Joseph Angotti

Principal
Grouse Ridge Capital

Joseph Angotti is a Principal at Grouse Ridge Capital, where he manages the firm’s early-stage venture investment strategy, primarily targeting pre-seed to seed-stage companies with a generalist approach, and leads M&A efforts focused on asset-intensive sectors.

Prior to joining Grouse Ridge Capital, Joseph worked at Ernst & Young and Mylan.

He holds an MBA and MS in Finance from West Virginia University and a BS in Chemistry from Fairmont State University.

Thomas Bakaitus

Partner
Louis Plung & Company

Thomas Bakaitus, Jr. is a CPA, MST and is a partner with Louis Plung & Company. Tom has over 30 years of Tax and M&A experience, where he uses his expertise for tax-based transactional planning & analysis. His contributions in the financial due diligence process are on both the sell-side & buy-side. In the acquisition process, Tom also plays a key role in entity structuring.

Bill Baker

CEO
Irwin Group of Companies

Before he was approached about purchasing Irwin Car, Baker had a background in building companies. Born in Pittsburgh, he earned a degree in management and economics from Westminster College and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Toledo. Once out of college in the 1970s, he joined Midland Ross, a global diversified manufacturer doing $1.2 billion in annual sales. Baker was put on a fast-track management program and, over the course of a 13-year tenure with Midland Ross, learned about business strategies, risk-tolerance and how to grow.

John Bennett

CEO
Sunny Days (DLEM Holdings)

John Bennett is the Chief Executive Officer of DLEM Holdings, where he has led the company through five successful acquisitions and expanded its care services across four states. A former high school math teacher, athletic director, and varsity football coach, John brings a unique leadership style shaped by his experience in education and athletics. This background has made him a maverick in support development and operations, equipping team members with the tools they need to deliver exceptional care while making the company as efficient as possible. His leadership ensures that operational systems empower employees to focus on what matters most: people.

John’s expertise in mathematics also enables him to apply financial analyses that enhance policies and practices across DLEM Holdings’ portfolio of companies.

Robert Berdanier

Managing Director
Riveron

Robert Berdanier is a Managing Director in Riveron’s Business Restructuring & Turnaround Services practice. His focus is on middle-market companies, both distressed and healthy, seeking financial and operational improvement through interim leadership and re-organization. Robert is a seasoned restructuring professional, with significant experience in the manufacturing, distribution & hospitality.

Michael Blehar

Director, Advisory Services
Focus Partners Wealth

Michael Blehar is a Financial Advisor, Founding Partner & Chief Growth Officer at Fort Pitt Capital Group. As the Chief Growth Officer at the firm, Mike oversees the strategic plans for Fort Pitt Capital’s future expansion. He also provides guidance and mentorship to other advisors at the firm, coaching them on how to provide the best possible outcomes for our clients and clearly communicate our ideas to achieve financial success.

Steve Blossom

Global Head of Managed Services
ACA Group

Steve Blossom is the Global Head of Managed Services and Chief Information Security Officer at ACA. As the head of ACA’s Managed Services division, Steve is responsible for helping develop innovative outsourced services that help ACA’s clients increase efficiencies and minimize risks. Steve’s background in technology and operations has enabled ACA’s Managed Service division to spearhead technological advancements that not only streamline efficiency but also deliver bespoke, white-glove services tailored to the unique demands of our clients. Our innovative approach ensures that we consistently exceed expectations and drive success results for ACA’s clients.

In his role as CISO, he drives the organization’s Information Security strategy, ensuring robust, scalable, and secure technology & data privacy program. Since joining ACA in 2019, he has been instrumental in enhancing cybersecurity frameworks, optimizing IT operations, and delivering innovative solutions that align with the evolving needs of financial services firms.

Mike Blume

Partner
Agility Equity Partners

Mike Blume is a partner at Agility Equity Partners. He is responsible for all aspects of investment management, including sourcing and executing new investments, monitoring existing portfolio company performance, and leading employee training and development.

Before joining Agility, Mike spent three years on the investment team at Incline Equity Partners, where he was responsible for evaluating and executing new investments and managing existing portfolio companies.

Before Incline, Mike spent two years in PNC's Asset Backed Finance group, focusing on the origination, structuring, and execution of securitizations. Mike graduated with a BBA in Finance cum laude from the University of Notre Dame.

Christopher Brodman

President
Metz Lewis Brodman Must O’Keefe LLC

Christopher Brodman is a founding member of Metz Lewis. He is the President of the Firm, a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee and a member of the Corporate Group. His diverse client base values him as a dedicated, practical, and experienced business advisor and general counsel.

He has a wealth of business experience which allows him to help clients identify and achieve strategic business and legal objectives. Chris also has vast experience representing clients in business transactions, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions.

Robert Brown

President
DataStrike

Rob Brown has a background in both operating management and investing. He has led organizations to multiple Private Equity and Strategic transactions totaling over 1 billion in proceeds to his investors.

Currently his investment portfolio includes Technology Managed Services, Marine and Boating industry along with Healthcare. He co-founded and serves as the President of DataStrike.

Bill Coleman

Managing Director
Aon

Bill Coleman is responsible for the development and implementation of transactional-based risk solutions, including the deployment of insurance capital for M&A transactions through representations and warranties, litigation, tax and other contingent liabilities insurance. Bill is based in Pittsburgh and is further supported by a New York-based team of professionals in North America and colleagues in London, Hong Kong, Sydney and Bermuda who focus exclusively on transactional risk transfer. Prior to joining the Aon Team, Bill was an attorney at Sidley Austin LLP, where he specialized in mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions, with a significant focus in the energy and infrastructure sectors.

Patrick Colletti

Co-founder, Net Health
CEO, CoSage

Patrick Colletti is a board director, executive advisor, and author who specializes in re-orienting struggling organizations and building enduring companies. As President of Net Health for over two decades, he and his partners transformed a near-bankrupt startup into a billion-dollar enterprise software and AI leader serving 25,000+ facilities and millions of patients annually including 98% of America's largest healthcare systems.

His book, Refounder: How Transformational Leaders Take What's Broken and Make it Better (Per Capita, 2021), chronicles this journey and introduces a framework for revitalizing organizations at any stage. The work has been endorsed by Harvard Business School and Carnegie Mellon University faculty and adopted by leaders across industries facing inflection points.

Colletti teaches Strategy, Innovation, and Commercialization at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, where he challenges MBA students to think critically about growth, culture, and leadership during times of disruption. He has served on a wide range of boards for angel, venture, family owned, not-for-profit, and private equity-backed companies, bringing operational expertise to early and growth-stage ventures.

An active early-stage investor and frequent keynote speaker, Colletti focuses on what he calls "refounding"—the discipline of reimagining existing organizations to meet contemporary challenges. His presentations blend hard-won operational lessons with frameworks applicable to businesses and communities seeking transformation.

Jeff Conn

Chairman
Clark Hill PLC

Jeff’s primary areas of practice are mergers and acquisitions, general corporate, commercial and real estate finance and real estate law. He regularly represents private equity groups, small, middle-market and large corporations, lenders, borrowers and real estate developers in a variety of transactional matters and matters involving general corporate advice. Jeff has been selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America.

Nick Conti

Vice President
3 Rivers Capital

Nick Conti is a Vice President at private equity firm 3 Rivers Capital. Nick makes investments in family and founder owned businesses, which merges his passion for investing and working with private companies. Prior to his current role, Nick spent time helping large corporations complete acquisitions and venture capital investments and providing strategic advice to private companies in financial services.

Daniel Corbett

Principal
Heartland Growth Partners

Daniel is a Principal at Heartland, and leads the firms private equity division. Prior to Heartland, Daniel spent 7+ years at a NY-based private investment firm that today manages over $2.0B of committed capital investing in industry-leading, lower middle market businesses. Daniel has spent his career investing in control acquisitions across businesses operating across niche manufacturing, general industrial, infrastructure services, distribution, and engineering services. Daniel is a Louisville, KY native and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY with his wife.

David Croft

Member
Spilman Thomas & Battle

My legal practice focuses on tax aspects of transactions and planning that include mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions, business succession, estate planning and estate administration. An additional aspect of my practice is providing nonprofit hospitals with guidance on complying with federal and state anti-fraud laws. I work closely with charitable organizations in helping them achieve and maintain tax exempt status, as well as providing advice to individuals on charitable aspects of estate planning. I have been a licensed C.P.A. since 1994 (currently inactive) and have served as an Adjunct Lecturer of Law at the West Virginia University College of Law where I taught Partnership Tax, Fundamentals of Federal Taxation, Estate Planning and Property III (wills, estates and trusts).

Josh Curtis

Managing Partner
Footprint Capital

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.

Jonathan Dane

Founder & CIO
Defiant Capital Group

Jonathan founded Defiant Capital Group and is the Chief Investment Officer. He has over a decade of financial markets experience and leads the firm's investment process across all asset classes, including portfolio construction, manager due diligence, and deployment of client capital. He previously served as the Director of Portfolio Strategy & Research for a $900mn multi-family office, and prior worked in Investment Banking in New York City at Goldman Sachs and Jefferies.

Rich Deitrick

Executive Director / Market Manager
Morgan Stanley

Rich Deitrick is an Executive Director and Market Manager at Morgan Stanley. With over 38 years of industry experience, he currently oversees 104 financial professionals located across four branches which include Downtown Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Monroeville, and Upper St. Clair, where he is responsible for driving the success of the firm’s wealth management operations across the Western PA market.

Mark DeSantis

Entrepreneur, lecturer, and educator

Mark DeSantis was most recently CEO of Bloomfield (acquired by Kubota Corporation), a company using AI to help specialty crop growers across the United States, Europe, Africa, and South America. He was previously cofounder and CEO of RoadBotics (acquired by Michelin), which used AI to assess roadway infrastructure across seven countries. Prior to Roadbotics, he was cofounder of kWantix (acquired by Moody Aldrich Partners), a quant energy hedge fund, and cofounder and CEO of kWantera, an energy trading company, both of which used deep learning technology. He also previously served as CEO of Think Through Learning (acquired by Imagine Learning), an online tutoring company, and U.S. managing director of ANGLE Technology, PLC, a U.K.-based venture capital firm and consultancy.

Earlier in his career, DeSantis was director of government relations for Texas Instruments and held policy positions as a senior policy analyst in The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Administration of George H. W. Bush. He was also staff assistant to the late U.S. Senator John Heinz and a management consultant with Booz Allen.

John Erkert

CEO North America
PiovanGroup North America

I drive value creation for ownership groups based on past experiences with private equity, family offices, high net worth individual shareholders, and U.S. subsidiaries of foreign public companies. Specific tools have been developed and assembled in my toolkit to build and grow value for owners in both the tangible side of adjusted EBITDA and the intangible drivers of market price multiples.

Jeff Ford

Partner - A&A Services Group
Grossman Yanak & Ford LLP

Jeff has focused his career on providing accounting, auditing and consulting services to privately held companies and not-for-profit organizations. His experience includes furnishing compliance services such as audits; providing due diligence and investigation services related to business acquisitions; performing fraud investigations; developing and compiling projected and forecasted financial statements; and evaluating, selecting and implementing information systems for companies.

Sreekar Gadde

Executive Director
BlueTreeVC

BlueTreeVC is an active investor in early-stage, high-growth companies in the Pittsburgh region and around the country. We invest in companies where we can provide both capital and expertise to help accelerate their growth.

As the Executive Director for BlueTreeVC, Sree focuses on identifying and evaluating investment opportunities, working with other investors as well as other parts of the entrepreneurship ecosystem. Specifically we focus on leveraging our groups unique skills and experience, specifically in sales, marketing, and operations, to help companies to avoid or overcome early obstacles.

Sree leverages his experience and training as an engineer and IP attorney to help portfolio companies develop and implement an IP strategy. For high-growth companies, he helps them focus the allocation of resources (both capital and time) on assets that will drive business value.

Jeff Getty

Chief Tax Strategist
Callan Family Office

Jeff Getty is Chief Tax Strategist at Callan Family Office, advising ultra-high net worth families, entrepreneurs, and private investors on complex tax, structuring, and transition strategies. A tax attorney and M&A adviser for nearly 30 years, he has led hundreds of successful transactions, designing forward-looking plans that protect and enhance after-tax value from early-stage growth through exit and beyond.

Jim Gibbs

CEO
Meter Feeder

Jim Gibbs, CEO and Co-Founder of Meter Feeder, is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 40 years in software development. He has built platforms processing billions globally and holds two patents in autonomous vehicle technology. Featured in Forbes and Silicon Heartland, Jim serves on multiple nonprofit boards, inspiring innovation while helping national fleets save millions annually.

James Gillespie

CEO
GrayMatter

GrayMatter co-founder and CEO Jim Gillespie has been leading industrial digital transformations for more than 30 years.

Jim focuses on curating technology and guiding the digital process, enabling assets and people to become smarter and more visible. GrayMatter co-innovates with companies in manufacturing, water/wastewater, power and oil and gas markets to deliver custom fit operational technology programs and solutions ranging from process control, MES, predictive analytics and other trends.

Jim is on the board of the Carnegie Science Center and the Pittsburgh Technology Council. He is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University (Engineering) and Duquesne University (MBA).

Meredith Meyer Grelli

Entrepreneur in Residence & Faculty Member
Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University

Meredith is a faculty member and Entrepreneur in Residence at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business. She has developed the Family Business Initiative at Carnegie Mellon, which brings together family business owners and entrepreneurs from an array of industries and geographies.

Meredith Meyer Grelli founded, led, and sold two craft beverage companies, Wigle Whiskey and Threadbare Cider & Mead. Wigle Whiskey was Pennsylvania’s first direct to consumer spirits company since Prohibition.

Stephen Gurgovits

Managing Partner
Tecum Capital

Stephen J. Gurgovits, Jr. is the Managing Partner and co-founder of Tecum Capital, a $500+ million private investment firm based in Pittsburgh, PA, which oversees pools of committed capital focused on mezzanine debt, subordinated notes, and private equity, along with a separate strategy via a multi-family office platform for control equity investments. In his current role, Mr. Gurgovits, Jr. is responsible for providing strategic, operational and investment management leadership to the funds, including its overall planning, fund raising, growth and execution of strategy.

Mr. Gurgovits, Jr. previously served on the board of directors of Auburn Gear, Uncle Charley’s Sausage, Oberg Industries, Gibraltar Cable Barriers, Western Allegheny Capital and is currently on the board of directors for Primetac and the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Association of Corporate Growth (ACG).

Lisa Haley

Managing Director, WPA Market Executive
JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Lisa Haley is the Market Executive for Middle Market Banking. Prior to this role, she was the Northeast Regional Executive for Treasury Services.

With over 20 years of banking experience, Lisa joined JPMorgan Chase in 2018, having managed the risk function for PNC’s Treasury Services Group. She was also the Sales Market Manager for Greater Chicago responsible for all new treasury business development and portfolio management for PNC’s Middle Market, Commercial, and Public Finance clients within the Corporate Bank.

Lisa was selected as one of the Top 15 Businesswomen in Illinois in 2017, a 2016 Fellow for Leadership Greater Chicago (LGC), and Chicago United’s 2013 Business Leaders of Color.
Lisa received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Brown University and a Master of Business Administration from Kellogg (Northwestern University). Additionally, Lisa sits on the boards of UPMC, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Allegheny Conference and CCAC Foundation. 

Donald Hall

CFO & EVP ePMO
Zippo

One of the most recognized brands in the world, Zippo was founded in the fall of 1932 by George G. Blaisdell in Bradford, Pennsylvania. Since then, the company has manufactured over 650 million windproof lighters. Donald Hall serves as a member of the board of Zipcorp and its subsidiaries. In February 2024, he was promoted to CFO and executive vice president of the Enterprise Project Management Office to drive strategic plans. Hall has been instrumental in corporate strategic planning, product and market diversification, and development of the Asia Pacific market. He is recognized as a strong and effective business partner across diverse industries, skilled in building and motivating high-impact teams driven to grow both the top and bottom lines while optimizing working capital.

Sean Kelley

Managing Director, Business Development
Gridiron Capital

At Gridiron Capital, Sean focuses on developing new business partnerships, marketing, communicating with business owners, and managing investment sourcing and exit planning. Prior to joining Gridiron Capital, Sean served as vice president at BB&T Capital Markets in Richmond, Virginia. His responsibilities at BB&T included executing mergers and acquisitions advisory for middle-market businesses, as well as establishing and strengthening business development relationships with middle-market investors. Earlier in his career, Sean worked at Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank.

Dan Kelly

Managing Partner
Two Step Ventures

Dan is a seasoned business leader with a track record of driving growth and innovation across multiple industries, including technology (AWS), healthcare (Stryker), and mid-market consulting (Solutions 21).

Most recently, Dan led a transformational growth strategy at Solutions 21, securing back-to-back placements on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies. His expertise in revenue generation, strategic expansion, and organizational leadership makes him uniquely positioned to acquire and scale a mid-market business.

With deep experience in human capital management, Dan understands the critical role that leadership and company culture play in long-term business success. His hands-on approach has helped privately held companies build strong cultures, develop their leadership teams, and achieve sustained growth.

Recognizing the growing number of businesses without succession plans, Dan is committed to acquiring a company poised for its next phase of leadership. With 10,000 baby boomers reaching retirement daily, he sees a critical need for experienced operators to carry forward legacies while unlocking new opportunities for expansion.

In addition to his professional experience, Dan is an entrepreneur, board member, and active community leader, serving organizations focused on economic development, youth empowerment, and Irish-American initiatives.

Mike Kiley

Managing Director
Riverarch Equity Partners

Michael joined Riverarch Equity Partners in February 2022 and is currently focused on business development and relationship management for the firm. Prior to joining Riverarch, Michael worked for Stryker Corporation, a leading global medical technology company, in various commercial leadership roles nationally based in Pittsburgh, PA and San Jose, CA. Prior to that, Michael was in the United States Marine Corps and supported training operations in North Carolina during Operation Enduring Freedom.

James Knight

CEO
KTC Instruments

James Knight has three decades of B2B and PE experience, He has steered companies through transformational growth and navigated intricate M&A deals. He leads KTC Instruments, a global leader in testing instrumentation equipment and services. He is a thought leader in value based management and is an advisor and director to a number of families and privately held companies.

Lee M. Koury

Managing Director
Smart Business Network LLC

Lee is managing director of Smart Business Network LLC, a national events, media and marketing company founded in 1989, primarily responsible for expanding the company’s Dealmakers Conferences 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. 

Toby Kreidler

Director
Stellex Capital Management

Toby sources investment opportunities for Stellex. Prior to joining Stellex in 2021, Toby was a principal at Calibre Group, a merchant bank which provides advice and capital to manufacturing companies. Before Clalibre, Toby was a Managing Director in the Industrial Investment Banking Group of Seaport Global. Toby also served as financial advisor and negotiator at the United Steelworkers Union. Toby received hs BA in philosophy and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

Paul Lauttamus

President & CEO
Lauttamus Communications & Security

Paul Lauttamus is the President & CEO of Lauttamus Communications & Security. Under Paul’s leadership, Lauttamus Communications has acquired over 13 companies that align with the company’s business strategy. At present, Lauttamus Communications employs more than 75 people at locations in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

Prior to joining Lauttamus Communications, Paul worked in logistics and material management with modem manufacturer Aspen Technologies as well as in investment/mortgage banking with First Investment Corporation. Paul has received much recognition for his leadership, including being named to the WV Executive Magazine Sharpshooter Class of 2021.

Kevin Leonard

President & COO
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Stouffer Realty & The Preferred Realty

I am a big picture thinker, innovator, and revenue-generating powerhouse with 18+ years of experience in Real Estate, development, investing, mortgage, title and insurance. I am tactical, driven, and persuasive and have proven to thrive in the most challenging economic landscapes. As a readily adaptable and well-networked senior executive, I position my brands for success and keep ahead of the competition. I make the most of cutting-edge technologies for automation, productivity, and accountability. Analyzes and synthesizes data to forecast opportunistic trends in the market. As a growth-minded leader of leaders, I influence stakeholders to buy into my vision through a deep commitment to success.

John Lewis

Founding Member
Metz Lewis Brodman Must O'Keefe LLC

John Lewis is a founder of his law firm, dedicates his focus to assisting clients in building their business value, including M&A, succession planning and corporate governance. John's passion comes from his childhood involvement in his father's trucking business, including being thrust into running the business and selling it when his father suddenly died when John was 29.

Ian Magazine

Vice President - Finance
OraBio Inc.

Ian is the Vice President of Finance at Orabio, Inc., with extensive experience as a technology executive. He was employee #1 at Nextel Communications, contributing to their $35B exit. Ian also served as CEO of Airviz and CFO of a Carnegie Mellon biotech startup that went public in 2021. Over his 30+ years, he has led finance and operations at multiple successful early-stage companies, generating billions in value.

Al Melchiorre

President
MelCap Partners, LLC

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.

Ray Milhem

CEO
MILHEM DTL, LLC

Ray Milhem is the Founder & CEO of MILHEM DTL, LLC. The company was founded in Pittsburgh in 2020 as an Advisory firm in Digital Transformation as well as M&A services. Ray has 40 years of experience in 4 countries: US, Canada, UAE & Kuwait. He worked @ large Fortune 500 companies like Cisco, Nokia, Motorola, Boeing and ANSYS. He also worked at start-ups.

Ray is an Angel Investor & partners with regional companies like Aspirant, TECUM & Gleason Advisors.

James Myers

Vice President, Business Development
BEAM Collaborative

James Myers is the Vice President of Business Development at BEAM Collaborative, where he connects local businesses to corporate contracts and leads mergers and acquisitions. Previously, he served as Senior Director at the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, fostering relationships with businesses and policymakers. A Pittsburgh 40 Under 40 honoree and recipient of the Pittsburgh Courier Men of Excellence award, James holds a B.A. in Business Management from Carlow University.

Jim Nickel

Pennsylvania Region Head
CIBC Bank USA

Jim Nickel is Managing Director and Head of the Pennsylvania Region for CIBC US in Pittsburgh. Over his 30-year banking career, Jim has focused on providing relationship-driven commercial banking services to middle market companies. He joined CIBC in 2017 through the acquisition of The PrivateBank, the Chicago-based bank he joined in 2014 to spearhead the founding of a Pittsburgh office. Prior to that, he was with TriState Capital Bank and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. He began his career with PNC in Pittsburgh. A native of Pittsburgh, Jim has a finance degree from Bucknell University and a master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

Chris Passodelis

Member
Steptoe & Johnson

Clients see Chris as a trusted adviser because he is known for his broad legal knowledge and entrepreneurial mindset. With experience in private practice as well as in-house counsel positions for both privately held and publicly traded companies, he frequently serves as outside general counsel, advising on domestic and select international matters. He provides strategic counsel to a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including corporate executives, legal teams, board members, private equity professionals, and private investors.

Equally adept in the boardroom and the courtroom, Chris counsels clients on corporate governance, transactions, shareholder litigation, real estate development and disputes, and related legal issues. His practice also includes advising on complex credit facilities and regulatory compliance under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), including the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) and the Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) standards. Clients rely on Chris for strategic guidance relative to opportunities and crises alike. His approach is pragmatic and solution-oriented—focused on mitigating risk, resolving issues efficiently, and protecting both business and personal interests.

Patrick Patterson

CEO
Level Agency

Joe Pohl

CEO
Healthcare Ventures Group LLC

Joe Pohl is the CEO of Healthcare Ventures Group and its affiliates, Physcians Rx Pharmacy and Pharmalytiq. HVG provides complete pharmacy services pursuant to the federal 340B drug program. Prior to joining HVG, Joe served as an Executive in Residence with UPMC Enterprises, and as the General Counsel and then the CEO of PharmBlue Specialty Pharmacy. Joe came to these roles as a veteran attorney who represented clients in the healthcare, financial services and manufacturing industries.

Kevin Rich

Chief Financial Officer
Robinson Fans Inc.

Kevin joined Robinson Fans Holdings in 2022 after 18 years in banking with PNC Bank and Huntington Bank with a primary focus on Asset Based Lending. As the CFO of Robinson Fans Holdings (and its subsidiaries Robinson Fans, Inc., Robinson Machine Company and Robinson Service), Kevin is responsible for the accounting department, payroll and benefits, purchasing and information technology.

Kevin Riley

Founder & President
Totum Realty Advisors

With over 20 years of experience, learning the business from some of the best mentors in the world, Kevin founded Totum in 2019 to continue the journey of providing clients with unparalleled service and expertise. Always dedicated to assisting occupier clients by helping them make sound real estate decisions that drive overall business success his first passion and specialization is in corporate tenant advisory services assisting occupier clients on their decisions throughout the United States. Kevin is a creative expert that is client centered and experienced in strategic planning, project management, site selection, and lease negotiation and has developed a unique and dynamic approach to corporate real estate that not only protects the client’s interests but also generates the best financial results.

Dedicated family man, friend and volunteer, Kevin is passionate about being “all in” on every aspect of his life, whether business, family or pleasure. Dedicated involvement includes but not limited to Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR), NAIOP, and the Urban Land Institute (ULI), United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Cleveland, Ronald McDonald House, Blessed Francis Seelos Academy and Leadership Pittsburgh (XXXV).

Dan Sarver

Managing Director
Confluence Advisors

Dan Sarver has over 30 years of experience in Corporate Finance, Mergers and Acquisitions, Accounting, and Financial Analysis. He is a highly accomplished finance professional and has a proven track record of successfully executing complex business transactions including divestitures, management buyouts, balance sheet restructurings, and shareholder transactions. He is a co-founder of Confluence Advisors.

Throughout his extensive career, Dan has held senior roles with several major companies and has also served as Chief Financial Officer for multiple private businesses.

Andrew Sassaman

Growth Director - Western Pennsylvania
BDO

Francesca Schiavone

Partner
Leech Tishman

Francesca Schiavone is a Partner at Leech Tishman in the Corporate Practice Group. Based in Pittsburgh, she advises businesses through all stages of their lifecycle and has led major M&A transactions across industries including life sciences, financial services, healthcare, technology, and manufacturing. Her experience spans strategic and private equity deals, and she currently serves on the firm’s Management Committee.

Jeff Singleton

Vice President, Corporate Development
Wabtec Corporation

Jeff Singleton is the Vice President of Corporate Development at Wabtec and is responsible for leading global M&A for the corporation. Jeff's transaction experience includes over $7B of buy-side and sell-side M&A, debt and equity capital markets transactions with responsibilities ranging from deal origination and execution to negotiations and closing. Previously, Jeff was leading M&A at U. S. Steel after about 10 years in investment banking.

Michael Snyder

Executive Vice President
Air Ground Xpress, Inc

Michael Snyder is part of the majority ownership of Air Ground Xpress located in Clinton, PA. He has been a part of AGX since 1985 starting as Driver / Manager. During his time at AGX, he has overseen numerous expansions in service and locations. In 2014 he was a minority part of a buyout of AGX. In 2019 he along with James Dailey and Patrick Hobbs took majority ownership. He continues to oversee growth and expansion of the company.

Clark Stapelfeld

CEO & President
New Pendulum Corp.

Clark Stapelfeld currently serves as President and CEO of New Pig Corporation and its parent company New Pendulum Corpora­tion.

With New Pig since 2003, Clark is a member of the company’s Board of Directors. He also serves on several community boards including the Blair Chamber of Commerce, ABCD Corporation and the PSU-Altoona Advisory Board.

Robert Stein

Executive Director
Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence, University of Pittsburgh

Robert “Bob” Stein is executive director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence. He leverages his contacts and experience to the benefit of IEE members. For 13 consecutive years, he’s earned the title of Microsoft’s Most Valuable Professional. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Smeal College of Business and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business. He also holds a certificate in Executive Leadership from the Harvard Business School.

Cheryl Strom

Partner
The Riverside Company

As a highly experienced private equity professional, I bring a range of capital choices to business owners, management teams and advisors. Utilizing growth capital, non-control capital, majority-stake equity partnerships, full acquisitions, and debt for small and middle-market businesses, I can help your company or client. Tapping into 16 years of experience at The Riverside Company, I lead the firm’s Origination initiatives with deal source firms and referral sources based throughout the Midwestern United States. Together with a team of 16 Origination professionals across North America, we collectively establish new stand-alone companies, also called platform companies; and find and complete add-on acquisitions which enable Riverside's portfolio companies to expand by adding new product lines, service offerings, or geographies.

Daniel Tatomir

Vice President
Fragasso Financial Advisors

Dan has been working with business owners for over twenty-five years.  He helps business owners prepare for the eventual transition or sale of their companies. He guides owners in identifying their personal and financial goals, evaluating the value of their business through an opinion of value, and creating a plan that aligns business outcomes with long-term financial independence. Additionally, Dan has extensive experience in helping organizations design and manage effective retirement plans.

John R. Tomayko

President
Tomayko Group Holdings

John (Jack) Tomayko, Ph.D. Has over 35 years of experience as an entrepreneur and CEO in the healthcare field. During his tenure, the companies have received 18 awards representing Fastest Growth, Best Places to Work, and Healthiest Employer. In 2012, he was awarded the Regional Entrepreneur of the Year in the Healthcare Division. Jack serves on numerous boards including his own Tomayko Foundation.

John Veschi

General Counsel & Chief IP Officer
Factify Technologies

John brings experience from previous roles at Marquis Technologies, Wind Creek Casino, Hilco IP Merchant Banking and Rockstar. With a robust skill set that includes Due Diligence, Licensing, Patent Litigation, Patents, Start-ups and more.

Patrick Welch

CEO
Noveome Biotherapeutics, Inc.

Snow Zhang

Technology Advisor
412 Venture Fund

Snow is a Senior Counsel and Patent Attorney in the firm’s Intellectual Property Group. She represents clients in various intellectual property matters, including patent prosecution, litigation, and counseling. Snow advises clients in legal matters related to technology commercialization and transactions, including patent and trademark prosecution, data and privacy protection, IP strategy planning, domestic and cross-border technology licensing and acquisition, and investment due diligence support. Her clients include individual inventors, early-stage tech companies, university spinouts, international corporations, and investment firms.

As an IP attorney who worked across technology fields, her experience focuses on applying the law to complex technical issues. Her experience encompasses many technology areas, including AI assistant HTP drug screening and development, industrial chemical and new material development and testing, 3D printing with organic and inorganic materials, medical devices and diagnostic systems, healthcare data mining, wearable devices, EV battery and clean energy material and engineer systems, autonomous robotic design and perception systems, facial recognition and biometrics detection and data management, few-shot and low-shot machine learning system for object detection.