Our Team
We have an experienced team with a long history of working together at Virgo and prior Firms.
Virgo team members have demonstrated the ability to identify and capitalize on Market Seams across multiple economic and market cycles.
We are focused solely within our Core Industries where we have strong domain expertise, established executive networks and a track record of successful, value-add initiatives.
The Virgo culture is grounded in both a respect of individual talent or ingenuity and a dedication to team collaboration. Virgo believes that innovation emerges from an open environment founded on mutual respect and active debate (including constructive disagreement).
Virgo Employees
Jesse Watson
Jesse is the Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Virgo. Prior to Virgo, Jesse was a senior investment professional at Eton Park Capital Management where he focused on credit, distressed, special situations and asset-based investing. Jesse joined Eton Park through a merger with R6 Capital Management, where he was a co-founder, partner and portfolio manager. Prior to joining R6 Capital, Jesse was a senior investment professional at Silver Point Capital. Jesse worked on the public trading desk and also assisted in the build out of the firm’s middle-market, private investment business, where he worked with several Virgo team members. Prior to Silver Point, Jesse was an Associate with Clayton, Dubilier and Rice and an Analyst with Morgan Stanley Capital Partners, the leveraged buyout principal investment division of Morgan Stanley. Jesse earned his BA from the Johns Hopkins University with highest honors, graduating at the top of his class with Phi Beta Kappa distinction. Jesse also studied at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies and was a guest of the Japanese Ministry of Finance in Tokyo for a seminar on fiscal and monetary policy where he published a conference paper on private equity in Japan. Jesse is a member of the Virgo investment committee.
Mark Perez
Mark has over fifteen years of experience in various financial, operational, and regulatory roles within the chemicals, materials and industrial sectors. Prior to joining Virgo, Mark worked in the investment banking division at Goldman Sachs in New York. He was a member of the firm’s Global Natural Resources group with an emphasis on the chemicals and metals & mining sectors. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Mark was a Strategic Marketing Manager at ChemPoint, the start-up specialty chemical distribution subsidiary of Univar USA. Mark also spent three years with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an assistant project manager within the Office of Science and Technology, focused on the pulp and paper industry. Mark earned his BS in chemical engineering from the Johns Hopkins University and received an MBA with finance specialization from New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business, graduating with honors as a Stern Scholar. Mark is a member of the Virgo investment committee.
Chris MacDonald
Chris has over twenty years of experience in the private credit markets and special situations investing. Prior to joining Virgo, Chris was a Co-Head of the Principal Finance Group at Silver Point Capital, where he worked with several Virgo team members. Over a five year period with Silver Point, Chris helped build an investment portfolio of over $3.5 billion and managed over fifty people in five offices across the United States. Chris headed the firm's Originations team and served on the firm’s deal review committee. Prior to joining Silver Point, Chris spent eight years at Wells Fargo Foothill, where he started their New York office in 1996 and ran originations offices in Chicago and Boston. Prior to Wells Fargo, Chris held various roles over a six year period with the Financial Restructuring Group of CIT Business Credit in New York. Chris earned his BS from Georgetown University in Washington, DC.
Eli Aheto
Eli has over fifteen years of experience in private credit, private equity and distressed debt investing. Prior to joining Virgo, Eli founded Lynbrook Capital Group and completed investments in oil & gas, renewable finance, real estate and industrial businesses. Previously, Eli spent six years at Anchorage Capital where he oversaw a global portfolio of investments across all sectors of the energy industry and across the capital structure. Prior to joining Anchorage, Eli was an Analyst at Severn River Capital, an Associate at General Atlantic Partners and an Analyst at Goldman Sachs. Eli earned his AB degree from Harvard University with honors. Eli also earned an MBA from Harvard Business School with honors. Eli currently serves on the Board of Advocates of Citizen Schools New York. Eli is a member of the Virgo investment committee.
Gary Krauthamer
Gary is a Partner at Virgo focused on building strategic sourcing relationships, cultivating the Operating Partner Network and building an information edge in investment due diligence. Prior to joining Virgo, Gary was Partners with Jesse Watson at R6 Capital, and later worked together at Eton Park. Krauthamer & Associates acts as a strategic opportunity sourcing partner for Virgo. Gary founded Krauthamer & Associates in 1971 and has personally completed more than 1,000 search assignments throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Over the last thirty years, Gary has worked extensively within and across the public and private sectors and has developed a diverse client base that includes the aerospace industry, the federal government, entrepreneurial organizations, middle-market entities and large multi-national Fortune 100 corporations. He is a member of various committees of the American Public Transportation Association and serves on the Board of Governors of the Wings Club. He was formerly the Chairman of the Omega Institute and is a member of the Social Venture Network. Gary graduated from the American University's Kogod School of Business with a degree in finance.
Todd Dorfman
Todd is a Partner at Virgo focused on evolving prospective management teams and collaborating with our investment partners to transform and grow Virgo’s portfolio companies. Prior to joining Virgo, Todd was Partners with Jesse Watson at R6 Capital, and later worked together at Eton Park. Krauthamer & Associates acts as a strategic opportunity sourcing partner for Virgo. Todd has been a part of Krauthamer & Associates since 1993 and a principal as of 1997. Todd has recruited for public and private sector clients throughout a variety of industries including financial and professional services, real estate, technology, manufacturing, distribution and healthcare. Todd’s prior experience includes several years in real estate finance, development and dispositions, first at LaSalle Partners, a global provider of comprehensive real estate and investment management services, and subsequently at Oxford Realty, a national multi-family real estate developer and asset manager. Todd has been a member of the Northern Virginia Technology Council and is a member of the Turnaround Management Association. Todd graduated with honors from the University of Michigan with a concentration in economics.
Bob Racusin
Bob serves as Chief Operating and Compliance Officer at Virgo. Prior to joining Virgo, Bob was a Partner and the Chief Operating Officer at Oakwood Financial Technologies, a company focused on the development and marketing of proprietary hedge fund credit management software systems. Prior to Oakwood, Bob spent six years as a Vice President of Operations and Operations Counsel at D.B. Zwirn & Co.Bob was the head of the illiquid investment operations group, managing a team of fifteen operations analysts who handled all loan administration, agency and reporting for the fund’s private credit portfolio. He also managed trade operations processes for select liquid investments. During his tenure, Bob supervised implementation of various third-party front and back office technologies and advised on the development and implementation of in-house technologies. Bob graduated magna cum laude with a BS in business from the University of Pittsburgh and received a JD from the Dickinson School of Law in Pennsylvania.
Pooja Goel
Pooja Goel is a seasoned healthcare executive with over two decades of experience in the healthcare services delivery sector. She was recently at Landmark Health, the nation’s largest house calls provider as their General Manager of New Business. She also spent over 10+ years at DaVita leading many innovative projects and holding several key operational roles in kidney care, international and population health. Prior to joining DaVita, Pooja held many operations roles at multiple academic medical centers and began her career at Kaiser Permanente. Pooja holds a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and molecular genetics from the University of California, Los Angeles and a master’s degree in health administration from the Loma Linda University School of Public Health.
Scott Guthrie
Scott is a Managing Director at Virgo focused on portfolio companies performance, implementing best in class operational SOP and driving transformational enterprise growth and profitability. Scott has extensive general management, sales, business development, marketing and operations successes in startup to Fortune 500 companies within film (Paramount, Disney), interactive software (MTV, THQ), consumer packaged goods (SodaStream, Pepsi) and emerging technology (Jambo Enterprises) categories. In addition, Scott has worked as a board member or an independent advisor to companies in entertainment, interactive software, food and beverage categories and industry advisory associations. Scott graduated from Bishops University in Sherbrooke Quebec with a concentration in Business and Economics.
Brian Wade
Brian is a Vice President at Virgo, focusing on originating, executing and managing investments in the media, technology and healthcare industries. Prior to joining Virgo, Brian was an associate with TA Associates, where he managed origination and transaction execution for investments in the technology and business services industries. Prior to TA Associates, Brian was an analyst with Wells Fargo Securities in the Technology, Media and Telecom Group, where he advised companies on capital raising and M&A transactions. Brian earned his BS in Business Administration, with University Honors, from Carnegie Mellon University.
Chris Mezzavilla
Chris’ day-to-day responsibilities include the marketing and brand development of Virgo. Prior to joining Virgo, Chris was Client Services Coordinator at Herb Thomas and Associates, a private fiduciary firm in the Bay Area. Previously, he was an Account Executive at Cumulus Media originating sponsorship partnerships between businesses and the San Francisco Giants, Forty-Niners, and Golden State Warriors. Chris brings experience in marketing, operations and office management to Virgo. Chris earned his BS from Saint Mary’s College of California studying Business Administration with a focus on Marketing.
Yibai LiHaney
Yibai serves as a Senior Investment Associate at Virgo. Prior to joining Virgo, Yibai was a Senior Analyst at Värde Partners, focused on executing and originating private credit and equity investments. Previously, Yibai was an Associate with BDT Capital Partners, where she invested in and advised family-controlled and founder-led businesses primarily in the consumer retail and business services industries. Prior to BDT, Yibai was an Analyst in the Natural Resources investment banking group at Morgan Stanley, with an emphasis on the chemicals and metals & mining sectors. Yibai earned her BA from Williams College, graduating with summa cum laude distinction, and received an MBA from The Wharton School, The University of Pennsylvania, graduating with honors as a Palmer Scholar.
Kyle Limberg
Kyle is an Operations Analyst at Virgo focused on portfolio and asset management, investment valuation, and fund operations. Prior to joining Virgo, Kyle spent three years at Frank, Rimerman + Co. LLP providing assurance and advisory services for early stage venture capital firms and pre-IPO software companies, as well as privately held, smart energy and commercial real estate companies. While at Frank, Rimerman + Co. LLP, Kyle managed financial statement assurance engagements with a specialization in structuring and accounting for complex equity, investment valuation, revenue recognition and target acquisition due diligence. Kyle is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in California. Kyle graduated magna cum laude with a BS in Accountancy from the University of San Diego.
Bill Kearney
Bill is an Operations Analyst at Virgo. Bill comes to Virgo from Standish Management (“Standish”), a boutique private equity fund administration and accounting consulting firm in Boston, MA, providing consulting services for private equity and venture capital clients. Prior to Standish, Bill was in the Asset Management practice at PwC in Boston. While at PwC, Bill managed financial statement assurance engagements with a specialization in private equity and venture capital entities. Bill is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Massachusetts. Bill graduated with a BA in Economics from Hamilton College and received his Master’s in Accountancy and MBA from Northeastern University.
Lorie Urbanowicz
Lorie joined Virgo in 2017 as a Compliance Officer and Legal Analyst. Prior to joining Virgo, Lorie was a Compliance Officer and Legal analyst at Alden Global Capital LLC, a Manhattan based hedge fund sponsor, where she spent eight years focusing on compliance matters such as developing and managing the compliance program, implementing policies and controls for relevant industry changes, regulatory reporting, as well as providing support to the legal team. Lorie graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Fashion Design.
Abdul Bellal
Abdul Bellal is a Staff Accountant at Virgo. Prior to joining the firm, he was an accountant at Hellman & Friedman LLC, a private equity firm based in San Francisco, providing treasury expertise, management company bookkeeping, and ERP implementation experience. He started his career at FAME Charter School, providing full-cycle accounting, payroll, and operations support. Abdul earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management Economics with a concentration in Accounting from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He is a CPA Candidate, on track to complete licensure in 2019.
Ali El-Awady
Ali is an Asset Manager at Virgo focused on portfolio and asset management and investment valuation. Prior to joining Virgo, Ali spent three years at Prologis Inc providing strategy and valuation work for their $90+ Billion industrial real estate portfolio. Additionally, Ali provided investment and market research for their corporate venture capital arm, PLD ventures, which focused on supply chain and real estate technology companies. Ali joined Prologis Inc after graduating from Indiana University Kelley School of Business where he dual majored in Economic Consulting and Finance with a minor in Economics.
Jeevan Mahal
Jeevan joined Virgo in February of 2019 to support fundraising and creative marketing projects. Prior to Virgo, Jeevan spent three years as a healthcare consultant for San Mateo County, providing process improvement expertise to support the County’s quality improvement initiatives across its Medical/Medicaid services. Jeevan completed her BA in Interdisciplinary Studies at UC Berkeley with a focus on ethics and peace & conflict studies as well as her MA in Conflict Resolution from the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom.
Kavanah and HPF Service Company Employees
Chris Coutu
Chris Coutu has nearly twenty-five years of middle market lending experience. Most recently he was a Senior Vice President and Team Leader in charge of the Special Assets Group at Textron Financial and responsible for the disposition of in excess of $2 Billion of real estate, ABL, factoring, rediscount, and healthcare loans. Prior to joining Textron, Chris was employed as a Vice President at Cerberus Capital Management where he originated, underwrote, and managed middle market loans. Prior to this position he was a founding member of Cratos Capital Partners and member of its senior management team. Before joining Cratos, Mr. Coutu was employed at Wells Fargo Foothill for nearly twelve years, most recently serving as a Senior Vice President and Business Development Officer. In his previous seven years at WFF, Chris held various Portfolio Management Leadership positions. Chris began his career at KPMG in Providence, RI where he worked in the Audit and Tax Departments for two years. Subsequently, Chris transitioned to Fleet Bank’s – ABL Division, where he worked in the Field Exam group providing collateral audits for existing and prospective borrowers. Chris is a Certified Public Accountant and a graduate of Bryant University.
Scott Johnson
Scott’s responsibilities include the sourcing, evaluation, and execution of commercial real estate opportunities in Kavanah, Virgo’s real estate platform. He joins Virgo with over 25 years of experience leading the acquisition, development, marketing, leasing and sale of commercial real estate assets in markets across the country. Prior to joining Virgo, Scott managed the marketing and disposition of a national portfolio of over 100 commercial REO assets for Beal Bank; directed the acquisition and entitlement of land, lots, and building sites for national builder Centex Homes; and developed a 20-building, 1.4 million square foot portfolio of light industrial/R&D buildings for Centex Development Company. Scott graduated with a BBA in Finance and Real Estate from The University of Texas.
Zephyrus Aviation Capital Employees
Tony Diaz
Mr. Anthony Diaz, also known as Tony, serves as the President of CIT Commercial Air at CIT Group Inc. Mr. Diaz serves as the President of CIT Aerospace, Inc. and C2 Aviation Capital, Inc. He served as an Executive Vice President of CIT Aerospace, Inc. He has been associated with subsidiaries and affiliates of CIT since 1987. He manages the activities of CIT's Aerospace Group which consists of over 300 commercial aircraft. He is responsible for new aircraft programs, portfolio management, airline marketing, OEM relationships, aircraft re-marketing and also oversees CIT's Technical Group. From 1981 to 1987, he was employed by People Express Airlines (which was subsequently merged into Continental Airlines) in a variety of operation and financial capacities. Prior to 1981, he was employed by Cessna Finance Company, primarily involved in aircraft finance. He serves as a Director of CIT Aerospace International Ltd. Mr. Diaz holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and an Associate of Science degree from the State University of New York at Farmingdale.
Damon D’Agostino
Damon J. D’Agostino is the President & Chief Executive Officer of Zephyrus Aviation Capital.
Mr. D’Agostino is the former Chief Commercial Officer for CIT Aerospace, one of the world’s leading aircraft leasing companies. As Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. D'Agostino was responsible for all aspects of CIT’s commercial strategy and execution, including aircraft sale and lease transactions, airline relationship management, contract negotiation, restructurings, and new aircraft and engine acquisitions. Prior to that role, he served as Chief Sales Officer, with global responsibility for marketing CIT’s aircraft portfolio which, by 2017, exceeded 350 aircraft valued at eleven billion dollars.
Under his eleven years of leadership, the business grew by more than 45% while delivering consistent year-over-year profitability growth and maintaining a greater than 99% asset utilization rate through industry peaks and troughs. He has negotiated the purchase of eight separate new aircraft orders, totaling 120 aircraft, with a list price value of $20 billion dollars. In 2017, Mr. D’Agostino, along with select members of CIT’s senior management team, sold the Commercial Air business to Avolon for a 6.7% premium to book.
Starting his career in the early 1990s, Mr. D’Agostino held a succession of sales and marketing roles and responsibilities with his personal transaction success including the sale, lease and financing of over 170 aircraft.
With a passion and desire to give back to the community, Mr. D’Agostino has been an active member of the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) since 1996 and has served as a trustee of the ISTAT Foundation since 2012, where he has held the role of Chairman and currently serves as Vice-Chairman. In addition, he serves on a number of nonprofit and education boards and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and in university classrooms.
Mr. D'Agostino is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation Business Administration, with a concentration in Finance. He also received an MBA in International Business from the University of Miami where he was summa cum laude and valedictorian of his graduating class.
Robert Meade
Robert J. Meade is the Chief Commercial Officer of Zephyrus Aviation Capital.
Mr. Meade is the former Director of Marketing Strategy and Asset Sales for CIT Aerospace, with responsibilities for directing all activity for CIT’s new aircraft order book and existing portfolio which exceeded 350 commercial aircraft and managing a team responsible for marketing assets to worldwide buyers.
During his career at CIT, Mr. Meade had a variety of roles and responsibilities within the marketing team including US and European airline relationship management, mature and late life asset sales since 2008, transaction and deal team management, airline default and distressed asset resolution, portfolio management, fleet evaluation, and marketing strategy development. During his tenure at CIT Aerospace, Mr. Meade contributed to the successful remarketing of over 275 aircraft to nearly 140 customers in 49 countries while maintaining over 99% fleet utilization rate.
Mr. Meade served in the US Air Force as an Aircraft Armament System Specialist and a campaign badge veteran who earned the rank of Technical Sergeant. He is a graduate of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation with a focus on Management and Marketing. Mr. Meade is a long-time member of the International Society of Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) and serves on education advisory and charitable boards.
Richard Genge
Richard F. Genge is a Vice President of Zephyrus Aviation Capital.
Mr. Genge is a former Assistant Vice President – Marketing & Asset Sales at CIT Aerospace where he was responsible for sourcing opportunities for new & used aircraft lease transactions along with uncovering trading opportunities in the Americas and Europe. Additionally, he was an integral part of a cross-functional team evaluating used aircraft and engines while presenting fleet optionality to maximize asset returns and improving bottom-line results. He joins the Maverick team with thirteen years of aviation experience, including eight years of sales and marketing experience at CIT Aerospace.
Mr. Genge joined the Fort Lauderdale team at CIT Aerospace as a Marketing Analyst Intern in 2009 where he caught the aircraft leasing and financing “bug”. Over the next eight years as he advanced through the organization from Marketing Analyst to Assistant Vice President – Marketing & Asset Sales. Throughout the years, Mr. Genge’s responsibilities included airline & sales support for airlines located in North & South America, as well as Europe. While at CIT he was involved in the negotiation of ~100 aircraft lease & sales contracts while also administering aircraft leases in specific geographic areas managing up to 60 aircraft at the time. Furthermore, he managed the deal teams that oversaw lease and MOU negotiations, aircraft deliveries and redeliveries, bankruptcies, and lease restructurings for airlines in the Americas and Europe.
Mr. Genge graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, magna cum laude and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation Business Administration, with a concentration in Airline Management. He later received his MBA in Aviation Management, with distinction from Embry-Riddle. His native tongue is German, and he is fluent in English and speaks conversational Spanish.
Operating Partners & Strategic Relationships
Partner Emeritus
FOCUS INDUSTRY
Specialty Finance
Mack McNair
Mack has over twenty years of experience in the private credit markets and special situations investing. Prior to joining Virgo, Mack was responsible for investment activities ranging from senior debt through equity for the Principal Finance Group at Silver Point Capital, where he worked with several Virgo team members. At Silver Point, Mack led the private-side investing business for the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions and focused on financial services and investment themes. Prior to joining Silver Point, he was a Senior Managing Director at CIT, leading the firm's national Special Situations coverage team. Mack previously worked in Wachovia's Corporate Banking Group, where he originated, underwrote and managed middle-market bank debt and related products. Mack earned his BS in finance from Florida State University and is a Board Member of the Atlanta chapter of the Turnaround Management Association.
Perry Cole
Perry Cole has 35 years of diverse, energy industry experience including 22 years with Montana Power Company (a diversified, publicly traded utility) as Vice President, 3 years with Trans-Elect (an independent electric transmission company) as Senior Vice President, and, most recently, 10 years with Energy Capital Partners (a multi-billion dollar energy focused private equity firm) as a Managing Director. Cole has a B.S. in Business Administration and an MBA from the University of Montana.
Flemming Bjoernslev
Flemming is an experienced executive, having spent 30 years in the chemical industry in Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Flemming is actively supporting Virgo’s Specialty Chemicals strategy as an Operating Partner, while also serving as an advisor to the North American chemical industry as a Senior Consultant at Cumberland Highstreet Partners.
Previously, Flemming joined Bayer AG in 1986, and following his vocational training in Germany, he embarked on an international career with Bayer, where he worked in several roles of increasing importance across various business groups in Europe and Latin America. In 2005, Bayer spun-off its chemical activities to form Lanxess AG, and Flemming continued his career with the newly-formed company. After setting up operations for Lanxess in Central/Eastern Europe, in 2012, he was appointed President and CEO of Lanxess Corporation, overseeing 15 sites with 1,700 employees and $2 Billion in annual revenues in North America until 2015.
Flemming was born and raised in Copenhagen, Denmark. He speaks four languages fluently and holds a bachelor degree from the University of Applied Sciences in Essen, Germany.
Rick Ray
Mr. Rick Ray Founded Raycom Media. Mr. Ray Co-Founded Raycom Sports, Inc. in 1979. He began his career in local television. He served as Television Program Manager of WCCB-TV in Charlotte. He has also been a Member of the Advisory Board at NewsProNet Interactive, LLC since 2010.
Lenore Kopko
Prior to joining Virgo, Lenore was a Managing Director at J.P. Morgan Private Wealth, where she was Global Head of Alternatives and Hedge Fund portfolios, which totaled $7B in assets across multiple investment mandates. She was also the Chairperson of J.P. Morgan’s Hedge Fund Advisory Council, which was responsible for the Private Bank’s Hedge Fund asset allocation, manager selection, and risk management. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, Lenore was the Chief Portfolio Strategist at CQS, a global Multi Strategy Asset Management firm specializing in global credit and structured credit. Prior to CQS, Lenore was at the Chief Risk Officer at Corbin Capital LLC, a Fund of Alternative Managers and Direct Investments. Lenore began her career at J.P. Morgan as a Credit Officer, originating and underwriting Bank Loans for non-investment grade borrowers. Lenore holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Economics from Brown University. She is active in Alumni affairs.
Jerrold T. Lundquist
Jerrold T. Lundquist is Managing Director of The Lundquist Group which provides strategic advisory services to senior management, private equity and other investors focused on the aerospace, defense, government services and high tech industries. He is Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Master Fluid Solutions, and a member of the Board of Directors of EDAC Technologies, The Hinckley Company and is a member of the Board of Governors of the Aerospace Industries Association.
He is a Director Emeritus of McKinsey & Company, Inc., an international management consulting firm where, over a thirty year career, he headed the Global Aerospace and Defense Practice and oversaw the Firm’s service to leading aerospace and defense companies worldwide. During 1985 to 1986, Mr. Lundquist served a White House Fellowship as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Transportation. Prior to joining McKinsey, Mr. Lundquist was a Vice President of Emery Air Freight Corporation.
He is a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, and holds an M.A. in International Affairs from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University.
