David Cohen

Chairman

PROFESSIONAL

David A. Cohen is a Senior Advisor to Highview Capital. He is also Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Karlin Asset Management, Inc., a Los Angeles based multi-billion dollar private investment firm he co-founded in 2005, and Chairman of real estate direct lending fund Calmwater Capital.

David has over 30 years of experience in principal investing, which includes nearly a decade in senior executive positions with Pacific Holdings, one of the largest private companies in the U.S. He also served as a Principal in a $16 billion alternative investment firm (acquired by Blackrock), and started his career as an investment banker and derivatives specialist at Lazard Frères & Co. in New York. Mr. Cohen is a frequent speaker and thought leader on distressed investing, risk management, asset allocation and contrarian thinking.

EDUCATION

David’s academic background includes degrees from Cambridge University (M.Phil., Finance), and Boston University (B.S., Engineering, summa cum laude), and graduate work at Sydney University as a Rotary Foundation Scholar (Engineering).

PERSONAL

David grew up on the east coast and migrated to Los Angeles over twenty years ago, where he and his wife Laurie raised four children. David enjoys cycling, yoga, and skiing in his spare time. He also serves in executive leadership roles or board positions with a variety of non-profit organizations in the areas of education, public policy, medical research and animal welfare.

Steve Russell

Managing Director,
Sr. Portfolio Manager

PROFESSIONAL

Steve Russell is a Principal at Highview Capital, where he is responsible for all aspects of the investment process including sourcing, diligence and execution of new investments. Steve currently serves on the Board of GS Foods and Firstlight Media, and as an advisor to Highview’s management teams.

Prior to joining Highview, Steve was a Director at Madison Dearborn Partners, a Chicago-based private equity fund, where he executed investments across business services, healthcare, industrials, technology and other sectors. Steve previously served on the Board of Directors for Fleet Complete, LGS Innovations, Quickplay Media and America SCORES Chicago. Earlier in his career, he worked as an Analyst at Chilton Investment Company and in investment banking at J.P. Morgan.

EDUCATION

Steve holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

PERSONAL

Steve grew up in Texas and now lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three children. He loves spending time with his family, which also includes an old dog (a Boxer) who still acts like a puppy. In his spare time, Steve enjoys playing golf, watching Dallas Cowboys football and working on his 1967 Ford Bronco restoration.

Brice Baradel

Managing Director

PROFESSIONAL

Brice Baradel is a Principal at Highview Capital where he leads Highview’s deal sourcing efforts and manages new investment opportunities.

Prior to joining Highview, Brice spent 18 years on Wall Street, where he executed 23 M&A transactions at a total value of more than $17 billion and 32 debt, equity and equity-linked capital financings at a total value of more than $13 billion. Previously, Brice served at TripleTree, a leading boutique M&A advisory firm focused on healthcare IT and healthcare services companies. He also spent several years as an Investment Banker at UBS’s Healthcare Group, where he focused on advisory services in the healthcare IT sector. Earlier in his career, Brice worked in investment banking at Bank of America’s Technology Group, focusing on technology services, communications equipment and software companies, and at BofA’s Energy & Power Group, where he focused on clean tech and utility companies.

EDUCATION

Brice holds a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Virginia.

PERSONAL

Brice grew up in Maryland (raised in Annapolis and went to high school in Baltimore). He lived in New York City for 15 years, and then started his westward migration by spending 3 years in Minneapolis and finally landing in Palos Verdes. Brice loves watching UVA sports (the ups and downs are forever mitigated by the 2019 national championship in basketball) and is also a long suffering Washington Redskins fan (although his enthusiasm has waned the farther west he’s moved). But mostly, his free time is spent trying to keep up with his two young sons.

P.J. Gilbert

Managing Director

PROFESSIONAL

P.J. Gilbert is a Principal at Highview Capital, where he is responsible for all aspects of the investment process including sourcing, diligence and execution of new investments. P.J. currently serves on the Board of American Plastics and National Fire & Safety.

Prior to joining Highview, P.J. worked as a Vice President at JLL Partners, a New York-based private equity fund, where he executed investments across industrials, business services, healthcare and other sectors. P.J. previously served on the Board of Directors at First Community Holdings.

Earlier in his career, P.J. was an Associate at Lightyear Capital and a Director of Strategy at Cetera Financial Group, a Lightyear Capital portfolio company. He began his career in investment banking at Bank of America.

EDUCATION

P.J. holds a B.S. in Economics and an M.B.A. with Honors from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

PERSONAL

P.J. grew up in Baltimore, MD and now lives in Venice. He is especially passionate about private equity’s role in family businesses having grown-up in a 4th-generation family produce company. In his free time, P.J. enjoys skateboarding, looking for his golf ball and considers himself a “big appetizers guy.” He is also a co-founder of The Loyalist, an e-commerce platform for custom team apparel.  He was a member of the University of Pennsylvania’s varsity lacrosse team.

Dan Picmann

Principal

PROFESSIONAL

Dan Picmann is a Vice President at Highview Capital, where he is responsible for all aspects of the investment process including sourcing, diligence and execution of new investments. Dan currently serves on the Board of Firstlight Media, and as an advisor to Highview’s management teams. In addition, Dan leads all debt capital placement and related corporate finance activity for new and existing portfolio companies.

Prior to joining Highview, Dan worked as a Senior Associate at Post Advisory Group, a Los Angeles-based credit hedge fund, where he executed high-yield bond and leveraged loan investments in the technology sector. At Post, Dan was responsible for all aspects of the investment process for potential new and existing holdings, utilizing a rigorous bottom-up fundamental credit analysis and research approach. Previously, Dan worked in the Leveraged Finance Group at J.P. Morgan, focusing on debt capital structuring, origination and syndication for high-yield debt, and at Bank of America’s Special Assets Group, where he restructured distressed middle-market credits during the economic downturn.

EDUCATION

Dan holds a B.B.A. in Finance and Accounting from Western Michigan University and an M.B.A. from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

PERSONAL

Dan grew up in Detroit and now lives in Santa Monica with his wife and son. He is a die-hard University of Michigan and Detroit sports fan (he knows they can hear him – they need him). In his free time, Dan enjoys golf, tennis, soccer, cooking and traveling with his family. Dan’s birthday is on Groundhog’s Day, so you can always check with him if spring will come early. He was also a member of Western Michigan’s varsity soccer team.

Kapish Haldia

Vice President

PROFESSIONAL

Kapish Haldia is an Associate at Highview Capital.

Prior to joining Highview, Kapish served as an Investment Banking Analyst at Citigroup’s Industrials Group, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions across multiple sectors, including paper, packaging, aerospace and defense. Previously, he spent a year launching an e-commerce start-up.

EDUCATION

Kapish holds a B.S. in Finance and Economics with a minor in Public Policy & Management from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. He also served as Portfolio Manager of Stern’s Undergraduate Investment Fund.

PERSONAL

Kapish lives in Venice, CA and is an avid Bird and rideshare enthusiast. He grew up in Studio City and lived in New York for 6 years before moving to Venice. In his free time, Kapish enjoys weekend trips to Europe (and traveling generally), skydiving (USPA licensed) and reading spy novels. His favorite fiction author is Daniel Silva.

Shan Siddiqui

Associate

PROFESSIONAL

EDUCATION

PERSONAL

Zepher Loesch

Associate

PROFESSIONAL

Zepher Loesch is a Business Development Associate at Highview Capital.

Prior to joining Highview, Zepher served as a Senior Associate at Genz & Associates, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions across multiple sectors for private equity and corporate clients. Previously, he worked at Black Legend Capital, a boutique investment bank as an analyst within Oil & Gas, Consumer and Healthcare. He has worked as an owner and equity partner in several small businesses leading to successful exits.

EDUCATION

Zepher holds a B.S. in Finance from Linfield College.

PERSONAL

Zepher grew up on Whidbey Island, WA and now lives in Marina Del Rey. He enjoys basketball, golf and is a devoted Seattle Seahawks fan, as well as an activist for the return of the Seattle Supersonics. He was a member of the varsity basketball team at Linfield College.

Misha Polovneff

Associate

PROFESSIONAL

Misha Polovneff is a Business Development Associate at Highview Capital.

Prior to joining Highview, Misha focused on buy-side mandates across industrial, consumer, niche manufacturing, and technical service sectors in his role as a Vice President at Genz & Associates. Misha began his career as an Associate at Township Capital, a Los Angeles-based real estate investment manager focused on making programmatic equity co-investments.

EDUCATION

Misha holds a B.A. in Political Science with a Pre-Medicine designation from the University of California, Los Angeles.

PERSONAL

Misha grew up in Carmel, CA and now lives in Century City. He is an avid skier, and during the summer months, enjoys Headspace, visiting relatives overseas, and reading. Misha can often be heard rooting for UCLA with the “8-Clap.”

Cindie Ayala

Executive Assistant

PROFESSIONAL

Prior to joining Highview, Cindie worked at Oakmont Corporation which is a private investment firm and family office assisting multi-generational, high net worth extended families and related private foundations. From 2004 to 2019, she served as the Executive Assistant to the Vice Chairman and Presidents.
 
Before Oakmont Corporation, Cindie worked in the entertainment industry supporting top C-Level executives at Deluxe Entertainment Services and Crest National Digital Media.

EDUCATION

Cindie is currently enrolled in the Executive Assistance Series Program at UCLA Extension.

PERSONAL

Cindie is a LA native and currently lives in Bel Air. She enjoys living an active and healthy lifestyle, which includes cooking for her family and friends, meditating, yoga, spinning, river rafting, learning how to surf, snowboard and ride horses. She also has a new found love for the outdoors and visiting national parks.

Kenneth Slutsky

Senior Advisor

PROFESSIONAL

Kenneth Slutsky is an investor in both private and public sectors enterprises. His experience spans numerous industries including: technology, energy, real estate and financial services. Among the corporations in which he has held CEO or other senior leadership positions are Kern Oil & Refining Co, Casey Co, and Candle Corporation, a leading provider of systems management software.

He has served or is serving on an advisory board for Northwest Airlines, Red Cloud Capital, AT Curd/PCL Construction Co, Wedgewood Enterprise Corporation, and the Middle East Policy Board for The Rand Corp, among others. Kenny also has been involved with several public sector endeavors including, but not limited to, running political campaigns and providing advice to various governmental agencies.

EDUCATION

Kenny graduated magna cum laude from Bowdoin College and obtained a J.D. from Emory University School of Law.

PERSONAL

Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, he served for 10 years on the Board of Global Volunteers and was the first national chairman of the Wellness Community National Board, and was the Golden Founder of the Wellness Communities of South Bay and Baltimore. In 1985, he founded the charitable Aequilibris Trust. He is also a member of WPO (the World Presidents Organization). An avid sportsman, Kenny enjoys skiing, golf, and most outdoor activities. He resides in Manhattan Beach, California.

Tracy McGregor

Senior Advisor

PROFESSIONAL

Tracy McGregor is an advisor to Highview Capital. She also serves as the CFO for Karlin Asset Management, where she has applied her expertise in partnership accounting and structuring to manage the formation of the Karlin investment entities. Prior to Karlin, Ms. McGregor was a Director of Financial Analysis at Alschuler Grossman Stein & Kahan LLC (AGSK), where she was principally responsible for overseeing the budgeting and forecasting functions for the firm. Before joining AGSK in 2002, Ms. McGregor was a manager at Arthur Andersen LLC for nine years, where she participated in the audit and tax preparation work for a variety of partnerships and real estate investments trusts including Douglas Emmett & Company, Public Storage, and Health Care Property Investors.

EDUCATION

Ms. McGregor is a graduate of the University of Southern California (B.S. in Accounting) and is a Certified Public Accountant.

PERSONAL

Ryan McCarthy

Senior Advisor

PROFESSIONAL

Ryan McCarthy is an advisor to Highview Capital, where he previously served as a full-time investment professional. Ryan spent the last 20 years helping middle-market companies navigate various forms of growth, transition or inflection, including as an owner, investor, operator and management consultant. Ryan has also worked with Aurora Resurgence, Aurora Capital Group’s value-oriented private equity fund, Alvarez & Marsal and Bank of America. Ryan holds a B.S. in Accounting and Finance from Indiana University.

EDUCATION

Ryan holds a B.S. in Accounting and Finance from Indiana University.

PERSONAL

Ryan lives in Manhattan Beach with his wife, two daughters and a Portuguese water dog (Hershey). He grew up in Tulsa (Oklahoma), and has lived in London, Houston and New York City. Ryan enjoys going to the beach, skiing, golfing, yoga and traveling to new countries (he has been to over 45 and counting). His favorite holiday is April Fool’s day.