Financing the Growth of Your Business: Is Private Capital Right For You?

Catherine has spent over 20 years working with leading global corporations, asset managers, and private clients, to provide counsel in investment management, investment banking, and equity research and trading.  She has experienced firsthand the financial empowerment of innovators and investors alike through capital markets financing and disciplined investment strategy. 

Emerging from long nights and deep analytics in the investment banking realm of Salomon Smith Barney, Catherine found her true passion on the trading floors of Morgan Stanley, where she advised some of the world’s largest asset managers and hedge funds in US equity investment strategy.  From her early days with Morgan Stanley in London, England, to the firm’s US offices in Boston and then New York, Catherine’s relationships, investment experience and cultural perspectives span global markets. 

Catherine’s academic pursuits were also global, having earned her B.B.A., Marketing and Management, Summa Cum Laude, from Emory University coupled with International Business and Management at Schiller International University in Paris, France. 

Since her Wharton days, Catherine and her writings have been featured in national and regional publications, such as On Wall Street and the Jacksonville Business Journal.

Michael Hand co-founded Shoreline and is the Managing Partner. Prior to co-founding Shoreline, Mr. Hand co-founded PNC Riverarch in 2011. Prior to co-founding PNC Riverarch, he worked at PNC Equity Partners beginning in 2003 as an Associate and then rejoining as a Senior Associate in 2008 after graduating from business school. While attending business school, Mr. Hand worked at JF Lehman & Company. From 2000 to 2003, he worked as an investment banker focused on M&A at Raymond James & Associates. During high school and college, Mr. Hand co-developed and was a Vice President at Blue Frog Global Technology & Trading, a distributor of specialty chemicals into the U.S. consumer products industry.

Mr. Hand holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Florida, where he graduated with Highest Honors and was ranked 1st in his class, and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School where he was the David Gill Memorial Fellow and graduated with Beta Gamma Sigma Honors.

Jeff McNeill is a Senior Executive and Chief Development Officer of Refresh Mental Health. Previously, Jeff was a co-founder and Partner of Palmetto Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on acquiring lower middle market companies in the Southeast United States. Prior to this, he served as a Partner in the private equity groups at GenSpring Family Offices and SunTrust Banks where he oversaw investments into over 70 companies and over 60 private equity funds over the course of 15 years.

Jeff’s earlier work experience included working as a financial analyst in the investment banking division of Salomon Smith Barney, in both  New York and London. He specialized in corporate finance and advisory services for companies in energy and natural resources industries.

Jeff earned a B.S. in Business Administration with honors from the University of Richmond, majoring in finance, international business and economics. He also completed a study abroad program at The London School of Economics and is currently a board member of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG).

In his personal life, Jeff spends time with his wife and three kids and enjoys running, swimming, tennis and golf.

Since 2003 Dan has managed Spring Bay’s venture portfolio, which consists of a range of early stage privately-held businesses, primarily in healthcare. Dan is responsible for sourcing and executing investment transactions and then assisting portfolio companies achieve their aims through his board membership engagement. Prior to Spring Bay, Dan served for 14 years in a range of senior executive capacities for Unison Industries, a leading supplier of engineered electro-mechanical components for the aviation industry. Over this period, Unison revenues grew from $10 to $200 million leading to its acquisition by General Electric in 2002. Dan holds a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and a M.B.A. from Duke University. Dan also serves as a board member of The Sontag Foundation, The Brain Tumor Network and The Divine Mercy House.

• Founder and Managing Partner, Salem Halifax Capital Partners
• Director, Salem Capital Partners
• Vice President, SunTrust Equity Partners
• 20+ years in lower middle market mezzanine lending and credit management
• Past President of Southern Region of Small Business Investor Alliance
• MBA, Wake Forest University Babcock School of Business
• B.S. in Business Administration, The Citadel