Team
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Brennan Barthelemy
Brennan joined Sterling in 2007 and is a Principal. She currently leads our Talent Acquisition Team, where she focuses on sourcing world-class talent for portfolio companies and building Sterling’s external network. Prior to Sterling, Brennan worked at Korn/Ferry International, Eastman & Beaudine, and DHR International. Brennan received a BA in Public Relations from Texas Tech University.
Fran Beard
Fran joined Sterling in 2008 and is a Director of Procurement. Prior to Sterling, Fran worked at Mesirow Financial in their commercial real estate division. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame.
Eric Becker
Eric co-founded Sterling Partners in 1983 and is Co-Chairman of the Operating Committee. In addition, Eric oversees Sterling’s best practices initiatives, including Board Governance. Eric has been involved in community activities including the Living Classrooms Foundation; Port Discovery Children’s Museum and Business Volunteers Unlimited. Eric is a member of both WPO and CEO and attended the University of Chicago.
- Portfolio Companies
- Prospect Mortgage
- Remedi Seniorcare
Renee Berghoff
Renee joined Sterling in 1992 and is a Director of Events. Prior to Sterling, Renee worked at McCarthy & Levin, and a Chicago-based law firm. Renee graduated from University of Central Arkansas.
Steve Chang
Steve joined Sterling in 2008 and is a Principal. He currently leads Sterling’s strategy practice, where he works closely with portfolio company management to design, build, and execute strategies to drive growth. Prior to Sterling, Steve worked at Prophet, a global marketing and branding consulting firm, and at McKinsey & Co. He received a BA from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
Andy Colmone
Andy joined Sterling in 2011 and is a Vice President. Prior to Sterling, Andy was an Accelerator for Sterling portfolio company Active Day. Prior to Active Day, he worked at American Capital Strategies and J.P. Morgan. He received a BSBA degree from Creighton University and a MBA from the University of Chicago.
- Portfolio Companies
- Educate
- Livingston
- Meritas
- School of Rock
- Spartan
Duncan Davis
Duncan joined Sterling in 2012 and is an Associate on the investment team in the Chicago office. Prior to Sterling, Duncan was an analyst at Goldman, Sachs & Co. He received a BBA in Accounting with honors from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Mike Drai
Mike joined Sterling in 2008 and is a Principal. Prior to Sterling, he worked at GTCR Golder Rauner, LLC, Allen & Company, and Salomon Smith Barney. Mike received a BS in Finance from University of Illinois and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management.
- Portfolio Companies
- Cornerstone
- Desert NDT
- GEM
- Plant Services
Tom Dretler
Tom joined Sterling in 2011 and is an Executive in Residence. Prior to Sterling, Tom was CEO of Eduventures, where he built the leading information services company in the education sector. Tom currently is Board Chair and co-founder of the Alliance for Business Leadership and serves as a director and advisor on several other corporate and nonprofit boards. In 2007, he was named one of the Boston Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” business leaders to watch. Tom is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Johns Hopkins University where he was a Rhodes Scholar candidate and a varsity athlete. He also holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School where he was awarded the Goldsmith Fellowship.
Adam East
Adam joined Sterling Partners in 2009 and is a Senior Associate on the Portfolio Reporting Group in the Chicago office. Prior to Sterling, Adam worked at American Capital. Adam received a BS in Finance with honors from Loyola University Chicago.
John Ebersole
John joined Sterling in 2010 and is a Principal. He currently works in Sterling’s strategy practice, where he partners with portfolio company management to design, build, and execute strategies to drive growth. John has over 28 years of strategic consulting experience to C-suite executives. Prior to Sterling, he worked at Market Strategy Group, Diamond Management and Technology Consultants, CSC Index, and the Management Consulting Division of Arthur Andersen (now known as Accenture). He received an MBA and a BS from the University of Pittsburgh.
Jeff Elburn
Jeff joined Sterling in 2008 and is the Chief Financial Officer. Prior to Sterling, Jeff was a Finance Principal at ABS Capital Partners, where he was responsible for fund reporting and analysis, fund formation, investment operations, information technology and human resources. Jeff received his BS in Business Administration from Salisbury University.
Rick Elfman
Rick joined Sterling in 1987 and is a Senior Managing Director. Prior to Sterling, Rick worked at Goldman Sachs & Co., owned and operated a chain of pharmacies in the Boston area, and founded and operated a large nostalgia business in New England. He serves on the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business Council and its Graduate School of Business Entrepreneurship Advisory Board. Rick is also a Trustee and sits on the Executive Committee of the Chicago Zoological Society. Rick received a BA in Economics and Political Science from Tufts University and an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago.
- Portfolio Companies
- Continental Case
- PlattForm
Avi Epstein
Avi joined Sterling in 2008 and is a member of the Office of the General Counsel. He currently operates as Vice President of Legal Affairs and Sterling’s Chief Compliance Officer. Prior to Sterling, Avi served as General Counsel and Vice President of Business Affairs for Kaplan Professional, a division of Kaplan, Inc. As head of business affairs, he was responsible for all business and legal aspects of acquisitions for the business unit, along with forming and managing strategic relationships such as joint ventures and partnerships. He also worked as a corporate attorney with Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP. Avi received his BA in political science from The Ohio State University with distinction and summa cum laude and his JD from Harvard Law School.
Dan Fletcher
Dan joined Sterling Partners in 2011 and is an Associate on the Fund Operations team in the Chicago office. Prior to Sterling, Dan was an Analyst at Allstate Investments. Dan received a BS and Master’s degree, cum laude in Accountancy from the University of Missouri.
Luke Gilpin
Luke joined Sterling Partners in 2012 and is an associate in the Portfolio Reporting Group in Chicago. Prior to Sterling, Luke was a business valuation consultant at KPMG. Luke received an BS with High Distinction and MBA from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. He is a Certified Public Accountant.
William Gonzalez
Billy joined Sterling in 2012 and is a Vice President. Prior to joining Sterling from UBS, Billy worked in private equity and healthcare investment banking at Goldman Sachs and helped to launch New MainStream Capital, a spin-out from Goldman Sachs’ Merchant Banking Division. He began his career at Ernst & Young in its Strategic Consulting Group and at Cogit.com, an early internet start-up company. Billy holds a BS, magna cum laude, from Duke University, a JD from Harvard Law School and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
wgonzalez@sterlingpartners.com
- Portfolio Companies
- Infilaw
- io
- Kids Care Dental Group
- PlattForm
Matt Hankins
Matt joined Sterling Partners in 2009 and is a Vice President. Prior to Sterling, Matt was a founder and Vice President of Business Development at Metropolitan Capital Bank. He also worked in Corporate Strategy and Business Development for JPMorgan and as a Management Consultant for Accenture. Matt received a BSE, magna cum laude in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA with honors from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
- Portfolio Companies
- MOSAID
- Pingora
- Prospect Mortgage
Chris Hoehn-Saric
Chris co-founded Sterling in 1983 and is a Senior Managing Director. Prior to re-joining the Sterling team, Chris operated as CEO of portfolio company Educate, Inc. and Chairman and Co-CEO of Sylvan Learning Systems, Inc. Chris is a member of the Boards of Trustees for Johns Hopkins University and Sheridan Libraries. He attended Johns Hopkins University.
choehn-saric@sterlingpartners.com
- Portfolio Companies
- Infilaw
- PlattForm
- SecureNet
Dan Hosler
Dan joined Sterling in 2006 and is a Principal. Prior to Sterling, he worked at Activ Group and co-founded Microganics, where he designed the company’s suite of products and built a national distribution platform. He also founded an information technology and process engineering consulting firm. Dan received a BA in Biochemistry from Rice University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.
- Portfolio Companies
- Avectra
- First Choice ER
- Kids Care Dental Group
- SAVO
Jeff Keith
Jeff joined Sterling Partners in 2011 and is an Operating Partner. Prior to Sterling, he served as CFO and Senior Vice President with TCS Education System and was the CFO/COO of Transaction Technologies, Inc. Jeff, who was also the Executive Vice President and CFO of Sterks Corporation, holds a BS in economics and management and an MBA from Purdue University as well as an MS in finance from the Illinois Institute of Technology Stuart Graduate School.
- Portfolio Companies
- Spartan College
- Tribeca Flashpoint Academy
- Educate Online
- Ashworth College
Whitney Krutulis
Whitney Krutulis joined Sterling Partners in 2012 and is an Associate on the Business Development and Investor Relations teams in the Chicago office. Whitney received a BA in Sociology from Emory University and a JD from DePaul University College of Law. She is licensed to practice law in Illinois.
Blake Kuhlenschmidt
Blake joined Sterling Partners in 2010 and is an Associate on the investment team in the Chicago office. Prior to Sterling, Blake worked at both Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Blake received a BS in Finance and Accounting from Indiana University.
Brandon Labrum
Brandon joined Sterling in 2008 and is a Vice President focused on business development. Prior to Sterling, Brandon worked at Marakon Associates, a management consultancy focused on long-term change strategy, and at L.E.K. Consulting where he focused on private equity due diligence.
Lindsay Lane
Lindsay joined Sterling in 2009 and is a Senior Associate on the Talent Acquisition Team in the Chicago office. She leads Investment Team Associate recruiting and recruits for the Accelerator Program while also collaborating on Board Director recruiting within the portfolio. Prior to Sterling, Lindsay worked at Korn/Ferry, Dallas Cowboys, and National Basketball Association. Lindsay received her BBA in Marketing and Management from St. Bonaventure University.
Mats Lederhausen
Mats joined Sterling in 2009 and is an Operating Partner. Currently, he serves as the Chairman of Educate, Inc. Prior to Sterling, Mats was a Managing Director of McDonald’s Ventures where he focused on a range of growth initiatives, including Chipotle Mexican Grill, Boston Market, RedBox DVD and Pret A Manger. As a Director and Chairman of Chipotle, Mats helped shape the strategy that ultimately led to one of the most successful restaurant IPOs in history. He joined McDonald’s Corporation in 1999 as head of global strategy and business development. He was named one of Crain’s Chicago Business’ “40 under 40” in 1999 and honored by the World Economic Forum as a “Global Leader of Tomorrow” in 2000.
- Portfolio Companies
- Educate, Inc.
Ron Liberman
Ron joined Sterling Partners in 2010 and is the Director of Investor Relations. Prior to Sterling, Ron worked at Ernst & Young. Ron received a BS and MBA from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.
Alan Macksey
Alan joined Sterling in 1986 and is a Managing Director on the investment team. Prior to Sterling, he worked at Alex. Brown & Sons, Inc. in equity research. Alan serves on the Board of The Young Victorian Theatre Company and is a former Board member of The Johns Hopkins Pediatric Oncology Friends. He previously served on the Selection Committee for the Maryland Incubator Company of the Year Awards and on the Board of the Association for Corporate Growth, Maryland Chapter. Alan received a BA in Economics from Yale University and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School.
- Portfolio Companies
- Cornerstone
- Desert NDT
- Foundation Partners Group
- MOSAID
- Plant Services
Richard Marks
Richard joined Sterling in 2010 as a Director of Operations. Prior to Sterling, he worked at Diamond Group LLC, an investment firm focused alternative assets, including real estate, hedge funds, and private equity. Richard has also worked at Velocity Asset Management, Castle Creek Partners, and Katten Munchin & Zavis. Richard is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and earned a JD from the University of Chicago Law School and a BA in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Justin Marku
Justin joined Sterling in 2011 and is an Associate on the investment team in the Chicago office. Prior to Sterling, Justin worked in investment banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He received a BS in Finance with honors from the University of Illinois, where he was also an Evans Scholar.
Todd Miller
Todd joined Sterling in 2011 and is a Vice President. Prior to Sterling, Todd worked at Tri-Artisan Capital Partners and was the founder and Principal of an investment firm in Brazil, launching a strategy to establish the first REIT-like structure in the country’s history. Todd also worked at Merrill Lynch and began his career in Bank of America’s Corporate and Investment Banking Division. Todd received a BA in Economics from University of Michigan.
- Portfolio Companies
- Ameritox
- Centerre
- Foundation Partners Group
- Livingston
Kim Vender Moffat
Kim joined Sterling in 1999 and is a Principal. Kim left Sterling to attend graduate school, after which she worked at McKinsey & Co. She rejoined the firm in 2008. Kim earned an AB, magna cum laude, from Harvard University, an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, and a JD with honors from the Northwestern University School of Law.
- Portfolio Companies
- InfiLaw
- PlattForm
- School of Rock
- Tribeca Flashpoint Academy
Sam Morasca
Sam currently serves as an Operating Partner with Sterling. He has been a director on the boards of a number Sterling investments over the years and has extensive general management experience. Prior to Sterling, Sam had a successful 30-year career with Shell, operating in both U.S. and International assignments in the areas of business management, strategic planning, sales and marketing, commodity trading, manufacturing, transportation and distribution. He received a BS from Penn State University and a MBA from the Carroll School at Boston College. He also served on active duty for four years as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force.
- Portfolio Companies
- GEM
- Cornerstone
Ashley Ng
Ashley joined Sterling in 2011 and is an Associate on the investment team in the Chicago office. Prior to Sterling, Ashley was an Analyst at Deutsche Bank. She received a BS in Finance and a BS in Accountancy from the University of Illinois.
Gianni Pesce
Gianni joined Sterling in 2012 and is an Associate with the Portfolio Reporting Group in Chicago. Prior to Sterling Gianni was a Manager at RBS Citizens. Gianni received his BA in Finance from North Central College and an MBA from Elmhurst College.
Ken Redman
Ken joined Sterling in June of 2012 and is Vice President of Tax. Prior to Sterling, Ken spent nine years as Chief Tax Officer at Madison Dearborn Partners, a Chicago-based Private Equity firm. He began is tax career at Arthur Andersen where he spent eight years in the financial services tax practice. He received a BS in Accountancy from Northern Illinois University and an MS in Taxation from Chicago’s DePaul University’s – Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. Ken is a licensed Certified Public Accountant.
Garrick Rice
Garrick joined Sterling in 2001 and is a Managing Director. Prior to Sterling, Garrick worked at Bank of America, Einstein/Noah Bagel Corp, and Robert W. Baird. He has also worked for FOB Inc., a start-up enterprise software company. Garrick received a BBA with distinction from the University of Michigan Business School and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.
- Portfolio Companies
- Ameritox
- Educate
- Educate Online
- Optimer Brands
Danny Rosenberg
Danny joined Sterling in 1999 and is a Managing Director. Prior to Sterling, he worked at Vector Securities International and Heitman Financial. Danny is a founding member, former Chairman, and current Board Member of the Illinois Venture Capital Association. He received a BA from Duke University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.
drosenberg@sterlingpartners.com
- Portfolio Companies
- First Choice ER
- Kids Care Dental Group
- Meritas
- SAVO
Jason Rosenberg
Jason joined Sterling in 2005 and is a Principal. Prior to Sterling, he worked at Found, Inc. and in the investment banking division of Lehman Brothers. Jason received a BA from Northwestern University, a JD from the Northwestern University School of Law, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.
jrosenberg@sterlingpartners.com
- Portfolio Companies
- Ashworth
- PlattForm Advertising
- The Leman International School - Chengdu
- Tribeca Flashpoint Academy
- Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology
Doug Rosenstein
Doug joined Sterling in 2011 and is an Associate on the investment team in the Chicago office. Prior to Sterling, Doug worked at Bank of America Merrill Lynch on M&A and capital raise transactions within the Consumer industry. He received a BS in Finance from Indiana University – Bloomington.
Jeff Schechter
Jeff joined Sterling in 2006 and is a Managing Director and firm’s Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining Sterling, Jeff spent 11 years at Grotech Capital Group and worked at Ernst & Young in their audit practice. Jeff received a BS in Accounting from the University of Maryland and an MS in Finance from Loyola College. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Financial Planner.
John Signa
John joined Sterling in 2011 and is the Director of Finance. Prior to Sterling, John was the Vice President of Finance for Cardinal Growth, a Chicago-based private equity firm. At Cardinal, John was responsible for the firm’s accounting, regulatory and financial reporting, human resources, and IT functions, as well as portfolio monitoring and valuations. Before that, John spent 4 years with McGladrey, where he was an audit Manager in the private equity group. John earned his BS in Accounting and MBA in Finance from Dominican University. He is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Valuation Analyst.
Carrie Sowers
Carrie joined Sterling in December 2012 and is the Fund Controller. Prior to joining Sterling, Carrie spent eight years at Camden Partners, a Baltimore-based private equity firm. At Camden, Carrie was responsible for the firm’s accounting and financial reporting. Carrie received a BS in Accounting from Virginia Tech and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Julie Stacey
Julie joined Sterling in 2009 and is a Vice President on the Talent Acquisition Team. She executes C-Suite and Accelerator searches across the portfolio and leads internal talent acquisition for Sterling. Prior to Sterling, Julie worked at Korn/Ferry, Accenture, Capgemini, and Arthur Andersen. She received a BA with honors from Ohio University in human resource management and management information systems.
Steven Taslitz
Steven co-founded Sterling in 1983 and is Chairman and Senior Managing Director of the firm. Steven has been active in a number of non-profit organizations and educational charities, including the Illinois Board of Higher Education, President of the Glencoe Educational Foundation and the Investment Committee of the Jewish United Fund. He received a BS in Accountancy with Honors from the University of Illinois.
- Portfolio Companies
- io
- Laureate
- Livingston
- MOSAID
- Pingora
Allen Tibshrany
Allen joined Sterling in 2011 and is a Vice President. Prior to Sterling, he worked at A.T. Kearney where he focused on the Consumer & Retail and Energy industries. Allen received a BS with Honors from the University of South Carolina and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.
atibshrany@sterlingpartners.com
- Portfolio Companies
- SusieCakes
Sara Tumen
Sara Tumen joined Sterling Partners in 2010 and is responsible for the firm’s communication efforts. Prior to Sterling, Sara was Special Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff at the United States Department of the Interior and a Special Assistant to the Department of Interior Agency Review on the 2008 Presidential Transition Team. Sara received a BA in English from the University of Michigan.
Shoshana Vernick
Shoshana joined Sterling in 2003 and is a Principal. Prior to Sterling, Shoshana worked at One Equity Partners and at Razorfish, a digital solutions provider. She began her career at Merrill Lynch in the Global Industries Group. She received a BS with honors from Indiana University in accounting, finance and international studies.
- Portfolio Companies
- Continental Case
- Progressus
- School of Rock
- SecureNet
- SusieCakes
Tom Wippman
Tom joined Sterling in 1992 and is a Managing Director. He leads the Office of the General Counsel, which is responsible for ensuring legal best practices are in place at the firm and throughout the portfolio related to risk management, contract review, policy generation, and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to Sterling, Tom was a Partner at Pedersen & Houpt, P.C. He received an AB in Economics with High Honors from the University of Illinois and a JD from the University of Illinois Law School.
- Portfolio Companies
- Ameritox