Our Professional Team
Wayne G. Nielsen
President and Managing Partner
Wayne G. Nielsen
President and Managing PartnerMr. Nielsen is the Managing Partner of W.G. Nielsen & Co. and has
more than 30 years of investment banking experience. Since 1996, he has specialized in
providing customized mergers and acquisitions services for privately held middle-market
companies.
Prior to founding W.G. Nielsen & Co., Mr. Nielsen was Executive Vice President of
Kirkpatrick Pettis, a subsidiary of Mutual of Omaha, where he founded and managed the
firm’s Rocky Mountain investment banking operations, including corporate and public
finance, retail and institutional sales, trading activities and money management
services. Before that, Mr. Nielsen managed United Bank of Denver's investment banking
activities.
He began his financial career as a commercial loan analyst with Midland Bank, a Norwest
Bank, and then moved to Northwestern National Life Insurance Co. as a portfolio
investment analyst.
Mr. Nielsen holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Pacific Union College and
an MBA from Webster University.
Ronald M. Barber
Executive Vice President, Managing Director
Ronald M. Barber
Executive Vice President, Managing DirectorMr. Barber joined W.G. Nielsen & Co. in August 2002. Prior to
joining the firm, he consulted for several clients of W.G. Nielsen & Co. Mr. Barber
previously served as CEO of Corybant, Inc., a company that develops Active Information
Models for enterprise applications and social networking. Prior to Corybant, he was a
founder and served as Executive Vice President of Sales and International Operations for
TomTec Imaging Systems, a manufacturer of medical imaging and information management
systems. In addition, Mr. Barber has extensive experience in building corporate sales
and marketing organizations, as well as hands-on experience in the biomedical and
medical laboratory fields.
Mr. Barber received his Medical Technology degree in Pathology from Bethesda Memorial
Hospital/Florida Atlantic University.
Michael Block
Senior Vice President, Western Region
Michael Block
Senior Vice President, Western Region
Mr. Block joined W. G. Nielsen & Co. in 2014. He has spent the better part of his career
in mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital, mostly on behalf of
ultra-high net worth families. He started his transaction and capital markets career 35
years ago as Director of Corporate Development at G.D Searle, a Fortune 500
pharmaceutical company. While there, Mr. Block was part of a team that negotiated the
acquisition or divestiture of companies on four continents. Shortly after the sale of
that Company in 1985, he joined the Searle Family office and managed a series of venture
capital funds for that family and other likeminded families for more than 20 years. In
2010, after a short stint as a commercial banker, he became Chief Investment Officer of
a Denver based holding company where he raised capital from family offices for new
acquisitions, and had responsibility for managing the acquisition and divestiture
process. Most recently, he formed a private equity firm serving the needs of families
interested in direct private equity investing.
Mr. Block holds a BS in Accounting from the University of Illinois in Chicago and was a
Certified Public Accountant. He received both his MS in Taxation and his law degree from
DePaul University.
Craig M. Davis
Director, Financial Services & Special Assets
Craig M. Davis
Director, Financial Services & Special Assets
Mr. Davis joined W.G. Nielsen & Co. in 2000. He began his career in 1982 working with
various institutional securities firms in Chicago. His investment banking experience
includes work with structured financings, private debt & equity transactions and
mezzanine structures, including preferred equity and subordinated/second lien debt. His
brokerage experience provided him with an in-depth understanding of corporate debt and
asset-backed structures.
Mr. Davis specializes in the financial services sector with an emphasis on
commercial/consumer debt and/or receivables (performing and non-performing), distressed
assets, special assets, tax credits, tax liens, alternative asset classes and special
situations.
Mr. Davis graduated with a degree in finance from the University of Illinois, Chicago
Circle, in 1982. Prior to college, Mr. Davis served with the United States Army's 3rd
Brigade, 101st Airborne Division.
Michael D. Harris
Vice President
Michael D. Harris
Vice President
Mr. Harris joined W.G. Nielsen & Co. in July 2016. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Harris
was the Controller for DataGryd Data Centers, a start-up urban data center located in
TriBeCa and funded by a large, publicly-traded private equity firm. Prior to DataGryd
Data Centers, Mr. Harris worked as a Senior Associate within the valuation practice of
Duff & Phelps’ New York office where he advised clients on the valuation of tangible and
intangible assets on a pre- and post-merger basis. He also performed investment
valuations for large private equity groups and provided merger & acquisition advisory
services. Additionally, Mr. Harris has investment management experience from roles at
Bear Stearns and KM Capital Management. Mr. Harris has extensive financial modeling
experience, having taught financial modeling to incoming investment banking analysts at
several bulge bracket banks in New York while working with Training The Street. He also
served as a Teaching Assistant for a graduate level valuation and finance course taught
through the Harvard University Extension School.
Mr. Harris earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan,
Ann Arbor and his M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also
completed graduate studies at Handelshögskolan (Stockholm School of Economics), and has
passed the CFA Level I and Level II Exams.
Ray J. Hernandez
Managing Director, Telecommunications & Technology
Ray J. Hernandez
Managing Director, Telecommunications & Technology
Mr. Hernandez joined W.G. Nielsen & Co. in September 2011 and has over 25 years of
investment banking experience. He oversees the firm's efforts in telecommunications,
data networking and information technology.
Prior to joining W.G. Nielsen, Mr. Hernandez was a Managing Director at Janco Partners
Inc. in Denver and Roth Capital Partners in Los Angeles, CA. Before that he founded an
IP telephony business focused on the SMB market. Also, Mr. Hernandez has served as a
Vice President in the Corporate Development group at Covad Communications, a broadband
access and network services company. He began his investment banking career in 1990 with
Falkenberg Capital Corp.
Prior to joining the investment banking industry, he was a cable television entrepreneur
and served as Director of Acquisitions for Tele-Communications, Inc., formerly the
largest cable television systems operator in the U.S.
Mr. Hernandez began his career as a tax and corporate attorney and is a graduate of the
University of Colorado and Harvard Law School. He holds the Series 7, 24, 63 and 79
securities licenses.
J. Gregory Karsh
Director
J. Gregory Karsh
Director
Mr. Karsh joined W.G. Nielsen & Co. in December 2011. Prior to that, Mr. Karsh was a
senior associate in the Dallas office of Houlihan Lokey where he was a member of the
Financial Opinions & Advisory Services practice. While at Houlihan Lokey, he specialized
in fairness and solvency opinions as well as enterprise valuations, tangible and
intangible assets valuations, valuations of investments for large private equity groups
and other advisory services.
Before Houlihan Lokey, he was a senior associate in the New York office of Standard &
Poor’s (formerly PriceWaterhouseCoopers Corporate Value Consulting and currently Duff &
Phelps), where he worked on enterprise valuations, valuations of tangible and intangible
assets and other advisory services. Earlier, he was an associate at a boutique
investment bank in Denver that focused on M&A advisory services.
Mr. Karsh earned his bachelor’s degree in finance with a concentration in accounting
from the University of Texas at Austin and his MBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business
School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Michael Mazer
Managing Director, Telecommunications
Michael Mazer
Managing Director, Telecommunications
Michael Mazer has been an active investment banker in the telecommunications field for
more than 20 years. Since 1993, Michael has personally represented over 30 owners of
minority cellular interests and represented 23 owners of privately owned local exchange
carriers in the sale of their assets. We believe this number of closings is more than
anyone else in the industry.
Before launching Mazer Telecommunications Advisors, Michael was Senior Vice President of
another investment banking firm, where he directed the company’s efforts in the
independent telephone company industry.
Prior to that, Michael held various management posts in media, marketing and financial
management at TIME Magazine, HBO, and Credit Suisse Group, all based in New York
City.
Michael graduated from Yale University with a BA degree in Administrative Science. He
holds his Series 79 license.
Richard L. Millett, Jr.
Senior Vice President
Richard L. Millett, Jr.
Senior Vice President
Mr. Millett joined W.G. Nielsen & Co. in December 2010 and has more than 28 years of
experience in mergers and acquisitions and private and public company financings. Prior
to joining the firm, Mr. Millett was the Chief Financial Officer of Office Source, Inc.
where he acquired five regional companies to form a national office furniture wholesale
company with $125 million in revenues.
Before Office Source, he served as the Vice President of Acquisitions and Corporate
Development of Corporate Express, Inc., where he was responsible for 185 acquisitions
completed in six years, both public and private, including 73 international
acquisitions. He also practiced law at Davis, Graham & Stubbs, one of Denver's largest
and oldest law firms, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions, corporate securities
and finance, and general corporate law.
Mr. Millett received his law degree from J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young
University, and a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Brigham Young University. He is
also a former Certified Public Accountant.
Patrick O’Keefe
Director, Telecommunications
Patrick O’Keefe
Director, Telecommunications
Patrick has more than 30 years’ experience in the telecommunications industry, with more
than 23 years as an investment banker and commercial banker, and 11 years as President
of a privately-owned telecommunications service company. His completed client
transactions have included small-to-medium size companies that provide telephone, video
and internet access services throughout the U.S.
Prior to joining W.G. Nielsen, Patrick held a variety of management and senior financial
positions at telecommunications companies, investment banking firms (including Shearson
Lehman and Wells Fargo), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) in
Chicago.
Patrick graduated from University of Denver with an MBA in Finance, and from University
of Illinois with a BS in Economics. He holds a Series 79 license.
Michael Tsokur
Banker
Michael Tsokur
Banker
Mr. Tsokur joined W.G. Nielsen & Co. in April 2020. Prior to joining the firm, he
consulted for numerous companies across the U.S. and South America as a fractional-CFO,
Advisor and board member with a focus on early and late-stage startups. Prior to that,
he spent five years at one of the world's largest banks in commercial and private
banking. Mr. Tsokur has extensive experience in financial modeling, board strategy,
fundraising, operational finance and investor relations. His sector expertise
encompasses IoT, SaaS, healthcare, nanotechnology, hardware as well as developing unique
business models that haven't existed before.
Mr. Tsokur received his Bachelor of Arts in Marketing & Public Relations from Ashford
University.
John Woodberry
Director
John Woodberry
Director
Mr. Woodberry joined W.G. Nielsen & Co. in July 2019 and has over thirty years of
experience in financial markets.
Prior to joining W.G. Nielsen, Mr. Woodberry was the Portfolio Manager of Woodberry
Holdings, LLC, a family office and financial advisory firm. He has worked at several
well known investment firms including: Passport Capital and Templeton Investment
Counsel. Earlier in his career, Mr. Woodberry was an investment banker at Smith Barney
and Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.
Mr. Woodberry currently sits on the boards of Black Creek Diversified Property Fund
(REIT), AgPixel (aerial imagery), and American Marksman (ammunition).
Mr. Woodberry is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Business School.
Rebecca Stout
Operations Manager
Rebecca Stout
Operations Manager
Ms. Stout joined W.G. Nielsen & Co. in September 2013 as an administrative assistant,
and currently serves as the firm’s Operations Manager. In her role, she is responsible
for overseeing the firm’s back office operations and managing W.G. Nielsen & Co.’s
vendor relationships. Additionally, she manages and coordinates the firm’s private
equity and family office relationships.
Ms. Stout earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of
Colorado Denver.
Ken Carlson
Senior Associate
Ken Carlson
Senior Associate
Mr. Carlson joined W.G. Nielsen & Co. in January 2020. Prior to joining the firm, Ken
was the Managing Director and Founder of Boreas Ventures a Fractional-CFO consulting
company specializing in providing financial leadership and growth solutions to Colorado
based small and middle-market companies. Ken has over 14 years of experience in private
equity, FinTech, structured finance, banking, and real estate.
Before founding Boreas Ventures, Ken served as VP of Credit and Risk and Interim Chief
Credit Officer for P2Binvestor, Inc. (“P2Bi”). P2Bi is a technology enabled marketplace
lender that originates commercial lines of credit secured by accounts receivable and
inventory. Prior to his tenure at P2Bi, Ken held positions of increasing responsibility
at Metropolitan Merchant Capital (“MetMC”) a FinTech startup backed by a New York based
private equity group focused on deploying capital into non-bank lending, Prologis, Inc.
an independent equity real estate investment trust based in Denver, CO, Klaff Realty, LP
a privately-owned real estate investment firm based in Chicago, IL, and Barrington Bank
& Trust Co., N.A. a nationally chartered commercial bank based in Barrington,
IL.
Ken holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Miami University in Oxford, OH with a major
in finance.
Alex Shapiro
Associate
Alex Shapiro
Associate
Mr. Shapiro joined W.G Nielsen & CO. in April of 2019. Mr. Shapiro is highly involved in
the day to day operations of the firm, working closely with deal teams to execute M&A
transactions.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Shapiro began his career with Tudor, Pickering, and Holt
(a subsidiary of Perella Weinberg Partners) as an investment banking analyst focused on
the oil & gas markets. After completing his internship, Mr. Shapiro joined K Squared
Fund, LLC, a Denver based generalist private equity fund focused on the middle market.
There, Mr. Shapiro was in charge of deal teams and deal execution focusing on the
Technology, Business Service, and Healthcare markets.
Mr. Shapiro holds three B.S degrees in Finance, Accounting, and Operations from the
University of Colorado at Boulder Leeds School of Business.
Holly Porter
Administrative Assistant
Holly Porter
Administrative Assistant
Mrs. Porter joined W. G. Nielsen & Co. in April 2019. She works closely with our team,
and supports company operations by helping maintain office systems, assisting with
correspondence, managing conference rooms as well as maintaining filing systems. With a
background in service and administration, Holly has extensive experience in office
management and customer relations.
Mrs. Porter earned her Associates in Cosmetology from Northland Pioneer College in Show
Low, Arizona.