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Karl Stark | co-ceo, managing director

Karl leads Avondale’s partnerships with investors and management teams across three areas: strategic advisory, M&A advisory, and principal investing. Karl is also a frequent columnist for Inc. magazine, where he writes an online column with Bill Stewart on strategic and financial issues for growing companies. Prior to co-founding Avondale in 2005, Karl was a consultant with Marakon Associates, A.T. Kearney, and Sibson & Company. Karl holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BA in Economics and Political Science from Northwestern University. Karl currently sits on the board of Youth Outreach Services, an organization that inspires development to youth in the Chicago community. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Kristin, and two sons.

Bill Stewart | co-ceo, managing director

Bill leads Avondale’s partnerships with investors and management teams across three areas: strategic advisory, M&A advisory, and principal investing. Bill is a frequent columnist for Inc. magazine, where he writes an online column with Karl on strategic and financial issues for growing companies. Prior to co-founding Avondale in 2005, Bill was a consultant with Marakon Associates, a strategy firm. Bill was also a Program Manager at Hewlett-Packard, where he led the development of test devices and printers. Bill holds an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business and a BS in Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan. Bill and his wife, Mary, live in San Diego.

Rob Crisp | co-founder, managing director

Rob brings more than 12 years of middle-market investment banking experience to Avondale, where his focus is on identifying new investment opportunities, managing the acquisition process and working with portfolio companies on corporate planning and financial management activities. Prior to joining Avondale, Rob was the CEO and Co-Head of Mergers & Acquisitions of Crowe Capital Markets, a boutique middle-market investment bank. During his tenure at Crowe Capital, Rob advised on dozens of acquisitions, private sales, divestitures and management buyouts. Rob earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a BS in Accountancy from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign.

Greg Stoklosa | managing director

Greg draws on more than 20 years of finance, strategy and executive leadership experience in manufacturing, publishing, consumer products and financial services companies. Before joining Avondale, Greg was chief financial officer and chief strategy officer at R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co., and chief financial officer and co-head of operations at the Sun-Times Media Group. Greg earned his MBA in Finance and Economics from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan. He serves on the Board of Directors of Communities in Schools of Chicago, and co-chairs its Strategic Planning committee. Greg resides in Evanston, IL, with his wife, Carmelina, and has three grown sons.

Gavin Toepke | managing director

Gavin has more than 10 years of management consulting and investment banking experience across a wide range of industries. He has extensive experience in the areas of value growth strategy, opportunity identification, new business assessment, and M&A (strategic due diligence, integration planning and synergy identification). Prior to joining Avondale, Gavin worked with Chicago-based investment bank Crowe Capital Markets, where he advised strategic and financial clients on buy-side and sell-side platform M&A and portfolio company decisions. Gavin graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign with dual degrees: a BS in Finance and a BA in Psychology. He currently lives in Chicago with his wife, Megan, and their dog Annie.

Lane McDonald | managing director

Lane brings over a decade of private equity and strategic planning experience to Avondale, where she focuses on growing EBITDA for both PE-owned and corporate clients. Prior to Avondale, Lane co-founded a consulting firm to serve DLJ Merchant Banking Partners. Prior to DLJ, Lane was the Director of Strategic Planning for JetBlue Airways, worked in American Express’s Strategic Planning Group in both New York and London, worked in ventures and M&A for Delta Air Lines and began her career at Bain & Company. She is a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill but eventually found her way to New York City where she currently resides with her husband Ted. She was recently spotted leaving her NYC apartment's six block radius to explore the outside world.

Jackson Dealey | vice president

Jackson has experience in helping clients evaluate new product and market opportunities. He has worked with senior client teams to develop strategic alternative roadmaps and operational plans designed to support sustainable, organic business growth. Prior to joining Avondale, Jackson worked with Accenture’s Strategy practice, primarily serving large national and multinational clients. He worked extensively in the retail sector, focusing on store and corporate operations as well as helping numerous consumer goods clients to better understand their consumers. Jackson holds a BA in both Government and English from Georgetown University. He is a proud, native Texan, but currently resides in Washington, DC.

Sameer Pal | vice president

Sameer joined Avondale in 2011 with a focus on M&A Advisory and Principal Investing. Sameer is responsible for identifying, sourcing and executing transactions for both external advisory clients as well as Avondale’s own principal investments. Prior to joining Avondale, Sameer spent a number of years with Chicago-based investment bank Crowe Capital Markets, where he specialized in structuring middle-market transactions. His experience focused on advising strategic and financial clients on acquisitions, divestitures/sales and raising capital. Sameer holds an MBA from New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business and a BS in Finance, Accounting and Economics from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. He currently lives in New York City.

Michael Aquilino | vice president

Mike was part of the original Avondale team, joining the firm in 2007. Prior to joining Avondale, he traded interest rate futures on U.S. Government Debt. Mike graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA in Economics and currently lives in Chicago with his wife, Molly, their daughter Lucy and two dogs. Outside of creating value and spending time with family, Mike enjoys any and all activities that involve being outdoors.

Matt Cunningham | vice president

Matt joined Avondale in Spring 2011. He has five years of strategy and consulting experience across a variety of industries assisting clients in operating model strategy, new business opportunity assessment, and strategic growth advisory. Matt holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Marketing from Miami University. He lives in Chicago and promises to calm down after he gets enough miles for his around the world trip.

Jennifer Glusica | associate

Jen joined Avondale in the fall of 2010 with six years of prior consulting experience utilizing database analytics for clients in government contracting, litigation, software and commercial vehicles. She graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a B.S. in Accounting and earned her CPA in 2007. Jen lives in Chicago and is always looking for the latest restaurant recommendation!

Asim Aleem | associate

Asim joined Avondale in the fall of 2010. He previously was a manager at Ernst & Young in its Transaction Advisory Services practice where he provided M&A financial due diligence advice to numerous private equity and corporate acquirers executing deals in a wide range of industries. Asim holds a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from the University of Illinois and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He is also a licensed CPA. He lives in Chicago and kills it on the tennis court every chance he gets.

Lindsay Comstock | associate

Lindsay joined Avondale in the fall of 2010. Prior to Avondale, she was a consultant in Deloitte’s Enterprise Risk Services group, providing data analytic and consulting services to tax, audit and consulting clients across multiple industries. Lindsay graduated from Miami University with a BS in Accounting. Lindsay, a native Texan, currently lives in Chicago.

Matthew Movahhed | associate

Matt joined Avondale in the fall of 2009. Prior to joining Avondale, Matt gained advisory experience at Marakon Associate, a boutique strategy consulting firm. Matt graduated from Northwestern University with a BA in both Economics and English. A noted Lakers fan, Matt is originally from the Los Angeles area but now resides in New York City.

Trish Larson | associate

Trish is an Executive Assistant with Avondale. She joined the team in 2011 and supports the two co-CEOs. Trish graduated from Southern Illinois University in 2004 with a BA in Business Management. She currently resides in Chicago with her husband, Travis.

Jason Abromaitis | associate

Jason joined Avondale in the fall of 2012. He previously worked in Accenture’s Strategy practice where he advised Fortune 500 clients across a range of industries on new product development, sales force utilization, marketing analytics, and customer self-service. Jason holds a BA in Economics and Political Science from Yale University. Raised in Connecticut, Jason now lives in Denver. Though he lives near the mountains, he is completely incapable of skiing.

Suzanne VonDruska | associate

Suzanne joined Avondale in the summer of 2012 where she manages various firm initiatives including executive support. She was previously a recruiting coordinator at Barnes & Thornburg LLP. Suzanne graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign with a BA in Speech Communications. She currently lives in the Western suburbs with her husband, Jon, and together they enjoy rehabbing and flipping properties.

Stuart Blankenhorn | associate

Stuart joined Avondale in the summer of 2012. Previously, Stuart worked in the Mergers and Acquisitions group at BMO Capital Markets where he focused on marketing services transactions. He graduated from Purdue University with a BS in Biochemistry where he was elected Phi Beta Kappa. Stuart currently lives in Chicago but is originally from Indianapolis and never misses an Indy 500.

Ryan Lococo | associate

Ryan joined Avondale in the summer of 2012 with a background in strategic and M&A advisory. Prior to joining Avondale, Ryan worked at Ernst & Young helping start their strategy practice.. Before becoming a consultant, Ryan started and operated a small business in the St. Louis area. He holds an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and a BS from the University of Tampa. Ryan lives in Chicago and enjoys trying new restaurants with friends.

Avondale Strategic Partners

Team