Our Team

Our team of experienced investors and operators works together in a culture of humility, integrity, and openness.

Emerald Lake’s investment team brings decades of expertise in all transaction phases, including sourcing, diligence, negotiations, financing, strategic acquisitions, and adding value as active shareholders and directors.

We partner with experienced operating executives, many of whom we have worked with successfully in the past, who have deep industry knowledge and build strong relationships to help our companies accelerate growth and value creation.

Dan Lukas

Managing Partner

Prior to founding Emerald Lake, Mr. Lukas worked in the Private Equity Group at Ares Management for 10 years, where he was a Partner, Investment Committee member, and Co-Head of Industrials leading investments across a broad range of sectors and transaction types. During his time at Ares, Mr. Lukas...

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Russ Hammond

Partner

Prior to joining Emerald Lake, Mr. Hammond worked at the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) for 15 years, where he was a Managing Director, member of the Total Fund and Equities investing committees, and a senior member of the direct private equity team before becoming Global Group head of...

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Joe DeJean

Principal

Prior to joining Emerald Lake, Mr. DeJean was a Vice President at the Audax Group, an established middle market private equity firm focused on the buy-and-build strategy. He was involved in numerous investments across multiple sectors, including industrials, aerospace & defense, transportation & logistics, and healthcare. Prior to Audax,...

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Sourabh Bhat

Vice President

Prior to joining Emerald Lake, Mr. Bhat was a member of the investment team at Metalmark Capital, a middle-market private equity firm. He was involved in numerous investments across multiple sectors, including industrials, natural resources, and healthcare. Prior to Metalmark, Mr. Bhat worked at UBS within the Investment Banking...

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Derrick Lee

Vice President

Prior to joining Emerald Lake, Mr. Lee was a member of the North American investment team at Cinven, a large international private equity firm. He was involved in numerous investments across multiple sectors, including software, media, telecom, and tech-enabled services. Prior to Cinven, Mr. Lee worked at Bregal Investments,...

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Gemma Kim

Associate

Prior to joining Emerald Lake, Ms. Kim was a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions team in the Industrials group at Perella Weinberg Partners. Prior to Perella Weinberg Partners, Ms. Kim worked as a Business Valuation Analyst in the Valuation Advisory Services group at Duff & Phelps, covering various...

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Katie Slodzinski

Associate

Prior to joining Emerald Lake, Ms. Slodzinski worked at Goldman Sachs within the Investment Banking Division in their Cross Markets Group covering various sectors including technology, media & entertainment, and business services Prior to Goldman Sachs, Ms. Slodzinski worked as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Financial Institutions Group...

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Madeleine Gray

Chief Financial Officer

Prior to joining Emerald Lake, Ms. Gray was a Manager at SS&C Technologies, where she was part of the fund administration team. Prior to that, Ms. Gray held accounting positions at Fortress Investment Group and fund administration positions at JP Morgan.  Ms. Gray trained as an auditor in financial...

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Meagan Ventre

Office Manager and Executive Assistant

Prior to joining Emerald Lake, Ms. Ventre was an executive assistant at Lion Capital and Ares Management, and a roadshow coordinator at UBS and AIG. Ms. Ventre holds a B.A. in English from Indiana University....

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Alex Gearin

Executive Assistant

Prior to joining Emerald Lake, Ms. Gearin worked as an assistant for the CEO of Starrett City Associates. Prior to that, Ms. Gearin worked as an assistant to executive producers at Twentieth Century Fox, as well as a production assistant at NBC, Sony Pictures, and Culver Studios. Ms. Gearin...

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Jim Hibberd

Operating Partner

Prior to co-founding Emerald Lake, Mr. Hibberd worked at Ares Management as an Executive Advisor in the electrical, distribution, and industrial sectors.   Mr. Hibberd brings over 30 years of operations, sales, M&A and international experience to Emerald Lake. Prior to Ares, Mr. Hibberd was the CEO of Gexpro, a...

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Chris Curtis

Executive Partner

Mr. Curtis is currently the Executive Chairman of Mission Critical Group and serves as an independent director of the S&C Electric Company. He is former CEO of Wencor, an aerospace aftermarket components company, and former Chairman of Munters, a global specialist of air treatment solutions. Mr. Curtis served as...

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Susan Docherty

Executive Partner

Ms. Docherty is the former CEO of Canyon Ranch, a leading global wellness experience and resort company. She was formerly the President and Managing Director of Chevrolet/Cadillac Europe and just prior the Vice President of International Operations, Sales, Marketing and Aftersales in China at General Motors. Ms. Docherty is...

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Mike Evans

Executive Partner

Mr. Evans was formerly the President and CEO of The Waddington Group, a global manufacturer and marketer of packaging and disposables serving the foodservice, bakery, deli, produce and confectionery markets.   FORMER FIRMS The Waddington Group...

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Rick Frier

Executive Partner

Mr. Frier is an experienced executive and corporate board member in the industrial, consumer, retail, information services and technology sectors. As a successful EVP and CFO of several public and private companies, he has developed a track record of applying financial and general management expertise across different industries and...

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Doug Grimm

Executive Partner

Mr. Grimm is Chairman of the Board of Electrical Components International. He also serves as a director of GST AutoLeather, Mojio, and Blue Bird Corporation. Mr. Grimm founded and led Grede Holdings, a supplier of safety-critical chassis, suspension, and drivetrain components, which grew to over $1 billion in sales....

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Gary Hendrickson

Executive Partner

Mr. Hendrickson brings a wealth of global executive leadership experience having served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Valspar Corporation (formerly NYSE: VAL), a global paint and coatings manufacturer, from 2011 to 2017, and as President & COO from 2008 to 2011. Beginning in 2001, Mr. Hendrickson...

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Tim Lee

Executive Partner

Mr. Lee possesses a mix of commercial and operational skills developed over a successful career spanning over 40 years at General Motors. Starting as a student intern in 1969 he held progressively senior roles culminating in being Executive Vice President of Global Manufacturing, President of GM International Operations, and...

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Darryl Schimeck

Executive Partner

Mr. Schimeck possesses a range of executive experience in industrial and environmental services, having served in various senior management roles in a career spanning 30 years. His operational expertise includes testing and inspection, textile manufacturing, scaffolding, insulation, painting, demolition, hazardous waste transportation, environmental remediation, and nuclear facility decontamination and...

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Rick Wagoner

Executive Partner

Mr. Wagoner retired from General Motors Corporation in 2009 after a 32-year career. He served as Chairman and CEO of GM from 2003 through 2009, before which he had been President and CEO since 2000. His many other senior leadership positions at GM included Executive Vice President, President of...

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Note: The executives referenced on this page are either employees of Emerald Lake or third-party consultants who assist Emerald Lake with due diligence of prospective investments and post-close initiatives at portfolio companies.