Tom Gelston Email & Phone Number

Danbury, Ct, Us

Primary contact to communicate with and educate financial community about company's strategy, business activities, financial performance, operating model, and key metrics. Key member of the strategy and finance group that develop and maintain global banking relationships, including financial models, projections, and corporate due diligence processes.• Member of the Senior Executive Leadership Team for corporate oversight.• Expanded sell-side equity coverage from 4 analysts to 11 covering analysts over a two year period.• Produced the Company’s first sustainability report (January 2022), and serves as the Company’s named executive sponsor for the Environmental, Social and Governance efforts.• Overseeing the development and production of the Company’s first investor day (March 2022).• Successfully led corporate communications strategic effort during a challenging financial performance and significant liquidity issues, and subsequent capital raising and a transition to a growth strategy.• Worked with an investment bank and senior leadership to engage all levels of our capital structure, including negotiations with senior and subordinate lenders and preferred shareholders to modify key terms of our agreements.• Managed the financial modelling, negotiation and due diligence for project level financing for construction debt, permanent financing, and tax equity investment in power project entities.• Produced and coordinated lobbying efforts that targeted legislative support for items critical to the fuel cell industry, with efforts leading to awards of multiple projects.

Finance / Investor Relations executive with significant experience in financial and strategic messaging and message development in search of my next opportunity.

Norwalk, Ct, Us

Executive responsible to communicate with and educate financial community about company's strategy, business activities, financial performance, operating model, key metrics, and plans for long-term shareholder value creation. Advised Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) on probable investor reaction to key activities, such as acquisitions and divestitures, restructurings, capital allocation, and other events, such as debt and equity offerings as well as credit rating agency relationships. Collaborated with internal and external corporate counsel on SEC compliance, governance, annual meetings, proxy solicitations, and shareholder forum on executive compensation.• Partnered with the senior executive management team to ensure consistent and clear messaging aligned and integrated with appropriate corporate and cross-functional messages for shareholders, customers, suppliers, dealers, team-members.• Analyzed and effectively conveyed many complex accounting, treasury and tax issues through thorough knowledge, research and understanding.• Core member of the finance transformation team charged with instituting lean and best practices across the global financial organization.• Provided strong credibility to investor relations position with financial community, allowing for independent travel for road shows and conferences without need for c-suite participation. Validated by subsequent perception studies with investor relations receiving strong favorable ratings.• Strategized HR policy revisions and improvements as member of Diversity and Inclusion Council• Established corporate communications policy to bring discipline corporate-wide to interacting with media and financial community.

Norwalk, Ct, Us

Oversaw merger and acquisition research and due diligence. Additional responsibility included strategy work specific on products in aerial work platform, utility truck and cranes businesses. Member of capital structure team that managed investment bank relationships, including capital market activities.

Norwalk, Ct, Us

Senior investor relations responsibility. Also, managed corporate financial planning and analysis department. Responsible for establishing a new corporate Financial Planning and Analysis department for a global and complex reporting corporation, aiding senior management with timely information flow, analysis and planning directly supporting executive decision-making.

Norwalk, Ct, Us

Managed merger and acquisition research and due diligence. Additional responsibility included capital market activities, including managing investment bank relationships. Participated in long-term strategic planning and ongoing competitive analysis.• Completed over 30 acquisitions and divestitures, including public company and international acquisitions, leading to 400% growth in revenue, and entrance into multiple leading positions in key product categories.• Spearheaded the creation and maintenance of the detailed corporate financial model used for M&A analysis, financial planning and debt offerings, including use with investment banks and credit rating agencies.• Aided in senior bank debt offerings, subordinated debt issuance, and stock offerings, ensuring cost effective access to capital in support of corporate growth initiative.

Private equity M&A focused on consumer goods, performed on-site financial and operational due diligence, investigated performance and operational challenges of portfolio companies

Norwalk, Ct, Us

Commercial Finance Division - On-site auditor of prospective clients, reported financial discoveries to underwriting committee, helped establish borrowing base lending rates and carve-outs