2024 Dealmakers of the Year Honorees
Presented By: Insperity
SOCIAL IMPACT
McKeever (Mac) Conwell II
Founder & Managing Partner
RareBreed Ventures
Founded in 2020, RareBreed Ventures is a pre-seed fund that invests in exceptional founders primarily outside of large tech ecosystems, earlier than everyone else.
- Lead partner on numerous pre-seed startups, helping smaller companies get off the ground.
- Mr. Conwell has served as Advisor to many startup like Femly as Manager at TEDCO and as Advisor many venture funds like Trailyn Ventures.
- He is a former software engineer and two-time founder with one exit.
SOCIAL IMPACT
Lisa Friedlander
Chief Revenue Officer; Co-Founder
NEXT, powered by Shulman Rogers; Citrine Angels
Lisa Friedlander is an attorney, entrepreneur, investor, and a strategic advisor/mentor to numerous startups. After practicing corporate and telecommunications law for 15+ years in both large and small firms, as well as serving in a VP General Counsel role for a satellite telecom company, she co-founded Activity Rocket in 2013. Activity Rocket was an aggregated marketplace for kids’ activities and summer camps. Lisa led the company as CEO. Activity Rocket was acquired in 2017 by Thrively, a west coast education technology company. Lisa then joined Shulman Rogers to launch and grow the NEXT law platform for startups and emerging growth companies. She is currently the Chief Revenue Officer for NEXT and has spearheaded numerous initiatives to support clients and the DMV tech ecosystem. Recently, Lisa co-founded another company called My NEXT Raise, an investor readiness platform for early-stage companies seeking to raise capital, which will launch in Fall 2024. Lisa is a mentor and speaker for a variety of entrepreneurship and investment groups and sits on the advisory board for several startups.
Lisa is a founding member and on the Board of Directors for Citrine Angels, a women investing in women angel group that provides capital to female founders across the country and helps to cultivate and educate more women to participate in this asset class. Lisa is also on the Board of 2gether International, an organization focused on supporting entrepreneurs with disabilities, and Main Street, a movement of inclusion where people of all abilities live and thrive together in Rockville, MD. Lisa also founded 2 organizations that raise money for Children’s National Medical Center – The Heartsongs Luncheon Fund (2001) and Teens with Heartsongs (2020) – together these organizations have raised well over $2 million for Children’s Hospital and provided leadership opportunities for over 500 local area high school students.
Lisa lives in Bethesda, MD with her husband Scott and 3 kids Jaclyn, Cole, and Camryn.
Dahna Goldstein
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Halycon Venture Partners
A venture capital firm that invests in seed-stage climate, health, and equity tech ventures.
- Impact investor, serial social entrepreneur, and civic technologist committed to increasing access to capital for world-changing organizations.
- Served as Chief Investment Officer at Halcyon Incubator is a Board Observer at MEDU.
- Co-founded Resistance by Design; founded and served as CEO at PhilanTech, which was acquired by Altum.
- Produced interactive eLearning programs for Global Education Network and Harvard Business School Publishing, including the award-winning "What Is a Leader?" program.
Steve Grem
CEO & President
Wise Consulting Associates
Provider of Human Capital Management (“HCM”) and full payroll support services. As a certified partner of both Ultimate Software, now UKG, and Ceridian, now Dayforce, Wise Consulting provides full vendor-side and client-side implementation services for UKG Pro & Ready and Dayforce, along with extensive client-focused ancillary HCM consulting and comprehensive Payroll services. Prior to the transaction with RSM, Wise was a 100% employee-owned company.
- The company was acquired by RSM US, a subsidiary of H&R Block for an undisclosed amount on May 1, 2023.
- The acquisition will enable integrated, holistic workforce solutions to mid-market clients. RSM’s human capital services has offerings in HR transformation in an optimized and forward-facing people strategy, outsourcing, HCM transformation, workforce transformation, and employee experience.
- This kind of integrated solution that clients expect will help instill confidence in a world of change as middle-market leaders make decisions about how their businesses can operate most effectively and efficiently.
Stephen Krooth
Retired CEO
Dominion Electric Supply Company, Inc. (a division of Border States)
Distributor of commercial and residential lighting catering to the Mid-Atlantic market.
- Founded in 1940 and acquired by Border States Electric for an undisclosed amount on April 30, 2024.
- Border States Electric is 100% employee owned and is one of the largest ESOPs in the country with more than $4 billion in revenue.
- The acquisition marks a geographic expansion for the Border States in the East Coast, and the alignment of the two companies' values and histories of success makes for a great partnership.
SOCIAL IMPACT
Andy Miller
SVP, Innovation & Product Development
AgeTech Collaborative from AARP
An accelerator firm that seeks to invest in B2C, healthcare, information technology, artificial intelligence, digital health, education technology, financial technology, gaming, health technology, mobility technology, virtual reality, robotics & drones sectors.
- The AgeTech Collaborative from AARP fosters enterprise innovation by connecting the leading AgeTech startups, forward-thinking investors, enlightened enterprises and creative testbeds in a collaborative space designed to generate big new ideas and send thriving products into a $45 trillion global economy.
- Has made about 40 investments over the last two years.
Nasir Qadree
Founder & Managing Partner
Zeal Capital Partners
A venture capital investment firm that seeks to invest in early-stage tech-enabled companies focused on health equity, financial technology & inclusion, and the Future of Learning & Work sectors.
Lead partner on numerous deals over the last 24 months, including:
Humanly (Business/Productivity Software),Later Stage VC (Series A) $17.37M ; Rising Team, Early Stage VC (Series A) $8.00M; Seven Starling, Early Stage VC (Series A): $12.63M; Auxa Health, Seed Round: $5.20M;ViuHealth, Seed Round: $5.77M
Hammad Shah
CEO
Clarest Health
Provider of long-term care pharmacy services intended for patients in senior living facilities and homes.
- In September 2022, Clarest Health purchased CSS Health whose proprietary technology offers real-time insights to identify vulnerable patients to ensure medication adherence.
- In October 2022, it purchased Integrity Pharmacy, a “pharmacy at home” service to serve patients in their home environment.
- Clarest Health doubles workforce with 1,100 new hires in 2023.
- In January of 2024 Clarest Health acquired Remedi SeniorCare, a long-term and post-acute care pharmacy services provider, giving the company the size and scale to lead the post-acute care market.
SOCIAL IMPACT
Cee Smith
CEO
Citrine Angels / Femme Fatale DC
Cee Smith is a seasoned entrepreneur and angel investor with over a decade of experience in entertainment. Known for her strategic business development and team-building skills, she has led successful ventures across tech, film, and retail. Passionate about inclusivity, Cee champions women and LGBTQ entrepreneurs through initiatives like Femme Fatale DC, an award-winning pop-up and retail incubator.
Jeff White
Co-Founder and CEO
Gravy Analytics
Operator of a location-based customer intelligence platform designed to turn location data into location intelligence.
- Acquired Unacast for an undisclosed amount on April 22, 2024.