San Francisco Bay Area
I have a BS in Industrial Engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and an MSc in Viticulture & Enology from UC Davis—Robert Mondavi Institute. I have over 20 years of experience in Finance, more specifically in Valuation, M&A, Transaction Advisory, Consulting for Fortune 500 clients, Hedge Fund & PE Advisory, while working for both multinational companies (80,000+ people) and startups (2-650 people) in San Francisco and New York. After ten years with a specific focus on finance, I transitioned into specializing in CPG for luxury wine estates and agriculture, working in Napa Valley, Bordeaux (Médoc-Saint-Estèphe), Chile (Valparaíso), and the Rhône Valley (Châteauneuf-du-Pape & Gigondas). For 12 years, I oversaw managed vineyard farming and winemaking production operations, budgeting, compliance, finance, staffing, logistics, and hospitality for multinational wine and spirits companies, private generationally-owned luxury wine estates, and small family-owned wineries. In addition, I provide finance and strategic consulting for legacy and regulated cannabis farming in the lower Emerald Triangle (Mendocino). For the past few years, my focus has been on cannabis startups by social equity entrepreneurs in the seed and growth stages. Previously, I managed due diligence and deal negotiations for target portfolio cannabis companies for a venture capital fund with an investment ethos for the social and equitable inclusion of cannabis founders. Working knowledge of cultures, customs, and business environments in Europe, Mexico, South America, and Japan. Skills: winemaking, vineyard management, vineyard development, cellar operations, wine, beer, and spirits beverage production, fermentation & cellar management experience with 11 consecutive harvests in the northern and southern hemispheres. Cannabis Finance & Operations consultant. Specialties: Winemaking & bon vivant. Luxury wine & spirits CPG. Valuation for hedge funds, PE funds, public & private companies, and high-net-worth families. Portfolio valuation in compliance with ASC 820. ARS (Auction Rate Securities), PIPEs (Private Investment in Public Equity), Business valuation, real estate Holdco's, convertible notes and preferred, warrants, options, and restricted stock. Hedge fund & PE fund carry. Financial reporting (ASC 805, ASC 350 & ASC 718), estate tax & estate planning, gift & income tax planning. Fairness & Solvency Opinions, M&A, Litigation support, Cost Segregation, & Fixed Asset Management. Also, valuation for pre- and post-deal due diligence in M&A, PPAs, and tax reporting purposes.
Responsible for all FP&A for TPE's licensed operations, including manufacturing, distribution, retail, and brand management pipeline for the house of brands and joint ventures in the California, Colorado, and New Mexico markets. The People's Ecosystem is planted in the foundation of cannabis culture and its rich diverse history; we use this as our guide for social and equitable investment in cannabis founders and businesses (both new and legacy).
Currently working on projects with consulting winemaker Kent Jarman of Joseph Kent Wines LLC in Napa Valley. Previously worked on projects with Miocene Wines LLC custom crush consulting winemakers: Tim Milos, Jon Keyes & Mark Herold, and Chad Alexander. Past international projects include working with Jean-Claude Berrouet in Bordeaux; premium cool-climate estate vineyards in Casablanca, Chile; and a Primum Familiae Vini designated Chateau in Châteauneuf-du-Pape owned by the Perrin family.
Provide finance and operations support to cannabis farming clients in Northern CA transitioning from the legacy to the regulated markets. Provide finance advisory to SEP applicants and assisted with the fundraising efforts for a licensed vertically integrated cannabis startup on the East Coast. Performed financial modeling, valuation, research and analytics support as a freelance consultant to select regional capital advisory service firms.
Drive decisions affecting our investment strategy that accelerate company and investment growth and success at scale, and partner with senior executives and leads to develop strategies and identify acquisition opportunities that accelerate the mission of The People's Ecosystem and contribute to thought leadership in the area of social equity. Provide financial analysis and commentary to important partners including The People's Group C-suite management team, advisory board, and investor relations. * Support strategic decisions and ad hoc analyses related to investment activities, Ecosystem (TPH) entities, and partnership structures (TPP), amongst others. * Maintain relationships with startups, VCs, and leading technology companies to inform the executive team and stay up-to-date with the competitive landscape * Help develop and maintain The Management Group's deal pipeline, including outreach to and sourcing of new opportunities * Conduct and oversee rigorous analysis including valuation and business case modeling to provide detailed guidance and insight into potential acquisitions, investments, and other strategic opportunities. * Support deal negotiation, due diligence, and investments, including cross-functional coordination and other diligence supporting teams to evaluate targets * Improve our strategic decision-making processes to improve the direction of The People's Management Group. The People's Group and Fund is a cannabis organization and resource that funds equity owned cannabis brands. Those brands are then connected with industry leaders & tools, for development and foundational support in various areas of business. The Fund will accomplish these goals in two ways: providing access to funding to cannabis entrepreneurs and businesses, and personalized mentorship of these entrepreneurs by seasoned industry professionals.