include association management (CAE)
and fund development (CFRE). He is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, and
Past Recipient of McDaniel College's "Community Service Award," and The Beacon
Institute’s Hall of Fame Award. Kevin has a BA in Communications from McDaniel
College and an MA in Management of Aging Services from UMBC.
Email: [email protected]
Office: 410-381-1176 x226
Mobile: 443-254-1177
74 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Hueter, Bill
Professional EOS® Implementer
Bill helps business owners and their
leadership teams achieve predictable,
profitable growth and gain greater control of
their business.
A serial entrepreneur, he co-founded an
expert witness search firm in the legal
industry that implemented EOS™ and made the INC 5000 for a rarely
achieved nine years in a row. Bill’s corporate experience includes senior e-
Commerce positions at CompuServe, Andersen Consulting (Accenture), and
Deloitte Consulting. Now as a Professional EOS Implementer™, he teaches,
coaches, and facilitates others to attain discipline and accountability, and
experience the thrill of the entrepreneurial journey.
Bill is a 1,000-hour, instrument-rated pilot, flying his 1978 Cessna Cardinal
RG, and volunteers as a Command Pilot for Patient Airlift Services (PALS), a
compassion flight organization.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 770-722-5412
75 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Marks, Todd
Founder, CEO & President, MindGrub
Todd Marks, two-time EY Entrepreneur of the
Year nominee, member of Baltimore magazine’s
40 under 40, and one of The
Daily Record’s Most Admired CEOs of 2019, is
the founder and CEO of Mindgrub Technologies.
Mindgrub, a member of the Inc. 5000 for eight
years running, is a technical agency and creative
consultancy that specializes in award-winning mobile, web, and marketing solutions.
Marks founded Mindgrub in 2002 and has since overseen projects for clients such
as Exelon, Wendy’s, DELL, Under Armour, Yamaha, Crayola, Geico, The Economist,
University of Maryland, and NASA.
Todd Marks was born in Syracuse, New York and spent his first few years living in
upstate New York. Todd began his professional career teaching Math and Computer
Science in Maryland. With the dot-com bubble at a high in 2000, Todd took the leap
and started a digital agency focused on websites and eLearning. Mindgrub’s growth
skyrocketed after Apple’s introduction of the iPhone in 2007, and under his
leadership, the company became one of the first mobile development agencies in the
mid-Atlantic. Eventually, his hard work and vision paid off, as Mindgrub has grown to
over 175 employees and has become a leader in its industry.
Marks, an experienced speaker and futurist, has shared his vision for innovation in
technology and business at conferences such as SXSW, Adobe Max, and Mobile
World Congress, and has been profiled in The Huffington Post, CNN, and Newsweek.
He is chair of the Maryland Tech Council and has provided strategic direction for
many public/private initiatives, including the Maryland Business Relief Wizard, an
online tool released in early 2020 to help businesses better understand how to
navigate federal, state, and local aid programming. He also serves as a member of
the Northeastern Maryland Technology Council Board of Directors, the Economic
Alliance of Greater Baltimore, the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the
Connected DMV Regional Economic Development Strategy (REDS) Steering
Committee, the Young Presidents’ Organization, and the Loyola University MBA
Program advisory board.
Email: [email protected]
Office: 410-988-2444
76 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Martinez, Augusto J.
Partner, B2B CFO
WHAT I DO Starting with a complimentary
Discovery Analysis (which includes
strategies, suggestions and benchmarking
the company against industry peers), I help
owners of privately-owned companies
improve their freedom of time and money,
improve cash and company value and when
needed, prepare a business to sell. As a partner in the country’s largest CFO services
firm, I offer CFO services to companies that haven’t developed the internal capability
of a strategic CFO, can’t afford it or don’t need a full-time CFO or Exit Planning and
Business Transition service when the owner decides to exit the business.
HOW I DO IT: Using 30+ years of experience in finance, operations and team building,
in Fortune 50 companies and middle market businesses, unique tools and
processes, and the ability to draw on 200 additional partners, I help owners focus on
their key role and strengths to drive strategy and increase the value of the business. I
focus on cash flow, forecasting, cost containment, establishing and tracking relevant
KPI’s, establishing accountability at the P&L line level, getting key information in real-
time from the company’s I/T systems to make good decisions and support the
business. I can also help owners create a working strategic model tied to their long-
term goals, and then budget based on that to enable them to hit their profitability
targets.
WHY IT MATTERS: Many small to midsized business owners have much of their
wealth tied in their business. If the business is in better financial shape, the owner
and his/her family are more secure, it has better access to financing, recruiting and
retaining the right employees, and the firm value increases.
WHO I WANT TO REACH: Privately held businesses with sales between $5M and
$75M that want to increase cash, value, will at some point consider a future Exit
Transition (Sale), and need help in “preparing the house for sale” in order to build
and ultimately achieve the Owner’s key “life” goals and retirement vision.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 443-741-0558
77 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Michael, Andrew
Administrative Vice President/Commercial
Banking Group Manager, M&T Bank
Andrew is an Administrative Vice President
and Group Manager at M&T Bank in the
Greater Baltimore Middle Market Group.
He is responsible for leading a team of
relationship managers who oversee the
lending and depository relationships for various Middle Market, Healthcare,
and Not-For-Profit organizations in the Greater Baltimore area.
Prior to joining M&T, he was a Senior Systems Engineer at the Johns Hopkins
Applied Physics Laboratory and worked on a wide variety of projects for the
U.S. Navy, the MD State Highway Administration, and Customs and Border
Protection.
Andrew holds an M.B.A from Duke University along with a M.S. in Applied
Physics from Johns Hopkins University and a B.S.in Physics from Clemson
University.
He serves on the boards of the Family Tree, Central Maryland Transportation
Alliance, and the Business Network for Offshore Wind. He and his wife live
with their two sons in Monkton, MD.
Email: [email protected]
Office: 410-244-4887
Mobile: 410-963-3382
78 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Miller, Len
President & Founder, Leonard J. Miller &
Associates, Chartered
Len Miller is president of Leonard J. Miller &
Associates, Chartered in Baltimore, Maryland.
The firm’s singular office serves clients
headquartered in the Mid-Atlantic region who
operate across the country. The firm specializes
in sophisticated auditing, accounting, business
consulting, estate and trust planning and tax services. We pride ourselves in our
creativity and ability to provide proactive advice. Our goal is to identify our client’s
needs before they do. Our company statement is “All accounting firms can give you
answers. We give you ideas.®”
Len graduated from University of Baltimore with a BS in Accounting, magna cum
laude, and received his MBA from Loyola College in Maryland.
Len assists clients with cost accounting issues, business consulting, tax planning
projects, buy/sell agreements and mergers and acquisition planning. Len is a
licensed CPA, a member of AICPA, MACPA and NACVA. He is a Personal Financial
Specialist (PFS) and a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) and a Certified Business Exit
Consultant (CBEC). Len has spoken on behalf of the AICPA nationally on technical
topics and consults on a broad range of cost accounting issues. Len has taught Cost
Accounting and Advanced Auditing for the University of Baltimore. He has guided
many clients through transitioning and exiting their business. Len also serves as an
advisor to the board of directors of many businesses.
Smart CEO magazine named Len one of Baltimore's Top 50 Smart CPAs in 2006, one
of Baltimore's Top 40 CPAs in 2008, and SmartCPA in 2012. Len was recognized as
a FIVE STAR wealth manager by Baltimore Magazine in 2011 and 2012.
Len received the SmartCEO Centers of Influence Award for 2016. The Centers of
Influence Award program honors the leadership, innovation, impact and success of
the region's most enterprising accountants, attorneys, and bankers. These
professionals represent the best and brightest in the region and have demonstrated
an unrivaled commitment to their clients.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 410-539-4600
79 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Molignoni, Justin
Managing Member, Real Science Holding
Company
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 301-722-0484
Mobile:717-433-5390
80 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Mosebrook, Laurie
Director, Technology & Management Consulting, RSM
Laurie is the leader of our Southeast Management
Consulting practice focusing on strategy and advisory
initiatives centered around people, process and
technology. She also leads Technology Assessments,
Business Process Transformation and is the national
Software Selection & Strategy leader. Laurie is
responsible for successfully leading technology and process-based initiatives
in a wide variety of industries, including Manufacturing, Distribution,
Construction, Finance, Not for Profit, Healthcare, and Service. She
collaboratively assists client teams through the introduction of methodology
and the development of procedures, systems and metrics necessary for
success. She helps client work teams and executive teams develop the goals
necessary to achieve success, and helps implement the metrics to measure
that success. Her collaborative approach helps ensure that project teams
understand and accept the responsibilities necessary for successful
completion of their initiatives.
One of Laurie’s key strengths is the ability to assist organizations in defining
and linking digital transformation strategies and process initiatives to real
business value. She accomplishes this through a combination of experience,
effective communication, methodology and effective client team
management.
Her experience in process enhancement and technology-related projects
includes the selection and implementation of ERP systems, assisting
organizations improve their utilization of information technology through
detailed assessments of infrastructure, staffing, applications, and
procedures, and the management of application development initiatives,
including modifications to existing applications and new application
development. Laurie has helped organizations transition effectively from the
integration phase through to the stabilization and optimization period after
software deployment.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 410-246-8434
81 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Piotrowski, Brian
Practice Director, Accounting, Finance & Banking,
Randstad Professionals
Brian started his career in public accounting as a
Staff Auditor/Consultant for American Express Tax &
Business Services (National public accounting firm
now owned by McGladrey). He then made the switch
to private industry as an Assistant Controller for
Fusion Sales Partners Corporation in Baltimore, MD. After several years in the
field, Brian decided to pursue an opportunity with The Mergis Group (a
Division of the $2.5B Recruiting Firm called Spherion))
The Mergis Group office in Baltimore actively recruited and placed Brian in
his position at Fusion Sales Partners with a substantial raise and a great
quality of life in 2003. After the very positive and successful placement
experience The Mergis Group provided he began to develop the interest and
passion for a career in recruiting. In September 2005, Brian enthusiastically
joined The Mergis Group. In January 2014 they re-branded after being
acquired by Randstad (#2 Recruiting & Staffing Firm in the World) and they
are now called Randstad Professionals.
In his role as an Accounting/Finance Recruiter for Randstad Professionals,
Brian is able to tap his industry experience to quickly find, gain rapport with,
and ultimately introduce top-notch professionals to a vast variety of
companies in the Baltimore and DC Metro areas.
Email: [email protected]
Office: 443-629-8609
82 www.enterprisegrowth.org
83 www.enterprisegrowth.org
AEG DC Preferred Partners
84 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Dobransky, Angie
Founder, RAD Strategic Partners
Angie Dobransky grows people, and she grows
businesses. She understands how business
works, and she’s learned how to maximize
people’s success.
She creates change. Whatever change you
desire. When you work together, you work to develop your vision, try various
strategies to hit key milestones, and employ the key habits and behaviors that allow
you to become what you desire – a successful entrepreneur, a millionaire, a
franchisor, or a retiree on a secluded beach somewhere with your name on buildings
around the world.
Angie’s superpower is helping people find the steps to hit their goals. She is great in
a crisis or difficult situation. She can turn any lemon into lemonade and deal with
any obstacle or thorn objectively and logically. Angie helps people grow into better
versions of themselves and build amazing businesses along the way.
Angie has done a bunch of cool stuff in her life. She spent 20 years in fashion as a
manager, a retail buyer, a wholesaler, and a sales manager. She developed the skills
to set goals, build strategic plans, and hit targets while managing a virtual and
national team. Angie owned a business coaching franchise for a dozen years. She
honed her skills as a coach, began a lifelong journey of development and growth, and
discovered her ability to transform businesses and their owners. She published a
book, Life Lessons in Success, to share her story and teach others what she learned.
Now, she’s built RAD – where she partners with people to build the life and business
of their dreams. Angie speaks all over the world. She gives trainings, workshops,
and talks, taking everything she’s learned and teaches it to the world.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (301) 879-7873
85 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Mann, Charles
Leasing & Sales Advisory, Verity Commercial
Charles Mann brings over two decades of
sales and business development experience
to Verity Commercial. With Verity, he is a
commercial real estate advisor and assists
with sales and business development efforts
related to Verity’s project management, brokerage, and investment services.
His experience includes managing daily operations and business development
efforts of his government contracting and marketing business. He also aided
in the business development efforts of companies such as University Health
System, Alliance Engineers, and the Mechanical Design Group. As a consultant
for an MEP engineering firm, he contributed to the firm’s revenue growth of
$15-million to over $100-million in three years.
Charles is a former 12-year veteran of the NFL and four-time NFL Pro Bowl
Player and proud member of the 70 All-Time Great Washington Redskins. In
2016, Charles graduated magna cum laude from Strayer University with an
MBA.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (703) 435-4007x116
86 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Mesmer, Cindy
Business Development Manager,
GovConPay
GovConPay by Payroll Network is the first and
only Payroll and HR technology company
focused solely on serving the needs of
government contractors. GovConPay has
developed custom solutions that will unify
DCAA-compliant ERP systems, such as Deltek and Unanet, with a robust payroll
and HR technology platform. This knowledge and process-based approach has
proven to be a winning formula as we now support the payroll and HR needs
of over 100 government contractors nationwide.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (301) 351-1300
87 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Van Dyke, Bill
Founder, Paradigm Mortgage Services
Bill Van Dyke is the Founder and CEO of
Paradigm Mortgage.
After a career in Corporate Finance, Bill
created Paradigm Mortgage to help people
get the best mortgage loan for their needs, while providing the level of service,
which had been expected in the world of corporate finance. Over 25 years later
Paradigm Mortgage has helped thousands of people get their best mortgage
and made it a pleasant experience.
Bill is the first graduate of the University of Maryland’s Individual Studies
Program, with a degree in Sports, Leisure and Entrepreneurship. He continues
to put his academic studies into practice to this day.
As an alumnus, Bill has served the University as a volunteer in many roles –
President of Theta Chi Fraternity House Corporation, Chairman of the Robert
H. Smith School of Business Golf Tournament, President of the Colonnade
Society and Chairman of the President’s Circle.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (301) 941-1992
88 www.enterprisegrowth.org
Young, Joe
President, GovConPay
GovConPay by Payroll Network is the first and
only Payroll and HR technology company
focused solely on serving the needs of
federal government contractors. GovConPay
has developed custom solutions that will
unify DCAA-compliant ERP systems, such as
Deltek and Unanet, with a robust payroll and HR technology platform. This
knowledge and process-based approach has proven to be a winning formula
as we now support the payroll and HR needs of over 150 government
contractors nationwide.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (301) 339-6006