The Executive Advisory Panel is comprised of trusted, experienced and successful industry operators and managers who primarily come from companies that Sigma has invested in and worked closely with in the past. Sigma leverages this deep pool of operating experience to assist in the process of creating shareholder value within the portfolio. These executives, alongside Sigma, work directly with the management team of the portfolio company in order to help drive strategy, minimize execution risks and maximize growth potential.
Richard Berliner
Mr. Berliner is the Founder, President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Berliner Communications, Inc. Mr. Berliner's professional career in the telecommunications industry spans over 25 years and includes a number of leadership positions. Prior to founding the company, Mr. Berliner held the position of Executive Vice President of Communications Development Systems from 1992-1994 where he was directly responsible for managing sales, marketing and customer activities for construction services to cellular carriers. Prior to his tenure with Communications Development Systems, he held multiple senior executive positions including Vice President of Sales with AAT.
George Davis
Mr. Davis was the CEO of Avatech Solutions, a Sigma portfolio company, from May 2007 until Avatech's merger with Rand Worldwide (OTC BB: RWWI) in August 2010, where he continues to serve as a board member. Prior, Mr. Davis was President and Vice Chairman of Aether Systems, a wireless data software and services company where he helped to build the venture into a $100 million company. He led its public offering in 1999 and several secondary offerings in 2000. From 1980 to 1996, he worked for Westinghouse Electric Corporation, now a division of Northrop Grumman, with increasing levels of responsibility in program management, including P&L accountability for major defense contracts involving the design, manufacture, and support of integrated military avionics. Davis serves on the boards of Demesys, LLC, an electronic medical records software and services company. He is a trustee of Bethany College in West Virginia, where he received a BS in Economics in 1978.
Joshua Emanuel
Mr. Emanuel was the Chairman and CEO of Datawave Systems, where he played an integral role in establishing Datawave as a premier distributor of prepaid products in the competitive U.S. and Canadian marketplaces. Prior to Datawave, Mr. Emanuel founded Interurban Communication, Inc., a wholesale prepaid calling card distribution business, which merged with Datawave Systems in 1997. Prior to Interurban, Mr. Emanuel has worked in leadership roles for Airco Carbon and Owens Illinois' Plastic Product Division. Additionally, Mr. Emanuel has served as an executive for the National Iranian Oil Services Company as well as the National Iranian Steel Melting Facilities in Ashwaz, Iran.
Matthew Growney
Mr. Growney is the founder of Rudyard Partners, a venture capital fund. Prior to founding Rudyard Partners, Mr. Growney was co-Founder and Managing Director of Motorola Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Motorola Inc., where he co-managed approximately $350 million across 70+ companies. Mr. Growney is a Board Advisor to Collective IQ, a corporate venturing firm in Atlanta focused on providing Fortune 2000 companies with strategic investment advisory and business development services. In addition, he sits on the boards of several private technology companies as well as a not-for-profit organization focused on teaching entrepreneurship.
Alan Guarino
Mr. Guarino is a Senior Partner in Korn/Ferry International's New York office, where as a key member of the firm's Global Financial Market team he is responsible for leading senior executive search assignments and for ensuring that key global accounts have access to the full range of Korn/Ferry's human capital services and solutions. Mr. Guarino is the former CEO of Cornell International, a highly regarded boutique executive search firm. Additionally, Mr. Guarino has launched other successful businesses such as Cornell Strategic Partners and Worldemployment.com, and has been involved with the growth of eight other start-up, emerging growth or small-cap companies as a strategic advisor, board member, and human capital provider.
Leonard Moskowitz
Mr. Moskowitz was formerly the co-President of Avon Electrical Supplies and, along with his brother, grew the business to $80 million in revenues before selling it to Wesco International Inc (NYSE: WCC) in 1997. Avon continued to operate as a subsidiary of Wesco with Mr. Moskowitz as President, growing to $160 million in worldwide revenues. Under Mr. Moskowitz's supervision, Avon has been instrumental in a variety of noteworthy projects, including JFK Air Train, Queens Mid-Town Tunnel Lighting, NYC LED Traffic Signal Replacement, Brooklyn Battery Tunnel Lighting, NY City Transit Authority, and Times Square NYC. Mr. Moskowitz is currently a business consultant for a number of early-stage companies.
