Our mission is to create long-term value for all of our stakeholders by taking a hands-on, partnership-driven approach with growth-oriented management teams, together leveraging a unique bench of specialized experience to deliver high performance results to owners and operators of critical infrastructure assets
Founder & Co-Chief Executive Officer
Aaron is responsible for the development of firm strategy; evaluating and executing investment opportunities; and providing strategic guidance to enterprises, management teams, and entrepreneurs. He also plays an integral role in building and maintaining relationships with investors and capital providers.
Before founding SMC, Aaron served as Chief Financial Officer and Head of Strategic Development for a family- owned, 150-employee enterprise focused on railcar maintenance and short line rail acquisitions and operations.
Before migrating to a corporate role, Aaron was a senior coverage officer and investment banker at Whitehall & Company, a New York City-based boutique focused on investment and merchant banking in the power, energy, and infrastructure sectors.
Aaron joined Whitehall in early 2016, focusing exclusively on supporting the build-out of the firm’s renewable power M&A and strategic advisory business. In 2018, he led the successful establishment of Whitehall’s Core-Plus Infrastructure investment and merchant banking vertical.
Aaron also served as a member of the investment team at RET Capital, a San Francisco-based private equity firm focused on renewable power and sustainable technology. He began his career at KeyBanc Capital Markets in New York City, concentrating on financial sponsor-backed transactions, with an emphasis on leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, and M&A. In aggregate, Aaron has $15 billion of transaction experience.
Aaron holds undergraduate degrees in economics and philosophy from the University of Pittsburgh, where he was a James B. Tafel Scholarship recipient, winner of the McKay Prize in Economics, and a member of the Division I University of Pittsburgh Rugby Football Club.
In his free time, he is a passionate chef and stays active by playing tennis and golf; running; and working out with his dog, a German Shepherd/Neapolitan Mastiff named Minnie.
Co-Chief Executive Officer
Scott is responsible for overall firm strategy, evaluating investment opportunities and providing strategic guidance to our operating businesses and its management teams. He also plays an integral role in building and maintaining relationships with investors and capital providers.
Scott is a private equity senior executive with with more than 25 years of experience experience acquiring, building, and transforming businesses into industry leaders well positioned for either public or private exit. He has completed over 100 acquisitions and divestitures as well as led middle market M&A and financing transactions in excess of $15 billion of value. As a past chairman and/or board member of numerous public and private companies, Mr. Troeller is adept at working with management teams and their investors to drive strategy, growth and successful business outcomes.
Mr. Troeller holds a unique perspective across the investment landscape having held leadership positions in prominent institutional, private equity and hedge fund investment firms as well as co-founding several businesses.
Prior to joining SMC, Scott was Managing Partner of InfraNext Partners, a firm he founded to sponsor investments in the next generation of infrastructure assets and services. He also previously served as Managing Director, Head of Private Infrastructure Investment at Blue Mountain Capital as well as a Managing Director of Fir Tree Partners focused on private investments.
While at Fir Tree, Scott co-Founded sPower, which was grown to become the largest independent solar developer/owner in the US prior to its sale to AES and AIMCO for $1.7 billion. During this time, Scott was highly involved in hiring and developing the entire sPower team, overseeing investment decisions and raising more than $2 billion of tax equity, debt and sponsor equity. He also is a co-Founder NextEdge Networks, a construction and services business focused on building the infrastructure needed to facilitate 5G rollout through both outdoor and in-building networks. Both sPower and NextEdge have gone on to become true leaders in their industry and examples that many have since emulated.
From 1996-2012, Scott was a General Partner of VSS, a mid-market private equity fund, where he was responsible for raising, deploying and exiting of two $1+ billion buyout funds as well as three structured capital funds. As a member of the firm, Scott served on all VSS investment committees, its operating committee and was highly active in management of the firm.
Earlier in his career, Scott was an Investment Banker at JP Morgan & Co., where he completed three separate management training/investment programs over five years. Scott holds a BA in Economics and Communications from Rutgers College and enjoys golfing, boating, fishing, skiing and staying physically fit.
EVP – Acquisitions
Joseph is responsible for establishing new platforms and strategies at SMC, in addition to managing the investment underwriting process.
Prior to joining SMC, Joseph was a Partner at InfraNext Partners/BlueMountain Capital Management, where he was instrumental in creating a differentiated strategy to invest in infrastructure assets and service companies across the capital structure. Joseph cut his teeth as an investor at New Energy Capital, a leading specialist in sustainable infrastructure, and previously had stints with GE Ventures and Stafford Capital Partners. Joseph began his career as a consultant based out of Singapore, specializing in the development of infrastructure and mining projects. In aggregate, the platforms he has built have deployed over a billion dollars of capital.
Joseph is a committed lifelong learner, who holds a BA in Commerce, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship from Brown University, an MBA from IMD in Switzerland, and he is currently pursuing a Master’s in Finance at Harvard.
An avid naturalist, Joseph enjoys birding and fills his free time with surfing, snowboarding, and sailing.
EVP – Corporate & Strategic Development
Josh supports origination, review, structuring and execution of platform and bolt-on acquisitions. He also helps build and maintain relationships with portfolio company management and investors.
Josh brings more than 25 years and $20 billion of experience to his work for the firm, primarily in identifying, evaluating, structuring, negotiating, and integrating complex mergers and acquisitions, joint venture, equity investment, and commercial transactions. Most recently, he led the corporate development, merger integration, and corporate innovation functions for Cardinal Health, a Fortune 20 health care products and services company, where he managed, coached, and collaborated with a team of 20 corporate transaction professionals responsible for the company’s worldwide acquisitions and investment portfolio.
Josh also led the Strategic Partnership Council at Cardinal Health, which evaluated and managed the company’s direct and private equity fund investments. Before taking on corporate development responsibilities in 2009, he served as the company’s Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel for strategic transactions, leading the legal team responsible for M&A, equity investments, and other bespoke commercial transactions across the enterprise.
Prior to his tenure at Cardinal, Josh was a corporate attorney at Morrison Foerster and previously at Ropes & Gray, where he represented health care and technology companies in M&A, joint venture, strategic alliance, real estate, and technology transactions, along with public and private securities offerings, corporate governance, and compliance matters. Josh also served as Vice President and General Counsel for American Medical Response (AMR), the nation’s largest medical transportation provider with operations in 37 states and more than 20,000 associates, assembled primarily through more than 100 acquisitions.
Josh earned a B.A. in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. Before attending law school, he launched and operated an independent ice cream and cookie business in central Virginia with four retail locations as well as a successful wholesale business. Notwithstanding the ice cream and cookies, Josh now has a passion for reversing chronic disease and optimizing health through diet and lifestyle. A self-described keto-vangelist, his hobbies include the outdoors, road biking and spending time with his two schnauzer mix rescues.
EVP – Infrastructure & Project Finance
Louis is responsible for originating, reviewing, and executing investment opportunities at SMC. He also focuses on supporting portfolio company management, especially with respect to evaluating add-on acquisitions, and plays an integral role in building and maintaining relationships with investors and capital providers. He has more than 25 years experience specializing in infrastructure.
Prior to joining SMC, Lou was a Managing Director at Global Infrastructure Partners (“GIP”), a $73 billion dollar asset manager. At GIP, Lou focused primarily on making credit and structured capital investments in the power, energy, and heavy transportation infrastructure sectors. Prior to joining GIP in 2018, Mr. Iaconetti was a senior originator in Barings’ Global Infrastructure Debt group. Prior to joining Barings in 2013, Mr. Iaconetti was a Senior Vice President at HSH Nordbank, where he was responsible for conventional and solar power project finance. Prior to joining HSH Nordbank, Mr. Iaconetti was a Managing Director at Ambac, where he was responsible for utility and power project finance. Prior to joining Ambac, Mr. Iaconetti was a Director in the Energy Group at Credit Suisse for 12 years.
Mr. Iaconetti holds a B.B.A. in Accounting from Baruch College and an M.B.A. in Finance from Pace University.
SVP– Acquisitions
Ruslan is responsible for evaluating and executing investment opportunities at SMC. He also focuses on supporting portfolio company management, especially with respect to evaluating and executing add-on acquisitions, and plays an integral role in building and maintaining relationships with investors and capital providers.
Ruslan has more than 10 years of private equity, M&A, and investment banking experience. Most recently, Ruslan was a Vice President at LaSalle Capital, a lower middle-market private equity firm investing in the business services and food and beverage industries. Ruslan was responsible for transaction evaluation and execution, structuring and negotiating transactions, due diligence, portfolio management, and business development. During his tenure with LaSalle, he successfully executed more than 15 transactions spanning platform acquisitions, add-on acquisitions, dividend recapitalizations, sale processes, sale-leasebacks, and debt restructuring. He also held multiple Board of Directors’ roles and was responsible for developing and implementing value creation initiatives to drive shareholder value. Furthermore, he was instrumental in the firm’s fundraising efforts and maintained key relationships with limited partners and potential investors.
Prior to joining LaSalle Capital, Ruslan worked as an investment banker at Lincoln International in Chicago and London. During his tenure with Lincoln, he completed more than 10 sell-side M&A transactions comprising over $1.5B in enterprise value.
Ruslan holds a BS in Finance with Highest Honors and Distinction from Indiana University, where he was a member of the Hutton Honors College and a Founders Scholar.
In his free time, Ruslan enjoys being active through weightlifting, running, and playing basketball and tennis. He also enjoys great food, live music, and spending time with friends and family.
SVP– Finance & Operations
Jacob joined SMC in July 2021 as VP – Finance & Operations. Jacob is focused on the Firm’s internal accounting and operating needs, as well as external financial reporting. He also supports in due diligence and serves as liaison to portfolio companies.
Jacob has a diverse background, having experience in public accounting, corporate finance, and operations management. He has worked with hundreds of clients and companies in various industries, from start-up to $125M+ in revenue. His career has centered around facilitating companies with fast-growth business strategies, via both organic growth and bolt-on acquisitions.
While in public accounting, Jacob has advised clients on tax strategies, corporate structuring, operations and long-term strategic planning. Focusing on manufacturing and construction industry clients, he served in a leadership role on attestation engagements. On the corporate side, he has served in the CFO/Controller seat for companies in industries including rail transportation, manufacturing, wastewater and construction.
Prior to joining SMC, Jacob served as Vice President – Controller for a diversified rail services enterprise, successfully helping the company launch a short-line railroad operation, expand the existing business footprint into multiple states, and execute a strategic acquisition of an industry competitor, resulting in a 500% increase in headcount and EBITDA in less than 18 months.
A central Ohio native, Jacob earned his undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Toledo and is a licensed CPA and CGMA in the state of Ohio. When outside of the office, he enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, playing piano and reading.
SVP – Infrastructure & Project Finance
Caryn is responsible for reviewing, structuring and executing debt and investment opportunities for the SMC portfolio companies. She has an integral role in establishing and maintaining relationships with financial institutions and public sector DBF counterparties. She has more than 25 years of experience in middle market and infrastructure advisory, corporate and project finance.
Prior to joining SMC, Caryn spent 7 years as a Managing Director at RSP Investments, LLC, a registered broker dealer headquartered in Washington, DC. Caryn originated and structured over $1 Billion of debt and equity capital raising opportunities across a wide range of industries including water and digital infrastructure, solar and other renewable energy, real estate and industrial services. From 2009-2014, she gained international business development and cross-border capital raising experience as both Chief Operating Officer for Thornton Group and then Managing Director for Solebury Capital Group where she worked with middle market and large cap clients in a variety of ways including providing strategic consulting services, corporate structuring, sourcing business acquisition opportunities in the Chinese market for firms in diverse business sectors, such as technology renewable energy and infrastructure, and negotiating major international commercial transactions.
Caryn’s banking experience includes leading WestLB AG’s transportation and infrastructure project finance originations efforts as Managing Director and Head of Infrastructure for the Americas from 2004-2009, where she expanded the bank’s strategic lending initiatives in the United States and Mexico. Early in her career, from 1993-2004, Caryn completed the CAP management training program and led successful debt structuring and deal execution efforts for Bank of America and its predecessor banks in the transportation and industrial sectors. She holds Series 79 and 63 licenses and the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Caryn attended Rutgers University on a full 4-year scholarship where she earned a B.S. degree in Finance. She enjoys travel, golf, the outdoors and staying active.
Senior Analyst
Matt Supports senior investment team professionals on origination and execution of investment opportunities, as well as SMC executive management with respect to firm-level strategic initiatives.
Prior to joining SMC, Matt worked at Macquarie Capital as an Analyst on the firm’s infrastructure and energy M&A team. Macquarie Capital is an Australian-based financial services firm with a special focus on advisory and principal investments in the infrastructure space. At Macquarie, Matt supported senior bankers in the valuation, diligence, and financing of multiple infrastructure transactions across the traditional energy and renewable power sectors.
Prior to his work as an analyst at Macquarie, Matt completed internships as a Summer Analyst at Macquarie Capital as well as Mid-Market Securities, a New York-based boutique investment bank.Matt graduated summa cum laude from Fordham University with a degree in Finance. In his free time, Matt enjoys traveling, drawing, and playing golf.
Senior Analyst
Robert supports senior investment team professionals on origination and execution of investment opportunities, as well as SMC executive management with respect to firm-level strategic initiatives.
Before joining SMC, Robert served as an analyst at Whitehall & Company, a New York City-based boutique focused on investment and merchant banking in the power, energy, and infrastructure sectors.
In addition to working on core infrastructure M&A and capital raising transactions concentrated in the power generation and transmission sectors, Robert was primarily focused on supporting senior bankers in the establishment of Whitehall’s Core-Plus Infrastructure.
Prior to Whitehall, Robert completed internships with (i) Manhattan Venture Partners, a boutique merchant bank focused on secondary investments in venture-backed early-stage technology companies, and (ii) Wells Fargo Middle-Market Banking.
Robert graduated magna cum laude from Fordham University with a concentration in Finance. In his free time, Robert enjoys playing recreational basketball and golf.
Senior Operating Executive
Lauro joined SMC in 2021 as an Operating Executive. He is focused on acquisition and industry due diligence, evaluating management talent, and providing hands-on operational and strategic support to portfolio companies and management teams.
Lauro founded in 2016 and currently leads Bravar Strategic Management Co. (BSM). BSM provides advisory, management, and business development services to companies in the construction sector. Working with a small, agile team of senior associates, Lauro helps foreign construction companies establish themselves in North America and expand their activities by acquiring or creating alliances/joint ventures with local companies, participating in bids, and starting up new business units.
Prior to founding BSM, Lauro was CEO of OHL USA, a global construction and infrastructure services provider with more than 1,000 employees, where he oversaw a ~$1 billion P&L. As a recognized expert in diligencing, structuring, and integrating construction and infrastructure services M&A transactions, he was selected to lead negotiations for OHL’s expansion into the U.S. through the simultaneous acquisition of two local companies.
Together with an executive team that later joined him at BSM, Lauro expanded the two affiliates’ businesses by negotiating joint venture agreements, diversifying their activities, and enlarging their market share. Lauro’s knowledge of design-build-finance and infrastructure public-private partnership projects, along with his ability to effectively negotiate with financial institutions and bonding companies, resulted in enormous success for OHL USA and its affiliates. During Lauro’s term as CEO, he grew revenue of OHL’s affiliates by more than 400% while substantially increasing profit margins.
Lauro obtained a master’s degree in civil engineering in Trieste, Italy, and went on to earn a Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis in less than four years. After joining the world of private industry, he opted to enhance his career by enrolling in the MBA program at IESE Business School, which was ranked by The Economist as the No. 1 MBA program in the world.
Outside the office, Lauro pursues a host of outdoor recreation activities. He is a lucky skier who survived an avalanche while heliskiing in Canada; an experienced sailor, and an avid cook who cultivates his own herbs, fruits, and vegetables.
Senior Operating Executive
Scott is focused on acquisition and industry due diligence, evaluating and developing commercial relationships, and providing hands-on operational and strategic support to portfolio companies and management teams.
Scott brings extensive experience in the North American Rail market as well as knowledge and experience in multiple business segments such as oil and gas, chemicals, logistics, and sales. Scott has over 20 years experience in managing and executing various operational strategies. In 2018, Scott joined, sponsor-backed, Appalachian Railcar Services (“ARS”) as Chief Operating Officer and was soon promoted to Chief Executive Officer, while serving as a member of the Board. Scott built the team, integrated multiple businesses and generated more than a 3x improvement in EBITDA which resulted in a successful sale in less than 3 years with the organization.
Prior to joining ARS, Scott spent almost two decades in various executive positions, primarily in operating roles. In total, Scott has been a leader for up to 70+ multi-site operational locations with teams of ~2,000 employees, P&L statements of $500M+, and assets exceeding ~$11 billion across North America.
Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in Education from Wayland Baptist University and an MBA from Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois. Scott is also a Veteran on the United States Air Force, enjoys helping others, building things and is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hiking and camping with his wife, Julie and Lab, Maggie.
Operating Executive
Julio Alberto joined SMC in 2021 as an Operating Executive. He is focused on acquisition and industry due diligence, evaluating and improving corporate and project level technical execution capabilities, and providing hands-on operational and strategic support to portfolio companies and management teams.
In 2017, Julio Alberto joined Bravar Strategic Management Company (BSM). BSM provides advisory, management, and business development services to companies in the construction sector. At BSM, Julio Alberto is focused on helping companies in the construction sector plan and implement fundamental strategic initiatives to support and achieve sustainable growth trajectories. He brings more than 30 years of construction experience in Europe and the U.S. to both BSM and SMC.
Before joining BSM, Julio Alberto served as OHL USA’s Executive Vice President for the Southeast region, where he oversaw all ongoing projects for OHL USA and its affiliates. He performed the technical due diligence necessary for OHL to execute the acquisitions of its two primary footholds in the U.S. After successfully closing those transactions, he was asked to supervise all the construction projects in the Southeast region and participated in several additional technical due diligences of target companies in the U.S.
Apart from the supervision of projects under execution, Julio Alberto has participated in all of OHL’s major project pursuits in the U.S., including public-private partnership projects like the I-595 Roadway Improvement Project in Florida, the West by Northwest Corridor in Georgia, I-77 Hot Lanes Project in North Carolina, and the I4 Ultimate Corridor in Florida.
Prior to moving to the U.S., Julio Alberto was the director of OHL Central Europe, an OHL subsidiary, where he performed the technical due diligence leading to the acquisition of OHL’s first affiliate in the Czech Republic. After closing, he was retained to supervise all construction projects undertaken by OHL in Central Europe.
Earlier in his career, Julio Alberto served medium to large construction companies in a range of different roles, gaining extensive experience in infrastructure projects in the United States and internationally. Julio Alberto holds a MSC in civil engineering with a transport specialization from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and a general contractor license in the state of Florida.
Operating Executive
Gonzalo joined SMC in 2021 as an Operating Executive. He is focused on acquisition and industry due diligence, evaluating and developing commercial relationships, and providing hands-on operational and strategic support to portfolio companies and management teams.
Gonzalo brings extensive experience in the North America infrastructure design and construction industry as well as a broad-based business development network to projects of all types for public agencies in charge of transportation infrastructure. For more than 30 years, he has helped a wide range of national and international firms identify strategic civil and vertical project opportunities, set up teams to win and execute opportunities, and promote strategic partnering for large projects and investment programs.
In 2017, Gonzalo joined Bravar Strategic Management Company (BSM). BSM provides advisory, management, and business development services to companies in the construction sector. His work focuses on arranging joint venture partnerships and assisting companies in successfully bidding and growing into new market areas.
Prior to joining, BSM, Gonzalo spent more than a decade as a business development and commercial executive at OHL USA, a global construction and infrastructure services provider with more than 1,000 employees and revenues of ~$1 billion. At OHL, Gonzalo was responsible for preparing qualifications and teaming agreements as well as promoting partnerships with local construction and design firms for transportation and social infrastructure projects. He played an active and instrumental role in multiple successful awards of projects in the U.S. and Canada.
Gonzalo holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Southwestern Louisiana. He enjoys outdoor activities such as waterskiing, especially in slalom competitions, and equestrian jumping.
Senior Advisor
Richard brings more than thirty years of experience as an investment banker, chief financial officer and operative executive, investor, strategist and project developer and has been involved in over US$ 40 billion of transactions in the renewable energy, thermal power, electric transmission, gas pipeline, LNG, water supply and solid waste sectors. Richard currently serves as an Independent Director, Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee and member of the audit committee of Nuvve Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ:NVVE), the leading global company in the vehicle-to-grid (V2G) electric vehicle charging market.
Between January 2015 and September 2020, Richard led the renewable investment banking platform of Whitehall & Company, a New York-based investment bank where he executed mandates involving over $7 billion in enterprise value on behalf of clean energy companies. Prior to Whitehall, Richard served as the Managing Partner of Infrastructure Finance Advisors from January 2011 until December 2014, Richard provided financial advisory and project development services to renewable project developers and asset owners as well as co-founding and leading a Canada-based renewable project developer.
From 2007 to 2010, Richard was the Chief Financial Officer of Renewable Energy Systems Americas, a vertically integrated renewable energy company that develops, constructs, owns and operates renewable projects across North America. Richard and his team closed over $5 billion of M&A, project debt and tax equity transactions involving over 2.2 GW of assets. Between 2005 and 2007, Richard was the Chief Financial Officer of the North American power generation subsidiary of the Sumitomo Corporation of Japan where he was responsible for expanding the firm’s ownership portfolio through greenfield development and M&A activities.
Richard spent the first decade of his career developing and advising on some of the earliest private-sector energy infrastructure projects to be financed in emerging markets. Richard holds Series 7, 63 and 79 securities licenses and earned an MBA in Finance from SUNY-Buffalo and a B.Sc. in Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
