Networking Breakfast: Dana Schmaltz, Partner, Yellow Wood Partners LLC

Dana is a partner of Yellow Wood Partners.  Currently Dana is a Director of PDC Brands, Inc. and Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (NYSE:WD).  Prior to that, Dana co-founded Blacksmith Brands, Inc. where he was the CFO, EVP of Business Development and a Director. In this role, he led the establishment of the company’s financial, accounting, IT and personnel infrastructure to create a stand-alone company group of consumer brands (including Efferdent®, Luden’s® and PediaCare®) that were purchased from Johnson & Johnson.  Blacksmith Brands was later sold to Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc. in 2010.

Previously, Dana was President of J.W. Childs Associates, which he joined in 1997 after working at DLJ Merchant Banking Partners. At J.W. Childs, Dana was involved with investments in the consumer/specialty retail sector where he was responsible for numerous investments over his 10 years at the firm including Mattress Firm, W/S Packaging Group, Fitness Quest, Murray’s Discount Auto Stores, Esselte, The Meow Mix Company, Bass Pro Shops and Dobson Communications. Dana received an A.B. from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Dana currently is a Trustee of St. George’s School.