Leadership

Patrick Balthrop

Apalachee Ventures, LLC

Patrick J. Balthrop, Sr. is the founding principal of Apalachee Ventures, LLC. He has over 30 years of experience building, growing and turning around businesses and commercial enterprises around the world, including as CEO of a publicly-traded company. His experience is global in nature, including commercial optimization, product launches, international assignments and technology and R & D leadership, primarily in the life sciences, including the highly regulated industries of medical devices and diagnostics. ​​Pat currently serves as a director of MaxCyte (NASDAQ: MXCT), a device company powering cell and gene therapy. Previously, he has served as Chairman of the Board of Oxford Immunotec PLC (NASDAQ: OXFD), an immune-mediated disease diagnostics company; CEO, President and a member of the board of directors of Luminex Corporation (NASDAQ: LMNX); President of Fisher Healthcare. He also served for 20 years at Abbott in positions of increasing responsibility, in diagnostics and vascular devices. Pat has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University. His undergraduate studies were at Princeton University and Spring Hill College. He earned a BS in Biology from Spring Hill.

Sharon Bracken

President of Diagnostics, Siemens Healthineers

Sharon Bracken has served as Head of the Diagnostics Business Area and Laboratory Diagnostics Business Line since May 2022. She currently oversees Siemens Healthineers’ in-vitro diagnostics business, which is focused on providing proven, customized diagnostic solutions that transform networked care delivery. Sharon has 20 years of in-vitro diagnostics experience and more than 30 years of global business leadership experience. Prior to joining Siemens Healthineers, Sharon served for three years as president and chief executive officer of the Perma Pure group of companies within Halma, plc. Prior to joining Halma, Sharon spent nearly 14 years with Abbott Diagnostics. During her tenure at Abbott, Sharon served in roles of increasing responsibility across global supply chain, operations, and manufacturing. Sharon has a bachelor’s in Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and her MBA from Duke University: The Fuqua School of Business.

Tyrone Jordan

Former President & Chief Operating Officer of DURA Automotive Systems

TJ is the former President & Chief Operating Officer and Board Member of DURA Automotive Systems, a tier-one supplier of mechatronic control systems for hybrid/electric vehicle systems, Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS), and luxury trim systems for premier automotive brands. At DURA, he was responsible for strategic growth, commercial excellence, product innovation, technology, and six sigma operational initiatives across the global enterprise, including operations in Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Prior to DURA, TJ had a 30-year career, including global senior executive roles at General Motors Corporation (GM) and United Technologies Corporation (UTC), now Raytheon Technologies. During his 25 years at GM, TJ held various leadership positions in operations, business development, mergers and acquisitions, engineering, strategy, and innovation & technology product development, ultimately serving as GM’s Executive Vice President, Global Operations and Customer Experience. In addition, he currently serves on the board of directors of four public corporations. TJ received his Executive Aerospace & Defense Master of Business Administration (ADMBA) in Operations, Strategy & Finance with Highest Distinction from the Haslam Business School at the University of Tennessee, a B.S. in Pre-law from Eastern Michigan University, and a BASc in Industrial Engineering Technology from Purdue University.

David Deboer

Former Chief Executive Officer of Burke Porter Group

David holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kettering University (formerly GMI Engineering & Management Institute) and a Master’s Degree in Industrial Administration from Purdue University. He has more than 30 years’ experience in management-related roles on a global level. He has lived abroad, predominantly in Asia, and from 2006 to 2022, he was the President and CEO of the Burke Porter Group, a global $500M organization with a manufacturing presence in the US, Europe, and China. Prior to joining Burke Porter, David worked in a variety of positions with Tower Automotive, Steelcase, United Technologies, NordicTrack, and Antares Pharma.

Anneka Kamel

Anneka is a Principal on AEA’s Middle Market Private Equity team. In her role, she focuses on investment opportunities in the industrials and services sectors. Anneka serves on the boards of Burke Porter Group, SitelogIQ and Spectrum Plastics Group. Prior to joining AEA, Anneka was an analyst at The Blackstone Group in the restructuring and reorganization group and prior to Blackstone, an analyst at Goldman, Sachs & Co. in the leveraged finance group. Anneka earned a B.A. in political science and Hispanic studies from the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated with honors. Anneka currently serves as the Treasurer of the Parents Association of All Souls School in New York.

Vinay Kumar

AEA Investors

Vinay is a Partner on AEA’s Middle Market Private Equity team. In his role, he focuses on AEA’s investments in the industrials and services sectors. He currently serves on the boards of Burke Porter Group, Excelitas Technologies and Spectrum Control. He also served on the boards of former AEA portfolio companies Dematic and Evoqua Water Technologies. In 2006, he relocated to Hong Kong for three years to help AEA establish its presence in Asia and evaluate investment opportunities in the region. Prior to joining AEA, Vinay was a strategy consultant with Bain & Company in San Francisco and London. Vinay earned an A.B. in history and science from Harvard University, where he graduated with honors.

Fred Lynch

AEA Investors

Fred Lynch is an Operating Partner on AEA’s Middle Market Private Equity team. In his role, he is primarily focused on working with portfolio companies to maximize value creation through improved operating performance, strategic planning, leadership development and coaching, industry networking and cross-portfolio best practice development. Prior to joining AEA Fred served for 12 years as President and CEO of Masonite International (NYSE:DOOR) a leading global building products manufacturer, and before that, he spent 18 years at Honeywell International (formerly AlliedSignal), most recently as Vice President and General Manager of the Specialty Chemical Business. Fred graduated from Villanova University with a B.S. in chemical engineering and has an M.B.A. from The Fox School of Business at Temple University.

Jeff Moss

Chief Executive Officer, Ascential Technologies

Jeff is an experienced global leader with a demonstrated history in the automotive, automation, and logistics and supply chain industries. Prior to BPG, Jeff spent 13 years at Dematic, where he held a number of executive roles, including CEO of Dematic International and Chief Commercial Officer. Jeff holds a BS in Engineering from The Ohio State University as well as a post-graduate Diploma in Strategy and Innovation from Said Business School, University of Oxford.

Tom Pryma

AEA Investors

Tom is Chief Operating Officer of AEA and a Partner on AEA’s Middle Market Private Equity team, where he focuses on investment opportunities in the industrials and services sectors. Tom serves on the boards of Burke Porter Group, Hero Digital, NES Fircroft, Numotion, Process Sensing Technologies, Redwood Logistics, SitelogIQ, Spectrum Control and TricorBraun. Prior to joining AEA, Tom worked in investment banking at Merrill Lynch. Tom graduated with honors from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business with a double major in finance and accounting and a minor in mathematics. Tom is also a Certified Public Accountant (inactive).

Scott Watts

CEO, Specialty Industrial

Scott is a highly analytical and hands-on executive with 20+ years of progressive leadership experience directing substantial growth, streamlining operations, and building high performance teams. Prior to Ascential, Scott was Chief Operating Officer at Dematic, and before that, was Managing Director & Midwest Practice Lead at Blackbriar Advisors and President & Chief Operating Officer at Celerity Logistics, Inc. Scott holds a BA from Central Michigan University and an MBA from Michigan State University.