THE TEAM

Ervin is the Founder, CEO, and Managing Director of Tower Partners. Ervin manages the entirety of the firm’s activities, interacting directly with clients, investors, and Tower Partners’ deal teams. Ervin is a featured M&A expert, providing insight on various U.S. Industry Sectors and the M&A landscape. Ervin has completed over 200 transactions and consulting engagements in the last 15 years and is a relied upon valuation, and business sale expert. Ervin sits on the board of directors for The Maryland Proton Therapy Center and has held multiple director and interim C-level positions. Ervin graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

Jason joins Tower Partners as President and Managing Director. Jason is a seasoned C-level executive with extensive M&A experience. Most recently, Jason led the stabilization and sale of a sponsor-back sales enablement software firm, RocketDocs. Additionally, Jason assisted in the refinancing of the $277M bond refinancing of the Maryland Proton Treatment Center. Jason earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and political Science from Yale University. Jason also graduated with a Juris Doctorate specializing in finance and taxation from the University of Maryland School of Law. Jason is also an adjunct professor in the master’s program at the Alex Brown Center for Entrepreneurship at The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).

Erik leads Tower Partners’ deal execution teams including, but not limited to due diligence, financial analysis, marketing materials and deal structuring. Additionally, Erik leads the firms’ consumer engagements. Erik joined the firm in 2013. Prior to 2013, Erik spent his first twelve years working with a leading middle market Consumer and Business Services Investment Banking Team. With that team, Erik was an Executive Director at Oppenheimer, a Director and Associate at CIBC World Markets and Analyst with Deutsche Banc Alex Brown. Erik’s transactional experience spans the consumer products, retail, marine, technology, e-commerce, direct marketing, manufacturing, rental services, professional services, and restaurant sub-sectors. Erik has represented distressed businesses, growth companies, sponsor-backed and family- owned businesses. Past clients have included companies such as Bare Escentuals, Parker Marine, lululemon, SuperShuttle, Under Armour, The Brickman Group, Carbonite, Connolly Consulting, Constant Contact, Contigo, Design Within Reach, Jarden, Barnett and Vitacost to name a few. Over his 25 year investment banking career, Erik has completed over 200 transactions representing over $8 billion in transaction value. Erik graduated with highest honors from the University of Notre Dame with a BBA in Finance and Computer Applications. Erik is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). He is an active member of the American Bankrptcy Institute (ABI) and Turnaround Management Association (TMA). Outside of his duties at Tower, Erik is also President and Chairman of the Board of the Capital Area Soccer Referees Association, a non-profit organization of over 2,000 soccer officials that assigns nearly 40,000 games annually and bills clients over $4mm.

Ben joined Tower Partners as a Managing Director, having over two decades of investment banking, consulting, and operating experience. He has completed over $5 billion of deals across several industries, representing both public and privately held companies in a variety of transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financings, and strategic advisory services. Ben began his career in investment banking, with a leading middle-market Consumer & Business Services team and later transitioned into a product-focused Private Finance team. Most recently, Ben was a CFO for a creative agency based in New York and Los Angeles. Prior to that he was President and CFO of his family’s food distribution business, leading the company through a restructuring, refinancing, deleveraging, and eventual sale to a strategic buyer. During this period, he also successfully launched a DTC e-commerce brand that provided an additional distribution channel with an enhanced EBITDA margin to the family business. Ben graduated with high honors from the University of Notre Dame with a BBA in Finance, receiving the Wall Street Journal Award, and holds certifications for ESG Strategy from Harvard Business School and New York University Stern School of Business. He is a recipient of the James Beard Foundation Perry Award and sat on the board of the James Beard Foundation, as well as other nonprofit organizations throughout his career.

Jeremy is a Director at Tower Partners. He is an experienced operator with a demonstrated history of working in technology, education, and complex high growth environments. For over 25 years he has focused his energy helping lower middle-market companies drive sales and marketing initiatives. Jeremy has served in numerous executive and board positions for various operating companies leading to successful exits. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from The University of Maryland. In addition to his work at Tower Partners, he shares his insights and experiences as an adjunct professor in the master’s program at the Alex Brown Center for Entrepreneurship at The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). At UMBC he currently oversees their capstone program as well as teaching entrepreneurial sales and marketing.

Ryan is the Director of Tower Partners' Special Situations Platform (SSP) and head of the Denver office. Ryan brings years of expansive special situations and distressed experience to the firm and is primarily responsible for sourcing and executing new SSP engagements. Ryan’s role encompasses every aspect of M&A engagements, from financial analysis to deal structure and negotiations. Prior to joining Tower Partners in 2019, Ryan was the Vice President of Acquisitions at Summit Investment Management, where his responsibilities included sourcing principal debt acquisitions, providing customized capital solutions for distressed middle market companies, and underwriting loan portfolios. Raised in Colorado and an avid snowboarder and outdoorsman, Ryan holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Colorado. He is an active member of the American Bankruptcy Association (ABI) and Head of NextGen for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA).

Raphael is a Director at Tower Partners. He leads the firm’s Healthcare and Specialty Finance efforts and also supports the firm’s growth and execution mandates. Raphael’s transaction experience includes buy- and sell-side M&A, plus arranging structured credit across a variety of industry verticals. Prior to Tower Partners, Raphael was an Associate with Capital Research Partners & Co., a boutique investment bank, where he provided strategic advice and execution support on M&A and capital market transactions within a variety of industries. Prior to joining Capital Research Partners & Co., he was a member of the investment team at Volery Capital Partners, where he focused on industry research, financial modeling and supporting their pipeline development. He began his career in Zurich, Switzerland working on UBS’s equity & derivatives floor. Raphael completed both his bachelor’s degree in business administration and master’s degree in accounting and finance at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. During the former, he participated in an exchange program at Columbia University. Currently, he is pursuing the CFA accreditation, having passed two out of the three exams thus far.

Bobby is a Vice President at Tower Partners. He supports Tower Partners' deal teams through financial analysis, due diligence management, preparation of marketing materials, and outbound marketing. Prior to joining Tower Partners, Bobby worked as an Investment Banking Analyst at Stifel Financial, focusing on middle market sell-side advisory. He also served as a Transaction Advisory Associate for RSM. Bobby earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. He also played baseball professionally for the Houston Astros organization.

Jacob is a Vice President at Tower Partners. He leads engagements for the firm’s buy- and sell-side clients while acting as an intermediary between clients and the firm’s deal teams. Jacob’s transaction experience includes dozens of buy- and sell-side M&A engagements spanning a variety of industries and situations. Jacob began his tenure at the firm as an Analyst. Prior to joining Tower Partners, Jacob was a Financial Analyst at one of the largest VA mortgage lenders in the United States. Working directly with senior leadership, he conducted budget analyses and led projects to streamline operations. Jacob holds an M.S. in Commerce with a concentration in Marketing and Management from the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce and a B.A. in Political Science with a focus in American Politics and Minors in Economics and Public Policy from The Ohio State University. Jacob is an active member of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA) and the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI).

Connor is a Vice President at Tower Partners. He supports Tower Partners' deal teams through financial analysis, due diligence management, preparation of marketing materials, and outbound marketing. Connor began his tenure at the firm as a Junior Analyst. Prior to joining Tower Partners, Connor gained experience in various areas of finance, completing internships in both the hedge fund and wealth management space. Connor is a graduate of Williams College, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in History and played on the varsity baseball team.

Lea is an Associate at Tower Partners. She supports Tower Partners' deal teams through financial analysis, due diligence management, preparation of marketing materials, and outbound marketing. Prior to joining Tower Partners, Lea worked as a Senior Transaction Advisory Associate at Wiss and Company focusing on lower-middle market buy-side and sell-side advisory. She also served as a Senior Financial Due Diligence Associate for PWC. Lea earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the Sellinger School of Business at Loyola University Maryland.

Zebb is an Analyst at Tower Partners. He supports Tower Partners' deal teams through presentation preparation, due diligence collection, research, marketing material creation, and financial analysis. Prior to joining Tower Partners, Zebb gained valuable insights into the venture capital, wealth management, and operations spaces through internships with StepStone Group, Morgan Stanley, and Seventy2 Capital Wealth Management. Zebb graduated from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business with a M.S. in finance.

Lauren is an Analyst at Tower Partners. She supports Tower Partners' deal teams through presentation preparation, due diligence collection, research, marketing material creation, and financial analysis. Prior to joining Tower Partners, Lauren gained valuable insights at Peer Executive Groups as their Marketing Director. She earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. Lauren also earned her Master’s Degree from University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) - Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Innovation program while playing and coaching Division I lacrosse.

Jake is an Analyst at Tower Partners. He supports Tower Partners' deal teams through presentation preparation, due diligence collection, research, marketing material creation, and financial analysis. Before joining Tower Partners as a full-time analyst, Jake interned with the firm as a summer analyst while in college. He also gained meaningful experience in various areas of finance, having completed other internships in investment banking, venture capital, and wealth management. Jake graduated from Fordham University's Gabelli School of Business, earning a B.S. in Finance. He was a member of the Fordham University Men's Rugby team.

Deep is an Analyst at Tower Partners. He supports Tower Partners' deal teams through presentation preparation, due diligence collection, research, marketing material creation, and financial analysis. Before joining Tower Partners, Deep was the Co-founder and Operating Partner of OCA Mocha, where he oversaw operations, finances, business development, and partnerships. Deep holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Financial Economics and a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). He also earned an MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland.

Jordan is an Executive Assistant at Tower Partners, providing the executive team with administrative support. Jordan is the glue that keeps the firm organized and running on time! Prior to joining Tower Partners, Jordan was the Assistant Office Manager at a mental health practice. Jordan is a graduate of Towson University where she earned a degree in Business Administration with a marketing focus.

Don joined Tower Partners as an Operating Partner. Mr. Kittredge has over 45 years of experience in investment and commercial banking, and private equity/mezzanine debt investing. Before Tower Partners, Mr. Kittredge was with Capital Research Partners (a financial advisory firm), Andersen, Weinroth & Co., LP (a private equity and merchant banking firm). Earlier in his career, he focused on the private placement of debt and equity securities, and direct private equity investments at Loeb Partners, Chemical Bank, Kidder Peabody, and Bankers Trust. At Signal Capital Corporation’s Merchant Banking Division, he managed a $300 million mezzanine debt, equity, and senior debt portfolio, and at Citibank he was in lending for over 10 years.

Todd joined Tower Partners as an Operating Partner, and with his company Potomac Business Capital, serves as Co-Advisor on select M&A deals. He is a 20+ year entrepreneur, business owner, investment banker and business finance advisor. In addition to M&A advice and investment banking activities, Todd has been a founding investor, board member or part of the management team of several business ventures. Todd has completed deals in a wide array of industries but truly excels in representing Digital Marketing and Digital Transformation businesses. Todd helps CEO’s and entrepreneurs develop a successful exit strategy, leveraging his understanding of the mid-market investment banking process, allowing for maximized value, optimized structure, and minimal tax impact for each engaged transaction. Todd attended Ithaca College.

George joined Tower Partners as a Operating Partner. George has over 20 year’s experience in leadership in healthcare organizations. Most recently, George led the corporate development efforts at a national healthcare services provider, HealthPRO-Heritage. George worked closely with 3-21’s Buy-Side team completing over 15 acquisitions over his 3-year tenure. Prior to that role, George served in several leadership roles at Optima Healthcare Solutions, a software firm. During his tenure there, he was involved in scaling the business to a successful exit for the founders. George is passionate about working with founder led organizations through the transition of their business. George graduated from Covenant College with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration.

Martin joined Tower Partners as an Operating Partner following the sale of his company, Austin Boats & Motors, Inc. (ABM), which was represented by Tower Partners. Martin guides fellow founder- and family-owned businesses in the marine industry to successful exits. As a former business owner and operator, he brings proven expertise in the boating industry and a specialized understanding of the retail segment. In the decades Martin spent leading his company, he guided ABM to 12 consecutive Boating Industry Top 100 dealer awards (3x Top 20 ranking and 2x Best in Class award recipient). He also served on the board of the Marine Retailers Association of America and the advisory boards of top boating brands, including Glastron, Crownline, Blue Wave, and Tige. Prior to running ABM, Martin attended the University of Texas at Austin where he concentrated in Business and Spanish Language.

Mark joined Tower Partners as an operating Partner, with a focus in healthcare and life sciences. Mr. Hunt began his professional career in 1985 working as the Director of Admissions at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. He joined Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) in 1986 where he served in positions ranging from Director of Marketing, Human Resources, Risk Management and Assistant Administrator. In 1992, Mr. Hunt joined National Medical Enterprises (NME) Rehabilitation Hospitals as Administrator/CEO. In 1993, he joined Integrated Health Services as a Divisional Vice President managing forty-one skilled nursing facilities throughout the southeast. From 2001-2009, he joined Centennial HealthCare (Shoreline/Seacrest) as EVP Operations over 120 SNFs and Vice President of Business Development. In addition, Mr Hunt developed the rehabilitation company Salus, Inc. He joined CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) in 2018 as a Principal in the senior living practice strategic consulting and business development services. In 2010, Mr. Hunt formed Spiritus Consulting, LLC. a healthcare management and development consulting practice. Mark Hunt has a Bachelor of Health Sciences from the University of Kentucky, a Masters of Public Health from the University of South Florida and is a PhD candidate in Health Administration from the University of South Carolina.

Steven joins Tower Partners as an Operating Partner focused on the Marine Industry. Steven is a veteran of the marine industry having grown up in the family boat building business. Working his way up from the ground floor, he’s managed everything from production to sales before becoming CEO/President of the family Pontoon and Center Console boat company. Having worn the hat of owner, operator, acquiror, and seller, Steven is uniquely suited to help owners identify the next steps for their company and their people. Steven’s passion and experience as a leader of a family-owned business provide valuable insights to buyers and sellers alike. Steven enjoys the contacts and deep industry knowledge afforded from over 20 years in the Marine Industry. Steven sat on the Board of Commerce for the City of Seminole and is co-founder of REEL Impact, a non-profit providing outdoor activity experiences for underprivileged youth.

Kendall Miller joins Tower Partners as an Operating Partner. Kendall is an experienced CTO & COO specializing in high-risk transition and turnaround of technology-focused companies. From the start of his career at John Deere over 25 years ago, Kendall has brought a relentless focus on customer value creation through technology. With decades of experience from the board room to the developer's den, he's led teams to transform legacy businesses, create new products from zero to profitability, and out-execute the competition. In addition to his work at Tower Partners, Kendall serves on the board of Gibraltar Software and presents on startup and technology leadership at conferences worldwide. He holds a Bachelors in Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Patrick joins Tower Partners as an Operating Partner. Patrick has worked for several firms at the Executive level in both the commercial and federal sectors. Patrick is the founder, President and CEO of BridgePath Scientific, a biotechnology firm headquartered in Frederick, MD. Patrick co-founded On Mission IT, a not-for-profit organization that provides IT Security and related services for not-for-profit organizations regionally. Patrick also founded not-for-profit organization, Sciencewerx, Inc with a mission is to bridge the gap between research and commercialization of health-related technologies. Patrick started his career in the US Navy in aviation electronics and automated computer test equipment. After his honorable discharge, Patrick attended Frederick Community College followed by Frostburg State University. Patrick holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and lives in Frederick City with his wife, Mary, and four children, Michael, Rose, Ellen, and Sadie.