Heartwood’s team of dedicated individuals comes from a wide variety of professional backgrounds and allows us to have the insight to make smart decisions with our management teams while driving lasting value for their businesses.
Co-Founder
Associate
Vice President
Vice President
Corporate Controller
Managing Partner
Associate
Chairman Emeritus
Associate
Executive Assistant
Senior Associate
Principal
Fund Controller
Assistant Controller
Chief Talent Officer
Principal
Managing Director
Associate
Principal
Partner & Chief Operating Officer
Chief Financial Officer & Chief Compliance Officer
Associate
Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer
Managing Partner
Vice President
Senior Associate
Managing Partner
Executive Assistant
Co-Founder
Partner
Managing Partner
Managing Partner
Managing Partner
Partner & Chief Operating Officer
Co-Founder
Co-Founder
Associate
Vice President
Vice President
Managing Partner
Associate
Senior Associate
Principal
Principal
Associate
Principal
Associate
Managing Partner
Vice President
Senior Associate
Managing Partner
Partner & Chief Operating Officer
Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer
Chief Talent Officer
Managing Director
Partner
Corporate Controller
Executive Assistant
Fund Controller
Assistant Controller
Chief Financial Officer & Chief Compliance Officer
Executive Assistant
Mark is a Co-Founder of Heartwood Partners. As an industry veteran, he has focused his career on private equity and mid to large cap corporate operations. Mark is a member of the Investment Committee.
Prior to co-founding Heartwood Partners in 2004, Mark was a Partner with Saugatuck Capital Company. Prior to Saugatuck he was Senior Vice President of Operations with Visionworks, Inc. and an operations executive in various positions at Circuit City Stores, Inc. Mark began his career as an Analyst with RFE Investment Partners.
Education:
Mason is an Associate at Heartwood Partners. Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, Mason was an Investment Analyst with Hudson Executive Capital, where he supported the execution of new investments and management of existing portfolio companies. Previously he worked as an Analyst with Guggenheim Partners and HSBC Global Banking and Markets.
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Saer joined Heartwood Partners in 2020 as an Associate and currently holds the position of Vice President. His background in investment banking contributes to the firm, where he is involved in the execution of new investments and the management of existing portfolio companies.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, he was an Associate with EC Mergers & Acquisitions, an investment bank focused on industrial technology, in New York, NY. Previously he worked as an Analyst at Stephens, Inc. in Little Rock, AR.
Education:
Bachelor of Arts in Economics and History from Sewanee: The University of the South
Brian started at Heartwood Partners as a Senior Associate and has since been promoted to Vice President. His career has spanned both private equity and investment banking, and he is involved in execution of new investments and the management of the firm’s portfolio companies.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, he was an investment professional at Post Capital Partners, a private equity firm in New York, NY. Prior to Post Capital, Brian was an Analyst at Stifel in New York, NY.
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service in International Economics from Georgetown University
Wendy is the Corporate Controller at Heartwood Partners. Her extensive career in accounting allows her to be responsible for the accounting of the firm’s limited partnerships, communications with limited partners, and the due diligence and acquisition processes.
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Demetrios is a Managing Partner at Heartwood Partners. He brings his extensive experience in private equity and investment banking to the firm. Demetrios is a member of the Investment Committee.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, he was an Investment Partner at The Compass Group a middle market private equity firm. Prior to The Compass Group, Demetrios was an Analyst at UBS in their investment banking group. Demetrios began his career as an auditor with Deloitte.
Education:
Nick is an Associate at Heartwood Partners.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, Nick was an Analyst at City Capital Advisors, where he supported the execution of sell-side transactions across the business services, SaaS, and healthcare sectors.
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Brian is a co-founder of Heartwood Partners. His career has focused primarily on private equity, corporate development, and acquisitions.
Prior to co-founding Heartwood Partners in 2004, Brian founded Capital Partners® in 1982.
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Tiernan is an Associate at Heartwood Partners. Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, Tiernan was an Associate at Northborne Partners, where he supported the execution of sell-side M&A transactions across the industrials, healthcare and consumer sectors. Previously, he worked as an Analyst at Hammond Hanlon Camp, a healthcare-focused investment banking and strategic advisory firm.
Education:
Bachelor of Arts in Economics and History from Denison University
Casey is an Executive Assistant at Heartwood Partners. She has an extensive corporate background, primarily within investment banking, and is responsible for assisting the firm’s management team.
Education:
Bachelor of Science from University of Connecticut
Drew started at Heartwood Partners as an Associate and has since been promoted to Senior Associate. Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, Drew was a Strategy and M&A Associate with The Heritage Group, where he supported the execution of add-on acquisitions and new platform investments. Previously he worked as an Analyst with JMP Securities in New York, NY.
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Finance, Economics & Management from Purdue University
James is an investment professional at Heartwood Partners. He is responsible for evaluating new investment opportunities and managing existing portfolio companies.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, he worked as an investment professional at KPS Capital Partners, a private equity firm in New York, NY. Prior to KPS, he was an investment professional at Rockwood Equity Partners, a private equity firm in New York, NY.
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Stephen Leibowitz is the Fund Controller at Heartwood Partners. He oversees the firm’s financial accounting, reporting, investor communications, auditing, and financial compliance with GAAP.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, Stephen was a Manager at Bessemer Venture Partners, a $20+ billion AUM venture capital and private equity firm based out of their Larchmont, NY office. Prior to Bessemer, Stephen began his professional career as a Senior Auditor at PWC in the alternative investments audit practice, where he was responsible for administering the audits of various private equity clients.
Education:
Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting with a Certificate in International Business
Master of Business Administration from Iona University
David Levesque is a Assistant Controller at Heartwood Partners. He is responsible for all aspects of investment accounting for the funds and co-investment funds.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, he was an investment staff accountant at Odyssey Re, a Reinsurance Company based in Stamford, CT where he was responsible for the investment accounting of its subsidiaries and investments in multiple asset classes. Prior to Odyssey Re, David worked for Rockit Solutions as a Staff Fund Accountant, completing all the accounting processes for multiple Rockefeller funds.
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Kristin Mann is the Chief Talent Officer at Heartwood Partners. She specializes in supporting the firm and portfolio company-level management on recruitment and talent development through executive assessments, coaching, and senior team alignment initiatives.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, she was Managing Director and Leadership Advisory Lead at Raines International, and Vice President of Leadership Advisory at Bespoke Partners. Prior to Bespoke Partners, she served as a Senior Principal at Korn Ferry, working across Assessments & Coaching and Leadership Development groups. Kristin began her career at YSC Consulting (now part of Accenture).
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Andrea is a Principal at Heartwood Partners. Her career in both private equity and investment banking contributes to her involvement in the business strategy and operations of the firm’s portfolio companies.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, she was an investment professional with Cambridge Capital where she focused on the supply chain sector. Previously she worked at Seale & Associates, a boutique investment bank, and Cambridge Associates, an investment advisor to institutional clients.
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John started at Heartwood Partners as Principal and has since been promoted to Managing Director. He has an extensive background in investment banking and management consulting and is involved in the origination and execution of new investments for the firm while managing existing portfolio companies.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, John was a Director in the KeyBanc Capital Markets Industrials Group for four years. Prior to KeyBanc, John spent a total of twelve years at Jefferies & Co. and Bear, Stearns & Co. in their industrial investment banking groups.
Education:
Jack is an Associate at Heartwood Partners.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, Jack was an Analyst at Lincoln International, where he supported the execution of sell-side transactions on behalf of the firm’s clients.
Education:
Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Philosophy with a Minor in Business from Vanderbilt University
Sarah is a Principal at Heartwood Partners. Her career has spanned both private equity and investment banking, and she is responsible for the business strategy and operations of the firm’s portfolio companies.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, she was an investment professional at Baird Capital, a private equity firm in Chicago, IL. Prior to Baird, Sarah was an Analyst at Houlihan Lokey in Chicago, IL.
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Jason is a Partner and the Chief Operating Officer at Heartwood Partners. His background includes hands-on business operations and strategic management consulting. Jason is a member of the Investment Committee.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, Jason served as the Chief Operating Officer at Archway, a premium value-added services provider for Fortune 500 clients. Jason also served as the Vice President of Operations at Johnson Brothers, a leading wholesaler of adult beverages. Prior to Johnson Brothers, Jason was a Director at AlixPartners, a management consulting firm specializing in delivering sustainable operating improvements for clients. Earlier in his career, Jason served as the Vice President of Technology for Beiersdorf North America.
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Berat joined Heartwood Partners in August 2018 as a Fund Controller and was later promoted to Controller and Tax Manager.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, Berat was a Senior Fund Accountant with Atlas Holdings LLC, a $3.0 billion special situations & distressed buyout private equity firm based in Greenwich, CT. Prior to Atlas, he was a Senior Associate at KPMG in the alternative investments tax practice, providing tax consulting and compliance services to private equity, real estate, and manufacturing clients.
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Adams is an Associate at Heartwood Partners.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, Adams was an Analyst at VRA Partners, a boutique investment bank dedicated to providing merger and acquisition, capital raising and strategic advisory services to middle-market companies and private equity firms.
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Michelle is the Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer of Heartwood Partners. She brings extensive marketing and eCommerce experience with her and manages all branding, communications, and digital strategies both within the firm and with portfolio companies.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, she was Chief Marketing Officer at Town Sports International, one of the largest owners and operators of exclusive fitness clubs in the United States. While there, she successfully developed and led innovative marketing and digital strategies, delivered seamless customer experiences, and built transformative branding solutions. Prior to Town Sports International, she held leadership marketing and digital positions with fashion retailers such as Juicy Couture, Armani Exchange, Donna Karan, Kate Spade, and Calvin Klein.
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James is a Managing Partner of Heartwood Partners. He brings his extensive background in private equity and financial diligence related to mergers and acquisitions to the firm. James is a member of the Investment Committee.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners in 2009, he was with PWC’s Transaction Services group. Prior to PWC, James was Investment Professional and Chief Financial Officer of FE Clean Energy, a developing market clean and renewable energy focused private equity firm. James began his career as an auditor with Arthur Anderson.
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Morgan is a Vice President at Heartwood Partners. With a background in private equity, she is involved in the origination and execution of new investments and the management of existing portfolio companies.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, she worked as an Analyst at Hancock Capital Management on their junior debt and co-equity investment platforms.
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Michael started at Heartwood Partners as an Associate and has since been promoted to Senior Associate. With a background in private equity, Mr. Summe is involved in the execution of new investments and the management of existing portfolio companies.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners, Mr. Summe worked as an Analyst at Drum Capital Management where he supported the investment team on the execution of prospective direct investments, co-investments, and primary fund investments.
Education:
Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Kentucky
Ed is a Managing Partner at Heartwood Partners. He brings his extensive experience in private equity, debt investing and investment banking to the firm. Ed is a member of the Investment Committee.
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners in 2011, he was an investment professional at Prospect Capital Corporation. He started his private equity career at RFE Investment Partners. Ed began his career as an Analyst in First Union’s M&A group, which was formerly a boutique investment bank called Bowles Hollow Connor & Co.
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Rob is a Co-Founder of Heartwood Partners. As an industry veteran, he has dedicated his career to private equity. Rob is a member of the Investment Committee.
Prior to co-founding Heartwood Partners in 2004, Rob was a Partner with Saugatuck Capital Company. Prior to Saugatuck, he was a Partner with Rutledge Capital. Rob began his career as an Associate with Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. where he was a member of the team that invested The 1818 Fund and later was a member of the U.S. private equity investment group of Barclays Bank, a limited partner in The 1818 Fund.
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John is a Partner at Heartwood Partners. His career has spanned both private equity and investment banking disciplines, and he is responsible for sourcing and evaluating new investment opportunities for the firm
Prior to joining Heartwood Partners in 2007, he was a Principal with Family Capital Growth Partners, a private equity firm in Greenwich, CT and was concurrently a Vice President with de Visscher & Co., Family Capital's affiliated investment bank.
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