The register.
Every embedded engagement since 2010, sponsor-backed and founder-led, from a portfolio assessment to the seat itself. What we did is on the record; who it was for is a partner’s call.
- 84
- engagements
- 27
- active
- 60
- sponsor-backed
Hear it from the founder.
Sold to Gallagher · 2025Steve Dion built Dion Leadership and sold it to Gallagher in 2025. Fairlead ran the process from preparation to close. Here he describes what that was like from the founder’s chair.
84 engagements, 2010 to today.
Interim CFO and controller seats, operating-partner roles, M&A and portfolio assessments, across energy and infrastructure, venture-backed companies and family offices. 27 active today; 60 with a sponsor at the table.
Advising on an AI-centric business pivot, including business structure decisions and fundraising strategy. Supporting modeling and investor outreach materials.
Advised CEO and CFO of growing fuel transportation business in Canada and the US on topics including financial reporting, systems, and other process improvements
Fractional CFO and Controller for software company; worked with primary investor on financial restructuring.
Portfolio company assessment of this distressed district energy system followed by the divestiture of the company to a strategic buyer.
Provided technical and financial support for a Trigeneration Company in Saudi Arabia
Engaged initially in June 2024 to support sell-side M&A efforts. In January 2026, engaged for support around a significant reduction in force as the sponsor took full control. Transitioning into an asset management role with outsourced payroll and employer of record structure for legacy employees.
Interim CFO and fundraising support for this battery technology startup backed by the the sponsor Foundation.
Supported New England based portfolio of 18 run-of-the-river hydro units with M&A and lender restructuring
Fractional CFO/controller support for this California-based organic ghee and food products company. Fairlead manages financial close and reporting, bank financing, CPA firm selection and audit preparation, property tax compliance, and India entity setup.
Buy-side due diligence support of the acquisition of Veolia's North American energy division.
Portfolio Company Assessment and development of reporting required for institutional investors
Financial advisory support for this the sponsor portfolio company that originates and develops small-scale distribution-level solar facilities. Fairlead provides Operating Partner support, lender covenant compliance, cashflow modeling, and borrowing base analysis under a secondment arrangement.
Reviewed current and future operation of an island based utility services operations, including operations assessments, forecast development and valuation.
Pre-acquisition M&A support followed by Post-acquisition fractional CFO/controller support for this the sponsor portfolio asphalt company in Southern California.
Portfolio company assessment of an activated-carbon manufacturing startup with a focus on the sales strategy and operating costs followed by organizing and managing the bankruptcy.
Supported scientist-founder of this biotech startup with management, fundraising, and fractional CFO/Controller services from initial angel-round through Series A and Phase 1 clinical trial.
Asset management and O&M oversight for this the sponsor portfolio of approximately 30 small-scale solar facilities. Fairlead provides budgeting, board support, lender compliance, and operational management.
Serve on the advisory board of the parent company and provide financial advisory support for its investments
In collaboration with London Economics, developed a business plan and provided due diligence support for a PE-company's bid for Chicago's district cooling system.
Developed and oversaw 100-day plan to integrate three industrial safety companies purchased by middle-marked PE fund.
Represented mezzanine lender in a declining telecom company. Facilitated sale of the company to recover full value.
Installed as interim-CEO and revised business plan, positioning company for an eventual sale.
Provided Operating Partner and fractional CFO support to this startup producer of non-dairy yogurts and related foods.
Renee Sass, a partner at Fairlead Advisors, supported the DOE's Loan Program Office with credit analysis and risk management for cleantech and energy projects.
Supported Basalt and the internal CEO of the company with the development of a new business plan followed by the marketing and successful sale of the company.
Led the restructuring, merger, and $50 million recapitalization of the company, the fourth-largest district energy system in the U.S.
Fractional CFO/COO and fundraising services for this AI startup helping universities and colleges retain students
Provide fractional CFO, Controller, and other back-office support to this venture-backed renewable hydrogen startup company.
Provide fractional CFO and Controller support to the developer of 252 MW of operating and 191 MW of in-construction gas-fired assets in Ghana and Guinea.
Supporting efforts to secure a new PPA for the cogeneration facility. Preparing proposal structure and data request list for next steps.
Portfolio company assessment followed by fundraising and fractional CFO/Controller services for this online retailer.
Provided financial leadership to fund and portfolio companies.
Supported the implementation of a new ERP system for this publicly-traded developer of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
Portfolio company assessment and the development of a cost-to-complete budget for a PE-backed development of 10K barrel per day renewable diesel production.
Provided financial advisory support to this wind development company
As Operating Partner and Chair of a Special Board Committee, assessed the probability-weighted potential of this Geothermal Energy company and managed it through to its sale to a strategic buyer.
Portfolio Company assessment of this VC-backed operator of this 3000 ton-per-day waste energy company followed by the development of a business plan.
On behalf of a fund manager, engaged to oversee an oil field services company with over $300M in annual revenues. Fairlead placed a fractional CFO and Controller into the company to revise and execute a new business plan.
Led and managed the spinoff of a biomass power platform from the sponsor's portfolio company, initiating Greenleaf with two plants in California totaling 60 MW, which expanded to 145 MW.
Helped this solar developer build a business plan and prepare for and execution its first round of institutional investment.
Portfolio company assessment of this developer of an ocean-based district cooling system in Hawaii followed by fundraising preparation and advisory services.
Fractional CEO/CFO/controller support for this industrial manufacturing company in Mobile, Alabama. Fairlead manages financial close and reporting, cash flow forecasting, covenant compliance, vendor management, audit coordination, and permanent CEO and CFO recruitment.
Fractional CFO and Controller support to this startup developer of middleware software for manufacturing companies, including CISCO.
In collaboration with London Economics, prepared a business plan and designed a pro-forma company to catalyze the development of renewable energy projects in Saudi Arabia.
Fractional CFO support for this advanced nuclear energy company developing next-generation reactor technology. Fairlead provides audit coordination, financial modeling, capital raise advisory, and strategic support.
With the company, advised government owned utility on solicitation of new gas fired power generation and structuring of power purchase agreements
Portfolio Company assessment followed by interim-CEO and fundraising services for this natural language AI spinoff from MIT. Raised $10M in Series B Financing.
Fractional Controller/accounting support for this material-science startup preparing to go public through a de-Spac transaction.
Retained to represent a PE-owner on the Board of a publicly traded retail gas and electricity provider with 250,000 customers across the U.S. Sold to Constellation Energy.
Provided technical due diligence support for this developer of biochar carbon sequestration in the Pacific Northwest.
Turned around this manufacturer of tantalum powder and successfully sold the company to Kemet Inc.
Restructured this German-based biomass and cogeneration platform following changes in Germany's Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) program. Managed the sale to two separate German buyers.
Supported institutional investor during acquisition and transition of oil recycling company
Portfolio company assessment and fundraising support for this high-speed time-series database technology startup.
Fundraising and fractional CFO/Controller leadership for this startup provider of online tracking of fire inspection equipment.
Portfolio company assessment of this startup, high-speed trading platform.
M&A support for the sale of this design engineering company serving the biotech and robotics industry.
Manage the resolution of liabilities and dissolution of a portfolio company that had sold substantially all of its assets.
Energy advisory support for this the sponsor-owned data center platform. Fairlead provides power strategy analysis, total cost of ownership modeling for behind-the-meter generation solutions.
Fractional CFO, Controller, and Financial Analyst for this industrial IoT company; oversaw exit and provided post-sale support.
Supported financial analysis and fundraising efforts for Brazilian based rare earth mine in development
Capital raise and financial advisory support for this Midland, Texas-based energy company. Fairlead manages the fundraising process, financial modeling, and data room preparation.
Replaced CFO with a Controller and professionalized accounting process.
Providing Operating Partner and fundraising support on behalf of the private equity co-owner of this 42 MW hydro project in Cote d'Ivoire.
Provide Operating Partner services, fractional Controller, and back-office support to this PE-backed solar developer.
Prepped privately owned manufacturer of field-portable spectrometers and spectroradiometers for exit and oversaw sale process.
Turned around the company, then the largest district energy company and in default with its lenders, drove significant value growth and operational improvements followed by the sale to Veolia.
Advised VitAG Corp, a beneficial use technology company during its transition from pilot to implementation phase; provided financial analysis and fundraising support.
Fractional CFO/controller and operating partner support for this Iowa-based trucking and logistics company. Fairlead manages financial reporting, forecasting, balance sheet cleanup, and strategic restructuring.
Developed a complex sales, working capital, and operational cost tool for this natural gas distributer.
Portfolio company assessment of this distressed district energy system followed by the divestiture of the company to a strategic buyer.
M&A advisory for the company, a the sponsor portfolio company selling its oil terminal assets. Fairlead manages the seller-side process end-to-end financial model and data room build-out, valuation narrative development, NDA/process negotiation.
Provide Controller Services to 7 biotech companies owned by the company, a Biosciences-focused VC Fund
Design and build of a business dashboard consolidating key KPIs into real-time reporting, alongside owner's-representative support guiding the D-365 ERP implementation.
Serve as Executive Advisor in place of the CEO while the CEO is on an extended military deployment
Serve as Chief Restructuring Officer recommended by lender to stabilize cash and support lender recovery
Standing up a Data Center development company
Onboarding and 100-day plan for new acquisition