Breakfast Panel - "The Power of DEI on Operational and Financial Success"

Today’s increasingly competitive business environment requires investors, acquirers and business leaders to swiftly identify and execute on opportunities to optimize, innovate, and grow businesses.

ACG Florida Capital Connection is delighted to host a candid discussion by three leading authorities on leveraging Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI) as a tool to drive operational excellence and boost firm performance within the middle market and in M&A. We will explore:

• DEI and its role in driving business goals,
• The process of DEI versus the event of DEI
• How business value is created through DEI both generally and within M&A
• The growing candidate supply/demand imbalance and understand the impact of DEI on employee recruitment and retention
• Identifying and investing with undercapitalized founders and innovators
• What does success in DEI effort look like.

Panelists

Herschel Frierson, Principal, Crowe LLP - Herschel Frierson is the Strategic Networks Leader and a Principal at Crowe LLP with over 24 years of experience.  He has done governmental consulting and general consulting.  In the past Herschel has assisted communities with municipal bond issues, short and long term financial planning, capital improvement plans, and budget consulting.  He has also provided assistance in economic development activities including feasibility studies.  In his new role, Herschel is responsible for expanding the firm’s influence with network partners, including associations and creating new opportunities and deepening existing relationships.  Herschel focuses on key networks for all industries across the firm and in the market.  Herschel also serves on the firm’s leadership team with the Inclusion Excellence Council which focuses on Diversity and Inclusion for the Firm.   Herschel also oversees the Firms Business Resource Groups.

Rich Grant, Director, Business Development, Northlane Capital Partners - Rich Grant joined the team in February 2021 as a Director. Prior to joining the team, he was a Director at Growth Operators, a Minneapolis-based consulting firm focused on advisory & outsourced Finance & HR transformation of PE Backed Organizations. Prior to that, Mr. Grant worked in Publishing at Arizent (formerly SourceMedia), and SaaS Sales at Cision. Academically, Rich attended Colgate University earning a B.A. in Sociology & Anthropology with a minor in African American Studies while playing for their Division One FCS Football Team.

Kelli N. Jones, Co-Founder and General Partner , Sixty8 Capital - Kelli N. Jones is Co-Founder & General Partner for Sixty8 Capital, a seed stage fund for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs. For the last 4 years, Kelli has led the transformation of a more diverse tech ecosystem in Indiana, through her organization Be Nimble Foundation. Since starting Be Nimble, she has trained 40+ Black and LatinX founders through her accelerator, and has invested nearly $1M in capital and start-up resources. Before launching Sixty8 Capital, Kelli was program manager for Techstars Heritage Group Accelerator and Director of People, Culture, and Brand for Givelify.  Prior to relocating to Indianapolis, IN in 2017, she lived in New York and Los Angeles, and was the founder of an experiential marketing company specializing in start-up go-to-market strategy, and later lead sales, events, and marketing for digital media brands like HipHopDX and Blavity. She is on the board of IMPACT Central Indiana, Employ Indy, Vanguard Collegiate of Indianapolis, Indiana Technology & Innovation Association, and The Venture Club’s NextGen group.

Brian Zophin, Partner, Crowe LLP (Moderator) - 

Brian Zophin is a Certified Public Accountant and audit partner with more than 23 years of experience, Brian serves as the Tampa Bay office managing partner and the Florida healthcare audit practice leader. Brian has provided professional services to private equity owned clients in the healthcare, technology/software, and manufacturing/distribution industries. His audit experience includes providing services to both public companies and private businesses ranging from start-ups to entities with over $1 billion in revenue.

Brian is a the immediate past president of ACG Tampa Bay, University of Florida Fisher School of Accounting Advisory Board Member and Leadership Tampa Alumni. Brian has a Bachelors in Science and Masters in accounting from the University of Florida.