SPEAKERS

Emily Basile is a Senior Government Contracting Relationship Manager with M&T Bank. Emily has worked for M&T for 10 years, including serving as a Retail Regional Manager, Wilmington Trust Wealth Advisor, and GovCon Relationship Manager. She is passionate about supporting government contractors through the lifecycle of their business by providing strategic advice, a suite of banking services, and GovCon industry expertise. She holds her Bachelor’s Degree from Washington and Lee University, MBA from University of Maryland, and passed Level I of the CFA program. 

Andrew Bergmanson is a Senior Financial and Loan Specialist with SBA’s Office of Financial Assistance, 504 Loan Program Division. In this role, he works to support the 504 Loan Program, which provides fixed-rate, low interest loans for land, real estate, and equipment to owner-occupied small businesses. Specifically, Andrew provides support to Certified Development Companies (CDCs), local non-profits that make 504 loans, by managing requests relating to Corporate Governance; helping to prepare policy updates to the program; developing training materials, including trainings for CDC Executive Directors; and providing other technical assistance as needed. Prior to his time in OFA, Andrew worked as a Financial Analyst for the 504 Program in SBA’s Office of Credit Risk Management, where he helped to conduct Risk-Based Reviews of CDCs and monitor industry compliance. He has worked in various capacities in the field of entrepreneurship, training, and economic development for over 10 years.  

Geoff Boyle is a Senior Vice President and serves as the Bank's Treasurer and Chief Investment Officer. He joined the Bank in 2021 as a Senior Investment Officer and was appointed to his current role in 2023. Prior to joining Burke and Herbert Bank, Geoff was an Associate Director in Chatham Financials' corporate hedging practice, helping large multinational companies assess and mitigate risks related to commodities, foreign exchange and interest rates. He also spent time in public accounting with PwC, auditing large financial institutions. Geoff earned his B.S. in Accounting at Messiah College and is a licensed CPA in the state of Pennsylvania. 

Barbara E. Carson is Managing Director of Programs and Services at the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) and brings more than 25 years of experience, military service, and proven leadership in successfully building and delivering programs across government and military sectors. Carson is responsible for the day-to-day management and oversight of the Institute’s national programs and services, which focus on entrepreneurship, career training, and community services. 

Carson retired as a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve (USAFR), her last assignment was to the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Office of Public Affairs. She has served more than 25 years as an active-duty and reserve officer, and her experience includes nuclear command and control and public affairs assignments across the United States, Japan, and Europe. 

Jordan Carter is a Founding Partner at SIG Partners (SIG) where he advises entrepreneurs and independent sponsors on deal sourcing, due diligence, deal structuring, and capital raises. He is an investor in multiple private equity and search-sourced companies in the lower-middle market. Jordan is also the CEO of B&A Group, a professional grant services and software company he acquired through a self-funded search. Jordan previously worked with the former Secretary of the U.S. Navy, John F. Lehman, to acquire and build aerospace, defense, government services, and technology companies. Prior roles include Advisor to the CEO, Private Equity Portfolio Company Operations at Centerbridge Partners, Private Equity Investor at J.F. Lehman & Company, and Mergers & Acquisitions Analyst at Centerview Partners. Jordan received an MBA from Wharton Business School and a BS in Economics and BBA in Finance from Southern Methodist University. He serves on the board of YSM Solar & Storage Services, the SMU Cox Alternative Asset Management Center (AAMC) Advisory Board, and the SMU Cox Alumni Board. Jordan serves as an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve.  

Marvin Clark is the Southeast Commercial Banking Segment Head for Diverse Businesses at JP Morgan Chase. He leads the firm’s focus across the market supporting diverse, women and veteran-owned businesses. He works closely with local banking teams as the subject matter expert for diverse client acquisition and ongoing relationships. Prior to joining JP Morgan Chase, Marvin was a Senior Commercial Relationship Manager with Wells Fargo. He also spent time as a banker with Bank of America and Citi Corp. In total, Marvin has more than 25 years in commercial banking and relationship management experience across various banking roles. He is based in the Washington D.C.  

Marvin received his undergraduate degree from Old Dominion University – Strome College of Business Administration, where he studied International Finance and Economics. He completed his MBA from The College of William & Mary. Additionally, he has taken Executive Education courses at Wharton. In his spare time, he is an avid cyclist and abstract painter. Marvin sits on the Board of Directors for the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber and actively works with organization’s who promote issues related to ending homelessness. 

Steve started his career in finance at Stone Street Capital before starting his own small business, Sherwood Funding, in 2019. Before venturing out on his own, he gained valuable experience working for a Maryland-based start-up processing company and also at Deltek selling software solutions to government contractors.  Steve is a graduate of Bryant University and an ardent supporter of the Bulldogs men's lacrosse team.   As a racquet sport enthusiast, he can often be found playing tennis, paddleball, pickle ball – or any sport involving a racquet.  Steve, his wife, Maggie, and three children – Gill, Dottie, and Hobbes – are active members of the Rivers Falls community in Potomac, MD. 

Sean Drake is the Founder & Managing Partner of Stony Lonesome Group where he serves as the Managing General Partner and Chief Investment Officer of 5 Venture Capital funds. SLG manages $75m AUM invested across 60+ companies specializing in Mission Focused Investing in Dual-Use technology. With a 13-year track record, SLG is a pioneer and thought leader in the Vetrepreneurship sector with investments in Veteran-led firms like ID.me, Neuroflow, StreetShares, Hemotek, Warrior Centric Health, Cyberspatial, Target Arm and Valqari. Sean is also the Founder of Pathfinder Solutions Group, a consulting firm in the DOD/GOV Con sector supporting SLG portfolio companies. Sean was previously a high-performance coach at the US Olympic Training Center and competed in the Ironman World Championships in HI and the Duathlon World Championships in Italy. He is a West Point graduate and served as an Infantry Captain in the US Army.  

George Dutile is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of The Brydon Group, a private equity firm in Greenwich, CT. Additionally, George is an Adjunct Professor at the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business where he teaches "Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition."

Lisa Forrest is a seasoned banking professional with over 35 years of experience, currently serving as the Head of Live Oak Bank’s Searchfund Lending vertical. Renowned for her expertise in SBA and Conventional lending products tailored to the unique needs of SMBs in the lower middle market, she specializes in guiding searchers and SMB acquirers through transactions of up to $25M in enterprise value. Widely recognized as a national go-to resource for her proficiency in SBA LMM M&A deal structuring, Lisa previously held key Sales Management/Business Development roles at Banc of California, Union Bank, Fortune Bank, and played a pivotal role in establishing Wells Fargo's SBA sales presence in the Pacific Northwest/Alaska. Her diverse experience includes serving as the COO for The Money Store/First Union. 

Lisa, a graduate with a BS in Finance and Economics and an MBA from California State University, Sacramento, is a sought-after speaker and panel moderator at EtA conferences. She is also a frequent guest on search/SMB industry podcasts and other M&A/EtA association events. Lisa is dedicated to mentoring the Military Veteran/SMB/search fund community and brings her passion for golf, outdoor activities, and love for dogs into both her professional and personal pursuits. 

Don Gourley is the Founder and Managing Director of Mount Berico Capital, and the President & Owner of Boston Tree Preservation, and Cape Tree Preservation since 2022. Don has nearly two decades of executive level experience running multiple organizations ranging in size from small teams of a dozen highly technical specialists to large organizations of up to 230 people. Prior to founding Mount Berico Capital, I served on active duty with the United States Army as an officer, leading paratroopers and combat engineers for over 12 years, including three combat tours commanding combat troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has lived abroad for over a decade in the service, and I have trained and liaised with foreign military, and civilians from over 15 nations. He recently retired from the reserve component having served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Cyber Warfare branch. Don holds an MS in Engineering from the Missouri Institute of Science & Technology, an MBA from Babson College, and an MPA from the Harvard University. He is also a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College. 

Business Development Manager for Chase in Richmond, Virginia. I have over 13 years of experience at Chase and 16 years of experience in financial services. I specialize in commercial credit and cash management solutions, and manage a diverse portfolio of local business clients. With expertise in several industries, my primary goals include strategic planning to build efficiency, facilitating growth and access to capital, and providing exceptional service. I have been recognized 3 times as a Chase National Achiever for my work with business owners. 

My goal is to understand your business in a way that allows Chase to bring unique insights and value to every interaction with your business. I can provide you access to the broader team of experts in areas such as cash management, credit solutions, and other business services. 

Additionally, our advanced online capabilities and mobile tools give you access to your Chase business accounts from most digital devices. And you’ll have access to telephone banking options that can make your banking more convenient. 

Dawn Halfaker is an American Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and Veterans’ advocate from San Diego, California.  

In 2006, Dawn founded Halfaker and Associates, a global technology firm focused on end-to-end digital solutions for government organizations. As President and CEO, Dawn led Halfaker and Associates to rapid growth within the Federal sector. The firm was acquired by SAIC in 2021. Dawn credits her capabilities as a business leader to her active military experience and the principles she learned at the United States Military Academy at West Point.  

Upon the sale of Halfaker and Associates, Dawn established a private investment firm, HAFCO Holdings LLC, and the Continuing to Serve Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting Veteran entrepreneurs.  

Sharon Heaton has more than thirty years of M&A and banking experience as a lawyer, business executive, and senior Senate staff. With a 360-degree perspective on successful transactions, and an unshakable conviction about the enduring value that midmarket business owners bring to the economy, Ms. Heaton, named one of the “50 Most Influential Women in M&A” by BDO, is a recognized national thought-leader on midmarket M&A, from the commercial space to government contracting. 

With over two decades of experience in leadership, project management, and operations, Jordan brings a wealth of expertise to Tribe Equity Partners. He began his journey at Chapman University in Orange County, California, where he excelled as a student athlete and earned a degree in communications. Further enriching his skill set, Jordan attended Harvard Business School’s Executive Education Program in 2022 and is currently an active alum. 

Following his university years, Jordan dedicated eight years to serving as an Infantry Officer in the United States Marine Corps, where he honed his skills in organizational leadership and operations management through multiple deployments and diverse leadership roles. Transitioning from the Marine Corps, he ventured into operations management for the largest privately held homebuilder in the Pacific Northwest, where he served for five years before embarking on his entrepreneurial journey. 

Matthew “Rhett” Jeppson is the Director of External Engagements for the  Office of Military and Veterans Affairs at JPMorgan Chase & Co. He oversees  the firm’s relationships across the private and nonprofit sectors, government  and higher education on issues of veteran employment, workforce  development, and small business. 

Prior to joining JPMorgan Chase, Rhett served as the Chief Executive of the  United States Mint from January 2015 to January 2017. He also served as  the Acting Chief Operating Officer of the Small Business Administration  where he oversaw all aspects of the agency’s disaster and risk management,  personnel, facilities, information technology and equal opportunity programs.

A Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business owner and an executive with extensive experience in leadership and management across a 30-plus year career, Scott Jensen is the Executive Director of the National Veteran Small Business Coalition and owner of Alpine Global Solutions. He has served as the Chief Operations Officer for Team RWB, Chief Executive Officer for Protect Our Defenders and as the Assistant Vice President for Leadership Development Programs at the American Council on Education. 

Dr. Jerry McGinn is the Executive Director of the Greg and Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting in the School of Business at George Mason University.  In this role, he has established and is leading the first-of-its-kind university center for research, education and training, and collaboration on issues facing the $500B+ government contracting community. The Center has published over 70 influential reports, white papers, and commentaries on issues such as defense innovation, government contracting, intellectual property, budget reform, industrial resilience, collaboration with allies and partners, and COVID-19. The impact of the Center’s work led to recent $7 million naming gift, the largest-ever cash donation to the School of Business. The Center has also been awarded over $3 million in sponsored research and has had hundreds of interviews and media mentions with regional and national print, video, and audio outlets to date. 

Alex is the co-founder and Managing Partner of The Brydon Group, a private equity firm that backs outstanding mid-career executives in acquiring small businesses. He sits on the boards of Focus Learning (nuclear software), Peak Performance (public safety software), MASS Group (manufacturing software) and Renesan-Visonex (electronic health records). 

Alex previously spent two decades in large cap private equity focused on software, business and government services. Alex started his career at McKinsey and Blackstone, but took a hiatus from his private equity career in 2008 to serve in Afghanistan and Iraq as an officer with the U.S. Navy as an intelligence officer with Naval Special Warfare Development Group and as a Foreign Service Officer. Alex was most recently a Principal at The Carlyle Group where he focused on government services and software and where he sat on the boards of multiple portfolio companies. 

Mustafa Nasseh,  Executive Director and Business Banking Area Manager I am a Finance and Banking professional with over 18 years of experience in the financial services industry. I joined Chase in 2018 as part of JPMorgan Chase expansion in Greater Washington. As an Area Manager, I lead a team of Business Relationship Managers with JPMorgan Chase Business Banking who serve as a partner and trusted advisor to our clients throughout the Greater DC region.  Prior to joining Chase, I spent over 13 years, with other large financial institutions in the region, serving clients in various roles, including as a VP and Senior Relationship Manager where I had the pleasure of working with Small to Mid-size businesses in the region.  

As a team, we strive to understand your business and bring unique Chase insights and value to every interaction with your firm.  We work with a team of professionals with extensive knowledge in cash management, credit solutions and advanced digital capabilities to make it easier for you to manage your banking, mitigate risk and improve efficiencies.  We welcome you to contact us if you find yourself exploring banking services that might require more than one prospective. 

Marcus Perry has been with Sandy Spring Bank since 2012 and is a Senior Vice President and Regional Sales Manager for the bank’s commercial division in Virginia and DC. He manages a team of 18 relationship managers in VA & DC focusing on financial services for operating companies in the area.  He has had a successful banking career for over 30 years, working in multiple facets of banking from retail to commercial and executive management at banks in the DMV. He is a graduate of George Mason University with a BA in Government and Politics in 1993 and an MBA in 2000.  He is also a graduate of the ABA Stonier Banking School at Wharton in 2008.  Mr. Perry lives in Loudoun County on a small family farm with his wife and 5 kids.  He has been actively involved in community organizations, serving on various boards over his career, and he enjoys hiking and playing golf in his free time.

Sandy Spring Bank is a $14 billion community bank, headquartered in Olney MD.  The bank is celebrating its 156 anniversary this year, with 55 branches in the DMV.  

Phil Poliquin recently joined JP Morgan as the commercial banking Market Executive focused on the Aerospace, Defense, and Government Services (ADG) industries. In this capacity, he leads a national team of banking professionals who partner with middle-market government contractors to support their overall strategic objectives by advising and executing on various capital-raising approaches; merger and acquisition initiatives; treasury management solutions; various risk management strategies; and workplace financial benefits. Previous to this new role, he spent 7 years as a commercial banker/Relationship Manager with Bank of America’s Global Commercial Banking middle-market ADG team.   

From 2103 until joining Bank of America, Phil worked for RLG International as a business performance improvement consultant in the oil & gas industry.  During this period, he supported capital projects and OPEX efforts of ConocoPhillips in North Dakota; improved the operations of a large BP refinery near Chicago by reshaping organizational culture; and integrated project management best practices into a $750M+ LyondellBasell petrochemical capital project in Houston. 

Scott E. Semple has extensive knowledge and experience in business strategy and operations in the Federal government marketplace. Scott has served as a senior business executive, entrepreneur, technologist, and strategic advisor to Federal and commercial clients globally. Scott also envisioned and led the founding of the nations largest not for profit organization dedicated to advancing business opportunities for Veteran entrepreneurs. 

Al Sowers is Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer at the award-winning OneZero Solutions, LLC. Delivering best-in-class full-spectrum cyber solutions and expertise, OneZero is recognized by D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) as the 7th fastest-growing veteran-owned business in America, placed on the esteemed Inc.5000 list in 2022 and 2023, and was named the 5th fastest-growing company in Virginia by Inc. Magazine.   

A former Coast Guard Officer, Al founded OneZero Solutions in the Spring of 2017 to focus on supporting the federal government and military services in the cybersecurity and information assurance sector.  Actively involved in veteran entrepreneurship and mentoring, Al serves on the board of the National Veteran Small Business Coalition and is committed to hiring and championing fellow veterans. 

Al resides in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife KC and children Hudson and Kennedy.  He is an avid lover of all sports and enjoys watching basketball, football, and golf.  In 2020, Al was elected to the United States Coast Guard Academy Athletic Hall of Fame for his outstanding performance leading the men’s basketball team to the Elite 8 in 2008. 

Ed is the President & CEO of Republic Capital Access, LLC, a leading commercial finance company exclusively for U.S. Government contractors.  Prior to founding Republic in 2009, Ed had a distinguished career in government, business and public affairs spanning over forty years.  He begin his career serving in the Reagan Administration at the U.S. Customs Service, Treasury Department and White House. After leaving government, he advised clients on public affairs strategies related to economic policy.  Mr. Stucky holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Kansas, has served on numerous non-profit boards including the Mid-Atlantic Operation Hope Board, the Lewinsville Presbyterian Church Foundation Board and the National Presbyterian Church Fund for Charitable Giving. In addition to being a member of the Kua Ventures Investment Advisory Committee, he currently serves on the boards of Noble, and ACG National Capital.

Matt is a Senior Vice President at Republic Capital Access.  Republic is a member of the DOD Trusted Capital Marketplace and has provided working capital solutions to over 1,000 companies since Republic’s founding in 2009.  At RCA Matt has aided start-ups to publically traded organizations in achieving financing solutions to a variety of challenges posed to businesses in the federal sector.  

Deniz Tolu with over 24 years of progressive experience in the banking industry, I have consistently demonstrated a passion for leadership, team building, and supporting the community. As a seasoned leader in the financial industry, I thrive on the dynamic challenges of the financial sector, leveraging my expertise to lead teams towards achieving the expectations of the small business community they support.  

Throughout my career, I have cultivated a reputation for excellence in leadership and advisory support. My journey began with front line customer services roles, where I honed in my interpersonal skills and developed a deep understanding of client needs. Over the years, I have ascended through various managerial positions.  I am native to Maryland, graduate of the Smith School of Business, University of Maryland.  I joined JP Morgan Chase 3 years ago to support Market Expansion efforts and lead a team of bankers for the State of Maryland. Prior to Chase, I was with PNC Bank for 16 years leading Business Banking in Maryland.