DWH - Key Persons
Andy Knowlton has more than 35 years of experience in leading finance teams, managing the finance function, and serving as a trusted business partner to the executive management team. As a seasoned industry CFO, he has worked in both private and public company environments. Andy earned his B.S. Degree in Engineering from the University of Michigan, and an MBA in Finance from Michigan State University where he was a TA in accounting. He continued teaching at the undergrad and graduate level during his working career. He is a non-practicing CPA in the State of Michigan.
Andy has spent his career in both privately held family-owned businesses and publicly traded multinational corporations. He has led acquisitions, bank financing transitions, tax planning initiatives, family succession planning, and benefits strategy. He embraces the challenges and opportunities in all of these disciplines.
Andy enjoys working across functional lines bringing the finance perspective into all aspects of the business. He has incorporated operational and finance KPIs to drive performance in a variety of diverse business units.
Ben Borisch has more than 20 years of experience in accounting, finance, operations, and human resources. He earned a bachelor's degree from Davenport University in Accounting.
Ben helps business owners understand the fundamental problems they face and provides them with tools to solve those problems. He has extensive experience with cost accounting and builds useful models to show business owners the costs of running their business and the impact certain decisions have on those costs.
Ben has served in interim CFO and HR Manager roles in a wide variety of companies, such as an oil and natural gas equipment distributor, a water sport dealership and a commercial painting company. He has been brought on by clients to lead special projects such as strategic planning, executive recruiting, aircraft financing and registration, and liquor licensing.
With a distinguished career centered on M&A initiatives, Brent Smith stands as an expert in turn-around services, financial consulting, and commercial underwriting. His robust portfolio includes aiding companies in navigating growth through strategic acquisitions, meticulous succession planning, and optimizing operations for distressed businesses.
A proud alumnus of Davenport University, Brent holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance. His industry expertise spans a diverse range including manufacturing, logistics, and retail sectors. As a consultant, Brent's proficiency particularly shines in the lower middle market segment, where he collaboratively works with businesses to amplify their operational excellence.
Brigid Maciejewski is a highly accomplished, results-driven professional with 20 years of experience across domestic and international, and public and private organizations. Brigid has spent most of her career in executive leadership roles assisting organizations with various turnaround and restructuring, finance, treasury, and accounting initiatives focusing on manufacturing, automotive, and public sectors. She earned her B.A. with dual concentrations in Accounting and Finance from the University of Michigan - Dearborn.
Brigid has extensive experience developing operational restructuring plans, creating liquidation and working capital analysis, and other various models to assist with the restructuring of a company's operations or the readjustment of a company's debt structure. Brigid has also served in several interim management roles, handling all treasury, finance, and accounting areas, supervising teams of 60 plus individuals and providing business owners recommendations on operational directives and challenges.
Job Titles:
- Certified Management Accountant
- Director
Bruce Townsley has more than 35 years of accounting experience in controllership positions in small to mid-size manufacturing, beverage distribution, transportation and warehouse operations. He holds the Certified Management Accountant designation and earned his BS in Accounting from Wright State University.
At DWH, Bruce assists clients with financial analysis, cash flow management and the development and use of effective financial models and decision tools. His extensive experience allows for a short learning curve when working with new clients, allowing him to accomplish accounting tasks efficiently, while also training and mentoring financial staff within client organizations.
Bruce has served in interim CFO roles for companies such as a total distributor, an electronic circuit board manufacturer, heavy steel manufacturer, marketing research firm, wholesale tool supplier, a temporary employment agency, and a startup company. He has also provided turnaround and restructure services to distressed companies such as an aluminum extrusion manufacturer, inner city retail grocery chain, residential furniture manufacturer, powder coated wood manufacturer, commercial pump manufacturer, professional employment agency, food wholesaler and retail gasoline/convenient store chain. Bruce created an interactive spreadsheet used by a local municipality for union negotiations.
Chris Hashley has 25 years of experience working in software development roles. He started as a product owner for a new product line at the financial company, Morningstar. He then founded a software development consultancy called Blue Sphere Solutions that served most of West Michigan's highly respected companies and worked through the acquisition of that company. Most recently, Chris worked for a venture-capital backed software company where he oversaw white-label software product development, sales, training, and customer relations.
As a consultant, Chris has taken on many roles varying from software development, project management, process improvement, development team management, sales, product development, product management and customer service. He has a Bachelor's degree in Finance from DePaul University and has worked with businesses of varying sizes and industries.
Craig Scott has more than 25 years of experience in diverse working environments in leadership and corporate executive roles. He has extensive experience with new business start-ups, divestitures, post-merger integration, turnarounds, receiverships, product and process innovation, operations, value engineering, strategic sourcing, project management, and sales. Craig earned a BS in Manufacturing Engineering from Western Michigan University and has completed his MBA course work from Kennedy Western University. Craig assists DWH clients with improving their operating performance through strategic and tactical planning, restructuring, and plan implementation through the employment of leadership development, lean manufacturing principles, management tools, and technology.
Craig has substantial hands-on experience in business operations, and is well-versed in financial tools that are foundational for senior management roles, particularly distressed business enterprises or those in transitional growth stages. He has served in interim COO roles, including the stabilization of businesses and the implementation of divestitures to position organizations to execute organic and acquisition growth strategies. As an executive in leadership rolls, Craig has simultaneously overseen multiple cross-functional business areas, including purchasing, IT, HR, engineering, maintenance, scheduling, and all direct labor staff.
Dan Spiegel has more than 25 years of manufacturing experience, including Tier 1 automotive, construction equipment, office furniture, aluminum ships, and lithium-ion batteries. He received his Bachelor of Science Mechanical Engineering degree from The University of Michigan, graduating cum laude, and his Master of Business Administration with majors in Finance and Marketing from The Kelly School of Business, graduating Top 10%. Dan has served as a manufacturing engineer, financial analyst, and many manufacturing leadership roles, including Chief Operating Officer of a $188 million shipbuilder.
Dan has lead the Lean journey with several companies and has a thorough hands-on working knowledge of the Toyota Production System. He has participated in over 60 kaizen events with dramatic improvements such as an 85% reduction in tool change over time (SMED event) and 16% year-over-year productivity improvement for the entire company.
With Dan's strong finance experience coupled with Operations Leadership experience including COO (full P&L), global supply chain and sourcing, engineering, new product development, extensive lean manufacturing, accounting, sales, and marketing, he supports DWH with consulting and interim management roles.
Job Titles:
- Advisory Group Member, CEO Waséyabek Development Co.
- CEO, Waséyabek Development Co
- President & CEO of Waséyabek Development Company, LLC
Deidra Mitchell serves as President & CEO of Waséyabek Development Company, LLC (WDC), a 100% Tribally-owned economic development entity of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP). Since joining WDC in April 2016 and opening the Grand Rapids, Michigan office, Deidra has aligned resources, gained consensus from stakeholders, orchestrated the acquisition of five income properties and multiple commercial businesses, and grown the Federal Division to execute on over $165MM of Federal contracts currently. Her efforts have resulted in a more robust internal and external business infrastructure, increased revenue, WDC brand recognition, tribal member career development opportunities, and an increase in assets under management.
Deidra, a Kent State University graduate, built an early name for herself in environmental remediation project and program management. She went on to start ten businesses and successfully hold executive-level positions in Indian country, including Executive Vice President of Business Development, and CEO. Private owners, corporations, Native American companies, and Alaska Native Corporations have benefited by gaining new business ventures that were researched, formed, and launched under her direction.
WDC and its subsidiaries have grown dramatically in the last 36 months under Deidra's leadership. WDC has gone from three employees to 285; three subsidiaries to 14; and from one location in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to include locations in Washington, DC, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Oregon, South Carolina, and Georgia. WDC alone has deployed over $50 million of capital towards economic development and will continue to deploy additional capital over the next five years. Additionally, five subsidiaries have been formed in Waséyabek's Federal Division, three of which are certified 8(a) by the Small Business Administration.
Deidra has become a recognized leader in Indian country, developing and implementing tribal economic diversification stratagems utilizing best practice in strategic planning, due diligence, and operational controls that work within the unique governance structures of tribes. She has served as a panelist and speaker at numerous local and national conferences and co-hosts Tribal Talks; a monthly podcast focused on tribal economic development. Deidra recently organized nine of the 12 Federally-recognized Tribes in Michigan to complete a study on tribal non-gaming economic impacts in the state.
Doug Wilterdink has extensive experience in corporate finance, public accounting, management consulting, restructuring and turnaround, and other transition situations. He earned his bachelor's. from Michigan State University and is a Certified Public Accountant (non-practicing).
Doug has led restructure and turnaround situations as an employee (CFO and CEO), as an entrepreneur, and as an outside advisor. Following his employment with an international public accounting firm, he took a financial management position with a company that was part of a family-owned portfolio. That evolved to leading turnaround and merger and acquisition activities for a number of companies in the portfolio. Doug used this experience to then purchase a distressed company, which he turned around and eventually sold. This turnaround involved significant changes in strategies and tactics, recapitalization and refinancing, developing and implementing improved forecasting, financial reporting and other controls, as well as other business development and operations improvement initiatives.
Doug applies his hands-on experience to each unique client situation, taking into account all the stakeholders affected by a transition situation. He is able to understand, from an entrepreneurial standpoint, all the business items an owner and manager has to think about, including financial management and modeling, contractual relationships, operations, international practices, and corporate administration.
In addition, Doug is active in many professional and community organizations including serving as Board President for the YWCA West Central Michigan and past President of the West Michigan Turnaround Management Association.
Heather Gardner has spent over 25 years in executive leadership positions developing and leading teams in high performing organizations. Heather helps business leaders optimize an organization's performance and potential through strategic planning, leadership development and coaching, purpose-driven organizational structures and effective operating practices. She earned her B.A. in Materials Logistics Management from Michigan State University.
Heather has extensive operational experience in manufacturing, real estate and education and builds useful models to show business owners and boards the costs of running their business and the impact certain decisions and operating practices will have on their business. Heather's personal experience in running all aspects of a variety of businesses helps her to assist our clients in understanding the fundamental challenges their businesses face and provide them with tools to help them solve these challenges. Heather volunteers her time as a board member at Trillium Academy and is beginning her fifth year as Board President.
John focuses on financial reporting, cash flow modeling, budgeting, and forecasting in order to make recommendations to drive improvements. He also helps to identify key performance metrics and effectively communicates the data via clear visual presentations.
Prior to joining DWH, John spent thirty-plus years in auditing, forecasting, project and product management, banking, and FP&A. He has a strong ability to identify actionable insights in business data, focusing on key drivers and indicators. John is also experienced in leading cross-functional teams and playing a key role in systems implementations. John holds a BA in Economics from Whittier College and an MBA with a specialization in Finance from the University of Notre Dame.
Jonathan Coe, Director, has more than 30 years of experience in finance, accounting, and management. He earned his B.A. in Accounting from Hope College and an MBA from Grand Valley State University.
Jonathan's career has spanned different value chains including pharmaceuticals, chemicals, telecommunications, and both OEM and aftermarket automotive. Throughout his career, Jonathan has specialized in FP&A, financial reporting (both US GAAP and IFRS), project accounting, and risk management. Most recently, Jonathan was the CFO for SoundOff Signal, a mid-market private manufacturer of emergency lighting for first responders where the company more than doubled in size in his six years as CFO. He is on the finance committee for Habitat for Humanity and has held different leadership positions at his church. He has also been involved with teaching various Junior Achievement classes.
Jonathan assists our clients to optimize their organization's financial performance via strategic planning, financial leadership development and coaching, due diligence, and profitability/cash flow improvement.
For most of his career, Lyndon has focused on costing, pricing, and analytics in manufacturing and family-owned settings. He has led projects that range from building highly interactive sales dashboards to overhauling quote models and methodology. He earned his BBA in Finance from Grand Valley State University.
In previous roles, Lyndon has been responsible for researching, understanding, and summarizing costs, providing strategic price recommendations to leadership teams, and performing a range of financial analyses, including forecasts and sensitivity analysis.
He improves decision-making and draws insights through financial modeling, KPIs, and dashboarding. At DWH he focuses on cost analysis, cash flow modeling, and data visualization. Lyndon and his wife, Mattie, live in Grand Rapids with their dog, Leo, and two cats, Merlin and Arthur.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Real Estate Associate Broker
Matt Franko has nearly 20 years of experience in real estate brokerage and development, corporate real estate, property management, finance and accounting, and small business consulting and development. Matt is also a small business owner and operator with his wife, Rachel. He has a Bachelor's degree in History and Business Administration from Alma College and an MBA from Grand Valley State University.
In a consulting role, Matt's focus is primarily on financial analysis and planning, real estate acquisition/divestiture and development, strategic planning, and operations support. Matt has a strong basis of experience to assist retail clients, and his experience as a small business entrepreneur and business owner allows him to provide support in a variety of areas related to business start-up and expansion.
Matt is a licensed Real Estate Associate Broker in the State of Michigan, and also holds Master Citizen Planner designation as accredited by MSU Extension.
Paul Mudde has over 30 years of experience in business leadership and management. With an engineering degree from Calvin College and an MBA and PhD from Purdue University, he serves as a senior director at DWH.
After obtaining his engineering degree from Calvin, he served as a structural engineering at JDH Engineering in Grand Rapids, where he worked with architects and builders to design building structures and address construction problems onsite. After completing his MBA, he worked at Prince Corporation in Holland, MI as a manufacturing manager for GM interior components for two years. He took his operations experience from Prince Corporation to banking when he joined Old Kent Financial Corporation where he managed the Deposit Operations during a period of centralizing operational functions and integrating bank acquisitions. Following this assignment, he managed functions in OKFC's Fund Management and Broker-Dealer units. While managing sales, domestic and international wire transfer, and accounting and security processing functions, he launched OKFC's first investment banking product and founded the OK Investment Corp. in Nevada. In his last assignment at Old Kent, he created an internal consulting team to work with business units to improve performance and implement new systems and processes.
Following OKFC, he completed a PhD at Purdue University and currently serves as a professor at GVSU in the Seidman College of Business and business consultant. His consulting work has addressed performance improvement, merger & acquisitions advising & succession, strategic planning and development, organizational development, and financial management.
Job Titles:
- Advisory Group Member, COO Waséyabek Development Co.
- COO, Waséyabek Development Co
Rabih Jamal brings more than 15 years of experience in business leadership and management to the role of Chief Operating Officer for Waséyabek Development Company, LLC. He earned an MBA from Grand Valley State University and a B.S. in Engineering from The University of Michigan. After graduation from The University of Michigan, Mr. Jamal worked as an engineer for a tier-one automotive supplier for two years before pursuing his entrepreneurial interests through the purchase of a distressed business, which he successfully turned around, and which he continues to own.
Throughout his tenure at DWH, Mr. Jamal focused on business consulting, including managing client turnarounds, wind-downs and exits, strategic and tactical planning, debt and capital restructuring, and succession/transition planning. He served in advisory as well as interim management roles where he assumed responsibility for day-to-day leadership and management challenges.
Mr. Jamal leads the operational and financial responsibilities of managing a sovereign fund at WDC. He helps lead and oversee the activities of a diversified portfolio of investment real estate, conventional commercial operating businesses, and companies operating in the Federal sector. In his role, Mr. Jamal works closely with other WDC team members and subsidiary leadership to achieve the objective of diversifying NHBP's economy and achieving a future of economic self-sufficiency and long-term sustainability for the Tribe's membership for seven generations.
Mr. Jamal is currently involved with GVSU's Seidman School of Business Dean's Advisory Board, is on Spectrum Health's Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Foundation Board, and is involved in the Association for Corporate Growth.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- Senior Director
Rob Heitmeier has over 30 years of experience in executive leadership, financial and corporate management, strategy development, mergers and acquisitions, and business management. He has a bachelor's degree in finance from Michigan State University and an MBA from the University of Detroit.
Rob works with business owners to help them understand their businesses' fundamental problems and helps develop and navigate a path to improved business performance.
As a Financial Analyst at DWH, Ryan focuses on cash flow modeling, budgeting, and forecasting in order to make recommendations for improvement. He also helps determine key performance metrics and efficiently communicates the data by creating at-a-glance visual presentations.
Prior to joining DWH, Ryan spent nearly five years in Chicago as a portfolio analyst in commercial lending. He gained a strong working knowledge of accounting principles and various forms of financial analysis. Ryan is also experienced in leading teams and creating comprehensive businesses plans for small businesses. Ryan holds a BBA in Financial Planning from Western Michigan University and an MBA with a specialization in Marketing from Loyola University Chicago.
Sarah Whyte serves as the Executive Assistant to the CEO and COO. With over 15 years of experience in many different industries as an executive assistant, she has a proven talent for aligning business objectives with comprehensive administrative knowledge to achieve maximum operational impact.
Sarah has a track record of strong performances in high-volume, high-pressure environments and is equipped with an exceptional ability to facilitate all aspects of internal and external communications, support the day-to-day administrative and operational functions, and ensure the smooth operation of the firm by working collaboratively with the firm's partners and managing directors. She lives In Rockford with her husband Mike and sons.
Steve Coutré has more than 25 years of experience in IT systems implementation and project management, structural design, and construction project management. He earned his MS in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois. He assists clients with the evaluation of business systems and processes, and designing and implementing software and business process solutions to meet unique needs.
Steve has been engaged as an interim IT Manager where responsibilities included development and implementation of a streamlined time reporting system and estimating and project management system. He has a substantial background in engineering design and custom programming.
With a proven track record of improving internal information systems, Steve helps clients enhance data integrity and improve efficiency, while ensuring end users' needs are served by their internal information systems. He has played an integral role in developing DWH protocols and systems for financial modeling and data analysis, allowing the firm to provide clients the necessary tools to generate timely and relevant financial data to facilitate better decision-making and to improve communication.
Tom has over 15 years of varied experience as a financial analyst and consultant, as an investor and entrepreneur, and as a small-business owner and operator.
In a consulting role, Tom assists clients in a variety of industries with start-up, turnaround, succession planning, and transaction advisory. With his experience as an entrepreneur and business owner, Tom has a practical understanding of the challenges in operating a business, plus an appreciation for a structured and disciplined management approach. He enjoys helping clients find efficient, long-term solutions to the problems they may face.
Tom has a B.A. in Finance from Michigan State University, a M.S. in Accounting from Grand Valley State University, and has served as an adjunct instructor of Business Administration at Aquinas College. Although non-practicing, Tom earned Certified Public Accountant, Certified Insolvency Restructuring Advisor, and Certified Fraud Examiner credentials.