Silverwood Partners Announces New Head of the Consumer Practice Addition of 12 Industry Advisors

May 18, 2016; Sherborn, MA—Today Silverwood Partners announces the appointment of Lars Hem as the new head of the Consumer Practice for the firm and the addition of 12 Industry Advisors who have joined the firm’s Consumer Practice.

“Building on Silverwood Partners’ track record as a leading investment bank in the Healthy Living Consumer Sector, these individuals are all exceptional, providing expertise and advice to companies within the consumer industry. We are looking forward to working with them jointly, providing excellence to our clients in M&A and Private Placement advisory with deep industry knowledge and relationships," said Jonathan Hodson-Walker, Managing Partner.

Lars Hem, Silverwood Partners Consumer Group Head
The new Head of the Silverwood Partners Consumer Group is Lars Hem, who joins the firm as a Managing Director. Mr. Hem has 15 years of experience as a banker at firms such as JP Morgan, Stonebridge Associates and ValuFinder Group. In addition, he brings significant experience as an operating executive in the healthy living consumer sector having been a founder and Co-CEO of CATZ Sports Performance Centers, a provider of sports training, fitness and physical therapy services for active, sports-minded consumers.

Silverwood Partners existing and newest Industry Advisors include:

Brad Barnhorn
Brad Barnhorn has been a Silverwood Industry Advisor since 2011 and has been involved in many beverage industry transactions with Silverwood. Mr. Barnhorn serves as a Board Member and private investor to a range of operating companies as well as an advisor to several consumer-focused private equity funds. Mr. Barnhorn currently serves as a Board Member for KeVita, Health Warrior, Chameleon Cold Brew, Rhythm Super Foods and Glukos. He was an early pioneer in the healthy beverage sector as Founder and CEO of the Fantasia Fresh Juice Company.

Lauren Clardy
Lauren Clardy is President of NutriMarketing, a consulting firm providing marketing strategy and commercialization services in the nutraceutical, functional ingredient and bioactives market. As a recognized leader in nutraceutical marketing, Ms. Clardy plays a leading role in helping clients develop, plan and implement marketing and commercialization initiatives in both the B2B and B2C markets. She has particular expertise in functional ingredients, dietary supplements, functional foods, medical foods, cosmeceuticals and nutricosmetics.

Greg Doherty
Greg Doherty is a commercial insurance broker with Bolton & Company Insurance Brokers and Employee Benefits Consultants, of Pasadena, CA. He is the Executive Vice President and Managing Director of the Dietary Supplement Practice Group for the firm, which specializes in providing specialized insurance solutions for the nutritional product and dietary supplement industries, including contract manufacturers, raw materials suppliers, and distributors/retailers.

Leslie Freytag
Leslie Freytag has many years of executive leadership and consulting experience working with iconic and trendsetting, multi-channel specialty retailers and consumer packaged goods companies like Neiman Marcus, Jackson & Perkins, Tommy Bahama, Harry & David, and most recently, butter LONDON. Ms. Freytag’s expertise is in transforming businesses and advising executive teams as well as boards on best practices in strategic planning, go-to-market processes, board and corporate governance, succession planning, product development, brand building, and team management to accelerate growth.

Brad Haggen
Brad Haggen has spent a lifetime in the food industry including 35 years with Haggen, Inc., once the largest privately held supermarket chain in the Northwest with sales approaching $900 million. He held various positions within the company including store operations management, food service management, and advertising/marketing/loyalty marketing. Mr. Haggen also created new business units within the company, including a smaller store concept, a catering division and the TerraVida Coffee brand which was distributed through a variety of retail locations, including CPG and bulk programs.

Shirley Q. Huang
Shirley Huang is the Founder & CEO of Vision Avenue Consulting, dedicated to providing cross-border M&A, new market entry strategies, and strategic partnerships services between the United States and China. Ms. Huang has over 20 years of experience as a strategic consultant, senior corporate manager, and investment advisor in the US and China.

Josh Kohnstamm
Josh Kohnstamm is Owner and CEO of Minneapolis-based public relations firm Kohnstamm Communications. Mr. Kohnstamm has been a leader in public relations for natural and organic brands for 25 years, and is also a founding shareholder of Honest Tea. He has worked for a generation of leading natural and organic brands, helping to create national awareness and has been actively involved in setting the stage for high profile liquidity events for his clients.

Carol Nicholson
Carol Nicholson is an experienced marketing and advertising executive and the Owner and CEO of International Marketing Company, a marketing consulting firm. For over 25 years, Ms. Nicholson has worked in the marketing of consumer goods, business to business services and non-profits. International Marketing Company focuses on the sectors of Natural Products, Healthcare, Medical Devices and Cause Marketing.

Marc Philouze
Marc Philouze has broad international experience as a company executive, private equity investor, and more recently as an industry business advisor. Mr. Philouze is presently a business advisor focused on the consumer sector with a broad knowledge of the B2B ingredient sector for segments such as Food, Nutrition and Cosmetics. Previously, Mr. Philouze was the President and CEO of Diana Plant Sciences, an innovator in the field of ingredients for the nutraceutical and cosmetics industries.

Jessica Pratt
Jessica Pratt has broad expertise in the organic and natural food and beverage sector. She was an early employee of Suja juice and presently serves as the company’s Vice President of Sales, where she focuses on Natural, Food Service and Military retail opportunities. Ms. Pratt brings significant experience in brand growth, distribution and retail requirements for organic and natural products.

Julia Stamberger
Julia Stamberger is the Founder and CEO of The Next BIG Thing Group, a consulting firm focused on new and innovative brands in the natural food segment. Previously, Ms. Stamberger served as Co-Founder and CEO of Go Picnic Brands, a leader in shelf stable meals, and as the Business Development Manager for Onboard Retail programs of United Airlines, where she was responsible for conceiving, developing and launching United's shelf-stable buy-on-board meal program. Over the past 12 years, Ms. Stamberger has worked with hundreds of manufacturers and brands to create, develop and produce over 40 million meals.

Michael Theodor
Michael Theodor is a leader in the Canadian organic and natural product industry where he has been active in the organic, supplement and natural products brokerage business for over 30 years. Mr. Theodor has deep experience and expertise in establishing and building distribution for natural and organic food products.

Eugene Wang
Eugene Wang is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Sophie’s Kitchen, a pioneer in plant-based seafood alternatives. Under Mr. Wang’s leadership, Sophie’s Kitchen has developed a variety of plant-based products, using patent-pending technologies, that are 100% gluten free, Non-GMO Project verified and Kosher. An experienced entrepreneur and leader, Mr. Wang’s broad scope of professional experience makes him uniquely qualified to assist vegetarian and vegan companies in market entry and business growth strategies.

About Silverwood Partners
Silverwood Partners is a specialized investment bank that provides mergers & acquisitions and private placement advisory services to consumer products, technology, and healthcare companies. The firm combines a deep industry sector focus developed over decades of coverage with tier 1 expertise in M&A and private placements. Silverwood brings longstanding industry knowledge and relationships to each client's unique situation with commitment, expertise and a dedication to an outstanding result for each transaction.

Press Contact
Jonathan Hodson‐Walker
Managing Partner
T: 508‐651‐2194
E: jhw@silverwoodpartners.com

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