Michael Toporek

Michael Toporek, Managing General Partner. Mr. Toporek founded Brookstone Partners in 2003 and helps to manage all aspects of the firm's activities. Mr. Toporek is primarily responsibility for investment decisions and portfolio company management and development. In addition, Mr. Toporek also appears regularly as a commentator on CNNfn and CNBC.

Prior to his position at Brookstone Partners, Mr. Toporek was both an active principal investor and investment banker. Over the past 10 years, Mr. Toporek has invested in growth equity and industrial buyout situations which yielded over $1 billion in capital returned to investors. Notable investments include eToys, The Theory Center, Advanced Mining Systems and Blacor Steel. As an investment banker, Mr. Toporek has worked extensively with Fortune 100 companies to formulate and execute complex merger, acquisition and financing strategies in diversified sectors such as manufacturing, building products, media, analytical instruments, environmental services, technology and transportation/logistics. He has also structured innovative debt, equity and equity-linked financing in the U.S. and European capital markets.

Mr. Toporek began his career in Chemical Bank's Investment Banking Group, later joined Dillon Read, which became UBS Warburg during his tenure, and SG Cowen. He received a B.A. and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago.

Perry P. Jacobson

Perry P. Jacobson, Managing Director. In his role at Brookstone Partners, Mr. Jacobson is responsible for managing B.P. Mezzanine Capital, LLC, a captive mezzanine fund which primarily invests alongside Brookstone Partners' equity capital as well as working with the firms Limited Partners.

Prior to joining Brookstone, Mr. Jacobson was a specialist on the New York Stock Exchange from 1982 to 2004. He started his career with CMJ Partners and continued with Wagner, Stott and Mercator after their merger. He became a member of the managing committee at each firm where he was involved in both day to day and policy decisions. Mr. Jacobson was also a NYSE Floor Governor and a member of the NYSE Market Performance Committee which sets rules and procedures for NYSE trading. Mr. Jacobson graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in Business Administration in 1981.

Walter E. Rose

Walter E. Rose, Managing Director. In his role at Brookstone Partners Mr. Rose is responsible for the origination of transactions and advising portfolio companies on key initiatives and strategic planning.

Prior to joining Brookstone, Mr. Rose was President and CEO of Rostra Technologies, which he founded in 1982 for the purpose of acquiring manufacturing companies. Rostra Technologies acquired a number of companies under Mr. Rose’s direction, including International Foils, Gibraltar Packaging Group, Rostra Precision Controls, Rostra Tool and Rostra Vernatherm. In each case the acquired company was built up through organic growth and synergistic add-on acquisitions.

Prior to founding Rostra Technologies, Mr. Rose ran major divisions and companies for ITT and Thomas Tilling Inc.

Mr. Rose holds a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida and received his M.B.A. from New York University.

Bardia Mesbah

Bardia Mesbah, Principal. Bardia Mesbah is responsible for the origination of transactions and works closely with the senior partners in structuring and negotiating the firm's investments. Mr. Mesbah also plays a direct role in the ongoing management of the portfolio companies.

Prior to joining Brookstone Partners, Bardia Mesbah was a Vice President at Emigrant Capital, a private investment fund offering private equity, late stage venture capital financing, and subordinated debt to businesses with revenues between $5 and $300 million.

Prior to joining Emigrant Capital, Mr. Mesbah was a partner and co-head of the Specialty Chemicals Practice at Kline and Company, a management consulting firm. As such Mr. Mesbah was responsible for the group's business development activities as well as the management and execution of consulting engagements. During his tenure at Kline, he assisted leading fortune 50 multinational companies with growth and diversification strategies, mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning, and value chain assessments.

Mr. Mesbah has been a speaker at numerous conferences including the Goldman Sachs chemical conference, NPCA, ASC and has been frequently quoted in publications such as the New York Times, Chemical Week, Chemical Marketing Reporter, among others.

Mr. Mesbah received a B.S. from Cornell University and an M.B.A. from Boston University.

Daniel Carbonara

Daniel Carbonara, Managing Director. Mr. Carbonara opened Brookstone Partners’ Atlanta office and is primarily responsible for the firm’s efforts in the Southern United States. Key responsibilities include origination and execution of new transactions, identification of key executives and development of Brookstone’s various funds.

Prior to joining Brookstone Partners, Mr. Carbonara was Head of Transaction Development, US Coverage and Structured Finance, at BNP Paribas in New York. In this role, he was responsible for originating mergers and acquisitions and strategic recapitalizations for both financial sponsor and corporate clients. Prior to BNP Paribas, Mr. Carbonara was in strategic planning at Philip Morris where he was charged with identifying new merger and acquisition opportunities in order to diversify the company’s business.

Mr. Carbonara began his career in public accounting with KPMG. He later worked in the investment banking departments of both Credit Suisse First Boston and SG Cowen where he advised on mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. Mr. Carbonara earned his MBA from Duke University and B.S. from The Citadel.

Matthew Lipman

Matthew Lipman, Vice President. Mr. Lipman is responsible for the origination, evaluation, and execution of new investments. Mr. Lipman also works closely with senior management of portfolio companies on key initiatives including strategic planning, hiring of key executives, and acquisitions. Mr. Lipman is a director of TotalStone, LLC.

Prior to joining Brookstone, Mr. Lipman worked in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group at UBS Investment Bank where he focused primarily on providing merger and acquisition advisory services and corporate finance services across a broad range of sectors including industries including industrial, consumer products and healthcare.

Mr. Lipman received his B.S. from Babson College (Cum Laude) in Business Administration.

James L. Berenthal, Esq.

James L. Berenthal, Esq., General Counsel. Mr. Berenthal received both his B. A. and his J.D. degrees from Indiana University. He is admitted to practice law in the states of New York, New Jersey and Florida. He is also admitted to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second and Third Circuits, the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Berenthal & Associates, P.C., the firm founded by Mr. Berenthal over 35 years ago, features a specialty legal practice with a strong finance and international orientation. The firm emphasizes the legal representation of financial institutions, business interests, including the representation of public and privately held corporations, as well as diverse business entities and investors. With offices on Madison Avenue in New York and downtown Miami, and affiliate offices in Spain, France, Chile and Israel, the firm’s attorneys and its support staff reflect the multi-linguistic, cultural diversity that allows it to effectively represent New York based clients as well as international clients.

Mr. Berenthal has vast experience in banking and finance, having represented two of Spain’s largest banks in the United States. Mr. Berenthal also represents a variety of international organizations and has structured business and real estate acquisitions in the United States as well as in overseas markets.

Frank Rodriguez

Frank Rodriguez, Director of Business Development. Mr. Rodriguez is responsible for the origination of transactions and new investments. Prior to his affiliation with Brookstone Partners, Mr. Rodriguez had been an accomplished business trial lawyer for over 26 years. His practice focused primarily in the areas of securities and corporate director and officer litigation as well as complex commercial disputes. This background and orientation enabled Mr. Rodriguez to develop an insightful understanding of the duties and obligations that directors and officers owe to the company they serve and how companies should be properly operated and managed. During his legal career, Mr. Rodriguez recovered over $200 million in jury verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients.

Mr. Rodriguez is a graduate of the University of Florida (B.A., 1978; J.D., 1981).

Ritesh Sharma

Ritesh Sharma, Associate. In his role with Brookstone Partners, Mr. Sharma works closely with portfolio companies to help in strategizing and implementing critical financial and operational initiatives.

Mr. Sharma was a summer associate with Brookstone Partners prior to joining the firm full time in 2007. Prior to joining Brookstone, Mr. Sharma held a number of technical and sales positions with various companies in India. Mr. Sharma most recently worked as a consultant for a start-up manufacturing company, and prior to that with the specialty chemicals division of Nalco Chemicals in India.

Mr. Sharma received a B.E. degree in Chemical Engineering and an M.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame.

Thomas Sternweis

Thomas Sternweis, Investment Analyst. In his role at Brookstone Partners, Mr. Sternweis is responsible for evaluating prospective investments and working closely with portfolio companies on strategic initiatives.

Prior to joining Brookstone, Mr. Sternweis was a Business Analyst with the consulting firm A.T. Kearney where he worked on operational and strategic projects in the Chemicals, Paper, and Automotive industries. Before joining A.T. Kearney, Mr. Sternweis was a Fulbright Fellow, conducting research on Foreign Direct Investment in the Baltic region. Mr. Sternweis received his B.A. from Northwestern University in Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences and Economics.

Mark Fischer

Mark Fischer, Investment Analyst. In his role at Brookstone Partners, Mr. Fischer evaluates investment opportunities and works closely with portfolio companies on strategic initiatives.

Prior to joining Brookstone, Mr. Fischer was active in a non-for-profit consulting group affiliated with the University of Chicago. In 2006, Mr. Fischer was elected Phi Beta Kappa Fellow. Mr. Fischer received his B.A. from the University of Chicago in Economics and is a member of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business Scholars Program.