Transaction Options: Variety Is The Spice Of Dealmaking

Raj draws on nearly 30 years of experience as an investor, a financial advisor and an entrepreneur. He is the founder and managing director of Cascade Partners where he helps lead divestitures, recapitalizations, acquisitions and other strategic transactions for clients in the healthcare, industrials, business services and technology sectors. He has also co-managed multiple private equity funds and dozens of investments from early stage to buy-out in healthcare, automotive, technology and other industrial companies.

Prior to forming Cascade Partners, Raj co-founded Seneca Partners, Inc., a similar investment banking and private investment firm. While at Seneca Partners, he helped form Seneca Health Partners, a healthcare private equity fund. Prior to establishing Seneca Partners, he was a director at Beringea, a boutique investment-banking and venture capital firm. During this time, he co-managed the firm’s $70 million healthcare private equity fund, InvestCare Partners. Prior to the formation of their own fund, Raj has also served as an investment officer for ProVen Private Equity in London, England, a venture capital affiliate of Beringea.

He began his investment career as a money manager, most prominently for Masco Corporation. He left Masco to co-found Cranbrook Capital Management, a $650 million money management firm, where he was treasurer and director of international investing.

Jack Lawless has been CEO of Belle Tire since 2015. He started his career with a 3-yr stint in Commercial lending. As President/CEO over the past 25+ years, his teams have consistently increased market share with an intense focus on the customer. During his CEO career, he has bought/sold/managed $1.3 Billion of transactions across family owned, private equity and public platforms.

Mark founded Strength Capital along with a partner in 2000. As Managing Partner of Strength Capital, Mark is primarily responsible for investment sourcing and valuation, transaction structuring, investment oversight, fundraising and all administrative activities. Strength Capital has acquired over 70 companies since inception throughout the manufacturing, distribution and service industries. Mark is currently a board member of six of Strength's investments, three of which he is Chairman of the Board. Mark has held the Chairman role at 13 companies while leading Strength Capital.

Mark previously worked at Goldman Sachs & Co. and T. Rowe Price Associates. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He also received his Masters of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School.

Jay is the Michigan area chairman for Gallagher, a global leader in insurance, risk management & consulting services.  He previously served as president and chief executive officer and majority shareholder of LSG Insurance Partners, Michigan’s largest privately held insurance agency until its acquisition by Gallagher in October 2019.  Jay leads Gallagher’s local mergers and acquisitions consulting team, which supports private equity firms with diverse portfolios as well as large organizations seeking consistent and cohesive, risk management solutions across various holdings.