ACG Boston, the Boston Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), announced its new chapter president & CEO, Ben Procter, a partner at the Watermill Group, and elected six other members to its board of directors. New board members include Julie Barron, Keith Broyles, Christine Lynch, Kevin Macdonald, Jimmy Rich and Kerry Muse.
“One of the first goals of my presidency, with the support and effort of our board, is to focus ACG Boston on our community of dealmakers. ACG is a community for people focused on making deals, and not just for those of us in private equity or investment banking – but lenders, lawyers, and other advisors who are involved in and support the process of dealmaking,” said Ben Procter, incoming president & CEO, ACG Boston. “ACG is both an organization for senior people in the deal market, and the place for people coming into the industry to develop their networks. I am excited to be able to work with this talented board to deliver on the goals of all of our members.”
Background – New 2010 ACG Boston Board Members
Ben Procter (Incoming President & CEO) – The Watermill Group
Ben Procter, a partner at the Watermill Group, leads the sourcing, due diligence and acquisition of new investments. During his 20 years with Watermill, Procter has led or been involved in more than 25 acquisitions, and numerous public and private financings. He also served as partner at Woodside Capital, an investor in distressed debt and equity for companies with up to $150 million in revenues, sourcing and managing control equity transactions in distressed or challenged companies. Procter received his BA in Economics from Trinity College and MS in Accounting from Northeastern University. He resides in Dover, Mass.
Julie Barron (Incoming Director) – Brown Brothers Harriman
Julie Barron, senior vice president in the Banking and M&A Advisory Group of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., focuses on building commercial banking and corporate finance relationships with middle market private firms and closely held public companies based on her 27 years of financial services and real estate experience. Prior to joining Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., Barron was a private banker with J. P. Morgan Private Bank, and held a variety of position with Citizens Bank over a 17-year career there. Barron resides in Wellesley.
Keith Broyles (Incoming Director & Chair, Sponsorship) – TD Bank
Keith Broyles, vice president and business development officer for the Asset Based Lending Group within TD Bank, N.A., is responsible for sourcing and developing new business opportunities for the ABL Group and TD Bank. In his 21st year in the banking/ABL industry, Broyles’ career spans positions with Shawmut Bank, the National Bank of Canada and Siemens Financial Services, Inc., where he worked on M&A transactions, recapitalizations and refinancing of senior debt. Broyles has worked extensively with private equity and private investment groups, mezzanine and term B lenders, investment banking groups, consultants and service providers located through New England and across the middle market. A graduate of University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Broyles lives in Mansfield.
Christine Lynch (Incoming Director & Chair, Emerging Professionals Committee) – Goulston & Storrs
Christine D. Lynch, director at Goulston & Storrs, P.C. in Boston, concentrates on bankruptcy and restructuring matters. Lynch has extensive experience in complex Chapter 11 reorganizations and distressed M&A transactions, representing debtors, creditors’ committees, unsecured and secured creditors, landlords, equity-holders and purchasers of assets. Lynch has her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and law degree from New York University School of Law.
Kevin Macdonald (Incoming Director) – McGladrey
Kevin Macdonald, audit director at McGladrey, works with private equity funds, mid-sized manufacturers and distributors, and venture-backed start-up companies on tax and financial issues. He was a founder and director at Macdonald, Levine, Jenkins & Co., P.C. Macdonald has his undergraduate degree from Boston College and a Master of Science in Taxation from Bentley College.
Jimmy Rich (Incoming Director) – Gemini Investors
Jimmy Rich joined Gemini Investors in 2000. Gemini, a private equity firm based in Wellesley, Mass., provides growth capital to, and finances management buyouts of, private companies between $10 and $50 million in sales. The firm has raised three private equity funds, comprised of more than $450 million of capital under management. Rich is active in all firm activities with a focus on business development and new investment activity, and currently serves on the boards of directors for eight of Gemini’s portfolio companies. He began his career as an investment banker with J.P. Morgan, and also worked for Citizens Energy. Rich has his A.B. from Dartmouth College.
Kerry Muse (Incoming Director) – Sherbrooke Capital
Kerry K. Muse is a director with Sherbrooke Capital, a private equity firm that provides growth and expansion capital to emerging companies in the health and wellness industry. She is active in the investment process, from deal-sourcing and screening, due diligence and investment, and post-investment oversight and assistance. Muse coordinates interaction between Sherbrooke Capital and its outside experts, and has been responsible for originating a variety of industry-focused events and symposia. Prior to joining Sherbrooke, she worked for several non-profit organizations, including American Ballet Theatre, Merce Cunningham and Martha Graham Dance Theater. She holds an undergraduate degree from George Washington University and an M.B.A. from Boston University.
Janice Shields is the outgoing president & CEO and has served in that capacity for three years. “Jan has steadily guided the association through a strategic reorganization through difficult economic times, thereby ensuring ACG Boston’s stability and growth for the future,” said Jack Derby, Chairman of the ACG Boston Board of Directors. Outgoing ACG board members include Brian Cuddy, Katherine Rogers, Sharon Stone, Derek Swaim, Tyler Wick, and Bryce Youngren. We would like to thank all of our board members for the support and leadership they have given to ACG over their terms of office.
Upcoming ACG Boston Events
ACG Boston will kick off the event season this fall with its Fall Networking Night, Thursday, September 16, 2010 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Marriott Long Wharf, and will host its invitation only Middle Market Forum on Monday, September 27, 2010 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the offices of Goodwin Procter.
About ACG Boston
ACG Boston (www.acgboston.org) is one of 53 chapters around the world that form the international ACG organization, which focuses on corporate growth, corporate development, and mergers and acquisitions. With nearly 800 members, ACG Boston holds more than 25 networking and educational events per year, including Dealmaker’s Breakfasts, Middle Market Forums, Corporate Development Forums, Women’s events, Networking Nights, Emerging Professionals networking events, an annual M&A conference in June, an annual Private Equity and M&A Outlook conference in February, and an annual M&A sector specific conference in November. More than 5,000 people attended ACG Boston events in the last year.