Meet the Speakers

Drew is the President of StoneCreek Capital LLC. Drew has been involved in direct equity investing and leveraged financings for over 35 years. Prior to StoneCreek, Drew was with Wells Fargo Bank in Los Angeles where he developed and managed a successful portfolio of highly leveraged loans. He has been responsible for over $1 billion in leveraged transactions as a senior lender and equity principal. Drew currently oversees the day-to-day operations and investment activity at StoneCreek. Drew has served on the board of directors of Outsourcing Services Group, FoodHandler Holdings, Delafoil Holdings, BarrierSafe Solutions International, Fire-Dex LLC, Brand & Oppenheimer, Kova International, SteelHorse Automotive, Pinnacle Exhibits, Access DMC, Mob Scene and Montana Silversmiths.

He received his BA in Marketing and his MBA in Real Estate and Finance from Texas Christian University.

Ben started his career at The Richards Group, IPG and Omnicom. He joined T3 as the Director of Mobile in 2009 and became President in 2016. During his 13 years at T3 he evolved the business from a production shop to a leading digital transformation consultancy, greatly expanded EBITDA and led the successful sale to Tailwind Capital. Since the acquisition he has served in a lead role for the new platform, Material+, including multiple acquisitions. Ben is a frequent industry speaker and the author of the recent book, Embracing Irrationality.

Nichol Chiarella is a partner and Citrin Cooperman's Mergers and Acquisitions Tax Practice Leader, with over two decades of experience in public accounting. She provides high level tax planning and consulting services related to buy-side, sell-side, and restructuring transactions involving private equity firms, closely-held businesses, business owners, and high net worth individuals within the technology, manufacturing and distribution, wholesale, retail, cannabis, healthcare, real estate, staffing, and professional services industries.

Nichol handles transaction tax matters for private equity funds, independent sponsors, limited liability companies (LLCs), domestic partnerships, corporations, and S corporations. She specializes in buy-side and sell-side tax advisory, including tax due diligence, pre-transaction planning, tax structuring, and modeling, and post-transaction compliance support. She also handles mergers, divestitures, and restructuring matters, in addition to helping privately-held business owners transition to related parties.

Nichol also leads the firm’s global diversity, equity, and inclusion mission, branded as CC EDGE (Empowering Diversity and Gender Equality). In this role, she interfaces regularly with all CC EDGE leads in each of our metro geographies in the United States and in India.

Nichol's specialized tax knowledge and network of professional contacts allows her to act as a resource not only for her clients, but for other professionals seeking solutions for their clients and customers.

Eliot serves as Managing Partner of Broadwing Capital, which he co-founded after 20 years of operational private equity experience. He is responsible for overall direction of the firm and ensuring Broadwing achieves its investment objectives in a manner consistent with the firm’s mission and core values. He originates and leads investment opportunities, partners with management post-acquisition to achieve transformative results, and serves as primary contact at the firm for investors. Eliot has been a private equity investor since 2000, and has significant expertise in mergers and acquisitions, corporate strategy, performance improvement, and realizations through sales, public offerings and dividend recapitalizations.

Prior to founding Broadwing in 2022, Eliot was a Managing Partner of Insight Equity, a private equity firm with $1.4 billion under management. During his 17 years at Insight, Eliot led numerous investments and exits, working with management teams to create significant value across pre-fund investments, three equity funds and one mezzanine vehicle. He was responsible for all stages of the investment process, collaborating closely with management to identify and implement strategic and tactical improvement opportunities. Eliot served as Director and Chairman of multiple portfolio company boards, acted as Chief Restructuring Officer at a portfolio company during the great recession, and led acquisitions and greenfield expansion efforts throughout the United States and in seven countries.

Mr. Matt London is a Managing Director, Co-Head of Equity Group of Monroe Capital. He is responsible for executing new equity investments, working with existing portfolio company management teams on value creation initiatives and arranging for the disposition of investments.  Mr. London has over 20 years of experience in private equity investing and investment banking.  Prior to Monroe, he was a Principal at Waud Capital Partners, where he focused on partnering with leadership teams and growing companies primarily in the healthcare services market.  Previously, Mr. London was an Analyst within the investment banking groups at Deutsche Bank and Morgan Keegan.  Mr. London earned his B.S.B.A. in Finance and International Business from Washington University in St. Louis.

Chris White is the Director of Investor Relations for Insight Equity.  He leads Insight Equity’s global fundraising, investor relations and consultant relations efforts.  Chris has over 37 years of experience working with institutional investors and the consultant community.  His prior experience includes BNP Paribas, ABN AMRO Asset Management, Montgomery Asset Management, AllianceBernstein, and Fidelity Investments among others.  Chris holds a BSBA from Southeast Missouri State University.

Michael is a Partner at Align Collaborate and a member of its Investment Committee. Prior to Align Collaborate, Michael co-founded NCK Capital (“NCK”), a boutique independent sponsor that acquired controlling interests in lower-middle market companies, with his business partner, Grant Kornman. NCK was a pioneer in the independent sponsor community, winning numerous awards, and built a successful portfolio of companies in many different industries including environmental services, post-secondary education, wholesale distribution, and building services.

Over the course of Michael’s entrepreneurial and investment career, he has founded, built and ran companies such as QuickfirE Restaurants and ASAP Air Services. Michael’s vision and leadership have guided these companies through many strategic milestones, including securing outside equity and debt financing, obtaining mission-critical regulatory approvals and company recapitalizations and sales.

Mr. Boyd, Principal of RCG, provides deal execution and business development leadership to the Partners of the Firm in the consumer, business services, and healthcare services sectors. Mr. Boyd previously was a Principal at ORIX Private Equity Solutions (and its successor Prolign Capital), the US lower middle-market private equity division of ORIX Corporation, where he provided analytical, execution, and monitoring support as a part of the investment team.   

Jay is a Principal at Tamarix Equity Partners, a middle-market fund based in NYC, where he leads deal execution, investment strategy, and portfolio management. Over ten years’ experience in private equity, growth capital, investment banking and as a consumer startup founder. Prior investment firms include Centre Partners, a middle-market private equity firm in NYC, Palisades Growth Capital, a growth-equity firm in Los Angeles, and Macquarie Capital, an investment bank. Bachelor of Arts degree from Middlebury College with a major in International Politics and Economics.

At Wingspan, I use my experience in building and leading single family offices to help our clients meet their own unique objectives. Wingspan has already established itself as a premier advisor to founders and large family-owned businesses.

Mark Sinatra is the CEO of Aspen HR, where he leads the strategic direction and growth of the company. Prior to Aspen HR, Mark was CEO of Staff One HR, where he led the company through a period of substantial growth highlighted by achieving the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies for four years in a row, and culminating in Staff One HR’s sale to its largest privately-held competitor, Oasis Outsourcing, in December 2017. Mark oversaw the Western half of the country for Oasis Outsourcing until its sale to Paychex for $1.3bn in December 2018. Prior to his leadership experience in the HR industry, Mark worked as a consultant and investment banker.

Actively involved in his community and industry, Mark has served as a Board director for NAPEO and ESAC and two non-profit organizations. He is also an active member of Young Presidents’ Association.

Mark is an MBA graduate of the Wharton School of Business and holds a BA in Economics from Fordham University. He has earned the SHRM-CP designation, is a Certified Predictive Index analyst, and is a graduate of the Stagen Integral Leadership Academy.

Jay is a Principal at Tamarix Equity Partners, a middle-market fund based in NYC, where he leads deal execution, investment strategy, and portfolio management. Over ten years’ experience in private equity, growth capital, investment banking and as a consumer startup founder. Prior investment firms include Centre Partners, a middle-market private equity firm in NYC, Palisades Growth Capital, a growth-equity firm in Los Angeles, and Macquarie Capital, an investment bank. Bachelor of Arts degree from Middlebury College with a major in International Politics and Economics.