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Alan Sheriff is a strategic and analytical senior business executive with a proven track record of executive leadership across the financial services industry. Mr. Sheriff currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst Capital Markets. Most recently, he was Vice Chairman of the Corporate & Institutional Bank of PNC Financial Services Group, the sixth largest bank in the United States. Mr. Sheriff has more than forty years of comprehensive buy and sell-side finance experience spanning investment banking, capital raising, private and public equities, M&A and venture capital investing.
Mr. Sheriff co-founded Solebury Capital in 2005 and served as its Co-Chief Executive Officer from 2005 until he retired in 2020. Under his guidance and leadership, Solebury Capital became the premier independent equity capital markets advisory firm, known for bringing deep product expertise, market knowledge and unbiased advice to its clients. Solebury Capital has worked on more than 1,100 equity transactions totaling more than ~$500 billion of IPO, follow-on, and block trade issuance, representing a higher market share than any investment bank. Mr. Sheriff personally provided capital markets counsel to financial sponsors such as Bain Capital, Ares Management, Apollo, KKR, American Securities, TH Lee, Freeman Spogli, TSG Consumer and many others. Mr. Sheriff has also worked directly with companies such as Nielsen, Dunkin Brands, Canada Goose, Bombardier Recreational Products, Aramark, Black Knight Financial, Floor & Decor, Revolve, Planet Fitness and Casper Sleep.
Mr. Sheriff also served as a co-founder of a successful SPAC franchise, Tailwind I, II, and International, where he raised over $1bn and was responsible for developing comprehensive financing structures for 3 prospective SPAC mergers, 2 of which successfully closed.
Prior to founding Solebury Capital, Mr. Sheriff held several senior-level positions at Credit Suisse First Boston, including serving as Co-Head of Equity Capital Markets for the Americas from 1999 to 2005. Mr. Sheriff also chaired Credit Suisse’s Equity Valuation Committee from 1999 to 2005 and sat on the firm’s Investment Banking Committee from 2001 to 2005. Mr. Sheriff began his career at Salomon Brothers Inc, where he worked from 1983-1992.
Mr. Sheriff graduated from the University of Rochester in 1981 with a B.A. in Political Science, Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa. He also received an MPA from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. He has been a member of The Council on Foreign Relations since 1999. Mr. Sheriff serves on the nonprofit Boards of the Travis Manion Foundation and the Telfair Museums. Additionally, Mr. Sheriff runs The Sheriff Group, making family investments in start-ups across a variety of industries. He is also a director of the Sheriff Family Foundation, a family-run 501c3 focused on veteran’s organizations and youth education.
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Stephen Sheriff is a seasoned entrepreneur with over a decade of experience as a founder, operator, and advisor. He serves as the Co-Founder and President of Catalyst Capital Markets (“CCM”), a firm designed to provide diverse, disciplined advice grounded in decades of senior executive experience to drive efficient capital markets executions for its clients.
Prior to starting CCM, Stephen was Chief Operating Officer of Kaival Brands (NAS: KAVL). During his time at Kaival, Stephen spearheaded the design and implementation of corporate policies and procedures that optimized the day-to-day functioning of Kaival’s operational units. In addition to his day-to-day role, he also led the Company’s investor relations, communications, sales, and financing efforts. During his tenure as COO, the company recognized 27% net revenue growth, achieved 122% gross profit margin growth YoY, and despite increased revenue and integration of key new hires, decreased OpEx by 18%.
In addition to his capital markets expertise, Stephen has been an active investor and operator for over a decade. In 2012, he founded Riverhill Ventures, LLC, where he developed a broad portfolio, including quick and full-service restaurants, natural foods and consumer brands, health and wellness, and health tech investments. Most notably, Stephen was also a co-owner and operator of more than ten quick service restaurants as a franchisee of Playa Bowls until January 2025.
Since spring 2019, Stephen and his partner led the business to consistently outperform platform peers by up to 30%. He and his team also designed and implemented systematic controls and procedures that have since been replicated systemwide and contributed to Playa Bowls’ broader growth as a leading health-focused food brand that was ultimately sold to Sycamore Partners, a leading consumer oriented private equity firm. Under Stephen’s leadership, his franchise locations grew to support over 350 employees, achieved eight-figure annual revenues, and successfully scaled operations through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating resilience, adaptability, and strong execution in a volatile environment.
In addition to running his Playa Bowls portfolio and investments through Riverhill Ventures and prior to Kaival Brands, Stephen co-founded Riverhill Group, LLC, a capital markets advisory and consulting firm. There, he utilized his extensive network and strategic acumen to provide innovative capital and operational solutions to founders and companies, helping them develop key strategies, business development plans, branding strategies, KPI identification & execution, and operations management systems.
Stephen also spent time at Solebury Trout (now Solebury Strategic Communications), a healthcare and life-sciences focused investor relations firm. Stephen received his B.S. in Counseling Psychology from Delaware Valley University, where he also served as Associate Head Coach for the Men’s and Women’s Tennis programs.
Stephen resides in Bucks County, PA, with his wife, three children, and three dogs.
Mr. Barry Hopkins has decades of senior experience in business development, performance management, and retail. Barry is a 40-year tobacco industry veteran with deep operational experience and a long track record of business development, performance management, and strategic planning and execution, organizational development, and regulatory compliance. Barry began his career at Altria, ultimately holding several senior roles including as Vice President of National Accounts, before retiring in 2005. After retiring from Altria in 2005, Barry founded Ideas in Motion, a consulting company. For seven years while running Ideas in Motion, Barry consulted with Turning Point Brands (NYSE: TPB), a consumer products company that markets and distributes products including alternative smoking accessories and consumables. Barry eventually joined Turning Point Brands in 2012 as a Senior Executive and eventually transitioned to other senior level roles including Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and Senior Vice President of Executive Organizational Development. Barry remained at Turning Point Brands for over eleven years and, while there, garnered recognition for the development and implementation of a systematic connection process that ultimately resulted in eight record setting quarters exceeding all prior sales and profit objectives.
Most recently, Barry was Executive Chairman and Interim Chief Executive Officer of Kaival Brands (NAS: KAVL). Barry has overseen significant growth in each of his previous roles, including:
In his last role at Turning Point Brands, Barry served as Senior Vice President of Executive Organizational Development where he led that company’s senior management team in building the infrastructure for an enhanced performance management system and development of a new strategic planning process with a focus on mission critical initiatives which contributed to eight record-setting quarters in terms of revenue growth.
Prior to retiring from Altria as Vice President of National Accounts in 2005, Barry led a team of National Account Executives responsible for more than 50% of Philip Morris’ U.S.A. sales with consecutive market share gains over a three-year period.
As Regional Vice President, he led a sales organization of 600+ people in managing a $1.2 billion operation that consistently exceeded sales and market share and revenue expectations for three consecutive years.
After retiring from Altria, Barry joined Turning Point Brands (NYSE: TPB) where he led the post-acquisition operational activities of VaporBeast/Vapor Shark. As acting COO of the combined entities, Barry led his team in achieving revenue growth from $48 million to $98 million in less than eight months.
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Ariel Imas is a seasoned founder, serial entrepreneur, and investment banker with over 20 years of experience in capital markets, financial services, and early-stage company development. Ariel currently serves as Co-President of Catalyst Capital Markets. Throughout his career, Ariel has founded and successfully led multiple companies, including RMBB Health, a reimbursement and billing corporation focused on healthcare services launched in 2015; The Glimpse Group (Nasdaq: VRAR), a leader in virtual and augmented reality solutions started in 2016 and taken public via a traditional IPO in 2021; and SABR Capital Management, a financial services company established in 2011.
Prior to his current role at Catalyst, Ariel held several senior leadership roles at various investment banks, including serving as Co-Head of Investment Banking at Westpark, Head of Capital Markets at D. Boral Capital (formerly EF Hutton), and most recently, as President of Kingswood Investments, the parent company of Kingswood Capital Markets, where he was a Senior Managing Director. While at Kingswood, Ariel played an integral role in developing and growing their investment banking and advisory platform, including its Defense and Canada desks. His extensive expertise in public and private markets has enabled him to execute over 250 public equity and debt transactions, raising more than $2.5 billion in capital.
These transactions include traditional IPOs, SPAC IPOs, and closed more than 200 PIPE, registered direct and follow-on offerings. His experience also includes closing numerous dual listings, up-listings, and reverse mergers.
Ariel has also played a key capital markets advisor role with many clients, including providing strategic guidance to C-level executives on key service provider selections, such as legal counsel, auditors, D&O insurance, transfer agents, Edgar agents, public relations, and investor relations firms. Ariel is also adept at crafting investor messaging, providing aftermarket support, and organizing non-deal roadshows to strengthen market presence.
In addition to his banking and advisory experience, Ariel is an active investor, having successfully deployed capital into more than a dozen public and private early-stage companies, reinforcing his ability to identify and support high-potential ventures.
Ariel is recognized for his expertise in healthcare services, MedTech, reimbursement, and billing, as well as technology related to virtual reality, augmented reality, and spatial computing. He also possesses a deep knowledge of fintech, decentralized finance (DeFi), stablecoins, and tokenomics.
A graduate of Pace University, Ariel is also an avid sports enthusiast who enjoys hockey, table tennis, tennis, and chess.
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Kris Tomasulo is a seasoned finance professional with over 30 years of extensive experience as an investor, advisor, and operator across multiple industries. Kris’ professional journey began at Cowen & Company while he was pursuing a finance major at Northeastern University as part of a co-operative learning program. Kris left Cowen to join a former client and launch the event-driven hedge fund, Troubh Partners, which he helped grow to nearly $1 billion in AUM.
After his tenure at Troubh, Kris joined the healthcare team at The Galleon Group, a hedge fund, where he ultimately took over the fund’s healthcare vertical, building a team of six investment professionals, growing AUM to over $500 million and was named to the Forbes list of the top 25 hedge funds in 2007. Following his time at Galleon, Kris spent made significant contributions at several established hedge funds such as Trafelet Delta Funds, Scoggin, and Merus Capital.
Kris concluded his time on Wall Street at Laidlaw & Company, a healthcare-focused investment bank and BTIG. Kris then co- founded the Royal Hospitality and Specialty Group which opened and operated a full-service restaurant, event space and boutique inn. Kris’ first-hand experience as a hedge fund leader, founder, and operator laid the groundwork for the launch of Riverhill Group, a capital markets advisory firm, which focused on providing growth and capital resources and solutions to early-stage founders.
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Braden Ferrari is an accomplished capital markets professional and entrepreneur with over 20 years of investment banking experience and a proven track record of success in public and private market transactions. In addition to his investment banking experience, he is the co-founder of two companies, including The Glimpse Group (NASDAQ: VRAR), a virtual and augmented reality solutions provider founded in 2016 and taken public on the NASDAQ stock exchange in 2021, and SABR Capital Management, a consulting and public company advisory firm established in 2011.
Throughout his investment banking career, Braden has held key leadership positions, serving as Head of Institutional Sales at both Kingswood Investments and WestPark Capital and as Managing Director of Capital Markets at EF Hutton. His deep expertise in institutional fundraising and capital markets strategy has enabled him to successfully complete over 250 public equity and debt transactions, raising more than $2.5 billion in capital. His accomplishments include securing institutional funding for IPOs, SPACs, structured PIPE transactions, and registered direct and follow-on offerings. Braden joined Bear Stearns in their Management Training program in 1999 and after the completion of the two-year program moved into the Private Client Services division working closely with high net worth, family office and institutional investors until joining forces with Ariel Imas in 2006.
Beyond his advisory roles, he is an active investor, having deployed capital into more than a dozen early-stage public and private companies. His advisory expertise extends to capital markets strategy, investor relations, and aftermarket support, providing C-level executives with guidance on selecting key service providers. He is also skilled in developing and delivering effective investor messaging, managing non-deal roadshows, and ensuring robust post-IPO market engagement.
A graduate of Wheaton College in Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Braden was captain of the Men’s Swimming and Diving Team and received the Wheaton College Young Alumni Achievement Award in 2006. He was also an NISCA High School All-American swimmer and holds Level 2 certification from the American Swimming Coaches Association.
Christian Watson is a seasoned business development professional with a decade of experience advising senior management teams on financial operations, financial technology, and treasury management strategies. He currently serves as a Director of Catalyst Capital Markets (“CCM”), a firm designed to provide diverse, disciplined advice grounded in decades of senior executives to drive efficient capital markets executions for its clients.
Prior to joining CCM, Christian served as Vice President of Corporate Banking at PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. During his time at PNC, Christian co-founded the Venture Bank and was responsible for spearheading the design of advisory services and bank products delivered to venture backed startups. During his time at the Venture Bank, he built the foundational customer portfolio for PNC’s Emerging Tech & Venture Bank in response to the 2023 U.S. Banking Crisis.
In addition to building out a new specialty customer segment for PNC’s Corporate & Institutional Bank, Christian previously served as a key migration leader and culture carrier during PNC’s $11.6bn acquisition of BBVA USA. As part of that leadership role, Christian was responsible for shepherding the acquired commercial banking customers in Texas through a 15-month cash management platform migration.
Christian spent eight years as part of the Treasury Management team, where he consulted directly with senior management teams of $5MM to $250MM businesses on cash management, financial operations, technology integrations, and working capital advisory. Christian led technical teams on data integrations and workflow automation projects across accounting and finance functions of commercial banking clients.
Christian completed Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business Strategy and Innovation program under the proctorship of Tepper’s Graduate School Faculty. Christian received his Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics from The Ohio State University and resides in Austin, TX with his wife.
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Daniel Sheriff blends diverse analytical abilities with broad experience within corporate banking, marketing, and communications on an institutional level. With a strategic communications degree from High Point University and several financial certifications in various disciplines from the Harvard Business School, Daniel has shaped his expertise in financial analysis and modeling. During his tenure at PNC Financial Services, Daniel served as an Assistant Vice President, responsible for handling complex debt structures, analysis, and due diligence for companies starting from $100MM of revenue all the way up to Fortune 500 sized top line. Prior to his role in corporate banking, Daniel led PNC Bank’s top marketing channel. Under his guidance, Daniel provided innovative ideas that directly resulted in more than $2bn of deposits for the bank within the first six months of program initiation.
In addition to his time at PNC Bank, service to country and community has long been a key pillar in Daniel’s life. He served six years in the United States Military, serving four years in United States Marine Corps as a Battle Tank Technician before transitioning to the Army and reclassifying as an Infantryman, where he was awarded an Army Commendation Medal. In addition to his military service, Daniel was also a volunteer fireman in Bucks County, PA for over eight years, which included serving as a member of their swift water river rescue team.
Daniel’s blended skillset and leadership experience allows him to effectively and efficiently serve his clients in his role as Vice President at CCA.
Uttam Jain is an accomplished growth-oriented private-equity investor with more than 20 years of experience in various healthcare sub-sectors, including pharma services, post-acute care, consumer-oriented healthcare, medical devices, and healthcare IT.
In his most recent role, Mr. Jain was the Co-founder and Managing Director at Longfellow Healthcare Partners where he was responsible for driving high-growth investments and overseeing growth for the firm’s portfolio companies. Prior to Longfellow Healthcare Partners, Mr. Jain held leadership roles at Athyrium Capital Management and Thomas H. Lee Partners. At Athyrium, he was one of the five Investment Committee Members overseeing $3.5 billion of assets under management across various healthcare sub-sectors. Mr. Jain served as Director at Thomas H. Lee Partners (THL), a globally renowned private equity firm. Mr. Jain began his investment career at Riverside Partners, a middle-market private equity firm specializing in investing behind founder and family-owned healthcare and technology businesses.
Before his career in private equity, Mr. Jain was a Consultant at The Boston Consulting Group, where he specialized in growth strategies for healthcare companies. Mr. Jain has served on the Boards of Directors of Party City, Curo Health Services, and Professional Physical Therapy.
He holds an MBA with Honors in Healthcare Management from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, an MS in Chemical Engineering Practice from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a B. Tech. in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, where he was the recipient of the Institute Silver Medal.
