Asset 4-8

Empower your portfolio company with a team of.... Experienced Executive Managers

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At Fairlead Advisors, we understand that navigating periods of growth or significant change can be challenging for companies of all sizes. That's why we offer a comprehensive range of services backed by a team of seasoned and knowledgeable executive managers. Our strategic, managerial, financial, technical, and operational expertise is designed to provide the guidance and support you need to achieve your goals and deliver results.

With decades of experience, we've worked with companies across a range of industries and situations, including fast-growing startups and those experiencing distress. Our hands-on and detailed approach, combined with our commitment to limiting the number of engagements to provide dedicated focus to a small number of key clients, ensures that you receive the personalized attention and tailored solutions you need to succeed.

Whether you need advisory, board representation, or interim-management positions, we have the experience and expertise to fill the gaps and help you attract new investors or monetize your investments.

Fairlead Advisors' Strategic Expertise Propels Energy, Industrial Processing, and Venture-Stage Companies to New Heights

In 2008, Fairlead Advisors recognized that financial investors with portfolio companies were struggling to unlock the full potential of their investments due to various challenges in strategy, finance, and operations. In response, we developed a comprehensive suite of services to address these challenges and provide practical solutions to unlock untapped value. Our team of seasoned executives delivers these services and leverages their expertise in CEO, CFO, and COO roles, providing invaluable guidance and support to companies during transitional periods. Through our services, we help companies attract new investors and monetize their investments, ultimately driving growth and successful transactions.

On behalf of a dozen different investor groups and institutional investors, Fairlead has:

  • Assessed and conducted detailed valuations of 45 companies and target investments;
  • Designed business plans for 21 companies;
  • Provided board representation or interim executive management for 30 companies;
  • Managed the acquisition or divestiture of 17 companies, generating over $1..35B in gross proceeds;
  • Built, upgraded, or overhauled the reporting and financial statement preparation for 21 companies.

At Fairlead Advisors, our steady growth since 2010 has been a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional services that meet the diverse and evolving needs of our clients. We take pride in our team of outstanding professionals, who bring unparalleled expertise and dedication to every engagement.

Adam Carte - CFA - Partner

Biography
A Partner of Fairlead Advisors, the company he co-founded in 2010, and an Operating Partner to Denham Capital Management, a commodity-focused private equity firm with over $10B AUM, Mr. Carte has led negotiations for acquisitions, mergers, fundraisings, strategic partnerships, and company restructurings for over 20 different companies across a broad range of industries. Adam's consistent track record of exceeding investor expectations in challenging situations creates repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals among his clients.

Adam Carte

CFA, Partner

Renee Sass - Partner

Role and Responsibility
Renee is a partner at Fairlead Advisors. She provides investment and credit analysis, valuations, and financial related services to both companies and investors.

Biography
Renee has strong experience in principal and advisory roles with global energy companies, startups, private equity investors, and government agencies. She has extensive experience working as an investor conducting due diligence, assessing, negotiating, and closing equity and debt transactions, as well as at the operating level where she has led financial planning and capital structure optimization efforts. Sass has held CFO roles in a number of energy and infrastructure companies, ranging from growing start-up companies to mature operating companies, including in turnaround situations.

Renee Sass

Partner

Charles Abbott - P.E. - Partner

Role and Responsibility
Charlie is a founding Partner of Fairlead Advisors. Charlie provides engineering and electric utility industry support and introductions as needed.

Biography
Charlie has extensive experience as an operations executive involving a wide variety of energy infrastructure projects and companies. He has developed and overseen more than ten operations and organizational turnaround plans and has directly implemented operations turnarounds in three companies where the existing management team required augmentation.

Charles Abbott

P.E., Partner

Jason Salgo - Partner

Role and Responsibility
As Partner, Mr. Salgo provides financial planning, valuation, transaction and financing services to our clients. Mr. Salgo is a corporate finance professional with over 20 years of experience working with executive teams and shareholders, and as a business partner to CEOs. He excels at providing executive leadership, managing comprehensive organizational change, implementing strategic priorities, and executing complex transactions.

Biography
He most recently served 7 years as CFO for Veolia North America, a leading environmental services provider (waste, water & energy) with 8,500 employees and $2.4bn turnover in the US and Canada. At Veolia, Jason was a key driver of a fundamental organizational restructuring of management (executive and operations) and support functions, all aimed at improving the commercial approach to market and at driving cost efficiencies. He was a member of the executive team responsible for growing the business and improving the return on capital employed. Ms. Salgo left Veolia following the successful $1.25bn sale of the North American energy activities of the company.
Mr. Salgo has also worked under private equity ownership, part of a management team that led a business turnaround and ultimately a highly successful $800M exit for the sponsor.
Over his career, Mr. Salgo has helped to execute over $8bn of M&A, asset disposal, capital markets and bank financing transactions. He is skilled at finding pathways and solutions to bring transactions to timely close.
Jason is experienced at executing key corporate imperatives, including reorganizations, developing policies and procedures to improve internal controls, overseeing corporate governance and delegations of authority, and rolling out compensation plans that align performance with key priorities.
Jason has an undergraduate degree from Tufts University and a Master’s Degree from the London School of Economics.

Jason Salgo

Partner

Lissen Ney - CPA, Consultant

Role and Responsibility
Lissen is a licensed CPA and provides hands-on and accounting advisory services to our clients.

Biography
Lissen has extensive experience providing corporate clients advice and hands-on support for financial and back-office matters. She has deep experience in developing and implementing automation tools and procedures to streamline accounting, financial reporting, payroll and tax filings.

Lissen Ney

CPA, Consultant

Alex MacDonald - Vice President

Role and Responsibility
Alex will be primarily responsible for the financial forecasting and data analysis, research, and valuation required under the engagement.

Biography
As Director of Fairlead Advisors, Mr. MacDonald provides financial analysis, financial modeling, valuation, working capital and cash management, and debt compliance for our clients.

Since joining Fairlead Advisors in 2012, Mr. MacDonald has worked across a broad range of industries, including power generation, rare earth mining, artificial intelligence, materials processing, and oil field services. In 2020, Mr. MacDonald became the interim Finance Director of Fairlead Advisor’s large oil field services client and helped to guide them to a successful company sale in 2023.

During his tenure with Fairlead Advisors, Mr. MacDonald has provided financial and structuring support for dozens of clients and was integral to the successful M&A, debt financing, and tax equity transactions for many of these clients. Mr. MacDonald is exceptionally skilled at analyzing and valuing complex manufacturing processes, helping to revamp operational decisions and improve financial outcomes. In this role, Mr. MacDonald revamped operational and financial metrics for Cadre Proppants, a producer of frac sand to the oil & gas industry, and Nitonan, Inc., a manufacturer of tantalum powder for capacitors, which led to the successful sale of both companies at improved valuations.

Before joining Fairlead Advisors, Mr. MacDonald served as the Sr. Financial Analyst at Niotan, Inc., where he played an instrumental role in the turnaround and eventual sale of the company to its largest customer.

Mr. MacDonald has a B.S. in Finance from the University of Santa Clara and an MBA with a concentration in Finance from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Alex MacDonald

Director

Mary Day - CPA (expired), Senior Consultant

Role and Responsibility
Mary will be an integral part of evaluating the books and records and the quality of the accounting processes and procedures for prospective co-investment opportunities. During the optional asset management stage of the engagement, Mary will assist in the design and production of the reporting practice and be available to directly support the portfolio company’s accounting function if necessary.

Biography
A Senior Consultant at Fairlead Advisors with a background as Controller for energy companies and a fund manager, Mary provides complete accounting services and works with clients and their independent auditors to complete financial audits and implement and manage best practices in corporate governance and financial controls.

Mary’s background spans a diverse set of financial disciplines, industries, and companies. She has demonstrated expertise in all areas of accounting, planning, reporting, systems, and treasury operations.

Mary Day

CPA (expired), Senior Consultant

Kathy Osteraas - Consultant

Role and Responsibility
Ms. Osteraas provides corporate secretary, corporate governance, project management, and other administrative services for our clients.

Biography
With over 30 years’ experience working as a senior paralegal for C-Suite executives and corporate boards, and overseeing legal entity formation and maintenance activities, Kathy efficiently provides best practices for corporate governance practices and procedures for our clients.
Ms. Osteraas has worked in legal departments for companies across the size and growth continuum, ranging from privately held early-stage independent energy companies to Fortune 500 Companies in the global energy and medical device sectors. Her most recent consulting role was for a multinational medical device company, where she created and maintained a database to manage corporate records and completed annual filings for hundreds of subsidiary companies globally and throughout the United States. Kathy brings attention to detail, organizational skills, and attentiveness to time-sensitive deadlines to every project in which she’s involved.
Ms. Osteraas enjoys helping her clients succeed and being part of ethical, results-driven organizations.

Kathy Osteraas

Consultant

Ryan Mead – Senior Consultant

Biography
Ryan is a Senior Consultant at Fairlead Advisors with over a decade of experience in private equity, infrastructure, and AI-driven ventures. He has led more than $5B in global transactions and previously served as CFO of a media-tech firm, where he launched multiple AI products and led a successful technology exit to a $12B metaverse company. Earlier in his career, Ryan worked in private equity for two of Canada’s largest pension funds—PSP Investments and ATRF—leading due diligence, financial modeling, and asset management. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Honors Investment Management from McGill University and speaks English, Spanish, and French.

Ryan Mead

Senior Consultant

Liesa Johnson - Senior Consultant

Biography
With a BA from Nicholls State University and 16 years of experience in the Oil and Gas Industry, Liesa Johnson specializes in Managing Fixed Assets & Fleet, Sales Tax, Inventory, Accounting, CapEx Project Management & Reporting, and Launching ERP systems. Her expertise in these areas has consistently contributed to the operational efficiency and financial health of her organizations, making her a trusted advisor and a key player in the industry. Liesa’s strategic approach and technical acumen have been pivotal in streamlining operations and driving significant capital expenditure initiatives.

Liesa Johnson

Senior Consultant

Mark Edstrom - CPA, CGMA Senior Consultant

Biography
Mark Edstrom is an accomplished finance and accounting executive with extensive expertise in complex financial reporting, accounting standards implementation, and international financial operations. Known for his ability to enhance financial processes and ensure compliance in challenging environments, Mark has successfully led accounting transformations and M&A integrations and divestitures across sectors including energy, manufacturing, and financial services. His roles have spanned high-impact areas such as regulatory compliance, SOX implementation, and functional start-up, often in organizations experiencing significant growth or transition.
As a Senior Consultant at Fairlead, Mark leverages his depth in financial analysis, consolidation, and team leadership to deliver precise and timely insights that drive informed decision-making. Mark is a Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Global Management Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of North Dakota. In addition, he has obtained a Chartered Accountant designation in Canada.

Mark J. Edstrom

CPA, CGMA
Senior Consultant

Nora Murphy - Senior Advisor

Biography
As Senior Advisor, Ms. Murphy provides strategic corporate advisory, financial operational oversight, transaction management, valuation support, and financial planning to Fairlead’s clients, along with a significant track record of capital raising and structuring. Nora has extensive experience managing and advising corporate and portfolio company clients on financial and operational matters. She has raised capital from and managed relationships with investors across the full range of equity, debt and tax-oriented capital and has worked with large corporates, private equity, family office and venture-backed companies.

Nora most recently served for 4 years as the Chief Financial Officer of Ambri, Inc., a leading energy storage technology and manufacturing company. She was responsible for building and leading the finance, HR, legal, and real estate functional areas and oversaw all strategic and tactical matters relating to finance including tax, audit, treasury, FP&A, and capital raising. Prior to her departure, she led the company’s successful restructuring through a Chapter 11 process.

Prior to Ambri, Ms. Murphy served as [Senior Advisor] for Fairlead and provided interim CFO, COO, board advisor, and transaction management services to a broad range of companies.

Prior to joining Fairlead, Nora was a Founding Member & Managing Director of Ansonia Partners, an energy and infrastructure focused advisory firm, where she managed client relationships, investor engagement, transaction execution, and junior resources. She also served as a Managing Director of ERM Capital, an affiliated merchant banking firm, investing in energy and infrastructure opportunities. Prior to Ansonia, she was a Director of EA Markets, an independent capital markets advisory firm, where she provided a range of clients across industries with product-independent capital markets focused advisory services. Prior to EA Markets, Nora was a Finance & Business Development for a venture-backed water infrastructure development start-up company, where she was responsible for investor management, business development, and finance.

Ms. Murphy began her career at J.P. Morgan as an Analyst in the Technology, Media & Telecom Group, an investment banking coverage group, where she focused on complex M&A, corporate finance, and capital markets transactions. She was promoted to Associate and moved to J.P. Morgan’s Global Strategy, Business Development & Principal Investments group, a division of the investment bank, where she was responsible for managing and expanding a portfolio of strategic investments on behalf of the bank.

Nora Murphy

Senior Advisor

Jamie Guarino - Administrative and Operations Manager

Biography

Jaime Guarino is an experienced Administrative and Operations Manager with over 25 years of expertise spanning executive support, human resources, IT administration, procurement, compliance, and quality assurance. Skilled in managing complex corporate operations, Jaime has supported senior executives with task management and financial oversight while also leading HR functions including payroll, benefits, recruitment, and training. Known for her strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and collaborative approach, Jaime ensures efficient operations while fostering a positive and productive workplace environment.

Headshot for Jaime Guarino

Jaime Guarino

Administrative and Operations Manager

Mitchell Martin - Senior Consultant

Biography

Mitchell Martin, P.E., is a renewable energy executive with over 15 years of experience in the design, operation, and optimization of power generation assets. As a former Vice President of Engineering and Operations, he managed a 135-MW biomass portfolio with $100M in annual revenue, overseeing P&L, regulatory compliance, and major capital projects. His expertise spans diverse technologies, including utility-scale solar and battery energy storage (BESS), where he recently led the development of 300 MWdc of solar capacity and negotiated a $150M EPC agreement.

A licensed Professional Engineer (California) and Texas A&M graduate, Mitchell combines technical depth with commercial acumen in the private equity space. He has a proven track record in asset acquisition and sale support, having contributed to the successful completion of a $300M credit facility and supported the due diligence for multiple plant transactions. Currently, as the owner of Valinor Energy, he provides disciplined asset management and project execution services for owners navigating complex energy markets and regulatory landscapes.

Mitchell Martin

Senior Consultant

Jeremy Freyou - Senior Consultant

Accounting, Treasury Management, Financial Reporting, Audit Support

Jeremy is a seasoned finance and accounting executive with over 15 years of experience leading corporate finance functions, including treasury management, SEC and audit support, and financial operations. At Fairlead Advisors, Jeremy provides interim and fractional support as Controller and Treasury Manager to portfolio companies undergoing transition, restructuring, or growth.

Prior to joining Fairlead, Jeremy held multiple senior finance roles at KLX Energy Services and Greene’s Energy Group, where he led accounting, reporting, debt compliance, vendor onboarding, and bank communications. He has extensive experience managing accounting teams across AP, AR, payroll, cash flow forecasting, and internal controls implementation. Jeremy also has experience in refinancing processes, annual budgeting, and lender communications.

Jeremy began his career in public accounting, where he focused on tax and audit engagements for private and government clients. His early career also includes experience as a high school teacher, underscoring his ability to communicate complex information with clarity and precision.

He holds an MBA from Nicholls State University, a Master of Studies in Modern History from the University of Oxford, and a BA in History from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Jeremy Freyou

Senior Consultant

Pam Sarne - Senior Consultant

Biography

Pam Sarne brings more than two decades of senior financial leadership experience to Fairlead Advisors, with deep expertise in controllership, financial operations, forecasting, and team development across the energy, media, and manufacturing sectors.

Before joining Fairlead, Pam served as Senior Vice President of Accounting at Ever-Green Energy, where she oversaw multi-entity consolidations, financial reporting, internal controls, budgeting . Her leadership contributed to the company’s strong financial performance and audit compliance for over a decade. Pam also served as Controller for ReelzChannel, a national television startup, where she led all accounting operations and supported the network’s expansion to New Mexico, including all budgeting, audit, and incentive program implementation.

Pam’s earlier roles include Senior Financial Analyst positions at Deluxe Corporation and Ecolab, where she supported business unit performance, product profitability analysis, and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. She began her career in public accounting, supervising audits and preparing tax filings for a range of private companies.

She holds an MBA in Finance and a B.S. in Accounting from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA - retired).

Pam Sarne

Senior Consultant

JoAnn Cochran - CPA (inactive), Consultant

Biography

Ms. Cochran is a seasoned consultant with more than 30 years of experience in finance, focusing on corporate international tax, transfer pricing, mergers and acquisitions, financial analysis, compliance and reporting. Her background covers public accounting as well as various roles within the energy and semiconductor sectors during periods of rapid growth and substantial merger and acquisition activity.

During her decade at NRG Energy, Inc., Ms. Cochran held several positions, advancing to Executive Director, Taxation. In this capacity, she implemented structured finance strategies, conducted foreign tax due diligence, provided guidance on debt and equity funding options, and developed Excel models for FAS 109 tax liability reporting. She collaborated with interdisciplinary teams across legal, accounting, treasury, and external advisors to support efficient executive decision-making.

Ms. Cochran also provided consulting services to Entegris, Inc. in various finance capacities over 16 years, contributing through multiple reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions. Her initiatives included designing new systems and process improvements to ensure compliance with U.S. and international reporting requirements.

Ms. Cochran holds a Master of Business Taxation from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management and a BBA in Accounting from the University of Iowa.

JoAnn Cochran

CPA (inactive), Consultant

Joe Winters - Consultant

Biography

Joe brings over 25 years of experience in business financial management, with expertise in accounting and financial reporting, the development of complex budgeting and forecasting models, program finance, working capital, audit, and risk management. His career has spanned a diverse array of business sectors, including investment banking advisory services in corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions, the development of cross-border, tax-based leasing solutions for businesses in the transportation industry, and earned value management and financial reporting for US defense contractors.

Joe has extensive, hands-on experience with providing business management with the tools and capabilities needed for success, including financial analysis, forecast modeling, accounting and other business management functions, including bookkeeping, AR/AP management, billing, cost reporting and other day to day functions. He has worked with a variety of business management and reporting platforms including Oracle, Hyperion Financial Management, Quickbooks, and Peoplesoft Enterprise Applications.

Joe Winters

Consultant

Kristen LaBounty - Senior Accountant

Biography

Kristen LaBounty brings nearly a decade of accounting and audit expertise to Fairlead Advisors, with a career spanning both corporate and Big Four public accounting. She specializes in financial reporting, audit coordination, and multi-entity accounting, with a proven track record of managing month-end close processes, supporting complex audit engagements, and delivering accurate, timely financial results.

Most recently, Kristen served as Senior Accountant at Greenleaf Power, where she owned financial reporting and audit coordination across a multi-entity structure for nearly four years. Prior to that, she spent nearly four years at PwC in the Greater Sacramento practice, advancing from Audit Associate to Senior Associate. At PwC, she led audit engagements across a range of industries, evaluated internal controls, and navigated complex technical accounting matters in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Kristen holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from Sonoma State University. She is known for her technical rigor, clear communication, and ability to translate accounting complexity into practical insights that support sound business decisions, qualities that align directly with Fairlead Advisors' client-first approach.

Kristen LaBounty

Senior Accountant

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