Mid-Atlantic Venture Association Elects Three New Directors
Deric Emry, Jonathan Perl and Tony Ricciardella Join MAVA Board
McLean, VA – April 15, 2009 The Mid-Atlantic Venture Association (MAVA) today announced that three industry leaders have been elected to the board of directors for three-year terms: Deric Emry of ABS Capital Partners; Jonathan Perl of Boulder Ventures, Ltd; and Tony Ricciardella of Grant Thornton LLP. With the election of the three new directors, 23 industry leaders serve on the MAVA board. Cal Hackeman of Grant Thornton, Lawrence Marks of Boulder Ventures, and April Young, formerly of Comerica Bank, rotate off the board.
Deric Emry is a General Partner at ABS Capital Partners, whose investment interests and experience include media and communications companies. Prior to joining ABS Capital in 1999, he was part of Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown's Media & Communications Investment Banking team from 1996 to 1999. During that time, this team was considered by Wall Street to be the premier investment banker in the sector, and he was instrumental in helping to develop new sub-sectors of focus within media & communications. His educational background includes an MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business and a BS in Accounting from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Jonathan Perl, a General Partner at Boulder Ventures, has more than 11 years of venture capital and investing experience with a focus on early-stage information technology companies. Prior to joining Boulder Ventures in 2002, he was with Intersouth Partners where he first served as a Kauffman Fellow and then as a partner responsible for sourcing, due diligence, structuring and negotiation of more than a dozen early stage investments. He holds an MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and a BA (magna cum laude) in classical history from Tufts University.
Tony Ricciardella leads Grant Thornton’s Mid-Atlantic Technology Industry Practice and is also is an Audit Partner. His experience includes more than 18 years in public accounting plus two years as an assistant director of finance for a $50 million professional services firm. He is a member of the firm’s National Technology Industry Practice Leadership Team, which is responsible for delivering Industry Thought Leadership to Grant Thornton clients, people, and the business communities that the firm serves. He received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
“Deric, Jonathan and Tony and their respective organizations have long been active MAVA members. We are very pleased they have agreed to join our board and to provide their leadership at this pivotal time for our industry,” said John Burton, MAVA president and managing general partner, Updata Partners.
Capital Connection ’09 Conference Open to All
Emry, Perl and Ricciardella join the board in advance of MAVA’s flagship event, Capital Connection ‘09, scheduled for May 26-27 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C. Leaders from technology enterprises, investment, and government will be on the program along with more than 50 technology companies at all growth stages that will be showcasing their capabilities to a nationwide audience of investors, advisors, partners, and entrepreneurs. For registration information, go to www.capitalconnection.org.
About MAVA
The Mid-Atlantic Venture Association (MAVA) represents private equity and venture capital firms and their strategic partners with investment interests in the mid-Atlantic. MAVA provides a wide range of programs, information and forums designed to stimulate revenue and company growth, facilitate quality deal flow, encourage collaboration, and foster relationships between entrepreneurs, investors and strategic partners and customers in order to promote private equity investment. Membership includes more than 500 venture capital professionals representing nearly 125 firms with collectively more than $100 billion in capital under management. For more information, please visit www.mava.org
Contact:
Mary Ellen Knuti
703-506-9300
Agnes Stevens
919-417-0858
