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am E. Collins – Managing Partner
Mr. Collins has over 30 years of finance and operating management expertise. Mr. Collins brings a combination of his career experience as a senior investment banker at such firms as Merrill Lynch and Citigroup with his private equity and direct operating experience across numerous industry sectors including oil & gas services, media & entertainment, technology and multi-center childcare operations. In addition to being a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Starboard Tack Capital, Mr. Collins also serves as a senior executive or Director for a number of Starboard Tack’s portfolio companies, including BPI Midstream, a midstream saltwater disposal company in North Dakota; Dakota Oil Processing, a company developing a 20,000 barrel per day diesel refinery in North Dakota, and Imagine Early Education and Childcare, a multi-center childcare company. Mr. Collins founded and operates through Great Point Holdings, LLC, a venture capital holding and services company based in New Jersey. Great Point is an active operational partner with its portfolio companies and provides services including financial, strategic, M&A and business development as well as early stage company incubation for startup companies. Mr. Collins previously founded AcuStream, LLC, a provider of web-based revenue cycle solutions for Health Care providers and hospitals. Mr. Collins was formerly the senior operating and finance executive for the 15th largest radio company in the US and served as a board member of Opel Technologies (TSX: OPL), a large scale solar systems provider. Mr. Collins previously had a long career in investment banking during which he executed over $85 billion of transactions including tenure at Merrill Lynch and while he was a former sector head in Citigroup’s Media Investment Banking practice where he managed the firm’s relationship teams for such companies as Viacom and The Walt Disney Company. Mr. Collins holds an AB from Dartmouth College and also an MBA from The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
Steven L. Schneider – Managing Partner
Mr. Schneider has more than 35 years of management, operational, and investment experience, including serving as CEO and Director of several companies across numerous sectors. Mr. Schneider brings a depth of CEO level experience in large, multi-national companies, as well as start-up and high growth businesses. In combination with this leadership experience, Mr. Schneider brings extensive private equity investment and oil & gas industry experience, particularly in the shale oil regions of the US. In addition to being a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Starboard Tack Capital, Mr. Schneider also serves as a senior executive or Director for a number of Starboard Tack’s portfolio companies, including BPI Midstream a midstream saltwater disposal company in North Dakota; Dakota Oil Processing, a company developing a 20,000 barrel per day diesel refinery in North Dakota. Mr. Schneider previously served as CEO and a member of the board of directors of AcuStream, LLC, a provider of web-based revenue cycle solutions for the healthcare market. He also previously served as Chairman and CEO of Ilumin Software Services, Inc. (2001-2006), where he oversaw the transformation of the Company from a start-up to a market leading provider of email compliance, archiving and litigation support applications. In October 2005, under Steve’s leadership, Ilumin was sold to Computer Associates (NYSE:CA). Prior to Ilumin, Steve served as the President and CEO of the $400 million Financial Information Division of Primark/Disclosure (now part of Thomson Financial). While there (from 1992-2000), he played a key role in transforming it into a global financial products and services company, managing multiple acquisitions and divestitures. Steve received an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Detroit and a B.B.A. in Finance from Notre Dame.
Peter Tonks – Partner, CFO
Mr. Tonks is a partner in Starboard Tack Capital as well as a partner in Great Point Holdings, LLC and brings over 40 years of experience diversified accounting, finance and operating management experience. Mr. Tonks served as CFO for the 15th largest radio company in the US and was a vital partner to the CEO in strategic planning and business initiatives during an aggressive growth period when operations grew from 2 to 53 locations over a seven state platform and revenues grew from $4M to $53M. He managed all aspects of finance including strategic planning, budgeting, treasury management, external and internal financial reporting, outside audits and tax compliance, human resources, IT, and risk management. He was the primary financial contact for all lending sources and private equity partners. Mr. Tonks was also responsible for the due diligence process on all potential acquisitions and their expeditious integration into the Company’s culture and infrastructure. Mr. Tonks previously founded Tonks & Company, CPA’s, a state-wide accounting firm specializing in automotive, telecommunications and service related accounting and tax issues. Mr. Tonks started his career with eight years on the audit staffs of several regional and national accounting firms. He is a CPA and graduated from Lafayette College with a B.A. in Economics.
Ryan Dunn – Partner, Business Development
Mr. Dunn is a partner in Starboard Tack Capital and brings over 20 years of experience in corporate finance, property management and operations. Mr. Dunn is also the co-founder of Intercoastal Marina Management, a marina management company that works directly with marina owners to maximize the potential of their businesses as well as provide them with a professional management team to operate marina facilities. Intercoastal specializes in consulting marina owners on transactions, real estate development, operations and management of their marina operations. Prior to founding Intercoastal, Mr. Dunn served as Vice President of Nassau Marina Holdings, a New Jersey based marina operator. During his tenure at Nassau Marina Holdings Ryan was responsible for the management of four large marina facilities that had revenues of over $10 million and 60+ employees. While there, Mr. Dunn also lead the acquisition of two large marina facilities in 2008 and 2009. Prior to joining Nassau Marina Holdings, Mr. Dunn worked as part of the corporate finance group of a large radio broadcaster where he was involved in the acquisition and integration of 37 radio stations. Mr. Dunn began his career at Legg Mason and Merrill Lynch. Ryan graduated from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA with a B.S. in Finance.
Tim Seute – Partner, Project Development
Tim Seute is a business development specialist and serves as a business development executive at BPI Midstream, LLC as well as providing his expertise to Starboard Tack Clients and other portfolio companies. Mr. Seute brings a 30-year track record of successful direct and indirect sales management, national account management and business development experience. He has specialized in the development and management of key strategic and tactical partnerships, increasing market presence and penetration, and brand visibility.
Mr. Seute previously served as the director of business development for SkyBuilt Power, Inc. where he was responsible for growing developing, and driving new opportunities, markets and partnerships for rapidly-deployable renewable energy technology integration solutions. Mr. Seute also served in a variety of senior business development and sales roles for such firms as Zelinger Associates, CA, iLumin Software Services, Inc., EMC Corp, Bay Networks and AT&T. Mr. Seute attended George Washington University, the University of Kansas and the Taipei American School.