CYPRIUM - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Progress With Chess
- Vice President / Cleveland
Adam is responsible for evaluating and executing new investments and supporting ongoing portfolio company initiatives. He has been involved in transactions across a range of industries, including manufacturing, building products, consumer goods and payment processing.
Prior to joining Cyprium, Adam spent seven years in the middle market private equity sector, most recently, serving as a Vice President at H.I.G. Capital in Miami, as well as previous roles at Falcon Private Holdings and Searchlight Capital. He began his career as an Analyst in the M&A Advisory division of The Blackstone Group in New York.
Adam graduated magna cum laude with a BBA in finance from the University of Notre Dame.
Adam is a member of the board of Progress with Chess, a non-profit organization which aims to enable students to reap the intellectual and social benefits of chess participation in the northeast Ohio region. He enjoys playing competitive chess and watching Notre Dame and Cleveland's sports teams. Adam and his wife, Dominique, live in Hudson, Ohio.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Partner / Cleveland
Beth is responsible for sourcing, evaluating and structuring investments, as well as on-going portfolio company management. She has diversified experience within the food and beverage, packaging, distribution, industrial and building products industries and has worked on several of the firm's Canadian investments. Beth also serves as a member of Cyprium's Investment Committee.
Prior to joining the firm in 2000, she served in various investment banking roles at KeyBanc Capital Markets and Carleton, McCreary, Holmes & Co.
Beth received her MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and graduated cum laude from Dartmouth College with a BA in government.
Serving on the board of the Cleveland chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth, Beth is a member of the Executive Committee and focuses on the organization's DEI, Women in Transactions and Young ACG initiatives. She is also a member of the board of Magnificat High School, an all-girls high school and her alma mater, where she co-chairs the Strategic Planning committee. Beth spends most of her free time watching her three kids play sports and is also an avid trail runner and a certified yoga teacher.
Brad is responsible for evaluating and executing new investments and supporting ongoing portfolio company initiatives. He has been involved in transactions across a range of industries, including financial services, manufacturing, industrial equipment, and consumer products and services.
Prior to joining Cyprium, Brad was a manager in the Transaction Advisory Services group of RSM US, LLP where he focused on buy-side and sell-side due diligence for middle-market mergers and acquisitions. Earlier in his career, Brad worked for KPMG, LLP as an external auditor, where he executed audits of financial statements for a Fortune 100 company.
Brad received his Masters in Accounting from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business and graduated cum laude with a BA in business management from Wittenberg University.
Brad likes to spend his time staying active, running, traveling and playing golf. Ever loyal, Brad can be found rooting for his Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland Browns.
Job Titles:
- Executive
- Executive Advisor
- Healthcare
- President of IRC Consulting
Charles Sweet has over 30 years of executive experience and board-level roles across several industries including health care, technology, manufacturing and staffing. Mr. Sweet's C-Level experience includes appointments to CEO for seven different companies, for both publicly-traded and privately-owned businesses, with revenues ranging from $50 million to $500 million. He also possesses extensive board-level experience having served on 17 private and public boards, 14 of which have been as Independent Director. He also served as a managing director of an $8B private equity fund where he was responsible for the healthcare and information technology sectors.
Mr. Sweet is currently President of IRC Consulting, an independent advisory practice he established in 1998 and serves on five different boards for companies operating within the health care space.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Finance Committee
- Partner / Cleveland
Cindy is involved in all aspects of Cyprium's investment activities including identifying, structuring and executing transactions, is involved in the operations of the firm and is also a member of the Investment Committee. She has over 25 years' experience in the middle market, including prior investment experience in the food and beverage, general manufacturing, business services and distribution sectors.
Cindy was one of the original members of the team, joining the firm in 1998. Prior to that, she worked at Carleton, McCreary, Holmes & Co., a Cleveland-based investment banking firm, where she was responsible for industry research, financial analysis, buy and sell side transactions and valuation for public and private companies. Earlier in her career, Cindy worked as a laboratory technician for Seibert Powder Coatings and as a statistician for the University Hospitals of Cleveland.
Cindy received her MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University and her BS in biology from the University of Miami.
Cindy is a member of the Finance Committee and Financial Aid Committee for Julie Billiart School, a K - 8 school focused on teaching kids with mild to moderate autism, ADHD, anxiety, dyslexia and various other learning differences. In addition, Cindy was a graduate of Leadership Cleveland in 2011. She lives in Cleveland with her husband, two daughters and dog. When Cindy is not spending time with her family, or watching her daughters dance and play tennis, she can be found walking the fields of her family's 1,000 plus acre farm located southwest of Cleveland.
Job Titles:
- Board Member of Youth Opportunities Unlimited
- Partner / Cleveland
Dan is responsible for sourcing, evaluating and executing new investments and supporting his current portfolio companies. Additionally, he is a member of Cyprium's Investment Committee. Dan has a broad range of experience in the manufacturing, food and beverage, packaging and facilities services industries. He also has experience working with ESOP-owned businesses.
Prior to joining the firm in 2001, Dan was the Vice President of Finance for GlobalStreams, an early-stage streaming media platform. Previously, he spent five years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, most recently as Manager in the mergers and acquisitions transaction services group, where he supervised project teams conducting financial and operational due diligence and post-acquisition integration consulting.
Dan received his MBA with high honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BS in accounting from Indiana University. Dan is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) in the state of Missouri.
Dan is a board member of Youth Opportunities Unlimited, a nonprofit workforce development organization serving teens and young adults in Northeast Ohio. Previously, he served as a board member and treasurer of a Habitat for Humanity chapter. A native of Saint Louis, Dan now lives in Pepper Pike, Ohio with his wife and their two children.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate / Cleveland
Dozie is responsible for evaluating and executing new investments and supporting ongoing portfolio company initiatives. He has been involved in transactions across a range of industries, including technology, business services and natural resources.
Prior to joining Cyprium, Dozie was an Associate at Delta-v Capital, where he was involved in executing investments and facilitating various portfolio company initiatives, including add-on acquisitions. Before Delta-v Capital, he was a Finance Associate at Google, evaluating investment decisions for the technology product groups. Dozie began his career at Barclays as a member of the Investment Banking Analyst Program.
Dozie holds a BSE in Operations Research and Financial Engineering from Princeton University.
In his leisure time, Dozie enjoys staying active, playing tennis, pickleball and soccer. Dozie passionately supports the Arsenal Football Club and enjoys watching mixed martial arts competitions.
Drew is responsible for sourcing, evaluating and structuring new investments and monitoring select portfolio companies. His experience spans a wide variety of industries including building products, contract manufacturing, food and beverage and business services.
Prior to joining the firm in 2008, Drew worked in the corporate development group at Agilysys, a provider of IT solutions with expertise in the retail and hospitality markets, and held various investment banking roles at Croft & Bender and Brown, Gibbons Lang & Co.
Drew received his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and graduated magna cum laude with a BBA in finance from Kent State University.
Drew and his wife Leah live on the west side of Cleveland and like to spend their time off traveling the globe. When he is not embarking on an international adventure, you can usually find Drew on the golf course.
Gary Riley has extensive global manufacturing experience, specifically in Asia, from his time leading public company divisions, privately-held and private-equity backed companies over the course of his career. He currently is the Chairman of Ningbo Global Sourcing, a China based provider of sourcing, logistics and quality control services offered to US and European manufacturers.
Mr. Riley was a Sergeant in the U.S. Army stationed in Korea, and later earned his Masters in Accounting from the University of Kentucky. He earned his CPA and later became a partner at Price Waterhouse. His operating career began when he joined his client Zollner Pistons as President. Gary earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Morehead State University.
Jeff is responsible for deal sourcing, investment evaluation, transaction execution and portfolio oversight. He has broad experience in the manufacturing, automotive engineering services, construction services and base materials industries.
Prior to joining Cyprium, Jeff was a Vice President in the Industrial Investment Banking group at KeyBanc Capital Markets, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions, leveraged finance and private capital transactions for middle-market companies. Earlier in his career, Jeff worked as a licensed structural engineer for WSP Global and URS Corporation, where he performed building design and construction administration for various industrial and high-rise commercial building projects.
Jeff received his MBA from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, an MS in civil engineering from the University of Illinois, and a BS in civil engineering from the University of Kentucky.
Jeff and his wife have three children and live in Rocky River, Ohio. When not shuttling children from various activities, Jeff spends his time restoring his century home and following Kentucky Wildcat basketball.
John is primarily focused on investor relations and serving on the firm's Investment Committee. Over the course of his career, John has worked with founder, family and management-owned companies across a variety of industries including but not limited to business services, building products, distribution, aerospace and defense.
As a mezzanine investor with Barclays Capital in the late 1980's and early 1990's, John originated the sponsorless investment strategy that is the foundation of Cyprium's business model. That early experience led to the formation of Regis Capital Partners in 1996 and then Key Principal Partners prior to establishing Cyprium.
John received his MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and economics degrees from Bucknell University and the University of Buckingham.
Starting with the first charter school in Cleveland, John has been involved in efforts to improve urban education for 22 years. He is also the board chair of the EDWINS Foundation, dedicated to helping reintegrate formerly incarcerated citizens via a certified culinary arts education. John supports The Innocence Project at UVA Law as well as the Blue Ridge Area and Harry Chapin (SWFL) Foodbanks. No longer able to play ultimate frisbee, John and his wife, Cassi spend their weekends hiking and cycling.
Job Titles:
- Board Director
- Executive Advisor
- Investor
- Technology, Media, Telecommunications & Security
John Ward is a seasoned investor and board director across a range of industries, including cloud computing, software-as-a-service, telecommunications, datacenters, managed hosting, media, IT services and energy sectors.
Prior to receiving his Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University and his Masters in Business Administration from The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, Mr. Ward served as an Intelligence Officer in the United States Navy. John received his BA in Political Science from Middlebury College.
Job Titles:
- Marketing Manager / Cleveland
Karen is responsible for managing the marketing and communications strategies on behalf of Cyprium. She develops and executes content for the firm's website, social media and print materials, as well as managing press relations, CRM system and event planning.
Prior to joining Cyprium, Karen was a Senior Account Executive at Bozell, Wyse Advertising and Lintas Worldwide. Her clients included Key Corp, Chrysler, Renaissance Hotels, TRW and Chevrolet. Her experience spans everything from national television, radio and print advertising to a variety of social media campaigns.
Karen graduated from The Ohio State University with a BA in journalism and advertising and a minor in communications.
She is a member of the American Advertising Federation. In her free time, Karen enjoys golfing, camping and hiking, and spending quality time with her husband and four kids.
Job Titles:
- Senior Accountant / Cleveland
Kassandra is responsible for implementing the finance and accounting functions of all Cyprium entities, focusing on internal and external reporting and tax preparation.
Prior to joining Cyprium, Kassandra gained valuable experience in financial analysis and reporting and ensuring regulatory compliance while working in corporate accounting. Her experience also extends to processing payroll, preparing payroll-related taxes, compiling accounts payable and receivables and conducting reconciliations.
Kassandra earned her BA in business administration with an emphasis in accounting and finance from Cleveland State University.
In her leisure time, she enjoys spending time with her family and reading.
Job Titles:
- Office Manager / Cleveland
Katelyn is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Cleveland office and assists the Chief Financial Officer/Chief Compliance Officer with accounting, human resources and compliance matters.
Prior to joining Cyprium, Katelyn was an associate at CM Wealth Advisors where she managed company correspondence, verified transactions and distributions, and processed billing. She also managed K-1's & 1099s for internal and external tax preparers.
Earlier in her career, she worked for Marous Brothers Construction as Executive Assistant, where she maintained comprehensive and accurate company records, administered the corporate travel program and reviewed invoices and billing statements. Katelyn also coordinated all public relations for the company and was the liaison for sporting and entertainment events.
Katelyn attended Kent State University where she studied early childhood education.
She spends her free time traveling abroad, reading, and summers on her paddleboard. She lives in Lakewood with her puppy, Harasyn.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer & Chief Compliance Officer / Cleveland
Lisa is responsible for the implementation and management of the finance, tax, investor relations, human resources and compliance functions for the firm.
Prior to joining the firm in 2004, Lisa worked in public accounting, specializing in taxation. She provided tax compliance for both individuals and pass-through entities.
Lisa graduated summa cum laude with a BA in business administration with an emphasis in accounting from Baldwin Wallace University.
Lisa retains an Ohio license as a Certified Public Accountant and is a member of the Ohio Society of CPAs. When not working, Lisa enjoys traveling with her family. During 2020, they revised their travel goals to visit each state within the US.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate / Chicago
Michael is responsible for evaluating and executing new investments and supporting ongoing portfolio company initiatives.
Prior to joining Cyprium, Michael was an Associate in the Financial Institutions Group of Stephens where he advised financial institutions throughout the United States on a variety of M&A and capital markets transactions. He began his career at Stephens as a member of the Investment Banking Analyst Program.
Michael graduated summa cum laude with a BS in finance from Aurora University. He was also a member of the NCAA hockey and tennis teams.
As a native of New Jersey, Michael is an avid fan of his favorite New York area sports teams. When not watching a game, you can usually find him on the golf course or supporting the local restaurant scene. He currently resides in Chicago's River North neighborhood.
Mike has over 30 years of investing experience and is a member of Cyprium's Investment Committee. He is responsible for management of the firm, including investor relations, marketing and investment execution. His industry experience consists of distribution, e-commerce, manufacturing, packaging and food and beverage.
Prior to joining the firm, Mike was a manager of alternative assets and direct investments for a private family office in San Francisco. Activities included direct equity and mezzanine investing in middle market businesses in the US, Asia and Europe. He was previously a Vice President at The Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A., focusing on leveraged buyout activity in the bank's Corporate Finance group in New York.
Mike earned a BA with a double major in economics and political science from Stanford University where he was an All-American on the school's national championship swimming team.
A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Mike has served in many roles related to community service, church outreach and youth sports over the years. He is proud of his three adult kids and lives outside of New York City with his wife Margaret. Mike enjoys playing guitar in his garage band of nearly 20 years, performing at local charity events, restaurants and bars.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Economic Club of Chicago
- Partner / Chicago
Nick oversees Cyprium's origination and marketing activities. He is primarily responsible for sourcing, evaluating and structuring new investments and leveraging his network to raise third-party senior debt for portfolio companies. Additionally, his experience is called upon for investments in the federal contracting, consumer durable and agricultural industries.
Prior to joining the firm in 2007, Nick worked at Northlight Capital, a private equity firm focused on leveraged buyouts, where he was responsible for developing proprietary acquisition opportunities, transaction execution and managing operational projects at the portfolio level. Earlier in his career, Nick worked at U.S. Capital Acquisitions, a boutique middle-market mergers and acquisitions practice in Wichita, Kansas after beginning his career as a Financial Analyst at NASA - Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
Nick received his MBA with honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and graduated cum laude with a BBA in international business from Wichita State University.
Nick is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, the Wichita State Foundation Investment Committee, the National Board of Governors for Sigma Phi Epsilon and the board of Chicago Hope Academy Entrepreneur Youth Experience. Having grown up on a farm in central Nebraska, he is still an early riser who misses no opportunity to be outdoors. Nick and his wife live in Oak Park, Illinois.
Job Titles:
- Executive Advisor
- Co - Founder and Managing Partner of Embassy Park
Paul Smucker Wagstaff is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Embassy Park, a merchant banking and advisory firm focused on the consumer-packaged food industry. Paul's experience stems from a lifelong involvement in his family's business at J.M. Smucker Company, where he was a long-time senior executive, most recently serving as the President of the US Retail Consumer Foods Division, a $2.3 billion unit where he led all aspects of the business including eight plants and more than 1,300 employees.
Mr. Wagstaff has served on numerous public company, private organization and non-profit boards of directors. Mr. Wagstaff has an MBA in International Business from Pepperdine University and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from The College of Wooster.
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant
- Executive Assistant / New York
Sonja is responsible for coordinating the day-to-day administrative duties and client relations of the New York office. Having invested over 20 years at the firm, she ensures the smooth operation of the office and provides extensive support to the investment team.
Sonja is a seasoned executive assistant with 35 years in the financial industry. She established the administration of the firm's Greenwich, Connecticut office in 2000. Prior to Cyprium, she served as an executive assistant at Houlihan Lokey and Paine Webber in New York City.
Sonja lives on Long Island with her husband and their children. In her spare time she enjoys attending concerts, Broadway shows and baseball games with her friends and family.
Steve Schwarz is an expert in the office products industry. He is currently a consultant to multiple manufacturing and distribution companies, helping to find ways to reduce channel conflict, increase pricing power and position companies for the market shifts that are constantly evolving.
Prior to his consulting activities, Steve was head of merchandising for all divisions of Essendant, the $5 billion wholesale distributor of workplace essentials after running the company's $2 billion Furniture and Technology Divisions.
Mr. Schwarz earned his MBA from DePaul University and his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and Economics from Northeastern Illinois University.
Job Titles:
- Coach for the First Tee of Cleveland
- Vice President / Cleveland
Taylor is responsible for evaluating and executing new investments and supporting ongoing portfolio company initiatives. He has been involved in transactions across a range of industries, including manufacturing, building products, engineered materials and industrial automation.
Prior to joining Cyprium, Taylor was an Associate in the Diversified Industrials group of Brown, Gibbons, Lang & Company where he focused on executing middle-market mergers and acquisition transactions.
Taylor received his Specialized Master in Finance with honors from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business and graduated magna cum laude with a BA in economics, political science and finance from Western Kentucky University.
Taylor is a coach for the First Tee of Cleveland, which introduces young people to the values in the game of golf and he recently joined Achievement Centers for Children as an Associate Board member. Taylor enjoys spending time outdoors, often while golfing and traveling with his wife. He and his wife live in Cleveland.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director / New York
Wes is responsible for origination and marketing activities at Cyprium. He maintains deep relationships with investment bankers, senior lenders and other referral sources, and sourcing, evaluating and structuring new investments. Wes's operating and investing experience spans the industrial, business services and health care industries.
Prior to joining the firm in 2017, Wes worked at Praesidian Capital, a lower middle-market unitranche and mezzanine debt provider, where he was a Managing Director focused on new business development, investment underwriting and portfolio management. Wes spent the earlier part of his career in operational roles as the General Manager of Volex in Manchester, England and Shanghai, China where he oversaw the successful turnaround of its $400 million cable interconnect business. He was also a General Manager for Amphenol's RF Connector Division in Danbury, Connecticut.
Wes obtained his MBA at the Harvard Business School and earned BA degrees, cum laude, in economics and mathematics from Northwestern University.
He is an avid runner and channels that into organizing a team of approximately 30 individuals every year to participate in the NYC Marathon. The teams have raised in excess of $2.3 million for cancer survivorship at Sloan Kettering. Wes lives in New York City.