BLUE POINT CAPITAL PARTNERS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Associate, Operations / Cleveland
Alena joined the group in 2019. She holds a B.A. in Communication Management from Cleveland State University.
Outside of work, Alena enjoys dabbling with floral design, exploring the food and coffee scene in Cleveland and being active in the life of her Slavic community.
Job Titles:
- Vice President / Charlotte
Alex joined the group in 2023. Previously, he was a Senior Associate at LFM Capital. Prior to joining LFM, Alex was an Associate at The Zabel Companies and an Analyst at Deloitte Corporate Finance.
Alex holds a B.S. in Commerce and B.A. in Mathematics from University of Virginia, McIntire School of Commerce.
Outside of work, Alex enjoys golf, live music and exploring new restaurants.
Job Titles:
- Analyst
- Analyst / Cleveland
Anesu (Nes) joined the group in 2023. Previously, he was an analyst at Alpine Investors where he evaluated and executed investments in business service and technology companies.
Anesu holds a B.S. in Business Data Analytics & Finance from the University of Akron.
Outside of the office, Anesu enjoys playing and watching soccer, spending time with family, as well as being disappointed by Cleveland sports teams.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate, Accounting / Cleveland
Bailey joined the group in 2020. Prior to joining Blue Point, she was an auditor in the Investment Industry practice at Cohen & Company Ltd.
Bailey holds a B.B.A. in Accounting and Business Pre-Law from Ohio University.
In her spare time, Bailey enjoys traveling, trying out new breweries, hiking with her dog Finn at the Cleveland Metroparks and riding horses.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate / Cleveland
Bobby joined the group in 2019. Previously, he was an investment banking analyst in the mergers and acquisitions department at Citizens Capital Markets in Cleveland.
Bobby holds a B.S.B.A. in Finance and Chemistry from the Boler School of Business at John Carroll University.
In his spare time, Bobby enjoys golfing, traveling and exploring the Cleveland food scene.
Job Titles:
- Director of National OnDemand
- Partner / Charlotte
Brian rejoined the group in 2015. Most recently, Brian was a vice president at Red Ventures where he led the predictive analytics and advanced digital marketing teams. He has also worked with HOPE International in Brazzaville, Congo, and spent two years as an investment banking analyst with Harris Williams & Co., specializing in mergers and acquisitions.
Brian graduated from Washington and Lee University with a B.A. in Economics and Mathematics.
On behalf of Blue Point, Brian serves as a director of National OnDemand, SBG and Transtar.
Away from the office, Brian enjoys traveling, photography and fly fishing.
Charley joined the group in 2008. Prior to joining Blue Point, Charley worked as a Senior Associate for Duff & Phelps Securities. He began his career at Willis Towers Watson, working in its investment consulting group.
Charley holds a B.S.B.A. in Finance from the University of Richmond. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and a member of the CFA Institute and CFA Society of Cleveland. Charley serves as a director of Russell Hendrix, TAS Environmental and Weaver Leather.
Outside of the office, Charley enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children. He also loves sports and is a passionate supporter of his hometown teams in Cleveland.
Job Titles:
- Director of Next Level
- Partner / Cleveland
Chip has been with the group since 1998 and established Blue Point's global supply chain function in 2004. Prior to Blue Point, Chip worked in business development for the Sara Lee Corporation in Hong Kong, as well as for Strategic Planning Associates (now part of Oliver Wyman), providing strategic consulting services to a number of Fortune 500 companies.
Chip holds a B.A. in Asian Studies from Brown University and a Master's of Public Affairs from Princeton University. Chip has been a contributor on issues related to China investments to a number of national news organizations, including Bloomberg, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal and American Public Media's national radio show, Marketplace.
On behalf of Blue Point, Chip serves as a director of Next Level, siffron, Spector & Co., Stax and Transtar.
In his spare time, Chip enjoys biking, swimming and traveling with his family. He met his wife in the fifth grade and they have four kids, with music in their house running the gamut from Katy Perry to Kendrick Lamar. Chip also serves as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), working with children in the Cuyahoga County juvenile court system. He is also a former member of the Shanghai chapter of the Young Presidents' Organization.
Colleen joined the group in 2015 and oversees all operational areas of the firm, including finance and compliance. Prior to Blue Point, Colleen worked for J.P. Morgan in both Chicago and Cleveland, for its private equity fund administration group and directly supporting One Equity Partners in a variety of accounting and finance roles. Before J.P. Morgan, she worked for Citadel Investment Group and began her career as an auditor for Arthur Andersen in Chicago.
Colleen holds a B.S.B.A. in Accounting from The Ohio State University and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) (inactive).
Outside of work, Colleen oversees all operational areas of a household that includes two young kids and a dog named Patsy Cline. With the support of Blue Point, Colleen is a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for the Child and Family Advocates of Cuyahoga County.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director / Seattle
Dennis joined the group in 2006. Previously, Dennis was the Asia Pacific Purchasing Director at Delphi Packard Electric Systems. While at Delphi, he spent more than 10 years in various assignments mainly in supply management, purchasing and quality. Prior to joining Delphi, Dennis worked at Shanghai Printronics Circuit Board Co. where he was a product engineer.
Dennis holds a B.E. in Material Science from Shanghai University and an M.B.A. from China Europe International Business School.
Job Titles:
- Director of Compliance / Cleveland
Ed is a lifelong Cleveland resident, and lives in Ohio City with his wife and two children. When he isn't in the office, you can find him spending time at one of Cleveland's many parks with his family, playing or watching soccer, or trying a new coffee shop. He also serves on the board of directors for The City of Ohio Sports Club, a non-profit soccer team dedicated to working with Cleveland's refugee community.
Job Titles:
- Director of the Board of Europa Eyewear
- Principal / Cleveland
Evan joined the group in 2017. Previously, he was an associate at Linsalata Capital Partners. Prior to joining Linsalata Capital Partners, Evan was an associate in the mergers and acquisitions group at KeyBanc Capital Markets.
Evan holds a B.S.B.A. in Finance from The Ohio State University.
On behalf of Blue Point, Evan serves as a director of the board of Europa Eyewear and siffron.
Outside of work, Evan enjoys traveling, golfing and exploring Cleveland's diverse food scene. He also serves on the Associate Board of the Achievement Centers for Children and is an alumnus of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance City Advocate program.
A citizen of the UK, Canada and the USA, Graham is an international business veteran with 40 years of experience working in eight countries across the American, European and Asian continents. He has held leadership positions in a wide range of industries including specialty chemicals, packaging, beverage and distribution. He is also the co-founder of Partners for Strategic Growth, a Pittsburgh-based consultancy which leverages a proprietary process to increase EBITDA while turning a company's working capital into cash.
Since 2000, Graham has fulfilled a variety of roles with multiple Blue Point portfolio companies, including as CEO of Convergent Label Technology, director of Fire & Life Safety America, as wells as Chairman of Smith-Cooper International and The Lion Brewery. On behalf of Blue Point, Graham currently serves as a director of Brimar Industries, Country Pure Foods and Weaver Leather.
In addition to his business interests, Graham is also a dedicated triathlete. With over 30 Ironman events completed to-date, he has competed at the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii four times and has been ranked #1 in the Ironman Overall World Rankings.
Graham earned a B.Sc. Honors degree from the University of London and is an alumnus of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
Grant has extensive experience leading both lower middle-market companies as well as large, multinational organizations. He previously worked with Blue Point from 2009-2014, rejoining in 2017, to actively support our team in evaluating investment opportunities. Grant most recently served as Chairman & CEO of Wynnchurch Industries, LLC. Previously he was Chairman & CEO of Wolverine Advanced, a leading provider of specialty rubber coated materials. He has also served as President & CEO of Constar International, a supplier of rigid plastic packaging products serving the global food and beverage industries. His previous experience also includes being a Partner at The Anderson Group, a lower middle-market private equity firm, President & CEO of TriMas Corporation, a multi-national industrial conglomerate, and Chairman, President & CEO of Health Media, Inc., a provider of health assessment products.
On behalf of Blue Point, Grant serves on the boards of Sylvan, TAS Environmental and VRC Engineered Solutions.
Grant earned his B.S. and M.B.A. in Finance from Miami University and an M.A. in International Economics from the University of Detroit.
*The Director of Business Development and Operating Partners are independent contractors on retainer or work exclusively with Blue Point.
Jackie has over 20 years of experience in purchasing and logistics in automotive manufacturing. She initially worked with Blue Point from 2006 to 2010 assisting a portfolio company in sourcing key components and finished products from Asia, ultimately achieving meaningful cost savings. After that and prior to rejoining Blue Point in 2021, Jackie held management positions across several divisions of Continental Holding in APAC, where she specialized in global category management and project and non-productive purchasing. Jackie also has experience with wire harness manufacturing, production control, product development and sourcing.
Jackie holds a B.A. in Education from Northeast Normal University and is CPSM (Certified Professional in Supply Management) certified.
In her spare time, Jackie enjoys spending time with her family and colleagues. She also enjoys singing, swimming, hiking, Chinese dancing and sharing Chinese Traditional Medicine.
Jeff has over 25 years of financial, operational and general management experience, primarily with middle-market, private equity-owned businesses. He has extensive involvement across the manufacturing and distribution sectors, most recently with a heavy focus in e-commerce distribution engagements. His roles with private equity-backed companies span from previously serving as President & CFO of MWE Holdings, LLC, a provider of outdoor power equipment and aftermarket light construction replacement parts, and Executive Vice President of Finance and Operations & CFO for The Hercules Tire & Rubber Company. Additionally, he was the Executive Vice President, CFO & Treasurer for Transtar Holding Company (prior to becoming a BPCP IV portfolio company).
He works closely with portfolio management teams to support optimizing their finance, operations, HR and IT functions, and is dedicated in helping build processes and infrastructure to support growth and create value. On behalf of Blue Point, Jeff has worked alongside several Blue Point portfolio companies, including serving as the CFO of Trademark Global, LLC (BPCP II), and serves on the boards of Next Level, Spector & Co. and Stax.
Jeff earned a B.S. in Accounting and an M.B.A. in Finance & Operations from The Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.
Jeff rejoined the group in 2013; he was previously with Blue Point from 2005 through 2008. Most recently, Jeff worked with Valley Forge Private Equity, Inc. in Philadelphia, PA. Prior to joining Blue Point in 2005, Jeff was an investment banking analyst in the media and telecommunications group at Société Générale in New York.
Jeff graduated from Canisius College with a B.S. in Finance. He also received a Masters in Finance from the University of Notre Dame.
On behalf of Blue Point, Jeff serves on the Firm's ESG Committee and as a director of Next Level, Spector & Co. and Stax.
In his spare time, Jeff enjoys running, biking and traveling with his wife and daughter. Between 2008 and 2011, Jeff and his wife spent three years exploring South America, Central America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and New Zealand.
Job Titles:
- Controller
- Controller / Cleveland
Jim joined Blue Point as Controller in April 2018. Previously, he was an auditor at Cohen & Company, Ltd. within their Investment Industry Services Division. Prior to Cohen, he was a Senior Analyst at Citi Hedge Fund Services North America, Inc. providing fund administration and partnership accounting services to various types of private funds.
Jim graduated from Ohio University with a B.B.A. in Accounting. Since 2010, he has been a CPA licensed in Ohio.
Outside of work, Jim enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, traveling, golfing and exploring the local food and brewery scene.
John joined the group in 2022. He was previously a professional football player in the NFL. After his three-year career with the NFL, John flexed his entrepreneur muscles by starting and successfully exiting two business ventures, one in real estate and one in corporate wellness.
John holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts & Sciences Education from Harvard University and a Master of Finance from Babson's F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business.
In his spare time, John enjoys exercising, reading, traveling and spending time with his wife and three kids.
Prior to joining Blue Point in 1998, John was with the Boston Consulting Group, Inc. where he led strategy and operational effectiveness studies for a range of Fortune 500 companies. Prior to attending business school, John was with Salomon Brothers in Chicago and Sydney, Australia, and focused on mergers and acquisitions advisory assignments.
John graduated with a B.S. in Economics and Finance from Miami University and received his M.B.A. from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
On behalf of Blue Point, John serves as a director of Brimar Industries, Country Pure Foods, Europa Eyewear, SBG, VRC Engineered Solutions, Water Lilies and Weaver Leather.
Outside of the office, John enjoys spending time with his daughter and son, and his interests include travel, live music and supporting educational causes. Against his better judgment he remains an avid Cleveland sports fan. John also serves on the Board of Trustees and as Investment Committee Chairman at Hawken School and serves on the Board of Directors and as Investment Committee Chairman at Friends of Breakthrough Schools, a group of high-performing charter schools in Cleveland.
Jonathan rejoined the group in 2015; he was previously with Blue Point from 2007 to 2010. Most recently, Jonathan was a principal at Greenbriar Equity Group. Prior to joining Blue Point in 2007, Jonathan worked as an analyst for KeyBanc Capital Markets in the mergers and acquisitions group, and he began his career as an auditor at EY.
Jonathan holds a B.S.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Pittsburgh, an M.S. in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame and an M.B.A. from the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College, where he was an Edward Tuck Scholar.
Juli joined the group in Cleveland in 1997 and relocated to the Charlotte office in 2001. Prior to joining the group, Juli was a senior manager with EY, where she had more than 11 years of experience. Juli was involved in EY's Mergers and Acquisitions Group and provided advisory and assurance services to manufacturing entities.
Juli earned a B.S. in accounting from the State University of New York at Oswego and is a Certified Public Accountant.
On behalf of Blue Point, Juli serves on the Firm's ESG Committee and as a director of Mattco Forge, National OnDemand and Russell Hendrix.
Outside of the office, Juli is an avid runner and skier. She has completed 21 marathons including Boston and also enjoys hiking, cycling and photography. In addition, Juli serves as a director of Girls on the Run International, an organization dedicated to empowering girls through its running-based program. Her family includes her partner Mark and rescue basset hounds, Charlie and Jem.
Job Titles:
- Head of Talent / Cleveland
Julie joined the group in 2023. With nearly fifteen years' experience in talent leadership roles for private equity firms, she is a key partner to Blue Point and its management teams, assisting with talent management and acquisition initiatives in alignment with their strategic growth plans.
Prior to Blue Point, Julie was most recently the Head of Talent for Altamont Capital Partners, responsible for leading the firm's executive talent initiatives. Previously, she spent nearly a decade at Sterling Partners, building the Human Capital function, to drive growth within the firm and across the portfolio.
Julie holds a B.B.A. in Management Information Systems and Human Resource Management from Ohio University.
Outside of the office, Julie and her family fit in as much adventure travel as they can, in between their sons' various sports seasons, and she ‘attempts' to find calmness within a yoga studio.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate / Charlotte
Keith joined the group in 2022. Previously, he was an associate at Odyssey Investment Partners where he executed and monitored middle-market private equity investments. Prior to Odyssey, Keith was an analyst at Guggenheim Securities in the Healthcare Services M&A group.
Keith graduated cum laude from Davidson College with a B.A. in History.
Outside of the office, Keith enjoys tennis, skiing, jazz and cooking.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate / Cleveland
Lance joined the group in 2022. Previously, he was an Associate Principal at Solum Partners. Prior to joining Solum, Lance was an Associate at Harvard Management Company and a Financial Analyst at Wells Fargo.
Lance holds a B.S. in Agriculture and Consumer Economics from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Outside of work, Lance enjoys golfing, skiing, hiking and running. He and his wife can also be found cheering on their respective college or Cleveland sports teams.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director, Business Development
Megan joined the group in 2018 and actively supports the firm's investment sourcing efforts. Previously, Megan was the Vice President of Business Development at CenterOak Partners. Prior to CenterOak, she was an Associate at Credit Suisse Securities and previously an Associate in Brokerage Services at Direct Development in Dallas.
Megan holds a M.B.A. with honors from Southern Methodist University and a B.A. from the University of Texas, with a concentration in Economics.
Rachel rejoined the group in 2023. Most recently, she was a Senior Associate in the Capital Solutions group at Barings, preceded by her role as an Investment Banking Analyst at Deutsche Bank in New York City, focused on real estate, gaming, lodging and leisure.
Rachel graduated from Princeton University with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in Finance.
Outside of the office, Rachel enjoys staying active by running, playing soccer and doing Orangetheory. She also loves spending time at Lake Norman, going to concerts and cheering on Philadelphia sports teams (Go Birds!).
Job Titles:
- Digital Transformation and Consumer Behavior Executive
- Operating Partner
Rachel Spiegelman is a marketing, digital transformation and consumer behavior executive with over 20 years of experience at high growth companies in various stages of development. Rachel previously served as the President of Connections at Material, a group of international data analytics, consumer insights and marketing agencies. There, she was responsible for go-to-market integration across all business units, including ensuring clients had a streamlined approach to understanding consumer needs and behaviors that drove purchases and engagement. Prior to joining Material, Rachel was founder and CEO of Pitch, a strategic and creative advertising agency that partnered with many recognizable brands to develop go-to-market strategies, refine operations, innovate products and experiences, and deliver relevant and differentiated messaging.
On behalf of Blue Point, Rachel serves on the boards of Europa Eyewear, Next Level, Premier Needle Arts and Weaver Leather.
Rachel graduated with a B.A. in Business and Marketing from the George Washington University. Additionally, she is a member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and sits on the Board of the YPO Women's Business Network.
Rick is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience in the general industrial and aerospace & defense industries. Most recently, he was President and CEO of Selmet, Inc., the worldwide leader in titanium castings and machined parts manufacturing for the aerospace industry. Rick held increasingly responsible roles from Vice President of Finance to Vice President of Manufacturing to Executive Vice President before being promoted to CEO. Prior to Selmet, Rick was a commercial lender for Bank of America. Rick is currently on the boards of Samaritan Health Services, Samaritan Albany General Hospital and the Albany Millersburg Economic Development Corp.
On behalf of Blue Point, Rick serves as a director of Mattco Forge.
Rick holds a B.A. in business administration from Oregon State University and an M.B.A. in finance from the University of Oregon.
Rick joined the group in 2017. Most recently, he was an Associate with Incline Equity Partners where he executed and monitored middle-market private equity investments. Prior to Incline, he was the Manager of Global Business Development for L.B. Foster Company. Rick began his career with The Avascent Group in Washington, DC, where he provided strategic planning and due diligence services to private equity firms and Fortune 500 companies in aerospace, defense and government markets.
Rick graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a B.S.B.A. in Finance and Economics.
On behalf of Blue Point, Rick serves as an observer of the board at CPP and a director of Brimar Industries, Mattco Forge and Water Lilies.
Outside of the office, Rick enjoys running, biking and traveling with his wife. When he seeks shelter from Cleveland's weather, you can find him trying out new restaurants, cooking with his wife and spending time with friends and family.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Investor Relations / Charlotte
Sarah has over 12 years of experience in the fields of public relations, investor relations and corporate communication. She joined the group in 2011. Prior to Blue Point, she was a corporate relations director in the medical device industry and previously a promotional coordinator and marketing director for The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing sanctioned tracks and stakeholders.
Sarah graduated with Honors from Iowa State University with a B.A. in Communications.
Sarah is an avid hockey fan. Outside of the office, if you do not see her in Bojangles Coliseum cheering on the Charlotte Checkers, she is likely tending to her five-acre homestead with her husband and four rescue pups - Remington, Ruger, Trigger and Berreta.
Job Titles:
- Director of Premier Needle Arts
- Partner / Cleveland
Sean joined the group in 1990. Prior to joining the group, he held various positions within Credit Administration and Capital Markets with KeyCorp.
Sean earned a B.S. in Economics from Allegheny College and an M.B.A. from John Carroll University.
On behalf of Blue Point, Sean serves as a director of Premier Needle Arts, Russell Hendrix, Sylvan, TAS Environmental and Transtar. Two of the investments led by Sean in BPCP II, AWP and Trademark Global, were awarded Private Deal of the Year by the Cleveland Chapter of the Association of Corporate Growth for 2016 and 2017, respectively.
Outside of the office, Sean is active with several local charities that focus on education for those with special needs, including serving on the Board of Directors of Achievement Centers for Children. He has also been appointed to the Board of Trustees of The American Legion Post 760 Phil Ward Memorial Scholarship and the board of Summer on the Cuyahoga.
Additionally, Sean enjoys spending time in the outdoors, hiking, fishing and trying to golf. While he has a long-term passion for Pittsburgh sports, he is actively pursuing new interests in cooking and photography. He and his wife enjoy traveling and spending time with his three children.
Job Titles:
- Associate, Operations
- Associate, Operations / Cleveland
Stacey joined Blue Point in 2010. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from John Carroll University.
Outside of work, Stacey enjoys travelling and trying different restaurants in the Cleveland area.
Taryn joined the group in 2023. Most recently, she was an Associate at Walnut Ridge Family Office, preceded by her role as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Syndicated & Leveraged Finance group at KeyBanc Capital Markets.
Taryn graduated from The Ohio State University, with a B.S.B.A. in Finance.
Outside of the office, Taryn enjoys traveling, exploring Charlotte's food scene and boating on Lake Wylie.
Job Titles:
- Distribution Executive
- Operating Partner
Tom is an experienced distribution executive, having spent over three decades running large, complex distribution businesses that span multiple market segments. Tom most recently served as President and COO at TTT Holdings, a regional tire distributor. Prior to TTT Holdings, he served as President at Unisource Worldwide, a $5.3 billion distributor of printing and imaging papers, facility supplies and equipment, and packaging materials and equipment in North America. Tom has also served as President of United States Distribution Operations for Fisher Scientific. He was also President of the Industrial Electronics Division at Pioneer Standard Electronics. His previous experience includes executive positions at General Electric and a variety of sales management positions at Texas Instruments.
On behalf of Blue Point, Tom serves as Non-Executive Chairman of Russell Hendrix and Brimar Industries.
Tom earned a B.S.E. in Computer Science from the University of Connecticut.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate, Business Development
Zoe joined the group in 2022 and actively supports the firm's investment sourcing efforts. Previously, Zoe was a Business Development Analyst at Transom Capital Group in Los Angeles. Prior to Transom, she was a Business Development Executive at PitchBook Data in Seattle.
Zoe holds a B.A from the University of Washington where she majored in Political Science, with a certificate of Professional Sales from the Foster School of Business.