PARTNERS

Unique Collective Experience

The Firm is independently owned and is dedicated to providing liquidity solutions in the private equity secondary market, with no conflicting or competing products. The Partners have an average of 33 years of professional work experience, an average of 23 years of secondary market experience investing across numerous investment cycles and have worked together at the Firm for an average of 17 years.

The Managing Partners have built a strong network in the secondary market and in the private equity industry since the late 1980s. They have served on numerous advisory boards, including secondary funds managed by ARCIS Group, Arctos Sports Partners, Capital Dynamics, Coller Capital, Industry Ventures, Landmark Partners, Lexington Partners, Pantheon, StepStone Group and Strategic Partners. They have developed strong relationships with many limited partners, primary, secondary and fund-of-funds managers, investment banks and other intermediaries. This broad network of relationships has led, and is expected to continue to lead, to a consistent, high level of deal flow, especially with respect to niche transactions, as well as due diligence and general partner consent benefits. The Management Team believes that its secondary market experience, especially in evaluating and completing transactions of mature portfolios, will enable the General Partner to select the most promising deals and negotiate the most attractive terms. The Management Team also has significant direct investment experience in private debt, mezzanine and equity deals in specialty industries. Broad secondary, deal underwriting and deep industry relationships provide a unique advantage in sourcing, evaluating, valuing and completing niche secondary market transactions.

For individual biographies, please see the links included below:

Ronn C. Cornelius is a Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Montauk TriGuard. Prior to co-founding Montauk TriGuard, Mr. Cornelius was a Managing Director, Equities, of Pacific Life (“PL“), as well as Co-Chairman of its Workout Committee. During his 19 years with PL, Mr. Cornelius was active in making debt, mezzanine and private equity investments in various industries, including utilities, energy, real estate, media, financial and sports franchises. He helped build and co-managed PL's private equity portfolio of secondary and primary funds. Mr. Cornelius was also instrumental in PL becoming a founding limited partner in several secondary funds. He has served on numerous advisory boards, including secondary funds managed by ARCIS Group, Arctos Sports Partners, Capital Dynamics, Coller Capital, Landmark Partners, Lexington Partners, Pantheon, Stepstone Group and Strategic Partners. Mr. Cornelius has an MBA and a BS in Finance from California State University at Long Beach.

Samuel Tang is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Montauk TriGuard. Prior to co-founding Montauk TriGuard, Mr. Tang was a Managing Director, Equities, of PL. At PL, Mr. Tang co-developed the Equities group’s tri-level investment approach that targets both reliable and attractive returns and co-managed PL’s private equity portfolio with its emphasis on strategy, tactics and logistics. Mr. Tang also co-chaired PL’s Workout Committee to maximize recovery on bond investments, and worked on various strategic and direct equity investments. Before joining PL, he was a Managing Partner at The Shidler Group, a specialized private equity firm focused on finance, insurance and real estate companies, several of which became publicly traded. Mr. Tang has an MBA in Finance from the University of California, Los Angeles and a BS in Accounting from the University of Southern California. Mr. Tang has served on several private equity fund advisory and corporate boards.

Eric Becker is a Principal and CFO of Montauk TriGuard. Prior to joining Montauk TriGuard, Mr. Becker was the President of Macquarie Funds Management (USA) Inc., the U.S. operating division of Macquarie Investment Management Private Markets (“MIMPM”). Mr. Becker served on all of MIMPM’s Investment Committees, which were responsible for over $7 billion of assets under advice globally, investing in private funds, secondary investments and co-investments. Prior to co-founding MIMPM’s U.S. operation in 2005, Mr. Becker served as a Director at Pacific Corporate Group where he was primarily responsible for sourcing and executing private equity investments on behalf of a variety of large U.S. pension plans. Earlier in his career, Mr. Becker spent six years working for PL and for Deloitte & Touche. Mr. Becker holds a BA from the University of California at Santa Barbara and an MBA from the University of Southern California. He is a CFA Charter Holder and a Certified Public Accountant (inactive). Mr. Becker has served on several corporate boards and private equity fund advisory boards and was an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego.

Sean Gessay is a Principal and CCO of Montauk TriGuard. Prior to joining Montauk TriGuard, Mr. Gessay was a Senior Accounting Analyst at PL for five years, where he performed accounting and operations functions for the Montauk TriGuard Funds as well as PL’s private equity portfolio. Prior to joining PL, Mr. Gessay worked in the residential mortgage industry for six years as a licensed California Real Estate professional. Mr. Gessay holds a BA in Finance from the California State University at Fullerton and an MBA from the University of California at Irvine. Mr. Gessay is also a Certified Public Accountant (inactive).

Brian Smith is a Senior Advisor and Co-Founder of Montauk TriGuard. Mr. Smith is also General Partner and Founder of Montauk Advisors, L.L.C., the investment advisor for the Predecessor Funds, where he led the efforts in evaluating transactions and reporting. He has been an institutional investor and financial professional for over 20 years at several firms including Travelers Insurance and Sterling Grace Capital Management. Mr. Smith was a Senior Vice President of Sterling Grace, a diversified global asset management firm, where he participated in the purchase of 15 interests in private equity partnerships and 17 direct interests in companies. At Travelers, Mr. Smith analyzed and structured highly negotiated debt, mezzanine and equity private placement transactions. Mr. Smith is a Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Public Accountant (inactive) and received his MBA and BBA from the University of Texas at Austin.