Individual Investors

Frost Prioleau

Frost Prioleau is the Co-Founder and CEO of Simpli.fi.  An experienced online advertising executive specializing in targeting, optimization, and technology, Prioleau focuses on corporate strategy, driving Simpli.fi’s growth, and ensuring customer satisfaction.

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Prior to Simpli.fi, Prioleau was the CEO and Founder of Personifi, a contextual and behavioral targeting company. The firm was acquired by Collective Media in 2008. While at Collective, Prioleau served as General Manager of the Technology Solutions Group.

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Considered to be a thought leader in online advertising, Prioleau often speaks on the topic at industry trade shows. In addition, he shares his opinions and insights about retargeting in his monthly column published on Search Engine Land. Prioleau is a graduate of Princeton University, where he earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Engineering Management Systems.

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Mike Berry

Mike Berry serves as president of Hillwood with expertise in mixed-use, industrial corporate campus, and urban office. Mr. Berry also leads the development efforts for AllianceTexas, an 26,000-acre development that is recognized as one of the most unique master-planned communities in the United States.

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Under his leadership, AllianceTexas, which encompasses more than 43.7 million square feet, over 488 corporate residents, 48,000 plus employees and 10,000 single-family homes, has become a dynamic, diversified and highly successful community surpassing $69 billion in economic impact to the North Texas region since its establishment in 1989.

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Mr. Berry received his Bachelor of Science in Economics from Vanderbilt University, and a Masters of Business Administration from Texas Christian University. He is also a graduate of Harvard University's Graduate School of Design Advanced Management Development Program. 

Brad Brown

Brad Brown is a retiring Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, based in New York City.  He is also the Managing Director of Bradford Brown Capital Partners, a private investment partnership that focuses on search funds and profitable small-cap companies.  He has over a dozen years experience in small cap growth investing and has acquired over 30 operating companies across many different industries. 

While at McKinsey, Brad served as a senior member of the Digital Technology practice and the global leader of the Big Data practice.  Prior to joining McKinsey, Brad was a partner in the Stenbeck Group of companies, where he was a member of the board of several companies and a working member of the top 30 executives worldwide. Prior to that, he was the Managing Director of Arthur D. Little’s North American information technology practice, with management and P&L responsibility for the United States.

Brad is a graduate of Dartmouth College, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in 1982. He received an M.S.E.E. in Computer Sciences from the University of Pennsylvania in 1984, and an MBA, with distinction, from The Wharton School in 1986. 

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Thomas Cassutt

Mr. Cassutt has made investments in more than one hundred and thirty private companies, and is CFO of American Security Products, a leading manufacturer of high-security safes.  From 1984 to 2011, Mr. Cassutt was Co-President of Nelson Nameplate Company, a manufacturer of membrane switches and product identification based in Los Angeles, California.  Prior to joining Nelson, Mr. Cassutt was the Controller of Bristol Corporation, the parent company of ten manufacturing companies, from 1978-1984.  He has served on the boards of American Security Products, Columbia Sanitary Products, Dynamic Growth Dental, EZ Shipper Racks, Nelson Nameplate Company, Scottish American Insurance Services, and Positive Coaching Alliance.  Mr. Cassutt received his Bachelor’s degree in Physics in 1982 from the University of California, Irvine where he was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate.  Mr. Cassutt received an MBA in 1986 from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller scholar and the recipient of the Alexander A. Robichek Award, given to the top student each year in finance.

Peter Kelly

Peter Kelly was Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Pulmonary Services (PPS), a home respiratory services provider. Peter acquired PPS via the Search Fund model and between 1995 and 2010 grew the company from 12 to over 110 locations. He also served as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and was Co-Founder of the Search Fund that acquired the predecessor to PPS. Peter has prior experience investing at TA Associates, a private equity firm where he originated investments in software and telecommunication companies. He serves as a Director of eCompliance Management Solutions, Aquavita, and ResponseLink (Chair). Peter is a former Director of PPS Guardian Home Care Holdings, the Council for Quality Respiratory Care (Chair), the American Association for Homecare, Medical Equipment Distributors, and The Governance Institute.

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Peter received a BA in Science, Technology and Social Theory, a MS in Industrial Engineering, and an MBA from Stanford's Graduate School of Business. He resides in Marin County, California, with his wife and two children.

David Lazier

Mr. Lazier is a private investor who has made more than 130 investments in search funds. He is also the president of American Security Products, a leading manufacturer of high-security safes. From 1984 to 2011, Mr. Lazier served as Controller, Vice President of Sales and then Co-President of Nelson Nameplate Company, a manufacturer of membrane switches and product identification based in Los Angeles, California. From 1982 to 1984, he worked as an engineer for IBM Corporation. Mr. Lazier currently sits on the boards of American Security Products, Columbia Sanitary Products, Datum Technologies, and Gogotech. He has previously served on the boards of Glendale Memorial Hospital Foundation, the San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University.

Mike Smerklo

Mr. Michael A. Smerklo, also known as Mike, CPA serves as Co-Founder and Managing Director at Next Coast Ventures since October 2015. Mr. Smerklo Co-Founded Nucleus in 2015. He is a Founder of True North Ventures LLC. He served as the President of ServiceSource International, Inc. and its Chief Executive Officer from January 2003 to August 18, 2014. He led ServiceSource’s team in overall Corporate Strategy and Execution. He served as the Chairman of ServiceSource International, Inc. from November 2008 to May 28, 2015 and served as Member of its Service Executive Industry Board December 2009.

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Prior to ServiceSource, he served as part of the executive team at Loudcloud (Opsware), driving sales, marketing and business development efforts. Before joining Loudcloud, he served as an Investment Banker at Morgan Stanley and Lehman Brothers, for whom he focused on Corporate Finance and Mergers and Acquisitions for Technology Companies. He has been a Director at SPS Commerce, Inc. since January 21, 2014. He serves as Non Exec Chairman and Co-Founder at Nucleus Growth LLC. He has been Board Observer of Lecorpio Inc since July 2015. He serves as a Director of ServiceSource Corporation. Mr. Smerklo is an entrepreneur and has been active in the technology sector for nearly 20 years.

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He holds an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, where he graduated with distinction. He holds a BS in Business Administration from Miami University and is an accredited Certified Public Accountant.

Dustin Sellers

Dustin, raised in Hawaii, spent most of his formative years in Chicago, LA and SF, developing a skill set encompassing sales, business development and brand strategy. Having most recently run and owned ProService Hawaii, he also has a keen understanding of Hawaii labor law.

Dustin works closely with our portfolio companies to refine their service offerings and focus on the areas that make them uniquely competitive in the marketplace.

Sellers is a graduate of Punahou School. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Southern California and a master's degree in business administration from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Sellers serves as a trustee for The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, is Chair of The Aloha United Way Tocqueville Society, PACE (Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship) and Membership Chair of YPO (Young Presidents Organization). He is past chairman of the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii and The GIFT Foundation and board member of The Boy Scout's Aloha Council and Ahahui Koa Anuenue (UH Athletics Fundraising).

George Young

George M. Young, Jr. has a long and successful history of developing companies and building value. Recently, Mr. Young served as a founding partner and CEO of Silverback Exploration, LLC and he currently serves as an advisor and investor in Silverback II. Additionally, Mr. Young has served as president and co-founder of Collins and Young, LLC, where he was instrumental in assembling more than 100,000 acres in the core Barnett Shale, negotiating a joint venture with Chief Oil and Gas, and ultimately monetizing the position.

Bill Egan

Bill is a founder and General Partner of Alta Communications and Marion Equity Partners, Massachusetts-based venture capital firms. He founded Alta’s predecessor firm, Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co. in 1979, and has identified and backed several of America’s leading growth companies in the information technology, life sciences, and communications industries. Prior to founding Burr, Egan, Deleage & Co., Bill was a Partner at TA Associates. He began his career as a Manager of Venture Capital for New England Enterprise Capital Corporation.

He is past President and Chairman of the National Venture Capital Association, a Trustee of Fairfield University, a Member of the Board of Overseers of The Wharton School and a Trustee of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Board of CRH plc, and a number of privately held companies.

Bill is also an owner of the Boston Celtics professional basketball team. Bill received a degree in Economics from Fairfield University and an MBA from the Wharton School. 

Mark Egan

Mark Egan is a founder and Managing Partner at Marion Equity Partners, a Boston based investment firm. Prior to Marion, Mark focused on growth equity investments in the technology, healthcare, media, and business services industries at Polaris Venture Partners. Before Polaris, Mark began his career at Alta Communications where he executed investments in the media and telecommunications sectors. Mark also has previous experience with Comcast Corporation in business development. 

Mark received a degree in Finance from Fairfield University and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Rusty Reid

Rusty Reid has been president and CEO of Higginbotham since 1989; under his leadership, the company has become one of the largest independent brokerages in the country and the largest in Texas, with full property & casualty and financial service capabilities throughout its 27 offices and 930 employees across the state and in Oklahoma City.

Reid was responsible for implementing the firm’s ‘single source’ service model, which allows customers to obtain their insurance and financial services under one roof, and for establishing the company’s employee ownership structure, which effectively aligned all employees’ interests with the success of the firm. In addition to leading Higginbotham, Reid is also the firm’s highest-producing managing director.

Outside of Higginbotham, Reid serves as regent for the University of North Texas, as a trustee and chairman for All Saints’ Episcopal School, a mentor for the Texas Christian University Neeley School of Business Mentor Program, and as an executive board member for Casa Mañana and for Davey O’Brien Foundation.