Identify and assess high-potential companies for prospective investment. Leverage over five successful years as CEO and COO with “white hot” plant-based food startups – including New Wave Foods where I led an $18MM Series A in the midst of the pandemic – to network and bring forward sustainable, earth-friendly investment opportunities. Continue to consult with plant-based start-ups, such as Edenesque, to establish positioning, create Go-to-Market strategies, negotiate co-man contracts, and optimize internal/external resourcing. Work in partnership with Gregg Smith, EVCP founder and lead investor in New Wave Foods, to expand the highly successful EVCP portfolio, and to provide guidance to existing portfolio companies.

New Wave Foods® is a disruptor in the seafood business. The mission of the Company is to protect the oceans and the broader environment by developing and marketing New Wave™ branded, plant-based versions of popular over-fished shellfish or ecologically destructive shellfish farming. The Company’s first product is frozen, plant-based shrimp. Led start-up with a game-changing product into the market. Spearheaded Series A fund-raising of $18 Million in midst of the pandemic. Led all investor relations, financial management, portfolio planning, product optimization, pricing strategies, channel & go-to-market planning, new brand development, marketing planning & execution, manufacturing start-up, and sales. Took company from the verge of bankruptcy with two employees to being well-funded, poised for success, with a team of 15 devoted professionals.

Worked in partnership with CTO and R&D team to complete successful new product development, expand portfolio foundation, and establish long-term portfolio roadmap. Created multi-year product pipeline, including continuous improvement practices. Led fund-raising and investors relations. Expanded the breadth and depth of data/insight for investors including financial forecasts for revitalized opportunity. Worked with CTO on identification of optimal co-man partner; led contract negotiations with co-man; oversaw cap-x planning/decisions. Led the development of the go-to-market executional plan – oversaw selection of key trade events; sponsorships; agencies. Worked with external partners to secure new brand identity, and all visual assets, website, trade booth, and collateral.Managed all external experts and agencies.

As a C-Suite Partner, developed and led Company founders in a complete "pivot" of New Wave Foods that included: market exit/hiatus; product reformulation; development of a portfolio strategy; creation of brand & marketing cornerstones; channel & market due diligence; pricing research; opportunity assessment; new go-to-market strategy.Brought best-in-class practices to the start-up including: establishment of new product performance standards with a Certified Master Chef & the Culinary Institute of America; breakthrough product development via cross-functional brainstorming and the employment of mastery from a wide range of settings (industry; culinary; academia); intensive market & customer due diligence (chefs; distributors; hospitality companies). Guided founders through transition steps: exit from co-manufacturer; identifying and hiring product development resources; brand & marketing best practices; market intelligence gathering / due dilignece.

Ocean Hugger Foods, Inc.™ (www.oceanhuggerfoods.com) offers healthy, delicious and sustainable plant-based alternatives to popular seafood dishes. The product line was created by one of America's top chefs, Certified Master Chef James Corwell. The flagship product, Ahimi™, is the world's first plant-based alternative to raw tuna, perfect for use in sushi, poke, tartare, ceviche and more.As COO, led creation and execution of the Ocean Hugger Foods, Inc.™ and AHIMI™ debut at the National Restaurant Association (NRA) trade show, 2017. o Deemed a “show stopper” by Crain’s Chicago Business (5/23/17)o Results included domestic and international distribution, purchase interest from leading food service companies (e.g. Aramark, Sysco, Bon Appetit), college & university systems (e.g. UMass, Stanford, Northeastern, North Carolina), leading food retailers (e.g. Whole Foods, Albertsons)o Played central role in establishing strategic partnership with Whole FoodsCreated and managed all financial matters, e.g. forecasts, budgets, periodic updates and investor communications. Established pricing strategy via integrated due diligence. Supplied all documentation for successful convertible debt raise.Spearheaded the turnaround of manufacturing, i.e. hiring and managing operations and food science experts; working in partnership with founder and Certified Master Chef James Corwell; playing a pivotal (onsite and remote) role with factory leadership and the workforce in Mexico.Led the cooperative development of the Vision, Mission, and Values of the company as well as the Creative Brief from which all branding flows Led creative agency and free lancers in creation of all brand assets including photo shoots, video shoot, etc.Managed all legal and accounting support services

Brought 25+ years of classical marketing disciplines, extensive innovation experience, and a strong strategic approach to a young consultancy. This Mission-driven firm helped companies of all sizes and individual entrepreneurs succeed in bringing plant-based products to market.•Led the agency and affiliates in: product innovation & concept creation, positioning, brand development (all stages), strategic planning, marketing plans & execution.

Porterhouse Partners is a marketing partner and trusted resource for private equity firms, companies, and brands. We...• Provide CMO-level leadership, cutting-edge Digital / Technology expertise and seamless paths to flawless execution• Create teams of seasoned executives with deep, relevant experience to meet each client’s needs• Operate free of priority-influencing overhead & partnerships• Unafraid to push boundaries, broach difficult topics and offer creative, effective & efficient solutions Current clients include leading private equity firms, investors, companies, and brands. Industries include financial services, live entertainment, branded entertainment, consumer electronics, telecommunications, and business-to-business hardware and software solutions.

Clients include: an innovative digital marketing & advertising agency, a leading global credit-management company, and a global market-research company. Assignments include: strategic market / competitive assessments, global brand positioning, and marketing plans with an emphasis on digital activation.Cooperative ventures / work partners have included: Interscope LLC; Innosight, LLC; and Synectics, Inc.Successful client engagements have included:- analytically-driven category management for a global CPG company that drove unprecedented increases in sales, profitability, and promotional effectiveness / efficiency- collaboration between a global CPG company & leading retailer that resulted in the reinvention of the in-store shopper experience and substantially increased sales- comprehensive marketing support for a durable-goods B-to-B / B-to-C business that led to accelerated emersion from Chapter 11- market assessment and entry strategy for non-US beverage company seeking to enter the US market- assessment of CPG companies for an investment management firm that resulted in profitable buy / sell decisions

Leader of $2 Billion Duracell brand - strategy, marketing, advertising, promotion, packaging, and new products worldwide.

Selected to lead $1.6 Billion Maxwell House Coffee brand. Led team in achieving share-of-market leadership over P&G for 1st time in 10 years. Rescued flagging new product line through innovative market research, brand re-positioning, new packaging, revised pricing and new advertising / marketing.

Recruited to lead Ocean Spray's flagship business. Successfully reversed two-year brand decline, and drove sustained +4% growth. Rescued low-calorie product line failing in test-market. Built alternative channels business +12%.

Flagged as "high potential" marketer / manager. Promoted 1st amongst MBA's hired into Kraft in 1989. Led cross-functional teams that drove category-changing innovation, unprecedented growth and improved profitability on MH brands.