Our Team

Chairman

John Thain has 40 years of experience in the financial services sector, and has held multiple senior leadership positions at some of the world’s largest financial institutions. Most recently, he served as CEO and Chairman of CIT Group where he successfully led the firm out of bankruptcy protection, lowered the firm’s funding costs, improved returns and grew CIT to more than $50 billion in assets. Prior to CIT, Thain was the last CEO and Chairman of Merrill Lynch before orchestrating a sale to Bank of America at the height of the financial crisis.  He was also CEO of the New York Stock Exchange, where he led the NYSE through successful mergers with Archipelago Holdings and Euronext to create the world’s largest and most liquid exchange group, and spent nearly 25 years at Goldman Sachs, where he served as President, Co-COO, CFO, and Head of Operations, Technology and Finance.

Thain currently serves as a Member of the Board of Directors at Uber Technologies and as a Member of the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Bank AG. He earned his BS from MIT and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Managing Partner

Phil Cooper has over 40 years of experience in private equity as an entrepreneur, principal investor, fund investor, and secondary investor. Cooper was previously a Partner at Goldman Sachs, where he conceived, founded and led the Goldman Sachs Private Equity Group to over $11 billion in assets. He implemented innovative portfolio construction and risk control methods for private equity fund, direct, and secondary investing, and designed and managed the Vintage Funds—one of the industry’s largest secondary funds. While at Goldman Sachs, Cooper served on the Goldman Sachs Asset Management Risk Committee, Operating Committee, and Goldman Sachs Technology Committee.

Since retiring as a Goldman Sachs Partner in 2004, Cooper has served as a Partner or Special Partner at several private equity firms and was a Senior Lecturer in private equity at MIT’s Sloan School of Business. He also served on the Forsyth Institute and Children’s Hospital (Boston) Endowment Investment Committees.

Cooper earned his BA from Syracuse University and an MBA from MIT, where he was an Alfred Sloan Fellow.

Partner

Wm. Russell Mann was previously a consultant and entrepreneur for institutional investors. His expertise is in the creation, management, and analysis of sophisticated investment products, strategies, and portfolios, both in the private and public markets. In a direct investment management capacity, he served for three years as Portfolio Manager at StratiFi, designing and managing customized option strategies. He has previously served in a risk management role for multiple hedge funds, and in the private equity space, has over his career consulted with both private equity managers and private equity-focused institutional investors, as well as portfolio companies as a consultant and an investor. 

He earned an AB from Princeton University, a Master’s from University of Cambridge as a Churchill Scholar, and a PhD from Harvard University in Mathematics as a Putnam Fellow.

Partner

Clyde Tuggle previously spent 30 years at the Coca-Cola Company where he was a member of Coca-Cola’s Executive Committee and managed the company’s corporate productivity activity. Tuggle held multiple senior management roles and was most recently Senior Vice President and Chief Public Affairs and Communications Officer, where he managed Coca-Cola’s global public affairs and reported directly to the Chairman and CEO. He was also President of the Russia, Ukraine and Belarus Division, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Public Affairs and Communication, Deputy Division President of Central Europe and Executive Assistant (chief of staff) to former CEO Roberto C. Goizueta.

Tuggle currently serves as a Member of the Board of Directors at the Georgia Power Company and at Oxford Industries, Inc.

He earned his BA from Hamilton College and a masters from Yale University; he also studied at the Ludwig-Maximillian Universität in Munich, Germany and the University of Virginia’s Darden Business School.

Associate

Edward Dweck joined Pine Island Capital Partners in 2020 and serves as an Associate. Previously, he spent four years as an Investment Banking Analyst and Associate in the M&A group at PJ Solomon, where he focused on a broad range of complex public and private M&A transactions.

Mr. Dweck graduated cum laude from the Stern School of Business at New York University with a B.S. in Finance. 

CFO

Charles Bridge has 30 years of broad experience and knowledge in finance, private equity, fund administration, and compliance, having served in executive positions for venture capital and private equity partnerships, fund of funds, and operating companies.

Bridge gained his private equity experience at both a General Partner and CFO. He began his private equity career at Boston Capital Ventures, which specialized in emerging growth and information technologies investing. Following BCV, Bridge helped found Brooke Private Equity Associates, growing the firm to over $1 billion in assets under management. After Brooke Private Equity, Bridge served as CFO of WAVE Equity Partners.

Bridge holds an MBA from Northeastern University and a BS in Business Administration from the University of Maine.

Advisory Partner

Robert Knox is co-founder and senior managing director of Cornerstone Equity Investors, L.L.C., a private equity firm. Cornerstone has funded over 120 companies through buyouts and growth equity financing in healthcare services and products, business services, technology and consumer products. Portfolio investments have included Dell Computers, Health Management Associates, Linear Technology, Micron Technology, Centurion, Team Health, and True Temper Sports. He has served on the boards of more than 30 private and public companies. 

Prior to forming Cornerstone, Knox designed and executed the initial Alternative Asset investment strategy at Prudential Financial beginning in 1981 and was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Prudential Equity Investors, the private equity subsidiary of Prudential. Knox has been a Trustee of Boston University for over twenty years, and served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees from 2008 to 2016. Knox holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Master of Business Administration, both from Boston University.

Former NASA Administrator, Astronaut, USMC General Officer

Retired Marine Corps Major General Charles Frank Bolden Jr. was the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from July 2009 until January 2017. Bolden’s 34 year career with the Marine Corps included 14 years as a member of NASA’s Astronaut Office. After joining the office in 1980, he traveled into orbit four times aboard the space shuttle between 1986 and 1994, commanding two of the missions and piloting two others. Today, in addition to his numerous professional affiliations, General Bolden serves as the Founder and CEO Emeritus of The Charles F. Bolden Group, providing leadership in the areas of Space/Aerospace Exploration, National Security, STEM+AD Education and Health Initiatives.

Bolden is a graduate of C.A. Johnson High School in Columbia, SC. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master of Science degree from the University of Southern California.

Georgia

Saxby Chambliss served as the U.S. Senator from Georgia from 2003 to 2015; before that, he served as U.S. Representative from Georgia from 1995 to 2003.

During his tenure in the Senate, Saxby served as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry and the Senate Rules Committee. He served as Vice Chairman on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence from 2011 to 2014.

Saxby earned his BA from the University of Georgia and a JD from the University of Tennessee College of Law.

South Dakota

Tom Daschle served as the U.S. Senator from South Dakota from 1987 to 2005. He is one of only two senators to have served twice as both Senate Majority and Minority Leader.

Tom is a leading thinker on climate change, food security and renewable energy policy and has authored several books on historic economic and national security challenges.

He is the founder and CEO of the Daschle Group, a Public Policy Advisory of Baker Donelson and is a co-founder of the Bipartisan Policy Center. Tom also serves as Chair of the Board of Directors at the Center for American Progress and as Vice Chair for the National Democratic Institute. He is a member of the Health Policy and Management Executive Council at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Tom earned his BA from South Dakota State University.

North Dakota

Byron Dorgan served as the U.S. Senator from North Dakota from 1992 to 2011; before that, he served as U.S. Representative from North Dakota from 1981 to 1992.

During his time in the Senate, Byron served as Assistant Democratic Floor Leader and then as Chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee from 1999 to 2011. He was Chairman of Senate Committees and Subcommittees on the issues of Energy, Aviation, Appropriations, Water Policy and Indian Affairs.

He is a Senior Policy Advisor at Arent Fox LLP, Adjunct Visiting Professor at Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute, Senior Fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C. and founder and Chairman of the Center for Native American Youth, at the Aspen Institute, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of young people on Indian Reservations.

Byron earned his BS from the University of North Dakota and an MBA from the University of Denver.

Former Under-Secretary of Defense

Michèle Flournoy served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from 2009 to 2012. Prior to that, she co-founded and served as President of the Center for a New American Security from 2007 to 2009; she also served as its CEO from 2014 to 2017.

In the mid-1990s, Michèle served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Threat Reduction and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy. She is also a former member of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board and the CIA Director’s External Advisory Board.

She is a co-founder and Managing Partner of WestExec Advisors (a strategic advisory firm), a member of the Defense Policy Board, a Senior Fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and serves on the Boards of Directors of CSRA, Amida Technology Solutions, The Mission Continues, Spirit of America and CARE.

Flournoy earned her BA from Harvard University and a masters from Oxford University.

Former House Majority Leader

Dick Gephardt served as the U.S. Representative from Missouri from 1977 to 2005. He served as House Democratic Leader for over 14 years, first as House Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995 and then as House Minority Leader from 1995 to 2003. While in Congress, he also served on the House Ways and Means and Budget Committees.

In his role as House Democratic Leader, Dick emerged as the chief architect to landmark reforms in healthcare, pensions, education, energy independence and trade policy. He has also facilitated multiple negotiations between corporate leaders and the union movement.

He is the President and CEO of Gephardt Group which provides strategic counsel on federal government relations and domestic and international labor relations issues.

Dick earned his BS from Northwestern University and a JD from the University of Michigan.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the UN

Stuart Holliday served as U.S. Ambassador for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations and Coordinator (Assistant Secretary) of the U.S. International Information Programs. Previously, he was Special Assistant to the President at the White House coordinating all executive branch appointments in foreign policy, defense national security and intelligence and homeland security. He also served as Policy Advisor to then Governor of Texas on economic development, international trade, technology and military issues.

He is President and CEO of Meridian International Center, a leading non-partisan institution that seeks to advance global security and prosperity through effective leadership and diplomacy. Stuart also served as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy during Operation Desert Storm and is a regular contributor to CNN and Fox News.

Stuart earned his BSFS from Georgetown University and a masters from the London School of Economics.

Former U.S. Chief of Protocol

Capricia Marshall served as Chief of Protocol of the United States from 2009 to 2013, bearing the rank of Ambassador and setting the stage for diplomacy at the highest levels. From 1997 to 2001, Capricia also served as Deputy Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary.

Capricia’s book on cultural diplomacy will soon be published by Harper Collins division Echo, advising readers on the use of protocol as a tool for leveraging influence.

She currently serves as Ambassador-in-Residence at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC and as President of Global Engagement Strategies, which advises international public and private clients on issues relating to the nexus of business and politics. Capricia is also on the Case Western University International Advisory Board, the Board of Trustees for the Blair House Restoration Fund and is a member of the Council of American Ambassadors.

Capricia earned her BA from Purdue University and a JD from Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

Mike Mullen is a retired United States Navy Admiral who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2007 to 2011. As top military advisor to both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, Mike is widely respected as an “honest broker” by policymakers, members of Congress and senior military officers. Mike oversaw the end of the combat mission in Iraq and the development of a new military strategy for Afghanistan, while promoting international partnerships, new technologies and new counter-terrorism tactics.

A 1968 graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy, Mike sought challenging positions including command at every level to develop his leadership skills during his naval career. He rose to be Chief of Naval Operations prior to assuming duties as Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff.

He currently serves as a Member of the Board of Directors at General Motors and at Sprint Nextel Corp. He also teaches at the Woodrow Wilson School of International and Public Affairs at Princeton University.

Mike earned his BS from the U.S. Naval Academy.

Oklahoma

Don Nickles served as the U.S. Senator from Oklahoma from 1981 to 2005. During his time on the Senate, Don was elected by his peers to several leadership positions including Assistant Majority Leader, served as Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and was a senior member of the Senate Finance and Energy Committees.

Over his 24 years in the Senate, Don championed economic growth and free enterprise. Among many legislative achievements, Don successfully fought to repeal inheritance tax on surviving spouses, cut dividend and capital gains taxes and repeal the Windfall Profits Tax. He also was a staunch advocate to eliminate onerous regulations, especially in the natural gas markets.
Prior to his time in the Senate, Don served in the Oklahoma State Senate and worked for family-owned Nickles Machine Corporation. He has served on the Boards of Directors at the Chesapeake Energy Corporation and the Valero Energy Corporation.
He is Chairman and CEO of The Nickles Group, a firm he founded in 2005.

He earned his BA from Oklahoma State University.