Team

Black Mountain Equity was formed by a group of experienced entrepreneurs, investors and academics with decades of experience in managing, investing in and growing businesses.

The principals at BME have completed numerous transactions, including the following:

• $80 million acquisition of a restaurant chain with over 130 locations
• $110 million sale of one of the largest diversified suppliers to the foodservice industry
• $10 million growth financing and two follow-on investments (additional $8 million) in a 401k record keeper
• $5 million minority investment in a full-service insurance brokerage focused on middle-market companies
• $10 million public investment in a Korean-based content development and talent management media firm

Principals

Henry Kim Manager henry@bmequity.com Download vcard Henry Kim comes to BME from The Yucaipa Companies, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm focused on buyouts in the distribution, logistics and retail industries. Prior to The Yucaipa Companies, Henry was an investment banker at Morgan Stanley (Financial Sponsors / M&A Groups). He also has experience with internal corporate finance issues through time spent as the Director of Restructuring at Ford Models Inc. For almost a decade, Henry has owned / operated two Orange Julius franchises and one Dairy Queen Henry has executed buy / sell side transactions in industries ranging from consumer products, retail, media, food distribution and technology. Recently, Henry sourced and executed deals in Asia for the Yucaipa Global Opportunities Fund. Henry holds a BA in Economics from Bowdoin College and an MBA from Stanford's Graduate School of Business.

Mark Lenhard Manager mark@bmequity.com Download vcard Immediately prior to BME, Mark Lenhard was with Belvedere Capital, a San Francisco-based, middle-market private equity firm focused on buyouts and minority growth investments in the financial services industry. Previously, Mark served as a management consultant advising businesses ranging from Fortune 100 multinationals to micro-enterprises, local governments and non-profit organizations. Mark's projects spanned a range of industries including private equity, financial services, retail, technology and consumer products. Mark worked for leading management consultancies including Marakon Associates and the Parthenon Group, as well as independently advising small businesses and foundations in Ecuador. Mark earned a BA in Economics from Yale University and an MBA from Stanford's Graduate School of Business.

Lauren Colbert Principal lauren@bmequity.com Download vcard Before becoming a Principal with Black Mountain Equity, Lauren worked for the Stanford Management Company, which manages Stanford University's more than $21.6 billion in financial and real estate assets. Previously, Lauren held positions at Caruso Affiliated Holdings, a real estate development firm in Los Angeles; Cates Consulting, an executive search firm; and Mahoney, Coppenrath and Jaffe LLC, a corporate law firm. She was born and raised in Pacific Palisades, California. Lauren studied Economics and Mathematics at Stanford University.

Hunter Patterson Principal hunter@bmequity.com Download vcard Before becoming a Principal with Black Mountain Equity, Hunter worked in risk management within the Global Technology division of Travelers Insurance Co., the second largest commercial casualty insurer in the United States. Previously, Hunter held positions at Green Street Capital Management, a San Francisco hedge fund focused on the banking industry and ManhattanGMAT, a test prep company. Hunter earned a BA in economics, cum laude, from the University of San Francisco where he served as editor in chief of the campus newspaper, was elected to Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit honors society, and conducted research and graduate studies in economics.

Mark S. Powlen Principal markp@bmequity.com Download vcard Prior to joining Black Mountain Equity, Mark worked at Morgan Stanley in their PWM department for a group that actively managed over $400 million in assets. As a student at University of Southern California, Mark co-founded Cogent Private Networks LLC, a niche college marketing group. While with Cogent, Mark was responsible for bringing in their first round of outside funding. Previously, Mark held IT positions at Winedark Records, and Full Circle Enterprises, a boutique record label for upcoming artists. He was born and raised in Silicon Valley. Mark received a BS in Business Administration with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship from USC.

Kelly Wright Principal kelly@bmequity.com Download vcard Kelly Wright is a Principal with Black Mountain Equity, where she focuses on financial services and direct marketing industry sectors. Previously, Kelly worked with NearbyNow, a Mountain View, California company that provides technology and online marketing services to retailers and shopping centers, helping drive sales by converting online shoppers to in-store buyers. At NearbyNow, she helped launch their cornerstone product and drive sales with their first two customers. Kelly studied Economics and Mathematics at Stanford University.