Company

Our Team

Office of the CFO

Chris Beyer

Co-Founder & Managing Partner
New York I Washington DC

Chris has an extensive background providing transaction and transition-focused financial, operational and human capital solutions to venture and private equity backed portfolio companies.  Chris brings unique perspective to clients who seek a combination of both technical and strategic competencies and has experience leading teams both in the US and internationally.

Experience

  • CBIZ CMF - Office of the CFO Director, assisting Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies with deal readiness, acquisition support, integration and financial enhancements
  • PwC - Transaction Services - Merger, acquisitions and corporate development practice area, participating in client deal strategies and readiness
  • PwC - UK - Key member of FinTech portfolio team, guiding growth companies through exit strategies 
  • PwC - Audit and Assurance - Manager, Technology and Government Contracting practice, working with large PE-backed and SEC companies on public filings and capital markets activities

Credentials: Licensed CPA (VA, DC)

Education: Virginia Military Institute, London School of Economics, George Mason University

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Rick Beyer

Chairman and CEO
Washington DC

Rick has a unique combination of experience in higher education and business. A former college president and board governance chair, successful technology CEO and senior operating executive of a $1 billion public company, Rick has consistently been at the forefront of industry-leading initiatives and has a successful history of leading organizations through change and growth.

Experience

  • Lumerit - CEO; Education Technology company with a successful exit to Pearson Education (PSON)
  • Trimble Navigation (NASDAQ: TRMB) - Corporate officer $1 Billion company; successful exit as CEO of TracerNET (sold to Trimble)
  • Qualcomm - (NASDAQ: QCOM) Part of the senior executive start up team, serving as vice president marketing and sales
  • Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges - Senior Fellow; Founding Managing Principal, AGB Strategies; former board member of AGB; former board member American University; former board chair and trustee emeritus at Olivet College

Education: Olivet College

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Eric Strong

Managing Director
Washington DC

Eric has advised growth-stage and emerging market organizations for 15 years, providing expert finance office and risk management support to CEOs, CFOs, and investors. Having advised clients in challenging environments from Wall Street to Afghanistan, Eric’s areas of expertise include growth CFO support, M&A readiness, finance office integration, and regulatory compliance.

Experience

  • The World Bank/BDO UK - Senior Manager and a senior advisor to Auditor General of Afghanistan
    Ernst & Young - Manager within the Financial Services Advisory Practice
  • FreddieMac - Compliance Manager leading teams on cross-functional portfolio assessments
  • Deloitte - Business Risk consultant focusing on operational excellence and process efficiencies
  • Marimac Insight - Co-founder of a management consulting firm providing risk management and operational support to emerging markets.

Credentials: Licensed CPA (MD)

Education: University of Maryland

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Dr. Neil Kerwin

Senior Fellow
Washington DC

Dr. Kerwin is a nationally recognized specialist in public policy and the regulatory process, and was the president of American University from 2007-2017. Before becoming president, he held positions as interim president, university provost, and dean of the School of Public Affairs. A nationally recognized specialist in public policy and the regulatory process, Dr. Kerwin is actively engaged in research and periodically taught courses in administrative process, policy implementation, and American government. 

Experience

  • American University - President, University Provost, Dean of School of Public Affairs
  • National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration - President
  • American Society for Public Administration,  Public Law, and Administration - Founding Chair
  • American Council on Education - Board of Directors
  • National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities - Board of Directors
  • National Academy of Public Administration - Fellow

Credentials: Ph.D. - Political Science (John Hopkins), Masters - Political Science (Univ. of Rhode Island)

Education: American University, University of Rhode Island, John Hopkins University

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Scott Eshom

Senior Consultant
New York

Scott is currently a senior consultant at Newport Advisory Partners where he supports program management efforts in the Education Technology and CleanTech practices areas.

Scott is a collaborative senior leader with multidisciplinary experience combining operations management, program and business development, financial management and national politics. He has advised a wide variety of organizations ranging from ventured-backed companies to billion dollar philanthropic non-profits. Prior to the corporate world, Scott served nearly a decade as a US Army Officer and Green Beret, and was selected as USASOC executive mentorship program.

Experience

  • Goldman Sachs - Investment Management and Private Banking advisory
  • Tradecraft - Strategy and corporate advisor for high growth start-ups
  • CNR Civic - Public and social impact consulting for mission-driven organizations
  • US Army - 5th Special Forces Group officer with multiple Middle East deployments

Credentials: MBA (UVA Darden - '22), Series 7, Series 63, Series 3

Education: American University, University of Virginia, School of International Training

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Joseph Dubow

Senior Consultant
New York

Joe is an accomplished C-suite executive with extensive financial and operating experience at global private equity owned and S&P 500 companies. He has a proven ability to apply strategic insight, change management and operational excellence to achieve increased profitability through revenue growth, cost containment and organizational effectiveness.

Experience

  • Corporate Risk Holdings– Senior VP of Finance and Treasurer leading efforts through a corporate restructuring and a combined $2.2b strategic exit
  • Fiserv Investment Services – VP of Finance and key member of the Senior Team focusing on FP&A
  • Dun & Bradstreet – Controller of North America and Assistant Corporate Controller focused on improving margins through operational IT efficiencies and cost reductions
  • Ingersoll Rand– Business unit controller, project leader of Asia Pacific Growth initiatives and global footprint optimizations

Credentials: Licensed CPA (NJ),  MBA (Fairleigh Dickinson), CGMA (AICPA), Six Sigma Blackbelt (Igersoll Rand)

Education: University of Dayton, Montclair State University, Fairleigh Dickinson University

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Parmilia Phillips

Senior Consultant
New York

Parmila is finance and operational executive working with growth stage and lower to middle market companies within the digital media, AdTech, publishing and marketing sectors. She brings a hands-on approach in supporting full-cycle accounting and reporting, risk management, Board, Investor and C-Suite relations as well as M&A due diligence. Parmila has previously served as a CFO for a digital media company based in NYC.

Experience

  • Vibe Media - CFO of a tech and media company and worked with other C-Suites to optimize budgeting, sales, cost efficiencies and investor KPI initiatives
  • Gen Art Productions - CFO of a marketing agency, leading the finance and operations teams
  • Outrigger Media, Inc. - Vice President of Finance working with CFO on strategic M&A initiatives

Credentials: MBA (Thunderbird)

Education: University of Colorado, Zicklin School of Business

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Joe Tropiano

Senior Consultant
Washington DC

Joe has more than 20 years of financial and executive experience. Joe started his career at a regional CPA firm and was Principal prior to accepting the position of Director of Finance for a large publicly traded Canadian company, where he focused on US operations and corporate development. He led the company through eight successful acquisitions before starting his own web-based software company. Joe has worked with family offices and private equity firm as CFO, overseeing all investment opportunities and managing the growth of its portfolio companies.

Experience

  • CFO - RAM Capital
  • CFO - Compose Software, with sale to Oracle
  • Director of Finance - Enbridge, Inc., publicly traded on Toronto Stock Exchange
  • Principal - Morris Cohen, LLC, a CPA Firm based in Philadelphia

Credentials: CPA (retired)

Education: Penn State University

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Babak Hafezi

Senior Consultant

Washington DC

Babak is an experienced entrepreneurial and business expert in the areas of strategy, change management, turnarounds, growth, capitalization and international market entry consulting. He has worked with both public and private companies advising them on product commercialization, market feasibility, capital raising strategies and has extensive global deal experience, working in the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Experience

  • HafeziCapital - CEO of an international consulting and investment firm focusing on lower and middle market companies through capital raising, growth strategies and international market entry. Also provides various investment banking through both buy and sell side transactions
  • American University - Adjunct Professor of International Businesses
  • ConnectPreneur - Lead Presenter Coach advising entrepreneurs help formalize and pitch their story

Credentials: MA, MBA (American University)

Education: American University, MIT Sloan School of Management, University of Oxford