100 West 33rd Street Suite 1007 New York. NY 10001
212.760.2410
info@authenticbrandsgroup.com
James Salter - Chairman & CEO of Authentic Brands Group
Kenny Finkelstein - Chief Executive Officer of Knight's Bridge Capital Partners
Jonathan Sokoloff -Managing Partner at Leonard Green & Partners
Jonathan Seiffer -Partner at Leonard Green & Partners
Usama Cortas -Vice President at Leonard Green & Partners
Please click on a leader’s name in the list above to read their career highlights and biography.
James Salter – Chairman & CEO of Authentic Brands Group
For more than 20 years, Jamie Salter has consistently generated upper quartile returns for investors in numerous lifestyle brand related activities. Jamie's success encompasses the full spectrum of business activities.
Brands that Jamie has controlled or partnered in include Ride Snowboards, TapouT, Polaroid, House of Marley (Bob Marley), Marilyn Monroe, GSI Commerce, Sharper Image, Airwalk, Tommy Armour Golf, Caribbean Joe, Halston, Bombay, Ellen Tracy Sims, Vision Street Wear, Sinister, Iron Star, Hitman, SilverStar, Linens 'N Things, Lamar, LTD, Ultra Wheels and Ram. He was innovative and instrumental in adjoining talent, Sarah Jessica Parker to Halston and Lady Gaga to Polaroid as Creative Directors to each Brand.
Jamie has completed well over $4 billion of brand-related investments which have included both growth companies and turnarounds. His record of outstanding performance is a clear demonstration of his visionary ability to recognize value and seize opportunity.
Kenny Finkelstein, CA – Chief Executive Officer of Knight's Bridge Capital Partners
Kenny Finkelstein, CA, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Knight’s Bridge which he and Counsel Corporation founded in November 2006. Mr. Finkelstein has a long and successful history of investing in, providing ongoing management, guidance and mentoring of portfolio entities, and delivering effective exit strategies.
Prior to founding Knight’s Bridge, Mr. Finkelstein co-founded and managed Gen-X Sports Inc., a diversified sporting goods company that owned multiple brands, including Lamar, LTD Snowboards, Tommy Armour and Ram Golf, Tear Drop and Zebra Putters, Ultrawheels in-line skates, Hespeler hockey, and Volant Ski Company. Mr. Finkelstein was also a co-founder of Lifestyle Brands Ltd., a company whose strategy was to acquire, for the purposes of creating a royalty stream, brands that needed revitalization. The company was successful in creating a significant royalty stream and was sold to Payless Shoes.
As CEO of Knight’s Bridge, Mr. Finkelstein, applies his extensive expertise in working closely with management of its portfolio companies, helping them formulate and meet proper targets and goals.
Jonathan Sokoloff – Managing Partner at Leonard Green & Partners
Jon joined LGP in 1990. Previously Jon was a Managing Director in corporate finance at Drexel, which he joined in 1985.
Prior to Drexel, Jon was a Principal of Hambrecht & Quist, and prior to that, he was with Woodman, Kirkpatrick & Gilbreath (which subsequently merged with Hambrecht & Quist) and Merrill Lynch & Co.
Jon presently serves on the Board of Directors of The Brickman Group, Ltd., The Container Store, David's Bridal, Inc., Intercontinental Art, Inc., Jetro Cash & Carry, Inc., Rite Aid Corporation, The Sports Authority, Inc., The Tire Rack, Inc., Tourneau, Inc., Varsity Brands, Inc., and Whole Foods Market.
Jon has served on the Board of Directors of Arrow Group Industries, Inc., Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation, Carr-Gottstein Foods Co., Diamond Triumph Auto Glass, Inc., Dollar Financial Group, Inc., MC Sporting Goods, Rival Manufacturing Co., Thrifty PayLess Holdings, Inc., Tuboscope, Inc., Vans, Inc., and White Cap Industries, Inc.
Jon serves on the Williams College Endowment Committee for Private Equity Investment. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Williams College.
Jonathan Seiffer – Partner at Leonard Green & Partners
Jon joined LGP in 1994. Previously he worked in corporate finance at DLJ in Los Angeles.
Jon presently serves on the Board of Directors of AerSale Holdings, Inc., Arrow Group Industries, Inc., AsianMedia Group LLC, David's Bridal, Inc., HITS, Inc., Motorsport Aftermarket Group, Scitor Corporation, The Sports Authority, Inc., The Tire Rack, Inc., Varsity Brands, Inc., and Whole Foods Market.
Jon has served on the Board of Directors of Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation, Diamond Triumph Auto Glass, Inc., Dollar Financial Group, Inc., Gart Sports Company, Liberty Group Publishing, Inc., and White Cap Industries, Inc.
He earned a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Systems Engineering and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.
Usama Cortas – Vice President at Leonard Green & Partners
Usama joined LGP as an Associate in 2003. Prior to joining LGP, Usama worked in the Mergers and Acquisitions and Retail/Consumer Products Groups in the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley in their New York office.
Usama currently serves on the board of directors for The Sports Authority, Inc. In addition, Usama is actively involved with LGP's investments in Whole Foods Market, Leslie’s Pollmart, Inc., Jetro Cash & Carry, Inc., The Tire Rack and Neiman Marcus Group Inc. and was previously involved with LGP's investments in White Cap Industries, Inc., Rand McNally and Scitor Corporations.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics-Political Science from Columbia University.
Chad Ochocinco teams up with TapouT Mouthguards and Performance Bands
