Committee

Sam joined Brady Ware as partner in January 2006. He leads the firm’s Dealership Services team, working with dealerships to decrease their tax burden, maximize tax benefits, streamline processes and financial reporting, increase profits, prevent fraud, and expand operations to new markets. He links these services with overall tax, audit, and strategic planning initiatives to help his clients realize financial rewards across their businesses.

Michael D. Arguelles, Partner, is responsible for initiating investment opportunities, structuring investments, performing due diligence, negotiating transaction terms, working with Portfolio Company management teams, and managing the disposition of investments. Mr. Arguelles graduated from The Ohio State University in 1993 with a B.S.B.A. in Finance. Mr. Arguelles received his MBA with a concentration in finance from the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University.

Mary E. Auch is regional president of PNC Bank for Central Ohio. With a career spanning more than 28-years at PNC, Auch has extensive banking experience and deep roots in Columbus. She began her career as part of the bank’s Retail Development Program in 1995 and then moved into Corporate Banking in 2001. She has been the regional president since 2019.

Ben is a corporate transactional attorney who has represented a wide range of public and private companies and many of the leading international private equity sponsors. He has significant experience advising clients on domestic and cross-border M&A, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures, minority investments, divestitures and restructurings. Ben also is an adjunct professor at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and serves on the board of NoticeAbility and the advisory board of Calmer Choice.

Frank is founding partner of Oxer. By partnering with community banks as investors and obtaining additional capital through the SBA, Oxer has invested in over 28 companies since 2016. Capella originates and manages portfolio companies , in addition, to sitting on Oxer's investment committee, and has been involved in financing middle market companies for more than 30 years.

Hugh Cathey is the chairman and CEO of ChromoCare, a company involved in genetic testing of patients’ medication compatibility. He is also the founder of Columbus Partners, an advisory that provides technology firms guidance on capital acquisition, M&A activity and growth strategy.

Rick is Co-founder and Partner of Slate Capital Group and he runs Slate's Cincinnati office. Having been a CEO multiple times in the lower middle market, Rick spends most of his time with Slate portfolio companies on talent development and operational excellence. In his spare time, Rick serves on a few philanthropic boards, spends time with his family, and completes ultra-hikes with his fellow Sufferfesters (ask him! :)

Scot manages the firm’s corporate, M&A, private equity, securities and tax practices, and is also the head of the cannabis group, which consists of more than 40 attorneys throughout the U.S. and Canada. He has extensive experience in corporate, mergers and acquisitions and tax law and has served as lead counsel in mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, private offerings, venture capital financings, mezzanine debt offerings, divestitures and other related financial transactions, in a number of industry sectors, including the cannabis industry.

Josh works with business leaders on ownership transactions and liquidity events, including sell-side and buy-side engagements and transactions, such as management buyouts, succession and exit planning, ESOP formations, capital sourcing and leveraged recaps. Prior to leading Footprint Capital, Josh was vice president at Insource Spend Management Group. He led Insource through two synergistic acquisitions and ultimately, its sale.

Cindi is a serial entrepreneur, business advisor and coach. She is passionate about working with like-minded people ready to support and invest in women-owned businesses. She is excited by the opportunity to create wealth for female founders and ROI for investors. Cindi leads the organization as the fund manager. As a long-time angel investor herself, Cindi looks forward to helping founders scale and successfully exit their businesses.

Reese founded the Columbus Area Family Exchange, a private club for family offices and ultra high net worth individuals with at least $100M in net worth. He also is the Managing Partner at Columbus Venture Partners and he hosts weekly events for business owners, investors, C-suite executives and family offices.

Mark Fleming is the managing partner of MEMM Capital, a holding company focused on acquiring and tech-enabling businesses that generate between $1 mil and $3 mil of EBITDA. Previously, Mark was the founder of Signature Closers, LLC, a real estate services and technology company that was acquired by Fortune 800 Stewart Title Company in Feb '21.

Ryan Giacomarro is a Managing Director at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. As the Head of the Ohio Market, Ryan leads a team of Bankers and Specialists to deliver holistic wealth management advice, strategies and services for affluent individuals and their families. His focus is on providing the resources necessary to help clients fulfill their purposes and leave legacies for the next generation.

Ryan believes strongly in a “One Ohio approach,” essentially a single team sitting in multiple locations, united in delivering the best of J.P. Morgan. Collaborating together, they serve as a powerful gateway to the strengths of the firm—opportunistic ideas and intellectual capital, the Investment and Commercial Banks, and other sophisticated capabilities necessitated by substantial assets. Ryan recruits a diverse group of talented Bankers, and forges a culture where everyone can thrive and succeed. He has deep roots in the area, and plays an active and visible role in expanding J.P. Morgan’s brand recognition and presence in the community.

With over 25 years of industry experience, Ryan brings a strong track record in managing the challenges inherent when running a complex organization. He is drawn to the tremendous growth opportunity in Ohio, and welcomes the chance to be part of an organization that spans the globe.

Before joining J.P. Morgan, Ryan spent much of his career with UBS as an influential force in the expansion and evolution of the firm. His management capabilities extend across products, sales, operations and markets, and he has held senior leadership roles in New Jersey, North Carolina and Ohio.

Matt is currently the Chairman/CEO and President of FST Logistics, Inc. FST Logistics (FST) is a 100% employee owned, third-party logistics provider based out of Columbus, Ohio, with over 500 employees.

Matt’s career started in the wholesale electrical distribution industry, serving the industrial, automation and construction sectors, and has expanded through many facets of supply chain and technology. This broad background provides him with a very deep understanding of the supply chain and the many ancillary lines of business within the supply chain, from new construction through final delivery of goods.

As a serial entrepreneur, Matt’s focus has always been on creating very efficient and very effective business operating processes through the utilization of technology. Matt’s broad experience in new construction, facilities, finance, sales & marketing, operations and technology allows him to provide valuable insight across the enterprise.

Matt resides in Dublin, Ohio with his wife Stacy and their youngest son Blake.

Christopher has diverse experience representing top-tier leveraged buyout and private equity funds, fund sponsors and investors, and their portfolio companies. Chris advises clients on corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, venture capital and private equity financings, joint ventures, and other investment transactions with an emphasis on middle-market transactions. Chris represents financial sponsors and their portfolio companies, as well as strategic buyers in connection with mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, growth equity financings, and other investment transactions. Prior to joining Benesch, Chris practiced at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP in New York, New York.

Matt Jensen is a Relationship Manager at the National Christian Foundation. He provides guidance and solutions to help people create giving strategies so they don’t miss opportunities to potentially reduce taxes and send more to the charities they love. Previously, Matt was an investment banker, business leader, entrepreneur, pilot, and United States Air Force Officer.

Lee is managing partner of Smart Business Network Inc., a national events, media and marketing company founded in 1989, primarily responsible for expanding the company’s Aspire deal-making conference throughout the U.S. He plays a key role in establishing corporate policies and developing long-term strategy and growth plans. Previously, he founded and chaired the Growth Group at national law firm Arter & Hadden LLP (now Tucker, Ellis & West), which focused on working with middle-market and high-growth technology companies. 

Smith is the founder of Sophisticated Systems, Inc. (SSI), a technology services and solutions firm he started in 1990. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, SSI was at the top of its game and doing well – until it wasn’t. Turning SSI from a company with a $715,000 loss and $2.1 million in debt to the highly profitable and award-winning company it turned into was the proving ground for some of Smith’s biggest leadership lessons.

Smith's inspiring stories are lessons in triumph and failure. They are an amazing journey from being a rebel youth to a thought leader in the board room of some of this nation's most influential companies.

As a speaker – with compassion, authenticity, and humility – Smith inspires, informs and motivates his audience to be the great leaders they are meant to be.

Smith is available as a keynote speaker on topics covering business, leadership, and motivation.

As senior director and director of transaction advisory services at GBQ, Wade coordinates a team of 10 professionals, highly skilled in various aspects of transactions, including valuation, due diligence, ESOPs, tax structuring and buy and sell side advisory. He also serves as chief liaison to Footprint Capital, GBQ’s investment banking affiliate, where he helps complete investment banking deals. Since 2015, GBQ’s transaction group has collectively worked on over 550 transactions.

Al Melchiorre is President and founder of MelCap Partners, a middle market investment banking firm that he founded over 22 years ago, Over the past few years, MelCap has been recognized as boutique investment banking firm of the year multiple times by The M&A Advisor. MelCap's clients are predominately privately-held, family owned businesses going through a once in a life-time transaction.

Doug is the Central Ohio Market President for Truist, leading a team of bankers to grow, retain, and attract long term client relationships and serve as our client’s trusted financial partner by leveraging deep industry knowledge and best in class advisory solutions. Prior to joining Truist, Doug held leadership roles in Corporate Banking and Credit Administration with Central Ohio financial institutions.

Kerri Nicholson is a Business Performance Advisor in the Columbus community. She works with entrepreneurs to help remove barriers blocking business success and guides them on the journey toward greater revenue generation, better cost containment and risk reduction through a more strategic approach to human resources. Her passion is helping small businesses level the playing field and elevate their competitive advantage in the marketplace. For over 15 years she has been building relationships with business owners and leaders across various industries and understands the day-to-day challenges they must overcome to achieve their goals.

Matt is responsible for the underwriting and administration of equity and mezzanine investments as part of the Stonehenge Community Development team in Columbus. With extensive experience in underwriting federal and state New Markets Tax Credit investments, he is uniquely qualified to assist with equity, mezzanine and early stage investments. Mr. Orr gained his early experience as a financial analyst at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati.

Prior to joining Stonehenge, Mr. Orr served as an advisor for the Evans Scholarship Foundation at The Ohio StateUniversity, overseeing 76 Evans Scholars and managing the off-campus group living facility. Mr. Orr, who is an Evans Scholar, earned his BS in finance from The Ohio State University.

Rob is a partner in the Business Group at Ice Miller. He focuses his practice on complex corporate transactions and on mergers and acquisitions, particularly private equity investments and transactions, and a range of financing transactions. He assists clients from a wide variety of industries, including manufacturing, distribution, logistics, financial services, high technology and professional services, at all levels of the capital structure.

Jason Stevens is a Managing Director and COO at Copper Run, a middle-market investment bank focused on M&A Advisory. Prior to joining Copper Run in 2016, he founded an energy start-up, led energy equity research at Morningstar, and worked in corporate financial planning at property-casualty insurer Zurich North America.

Catherine Strauss is the Managing Partner of Ice Miller's Columbus office. She is also an adviser and advocate for employers with workforces in Ohio and nationally. She is also a skilled coach to human resource professionals and business executives. Preferring practical outcomes based on a keen knowledge of the law and common sense judgment, Catherine is an effective adviser in managing risks and conflict avoidance.

When disputes are unavoidable, Catherine is a tenacious trial attorney, having successfully represented employers and businesses in all types of legal proceedings, both in Ohio and nationally.

Finally, Catherine serves as a neutral investigator in all types of matters involving or impacting employees.

Andy is Managing Director and Co-CEO of Bellmark Partners, LLC, and head of the firm’s Cleveland office. Andy has 30 years of investment banking experience, having personally completed well over 100 M&A, special committee, and board advisory assignments. Previously, he was with KeyBanc Capital Markets, where he was head of the sponsor coverage, consumer & retail, and M&A investment banking groups.

Julie is an Audit Partner with Crowe and has over 18 years of experience. She serves upper middle-market privately owned clients in the manufacturing, distribution, and service industries. Julie’s clients range in size from $20 million to more than $1 billion in revenues, across a wide range of industries and companies with multi-national and multi-state operations and complex accounting and audit issues. Julie works with family owned and private equity owned businesses.

Al Yambor CFP®, CEPA® is a Senior Director in Sequoia Financial Group's Family Wealth team. He delivers family office and investment advisory solutions to ultra-affluent families, entrepreneurs, and family offices. He is energized by working with entrepreneurs and has helped dozens prepare for exits and liquidity events. He brings significant experience helping entrepreneurs incorporate philanthropy into transactions. Prior to joining Sequoia in 2019, he was a vice president for PNC’s Private Bank.

Dean Zody is a business-oriented Global Operations Leader with an engineering background delivering innovative solutions with measurable growth and profitability. Accomplished background in start-ups, cost reduction initiatives, and operations management in telecommunications, chemical and consumer product. Multiple disciplines include operations, supply chain, procurement, and logistics. Strong database and data analytical skills. In 2016, he founded GhostWave, commercializing patents from Ohio State University.

Brian Zuercher is a General Partner of 1870 Ventures. 1870 Ventures is a venture capital studio bringing brilliant IP to market. We discover, fund, and build companies around breakthroughs that originated at universities and institutions. Brian has been the co-founder of several companies and is passionate about supporting entrepreneurs in the Central Ohio region.