Advisory Board
Stephen Berman
Stephen G. Berman is the President and Chief Executive Officer of JAKKS Pacific, the third largest toy company in America. He co-founded JAKKS in 1995 and has since worked tirelessly as an Ambassador to many of America’s greatest classic and popular brands. With more than 4000 products in JAKKS’ diverse product portfolio and almost 1000 employees worldwide, Berman is a hands-on and visionary leader of JAKKS, and has navigated the Company through 16 acquisitions since JAKKS’ inception and 15 years of Annual Sales Growth.
Craig Cogut
Craig Cogut
Craig Cogut is founder and Co-Managing Partner of Pegasus Capital Advisors and co-founder of Pegasus Sustainable Century MB, L.P. Since 1995, Mr. Cogut has executed over 70 transactions at Pegasus, and has assembled a world-class team of investment, operational and policy professionals. He has led Pegasus to focus on businesses that secure competitive advantage through resource conservation, efficiency, and security. In 2008, he was selected to receive the New York League of Conservation Voters Corporate Pioneer Award.
Gary Hirshberg
Gary Hirshberg is the husband of freelance writer Meg Hirshberg and the father of three yogurt eaters. He is Chairman, President, and CE-Yo of Stonyfield Farm, the world’s leading organic yogurt producer and the author of Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World (Hyperion Books, 2008). Gary is a frequent speaker on topics including sustainability, climate change, the profitability of green and socially responsible business, organic agriculture, and sustainable economic development.
John Howard, Chief Executive Officer of Irving Place
Prior to founding Irving Place Capital in 1997, Mr. Howard was the co-CEO of Vestar Capital Partners, a private investment firm specializing in management buyouts. Previously, Mr. Howard was a Senior Vice President and Partner of Wesray Capital Corporation, one of the foremost private equity sponsors and a pioneer in the leveraged buyout business. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the Yale School of Management as well as on the Board of Trustees of Mt. Sinai Hospital.
Tom Kartsotis
Tom Kartsotis is Founder and current Chairman of FOSSIL, a global design, development, and marketing company. Mr. Kartsotis launched FOSSIL in 1984, taking the company public in 1993, and serving as CEO until 2000. In addition to his role as chairman of FOSSIL, Mr. Kartsotis also serves on the board of Burton Snowboards.
Gene Montesano
Gene Montesano was born in Brooklyn, New York and moved with his family to Miami at the age of eight. In 1972 he partnered with Barry Perlman and they opened Four Way Street, a jeans shop in Coral Gables, Florida. In 1978, he moved to Los Angeles and entered the burgeoning LA fashion industry. Soon after, Montesano started Bongo Jeans with partner Michael Caruso and helped run the Bongo brand for 15 years, growing it into a multi-million denim company. In 1990, Montesano left Bongo and re-teamed with Perlman to launch Lucky Brand Jeans.
Bippy M. Siegal
Mr. Siegal is an entrepreneur and investor with a solid track record of starting and growing successful international and domestic companies. He has extensive knowledge and business experience in the areas of financial services, information technology, international trade, and oil and gas exploration.