Business Council
Fund III formed a Business Council comprised of limited partners who lend their business and operating expertise to the General Partner in areas such as identification of potential investments, due diligence, industry expertise and insight and participation on portfolio company Board of Directors. Business Council members also act as general ambassadors in their respective communities promoting the interests of the Fund. Business Council members include:
Robert Berger
Mr. Berger currently serves as Chairman of the Board of OP-TECH Environmental Services and Chairman, President and CEO of St. Lawrence Industrial Services, Inc. Mr. Berger has over 30 years of experience in the finance industry. His current civic involvements include serving as Vice President for Strategic Planning for the Hiawatha/Seaway Council of the Boy Scouts of America and First Vice Chair of the NY/Penn Region of the American Red Cross Blood Services.
Donald Dew
Mr. Dew was formerly the President and Chief Executive Officer of Diemoldings Corp., a manufacturer of thermoset automotive parts, located in Canastota, New York. Mr. Dew has also served as a member of Executive Committee, Manufacturers Association of Central New York since 1997, and as a Director of Alliance Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: ALNC) since 1988.
Ronald Fielding
Mr. Fielding has been active in the investment markets for more than 25 years. He has been a Senior Vice President of Oppenheimer Funds, Inc. since 1996. Prior to being employed by Oppenheimer Funds, he was the founder and president of Fielding Management Company, Inc. and co-founder of Rochester Capital Advisors, L.P., two investment management firms for equity, convertible bond and municipal bond funds. He currently serves on the boards of the ICI Mutual Insurance Company, St. John's College (Annapolis, MD), and George Eastman House, and is or has been a member of their respective investment committees.
Richard Fox
Mr. Fox is President of Wendy's Restaurants of Rochester, a franchisee of Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers located in Rochester, New York. He serves on a number of not-for-profit and for profit boards of organizations in Western New York.
Thomas Hubbard
Mr. Hubbard is currently the Chairman High Falls Brewing Company, LLC, a Rochester, New York based brewery. Mr. Hubbard serves on a number of not-for-profit and for profit boards of organizations in Western New York.
Charles Joyce
Mr. Joyce is President and CEO of Otis Eastern Services, Inc., a natural gas and oil pipeline services, maintenance and construction contractor located in Wellsville, New York. Mr. Joyce serves on a number of not-for-profit and for profit boards of organizations in the Southern Tier of New York State.
Russell Petralia
Mr. Petralia is President of Ashford Management Group, Inc., a Utica based owner and manager of residential and commercial real estate properties in the Northeast and Midwest United States. He currently serves as Vice President of the Board of Trustees of Utica College of Syracuse University
John Riedman
Mr. Riedman is Chairman of the Riedman Corporation, an investment and real estate firm. The company formerly operated the 9th largest privately held insurance broker in the United States. Prior to the Riedman Corporation, Mr. Riedman served for fifteen years as a member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Fleet Financial Group.
He currently serves as a Director of Brown & Brown, Inc., (NYSE: BRO), Sage, Rutty & Co., and High Falls Brewing Co. Additionally, Mr. Riedman serves as Chairman of the Greater Rochester Sports Authority, and in 1999, was appointed by Governor George Pataki to serve on the board of the NYS Thruway Authority and the NYS Canal Corporation. He is an Honorary Trustee of St. John Fisher College and is trustee of ViaHealth where he serves as Chairman of its Finance Committee. Mr. Riedman is also President of the Monroe County Sheriff's Foundation.
Alan Robinson
Mr. Robinson is a private investor who has invested in a number of small to mid-sized companies through his investment company, Greenhead Holdings, Inc., located in Amherst, New York.
Philip Saunders
Mr. Saunders founded Truckstops of America, Griffith Engery, Sugar Creek Corporation and Travel Ports. He has also held executive management positions with Ryder, Econo-Car International, and Richardsons Foods Corp.
Mr. Saunders currently serves on the Board of Directors for Excellus, Inc. of Rochester, Paul Smith's College, American Red Cross, American Rock Salt, Genesee Valley Trust Company, Griffith Energy, Inc., and Genesee Regional Bank. He is the Chairman of NATSO and Petroleum Marketing Education Foundation. Mr. Saunders is a former member of the Board of Directors of Hahn Automotive, Fleet Bank of New York, Ryder Systems, and the National Association of Truck Stop Operators (NATSO).
Mr. Saunders also has ownership interests in Youngblood Disposal Company, Bristol Harbour Resort, Genesee Regional Bank, Griffith Energy, Inc., and Swain Ski & Snowboard Center.
Mr. Saunders is a 2004 inductee into the Rochester Business Hall of Fame.