Private Capital Team

Scott Barrington
Managing Partner
612 303-1110

Scott is a founder of the fund of funds team, which was established in January 2000 to build upon the extensive private equity capabilities of Piper Jaffray. He is also a member of the Investment Committee for all Private Capital funds and a member of Piper Jaffray’s Merchant Banking Investment Committee.

Prior to joining Piper Jaffray, Barrington practiced law at Dorsey and Whitney LLP. At Dorsey, he was a member of the emerging companies group where he advised start-up companies and private equity firms regarding LBO and VC transactions, M&A, IPOs and other corporate finance matters. Previously, Scott was an analyst in the M&A department of Citigroup. He also is a board member of a private software company (Prevari) and is a regular speaker at venture, buyout and cleantech conferences and is a regular guest lecturer at Macalester College’s entrepreneurship and capital markets classes.

Scott graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and economics from Macalester. He earned his Juris doctor from the University of Michigan Law School.

Danny’s day-to-day responsibilities include evaluating, implementing and monitoring VC, LBO and direct investments. Previously, Danny was a vice president at Piper Jaffray Ventures (now Sightline Partners) for five years where he focused on investing in the medical technology and healthcare services sectors. He served on the board of directors for several Piper Jaffray Ventures portfolio companies. Danny was also an associate on the Firm’s investment banking team and was a vice president at Deephaven Capital Management, a multi-strategy hedge fund. Danny is an advisory board member for Sightline Partners. Danny sits on the investment committees for the Talmud Torah of Minneapolis and the Jewish Family and Children’s Service.

He graduated with a BBA majoring in Finance, Investment and Banking from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Mike Pohlen
Partner
612 303-6718

Mike’s day-to-day responsibilities include evaluating, implementing and monitoring LBO, VC and direct investment opportunities. Mike was an officer for six years in Piper Jaffray’s investment banking group, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions in the lower middle market. Previously, Mike was the founder and president of an investment fund focused on small-cap industrial and consumer companies and worked with TerraVest Income Fund, a private equity firm focused on acquiring lower middle market companies in Canada. Mike also was vice president and co-founder of the Small Cap Portfolio Group at Deephaven Capital Management, a multi-strategy hedge fund.

He earned a BS in actuarial science and an MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.

Mark Austin
Partner
612 303-6168

Mark manages the business development efforts for the Private Capital team. He has over 15 years of investment management sales and marketing experience. Prior to joining the Private Capital group in 2006, he was a managing director at FAF Advisors, Inc., the asset management subsidiary of U.S. Bank. During his 13 years at FAF Advisors, he was responsible for new account development and headed the institutional sales, consulting relations and corporate teams. Previously, Mark worked at Investment Advisers Inc., investment banking firm R.J. Steichen & Co. and Honeywell. Mark sits on the foundation board for the North Hennepin Community College.

He received a Bachelor’s of Science degree from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of St. Thomas.

Buzz Benson
Investment Committee

Buzz is a founding member of SightLine Partners, which manages a series of venture capital funds focused on emerging health care and technology companies. Prior to SightLine, Buzz founded Piper Jaffray's venture activities in 1992 and co-headed the firm’s Health Care Investment Banking activities for six years. He has more than 16 years of venture capital and fund management experience. Prior to joining Piper Jaffray in 1986, Buzz was a partner at Stonebridge Capital, an investment officer with Cherry Tree Ventures and a manager in the public accounting firm of Arthur Andersen & Co.

He is a graduate of St. John’s University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Daniel Donoghue
Senior Advisor
Investment Committee

Dan has been working with the fund of funds team since 2000. In 2002, Dan founded Discovery Equity Partners, a small-cap M&A opportunity fund. From 1997 to 2002, he was a managing director in the middle-market M&A group and directed Piper Jaffray’s investment banking activities in Chicago. He was co-head of middle-market M&A from 2000 to 2002. Previously, Dan was an executive vice president with Duff & Phelps, an investment management and research firm. His experience in corporate finance also includes investment banking with William Blair & Company and public accounting with Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. Dan has provided expert testimony before the U.S. Congress and the Securities and Exchange Commission. He served a four-year term as a member of the Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council.

Dan graduated Summa Cum Laude from Boston College and received a MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. He is a CPA and CFA.

Tad headed Piper Jaffray’s private equity efforts from 1980-2006. After joining the Firm in 1969, Tad served as assistant syndicate manager, director of securities trading and director of sales and marketing. He was named chairman of the Management Committee in 1982 and CEO in 1983. Tad became chairman of the board in 1988. In December of 1999 he stepped down as CEO and in September 2003 transitioned to vice chairman. In August 2006, Tad retired as vice chairman. He will remain on the investment committee for all Private Capital funds as well as a board member of Piper Jaffray. His current civic activities include serving as a director of Renaissance Learning Corporation, Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Media Group. He also serves as a regent of St. Olaf College. Tad is the former chair of Abbott Northwestern Hospital, former chair of Minnesota Public Radio, former director of Allina Health System and Stanford University Business School Trust.

Tad received a bachelor's degree in economics from Williams College and a Master of Business Administration degree from Stanford University.

Tom is the president and chief operating officer of Piper Jaffray. He previously served as the vice chairman and chief financial officer, a position he held since August 2006. From July 2005 until August 2006, Tom was head of Corporate and Institutional Services for Piper Jaffray. He previously served as head of the firm's Investment Banking group, which he joined as an associate in 1986 as a mergers and acquisitions banker. He later co-founded and built the Piper Jaffray Health Care investment banking practice into one of the largest in the United States. Tom has extensive experience in public and private financing, as well as M&A and other strategic transactions. He serves on the board of directors of Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis and on the St. John’s University Board of Regents.

Tom is a graduate of St. John's University in Collegeville, Minn., and Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Mass.

Gretchen is responsible for investor relations and communications for all funds. She has worked exclusively on the fund of funds program since joining Piper Jaffray in April 2000. Prior to that, Gretchen was a marketing and planning coordinator with the PGA Tour and an original employee of Softspikes, Inc. She earned a bachelor's degree in marketing from Ferris State University.

Seth works with the senior members of the team on all aspects of the funds of funds' investment activities. His duties include assessing potential investments, monitoring existing investments, researching industry data and marketing prospective funds. He also serves as the initial contact for fund managers seeking capital. Seth earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting from Drake University.

Rich works with the senior members of the team on all aspects of the funds of funds' investment activities. His duties include assessing potential investments, monitoring existing investments and researching industry data. He also serves as the initial contact for fund managers seeking capital. Previously, Rich was an investment banking analyst with Piper Jaffray’s industrial growth and business services team. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, and risk management and insurance from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.

Brennan works with the senior members of the team on all aspects of investment activities. His duties include assessing potential investments, monitoring existing investments and researching industry data. He also serves as the initial contact for fund managers seeking capital. Brennan earned a bachelor's degree in economics and international business from Drake University.

Denise Galvin
Head of Finance
612 303-5604

Denise is the chief financial officer of the Private Capital Group. Prior to this role, she held various finance positions within Piper Jaffray since joining the firm in 1997. Previously, Denise worked at Jostens and Carlson Companies. She graduated from Minnesota State University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and has an MBA from the University of St. Thomas. She is a CPA (inactive).

Megan McElroy
Institutional Marketing
612 303-6804

Megan works in sales and marketing for the group. Her responsibilities include contacting and meeting potential investors to gain an understanding of their investment objectives and to introduce our fund strategies. Prior to joining the Private Capital group, Megan was with Allen & Company in the investment management group. Previously, Megan worked at UBS Investment Bank in the Institutional Sales group in New York and at Thomson Financial in the Corporate Advisory group. She earned a bachelor’s degree in French and political science from Middlebury College.

Kevin Buchholz
Staff Accountant
612 303-6547

Kevin is the Staff Accountant of the Private Capital group, responsible for assisting with all accounting and financial operations. Prior to this role, he attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance.

Amber Preston
Administration
612 303-6588

Amber is the administrative assistant for the Private Capital group. Prior to this role she was in the Custody and Transfer department of Piper Jaffray focusing on accounting, records control and safekeeping of customer assets. Amber has been with Piper Jaffray since 2003. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in Theatre Arts.

Tom works with the senior members of the team on all aspects of investment activities. His duties include assessing potential investments, monitoring existing investments and researching industry data. He also serves as the initial contact for fund managers seeking capital. Tom earned a bachelor's degree in financial economics from Gustavus Adolphus College.

Chris specializes in the structuring and placement of project finance transactions for both public and private sector borrowers. His experience includes financings for wind, biomass, hydro-electric, ethanol, biodiesel, biogas and other projects. Transactions have included tax-exempt and taxable bonds, loan syndications, senior and subordinate debt, construction, mini-perm and term financing, tax equity investments and a variety of securitizations. He joined Piper Jaffray in 1999 and prior to that worked for three years in the Public Finance department at John Nuveen and Co. He holds a BS from the University of Minnesota, an MS from Northwestern University and a PhD from Northwestern University, all in mathematics. Prior to becoming an investment banker, he taught for two years at the University of Texas at Austin.