People matter a lot to us.

Ultimately, we are in the people business. One-part investors, one-part anthropologists, we care deeply about the talents, aspirations, strengths and needs of the people with whom we work and invest behind. We believe placing human well-being and team culture at the forefront creates a winning edge.

Meet Our Team

  • Dan is a seasoned, Chicago-based investment professional with nearly four decades of investing, banking, and financial advisory experience. He has experience across venture capital, growth equity and buyout investments, as well as in financial advisory and corporate finance disciplines, and has boardroom experience ranging from startups to multinational companies. Prior to co-founding Uncommon Equity, Dan co-founded Winona Capital Management and served on its Board and Investment Committee. He previously enjoyed a 17-year investment banking career with Salomon Brothers and Bank of America, serving as Bank of America’s Global Co-Head of the Consumer & Retail investment banking sector. Dan lives in Winnetka, Illinois with his wife, Suzanne, and enjoys time with his three adult children. He is an avid sports fan, long suffering Cleveland Browns and Cubs fan, golfer, jazz and R&B enthusiast, and bass player.

    Previous Experience:
 

    Winona Capital Management
    
Bank of America
    Salomon Brothers


    PNC Bank

    Education:
 

    BS, Miami University


    MBA, Darden School at the University of Virginia

  • Allen has over 25 years of investment, strategy and operations experience working across industries including consumer products, restaurants/retail, infrastructure, transportation, and energy. Prior to co-founding Uncommon Equity, Allen was with Sterling Partners – a Chicago-based growth private equity firm – as a member of Sterling’s portfolio operations and investment teams, and previously spent six years with A.T. Kearney, a leading global management consultancy in its Energy & Utilities and Consumer & Retail practices. Allen lives in Chicago with his wife, Amy, and two grown daughters. He is an optimistic golfer, passionate college sports fan, avid outdoorsman, and enjoys Chicago’s exceptional local restaurant scene.

    Previous Experience:

    Sterling Partners
    Kearney
    Gregory Electric Company, Inc.

    Fluor Corporation

    Education:

    BS, Electrical Engineering, University of South Carolina Honors College

    MBA, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University

  • Over the course of the last 30+ years, Mark has held a wide variety of executive positions leveraging business and financial acumen - working closely with established businesses, entrepreneurs and the venture capital/private equity community at large to source, diligence and close strategic and financial investments. Additionally, he has experience monitoring portfolio companies as well as evaluating and executing principal investments. Prior to joining Uncommon Equity, Mark spent several decades in the private equity industry in roles spanning equity, mezzanine, and senior debt. Mark and his wife live in Wilmette, Illinois and have two grown children.

    Previous Experience:

    White Rapids Capital, LLC

    GE Capital Americas - GE Equity

    American Capital

    Heller Financial, Inc.

    Education:
    MBA (with Honors), The University of Chicago
    
BS, Indiana University, Kelley School of Business

    BA, Indiana University Bloomington

    Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

  • Brian has spent his professional career working alongside private equity firms and middle market companies across a variety of industries. Before joining Uncommon Equity, Brian worked for Madison Capital Funding (now known as Apogem Capital), a leveraged financing firm owned by New York Life Insurance Company, where he underwrote numerous private equity-led leverage buyout and recapitalization transactions. Prior to this, Brian worked at KPMG, participating in buy-side and sell-side financial due diligence engagements for private equity transactions, as well as tax compliance services for private equity funds and asset management companies. Brian received a BA in Economics and a Master of Accounting degree from the University of Michigan. Brian grew up in Andover, MA and currently lives in Kenilworth, IL with his wife Bryn and two children, Vivian, and Louie.

    Previous Experience:

    Madison Capital Funding LLC

    KPMG LLP

    Education:

    BA, University of Michigan

    Master of Accounting, University of Michigan
    
Certified Public Accountant

  • Blake is a Principal at Uncommon Equity. Prior to Uncommon Equity, Blake served as an Investment Director at Asia Green Fund where he led domestic transaction activities for the fund, including the carve-out of Elessent Clean Technologies from DuPont. Before Asia Green Fund, Blake served as a consultant for Accenture within their Utilities practice. Blake holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He currently lives in the Lincoln Park neighborhood with his wife, Lauren, and son, Hunter. Blake enjoys golf, cheering on Chicago sports teams, and exploring the Chicago restaurant scene.

    Previous Experience:

    Asia Green Fund
    Accenture

    Education:

    BS, University of Notre Dame
    
MBA, University of Chicago

  • Jake is a Senior Associate at Uncommon Equity. Prior to joining Uncommon Equity, Jake was a Senior Associate for PwC's M&A group. With an industry focus on Consumer and Industrials, Jake worked on the Delivering Deal Value team to support lower-middle market PE clients on carveouts/separations standalone diligences and post-close operations. Jake received his BS in Mechanical Engineering and minor in Technology & Management from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Jake is a proud supporter of all Illini athletics & Chicago sports and enjoys any type of boating activity and watersports. Jake currently lives in Elmhurst, Illinois with his wife, Courtney.

    Previous Experience:
    PricewaterhouseCoopers

    Education:
    BS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign


  • Pat is an Associate at Uncommon Equity. Prior to joining Uncommon Equity, Pat was a Senior Analyst at Artemis Transaction Advisors (fka Billow Butler & Company, LLC), a lower middle-market investment bank where he focused on merger & acquisition advisory across the firm's consumer and industrial verticals. Pat earned a BS in Finance and Real Estate from Indiana University, Kelley School of Business. At Indiana, he was a student-athlete and member of IU's baseball team. Pat currently lives in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood and enjoys watching the Cubs and playing golf in his free time.

    Previous Experience:

    Artemis Transaction Advisors

    Virtus, LLC

    Education:

    BS, Indiana University, Kelley School of Business

  • Teddy works across Uncommon Equity’s portfolio, helping our companies with administrative, compliance and investor relations matters. Prior to Uncommon Equity, Teddy served as an Associate at a boutique law firm focusing on small to middle-market M&A transactions. Teddy holds a BS in Finance from Miami University and a JD from The John Marshall Law School. Teddy currently lives in the West Loop neighborhood and is a die-hard White Sox and Liverpool FC fan. He is an avid golfer, snowboarder, and world traveler.

    Previous Experience:
    Roberts McGivney Zagotta, LLC

    City Capital Advisors, LLC

    Education:

    BS, Miami University

    JD, The John Marshall Law School

  • Mary is Chief of Staff to the CEO & Managing Director at Uncommon Equity. Prior to Uncommon Equity, Mary managed C-suite recruitment at Russell Reynolds Associates, specializing in Consumer Products & Services, Industrial Goods, and Board placement. Prior to Russell Reynolds, Mary has years of experience in luxury sales, marketing, operations, logistics, communications, administration, management, and event planning. She leverages her creativity and skills to support and exceed leadership’s strategy and goals. Mary earned a BA from Denison University. She lives in Chicago’s West Loop and enjoys live music, boating, sports, and exploring Chicago’s restaurants and local neighborhoods.

    Previous Experience:
    Russell Reynolds Associates
    The Neiman Marcus Group
    Andora Art Gallery

    GreenToTee Golf Academy
    The Hyland Group

    Merchandise Mart Properties
    
Bell, Boyd, & Lloyd

    Education:

    BA, Denison University

Punching above our weight.

We are enormously proud of our network of operating advisors. Unintentionally, we have built these relationships over decades by simply treating good people the right way, and the dividends are substantial: a robust flow of investment opportunities to our firm, and, for our portfolio companies, close and engaged access to deep expertise often unavailable to companies of their size.

Meet Our Operating Advisors

  • Steve is a successful restaurant business executive best known for reinvigorating the McDonald’s Corporation. Under his leadership, McDonald's underwent significant organizational changes to improve efficiency and customer service globally. He briefly led a handful of other fast-food chains before rising to become President and CEO of McDonald’s. He began his career as an accountant at Price Waterhouse before joining McDonald’s as a manager in 1993. In 2011, he left to become CEO of PizzaExpress and then CEO of Wagamama, two British casual dining chains, before returning to McDonald’s as CEO. Steve holds a degree from Durham University, England.

  • Jim’s career in both Fortune 500 and private equity-backed companies is a testament to his expertise in leading and transforming businesses within the building products and industrial sectors. He has unique leadership experience advising on lower middle-market buy- and sell-side transactions in verticals such as building materials, durable goods, technology, and industrials, showcasing his strategic insight into both the operational and financial aspects of business. His previous roles include Materials Marketing Holdings (President and CEO), Mohawk Industries (SVP)  (the world’s largest flooring company), Overhead Door Corporation (SVP) and Whirlpool Corporation (domestic and international assignments). Jim earned a BS, Mechanical Engineering, and an MBA, both from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

  • Ray is a proven executive in B2B, SaaS, marketing, and e-commerce services with twenty-five plus years of experience in scaling high growth organizations having successfully led and exited privately held, PE/Venture-backed and publicly traded businesses (including IPOs). As CEO of Worksuite, Ray leads the company in designing and executing Worksuite’s vision, strategic growth plans, and company operations. Prior to joining Worksuite, and throughout his career, Ray has led high growth organizations, holding executive positions including CEO of Conexiom and SVP, COO, and GM of B2B Commerce at Salesforce. Previously, he was President and COO of CloudCraze, where he led the company through its 2018 acquisition by Salesforce. In addition to his executive leadership roles, Ray holds or has held directorial board positions on several high growth businesses including Saltbox, Spotlight, and SureWerx. Ray holds a BA in Political Science from the University of New Hampshire.

  • Gary is the former Chairman of Caribou Coffee, with a distinguished career as a board member, CEO, and business advisor. He serves as Chairman of Redberry Restaurants and previously led the turnaround of LaPetite Academy as CEO. As a Fortune 500 retail and restaurant executive, he led companies like PepsiCo, Yum Brands, Boston Market, and La Petite Academy. Under Gary’s direction, Redberry has earned a place in the Restaurant Finance Monitor’s Top 200 Franchise Operators (“Monitor 200”) and Burger King's Franchisee of the Year for North America. Gary holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan, and an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

  • Ken is a Managing Partner and Co-Founder at Cadent Consulting Group, with 25 plus years of experience in marketing, sales and consulting with consumer product manufacturers and private equity firms. His work history includes senior roles with Tribeca Early Stage Partners (former Partner); Enjoy Life Natural Brands (former Chairman); and Kantar Retail Americas (former CEO). Ken’s expertise spans across multiple countries (U.S., Canada, U.K., Mexico, South America), highlighting his ability to work in a wide array of markets and tailor strategies for different geographic regions. Ken earned a BA, English from the University of Michigan.

  • Gannon serves as a Senior Advisor to AspireUp, and brings 30 years of experience in branding, growth strategy and general management at Fortune 100 companies. His career has spanned B2C, B2B and B2B2C industries across CPG, healthcare, insurance and retail in the US, Canada and globally. Over a career spanning 20+ years at Fortune 500 companies including PepsiCo, CVS Health, Allstate, MillerCoors, and Kraft Foods, Gannon honed his expertise in driving business growth, marketing management, and commercialization strategy. Previous experience includes: Safelite Glass (EVP, Chief Commercial & Customer Officer), CVS Health (CMO, Aetna); PepsiCo (Global CMO, Nutrition); Allstate (SVP Marketing); Molson Coors (Head of Brand Marketing); and CRM (Director), plus Kraft Foods (multiple brand management roles). A native of Canada, Gannon attended Queens School of Business and the International Institute for Management Development.

  • Jack is a proven CEO and board director with more than 40 years of success in the CPG world of distribution, food and beverage, retail, wholesale, and manufacturing. Throughout his executive career, Jack has held leadership positions at U.S. and international food products enterprises including General Foods USA/Oscar Mayer, American Italian Pasta Company, Häagen-Dazs Company Inc., Fiorucci Foods, Palladium Equity Partners owned Teasdale Foods, and Wind Point partners owned Rupari. Jack has held directorial Board positions with Teasdale Foods, Jardine Foods, Mesa Foods, Rupari, and Del Real Foods LLC. He currently serves on the Boards of Matt’s Cookie Company and Liberto Specialty Company in Chicago and Nuevo Garcia Foods in San Antonio. Jack holds a BS in Food Marketing from St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. He also earned a Certificate of Director Education from the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD).

  • Chris’ career is an impressive combination of innovation, strategic vision, and the ability to blend luxury with everyday wear. As the Founder and former President of Peter Millar, he led the company from inception through its acquisition by Richemont SA in 2013, while staying involved in the business for several years afterward. Chris, recruited as Chief Merchandise Officer at the leading apparel brand johnnie-O in 2017, focuses on merchandising and sales, and led total top-line sales growth of 20x since joining the company. Chris earned a BA from East Carolina University and remains an active alum.

  • John served as Chief Legal Officer of Nuveen and Chief Operating Officer of its Real Assets Division. Prior to joining Nuveen, he was Partner and Chairman of Winston & Strawn’s Corporate Practice. He is a Board member of the Nuveen Global Cities REIT and a former Board Chair of Nuveen Global Investors PLC, an Irish UCITS fund complex.  He is also Vice Chair of the Board of the Idaho Chapter of The Nature Conservancy as well as a former Board Chair and current Board member of Metropolitan Family Services in Chicago. John brings an extensive background in investment management, strategic leadership, board governance, M&A transactions, operational excellence and global expansion. John holds a JD from Stanford Law School and a BA from Williams College.

  • Robbin, as one of the founders and President of a beautiful branding and design company called Brains on Fire (now simply Brains), surrounded herself with brilliant artists, writers, creators, and dreamers. With Brains on Fire, Robbin was a part of a team that created innovative, impactful solutions for a diverse range of clients including Hello Bello, Love146, Michelin, BMW, Green Dot Public Schools, and Environmental Defense Fund. As the co-author of two books: Brains on Fire and The Passion Conversation, Robbin has spoken at conferences and private events around the globe sharing her insights on word-of-mouth marketing, storytelling, and community. In 2019, she stepped back from Brains and set out to create a remarkable third act. Her passion for helping others succeed, combined with her vast experience and deep understanding of the evolving marketing landscape, has continued to make her a trusted advisor to many growing organizations. Robbin holds a BA in Fine and Studio Arts from the University of South Carolina.

  • Manny is the Managing Director of DeepBlue Advisory, a Miami based franchise and M&A advisory firm, which he founded after more than 20 years in the restaurant, retail, and consumer products industries. He founded Three Palms Holdings to consolidate registrations, commercial rights, and claims for Cervecería La Tropical, Cuba’s oldest brewery and owner of La Tropical and Cristal beer brands. Manny gained experience in the restaurant, retail, and consumer products industries during his roles at Burger King (Global Vice President of Franchising and Business Development) and Budweiser/Anheuser-Bush. Manny earned a BBA, Marketing and an MBA, Marketing/Finance from Florida International University College of Business and Chapman Graduate School of Business.

  • Stephen has a rich background in private capital investing and investment banking in addition to his current board of director roles at Massage Envy and OneSpaWorld Holdings. He was an Operating Partner at Roark Capital and L Catterton and served for many years as Managing Director and head of the consumer investment banking team at RBC Capital Markets and Prudential Securities. His extensive work in the health, wellness, fitness, and consumer sectors underscore his ability to drive growth and navigate complex market dynamics. Stephen completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Virginia and earned an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

  • Alyssa has an exceptional ability to build and nurture brands that resonate with consumers and drive substantial growth. With experience spanning across consumer-packaged goods (CPG) and retail, from startups to global organizations worth over $100B, her experience and expertise covers a wide spectrum, including executive roles at Walgreens (CMO), Hallmark, Hint Water, and PepsiCo, highlighting her versatility and deep understanding of both established and emerging brands. Her impressive award recognitions include Ad Age 40 Under 40, Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Next Gen, MMA MM25, ANA SeeHer, Adweek's Top 100 Women to Watch, Brand Innovators Top 100 Women, and Effie’s Judge. Alyssa earned a BA in Economics and a Minor in History at the University of Richmond, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

  • Tommy is a seasoned restaurant entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the franchise development space.  Throughout his career he has operated, invested in, and helped grow more than a dozen brands across the US and internationally.  Tommy has helped to launch the franchise operations for a number of single digit concepts and place thousands of individual units into development - most notably Five Guys, Vapiano and Freshii (both of which had successful IPOs).  He has held a variety of leadership positions at emerging brands including as President and CFO and continues to serve on several boards in the food and beverage space.  Currently, he serves as a Managing Director and co-founder of District Brands.  Tommy holds BS degrees in Mathematics and Biology from Presbyterian College.

  • John is a leader in the fields of franchising and entrepreneurship. With a strong foundation developed while at Domino’s® and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts®, he saw opportunities in niche industries and developed them into thriving franchise systems. His work with DUCTZ, a van-based service company, and HOODZ, a kitchen exhaust cleaning business, allowed him to identify high-potential markets and scale them effectively. His leadership while at TITLE Boxing Club International grew the brand rapidly. Since founding Franworth, John has continued to leverage his experience, supporting various franchise brands with a focus on health, wellness, fitness, and more. John’s experience in franchising includes starting and growing two successful brands, and his launching multiple franchisor platforms speaks to his strategic vision and leadership. Earning both the International Franchise Association’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award and the prestigious EY Award highlights his global achievements. John earned a BA in Management from the University of Michigan.

  • Carol is an American television personality, bestselling author, entrepreneur, radio host, and investor. She appears regularly on national cable television networks including Fox Business, CNBC, CNN, Fox News and MSNBC. Carol is also the creator of the legacy planning system Future File, a business advisor, company director, and speaker. She is the author of three books, including two New York Times bestsellers. As a self-styled "recovering" Investment Banker, she has completed more than $2 billion in capital raising, mergers and acquisitions and related transactions and investments in private companies. She attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, graduating magna cum laude.

  • Ted has been with Bain & Company for over 40 years. He is a leader in the firm's Advanced Manufacturing & Services practice, with a focus on Automotive and Other Mobility Industries and on Aerospace & Defense. He led Bain’s North America Automotive & Mobility practice, serving OEM’s, suppliers, and distributors in the automotive, commercial truck, agricultural tractor, motorcycle and powersport industries.  As the former Global Head of Bain & Company's M&A practice, he has decades of experience advising CEO’s and management teams on intricate global integrations and seamless transitions, helping companies optimize post-merger synergies while retaining key employees and customers. He has supported dozens of merger integration projects over the last 30 years and has authored numerous articles on these topics for the Wall Street Journal and the Harvard Business Review and appeared on CNBC's Closing Bell. Ted holds a BA in economics from Williams College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

  • Rob is the President of Saxonwold Capital, a private investment vehicle, and a co-founder and a former Managing Director and Head of the Consumer Industry Team of Madison Dearborn Partners (MDP). As co-founder of MDP, he played a key role in shaping the firm’s direction, including serving as Managing Director until 2017. During his two-decade tenure at MDP, Rob helped lead the firm in making significant investments in companies such as Beverages & More, Tuesday Morning Corporation, Ruth’s Hospitality Group, Bolthouse Farms, Cinemark, and The Yankee Candle Company. His deep experience in private equity has positioned him as a trusted advisor, and he continues to serve on the Board of Directors of several of Uncommon Equity’s investments. He also serves on the National and Central Region Board of Directors for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces. Rob earned a BA from Yale University and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.

  • 
Greg is a seasoned restaurant and hospitality executive who most recently was instrumental in steering BJ’s Restaurants with his expertise in operations, marketing, and business development in casual dining. Prior to serving as CEO of BJ's Restaurants, he held various executive positions at House of Blues Entertainment (former CEO); Guitar Center (former CEO, President, COO); and California Pizza Kitchen (former CEO). He currently serves on the board of Casey’s General Stores, Oakley, and Domino’s Pizza and began his career at Bain & Co. Greg earned a BS, Commerce/Business from the University of Virginia and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

  • With over 30 years of experience, David is a versatile investor and corporate advisor. He serves as Managing Partner of Lead Lap Enterprises, and his previous roles as Chairman and/or CEO cuts across sectors such as healthcare (Endeavor Health), marketing services (Experiential Events Group), technology (DIVA Systems), and even music education (School of Rock). David spent eleven years at the Walt Disney Company where he was President of Fairchild’s Travel Agent B-to-B media business, Vice President of Programming for ESPN, and later, Executive Vice President of ESPN and Managing Director of ESPN International, overseeing its growth to $750 Million in consolidated annual revenue and 21 networks in 20 languages around the world. His leadership at NASCAR's Petty Holdings and Midway Games further highlights his ability to manage high-profile brands and organizations. After graduating magna cum laude from Princeton University, David worked as a financial analyst in the M&A group at Goldman, Sachs & Co. in New York, and later received his MBA from Harvard University.