CAPITAL SOURCES

VIRGINIA “GINNY” SEYFERTH

Founder, chair, CEO SeyferthPR, Grand Rapids

MAX FRIAR

Managing partner Calder Capital LLC, Grand Rapids Ginny Seyferth, APR left the corporate world of public relations and issues management to establish SeyferthPR in 1984. Thirty-eight years later, she remains a powerful leader in counseling CEOs in every area of media, social media and traditional communications. The firm has grown in many ways and today has operations in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Indianapolis and Louisville. The COVID-19 pandemic quickly moved Seyferth and the SeyferthPR team into emergency response mode for multiple county health departments, hospitals and more than 60 businesses in the Midwest as they balanced different state rules on essential working environments, phased-in re-openings and the management of health screenings. Today, Seyferth leads a team that manages more than 800 Facebook pages while serving the media and communication efforts for every industry from health care to manufacturing, restaurants to automotive and construction. Seyferth remains an active volunteer on more than 15 boards and committees mostly tied to education, talent development or economic growth in the areas the firm serves.

EDUCATION: Grand Valley State University (B) INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: “The most effective way to do it is to do it.” Amelia Earhart FEW PEOPLE KNOW: Active volunteer supporting new learning methods in Detroit Public Schools

Max Friar is the founder and managing partner of Calder Capital. Founded in 2013, Calder Capital LLC is a lower middle market M&A advisory firm focused on representing sellers of industrial, distribution and business services companies with enterprise value from $1 million to $100 million, and strategic buyers seeking platform and bolt-on acquisitions in the same market segments.

EDUCATION: Alma College (B) FIRST JOB:When I was 15 years old, I flipped omelets and set up the weekend breakfast buffet at Brann’s on Leonard. SOMETHING FEW PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT YOU:I absolutely love thrash metal FAVORITE HOBBIES: I am an avid runner and enjoy traveling alone or with family/friends. I also enjoy investing in real estate, stocks and crypto. TRAVEL DESTINATION: I enjoy traveling to new places and finding the hiking trails, particularly in the mountains. My favorite repeat places to visit in the U.S. are the greater Seattle area (Olympic Peninsula), the Western U.P., Grand Teton and North Carolina. ADVICE TO AN 18-YEAR-OLD: Major in business, finance, or economics. Get an internship. Start a business as early as possible. Study Buddhism. Spend time alone. PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE: Jeff Bezos — we are both bald, awkward and geniuses.

DICK DEVOS

Board chair The Windquest Group, Grand Rapids

DALE GROGAN

Managing partner Michigan Capital Network/ Grand Angels, Grand Rapids Dick DeVos has spent his business career working in a variety of executive positions at Amway, the NBA’s Orlando Magic and the Windquest Group, where he currently serves as its board chairman. As president of Amway from 1993-2002, DeVos held responsibility for all aspects of the company’s operations in 50 countries and six continents. In his final fiscal year of service, Amway reported sales of $4.5 billion. Prior to assuming the presidency, he served as vice president of Amway International where he held responsibility for the company’s operations in 18 countries outside North America. DeVos was replaced as president and CEO of Windquest in 2021 by Greg McNeilly but retains the board chair position of the company he and his wife, Betsy, founded in 1988.

EDUCATION: Northwood University (B) FIRST JOB:Just like the other Van Andel and DeVos second generations, I spent my summers at Amway, initially watering trees, pulling weeds and cutting grass by hand, as they wouldn’t trust a 12-year-old with a power tool. BEST ADVICE:“You can do it.” Rich DeVos FAVORITE GRAND RAPIDS ATTRACTION: My most favorite place is probably the older section of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. I remember Jay (Van Andel) and Dad (Richard DeVos) opening it in 1981 and the pride they had whenever they set foot in the building.

Dale Grogan became managing partner of MCN/Grand Angels in 2020. The organization is one of Michigan’s most active and most consistent investment organizations with a stated objective of building world-class companies and entrepreneurial talent through investment and mentoring. The group is committed to utilizing its financial, intellectual and networking resources to help portfolio companies achieve more and its focus is on entrepreneurs and companies in Michigan and the Midwest region. Grogan has been a member of the Investment Review Board of the Michigan Pre-Seed Fund since 2009. He is a former managing director for Michigan Accelerator Fund I, MAF Opportunity Fund LP and Acuity Partners Ltd., former chairman of nanoRETE Inc., former advisory board director for Michigan Israel Business Bridge, former director of MichBio, former director of MIT Enterprise Forum Michigan, former adviser for Novus Biotechnology Fund I LP, and former chief strategist for LifeMed ID Inc. and SMART Association Inc. (where he also was director of smart card initiatives). He also is the former CEO of Leapfrog Smart Products and Conduit Healthcare Solutions Inc.

EDUCATION: Huntingdon College (B, B), University of Alabama at Birmingham (M)

JEFF HELMINSKI

Founder, managing partner Auxo Investment Partners, Grand Rapids

MIKE JANDERNOA

Founder, chairman 42 North Partners, Grand Rapids Jeff Helminski is the founder and managing partner of Auxo Investment Partners, a private investment firm that has worked with multiple founder- and family-owned industrial, manufacturing and business services companies. Helminski has a diverse professional background that includes experience in private equity investing, manufacturing, engineering and high-volume assembly operations management at General Motors, and in real estate development as president of Campus Village Development Company.

EDUCATION: Michigan Technological University (B), Purdue University (M), Stanford Graduate School of Business (MBA) BOARDS: Spectrum Health Hospital Group, Broadway Grand Rapids FIRST JOB:Paperboy delivering the Muskegon Chronicle FUNNIEST WORK EXPERIENCE: Showing up to an office Halloween party dressed as a cowboy when everyone else dressed up as me. TOUGHEST LESSON LEARNED: No business opportunity is worth compromising your values for. It is critical to align yourself with people with whom you have a shared value system. LITTLE-KNOWN FACT: In college, I was the lead singer of a rock band that covered bands like Green Day and Stone Temple Pilots GRAND RAPIDS ATTRACTION: Summer concerts at Meijer Gardens FAVORITE CHARITY: Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp

Mike Jandernoa has quite a few business and investment experiences under his belt. Jandernoa was CEO of Perrigo Company from 1988-2000, chairman of the board from 1991-2003 and continued to serve on the board until 2017. Jandernoa is founder and chairman of 42 North Partners, a family office focusing on investments, entrepreneurship and community. He is a co-founder of Bridge Street Capital Partners and lead investor and board member of Hopen Life Science Fund. He’s also co-founder and board member of investment fund Grand Angels. Jandernoa is the founder of Jandernoa Entrepreneurial Mentoring, a program for established business entrepreneurs seeking one-on-one mentoring from a West Michigan business leader. He was a CPA, having worked at BDO Seidman for seven years prior to joining Perrigo as CFO in 1979. He was later promoted to executive vice president of sales and finance in 1981 and to president in January 1983.

EDUCATION: University of Michigan (B) BOARDS: Business Leaders for Michigan, Hopen Life Science Fund, Metabolic Solutions Development Company, Spectrum Health, University of Michigan president’s advisory board, Grand Valley University Foundation, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, Heart of West Michigan United Way

OLLIE HOWIE

Managing director New Community Transformation Fund Ollie Howie became the first managing director of the New Community Transformation Fund in 2021. Howie comes to Grand Rapids after deploying over $50 million in venture capital throughout his career. Most recently, he invested in a SoftBank venture fund dedicated to building and supporting a community of Black, Latinx and Indigenous founders. Howie, who graduated from Harvard University with a degree in economics, has served as a capital analyst in executive positions at companies in Maryland, New York and Atlanta. As managing director, Howie guides the work of the organization to achieve its mission by sourcing deal flow and building relationships with investors and the community. He also leads business growth through creating, negotiating and closing investment opportunities. NCTF intends to invest between $250,000 and $500,000 in second-stage, people of color-owned companies involved in advanced manufacturing, food and agribusiness, e-commerce and information technology, life sciences, and finance technology, as well as legacy and transitioning succession businesses.

EDUCATION: Harvard University (B)

JOHN KERSCHEN

President, managing partner Charter Capital Partners, Grand Rapids John Kerschen’s success in the financial industry almost didn’t happen. A younger Kerschen was in pursuit of entering the medical industry, but it quickly became an afterthought when he realized he passes out at the sight of blood. As a result, Kerschen pursued another career path in finance that eventually led him to Charter Capital Partners. He has over 25 years of financial experience in commercial banking, merger and acquisition advisory, and private capital investment. He has used his expertise to complete more than 100 acquisition transactions with an aggregate value of more than $1 billion. Kerschen also is the managing director for Michigan Accelerator Fund I, a venture capital fund that invests in early-stage Michigan companies with a primary focus on life sciences technology.

EDUCATION: Michigan State University (B), DePaul University (M) FIRST JOB: Night waterman at White Lake Golf Club LESSON LEARNED: Focus your energy on those who recognize the value you bring and have self-confidence to hire people smarter than you. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” Vince Lombardi ADVICE TO HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES: Find work you like with people you enjoy and respect, bet on yourself and don’t be afraid of change or failure.