Needs & Leads

Planning a Vacation, Forum trip, or Reunion with Friends? Check out Roam by Tauck!

Submitted by Jennifer Tombaugh http://www.roambytauck.com jtombaugh@tauck.com 203-899-6834

We at Tauck just launched Roam by Tauck—our first new travel brand from our 101-year-old company in more than 15 years. It's designed specifically for travelers in their 40s and 50s who want the ease of expertly planned travel combined with the freedom to explore, recharge, and make the experience their own. In other words, probably you!

As entrepreneurs and leaders, we find our lives are obviously busy, and vacations are often the one time we want someone else to handle the logistics while we simply enjoy the journey. That's exactly who we built Roam for.

I also think it's a great fit for Forum adventures and retreats, in addition to trips with friends. Please feel free to message me with any questions or check out www.RoambyTauck.com for itineraries and more photos and videos. Thank you!

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YPO Referral Needed: Chief Portfolio Officer

Send all referrals to Andrew Zeppa. Please keep this opening confidential within YPO.

Submitted by Andrew Zeppa andrew@element119.com 860-207-9113

About Us

We are a privately held group of a dozen manufacturing and related businesses under one umbrella. We function as a captive incubator: we build and mature companies, strengthen their operations and financials, and prepare them for sale to strategic and financial buyers. With several value-creation initiatives underway and transaction activity ahead, we are creating a new senior leadership role at the holding-company level.

The Role

The Chief Portfolio Officer is a senior operating generalist reporting directly to the founder. You will develop working command of every company in the portfolio: operations, financials, people, facilities. You will own the work of making each one separable and sale-ready. This is a hands-on role for someone who is equally comfortable building an adjusted P&L and walking a shop floor. For the right candidate, the role includes the opportunity to step in as chief operating officer of individual portfolio companies, including post-transaction at a buyer’s request.

What You Will Do

• Learn the operations, financials, and personnel of approximately twelve portfolio companies in depth

• Lead the separation of intermingled functions: finance, staffing, facilities, and systems so each entity can operate and be evaluated on a standalone basis

• Produce monthly entity-level and consolidated P&L statements, including add-backs and adjustments with documented rationale

• Work with each company’s operating and finance leadership to gather data and build recurring reporting

• Coordinate with outside CPAs to generate appraisals, reports, and supporting analyses

• Own a slate of EBITDA-improvement initiatives with hard completion deadlines

• Evaluate inventory positions against active projects; track supplier orders and inbound shipments

• Meet with employees and staffing agencies to resolve staffing issues and plan for scale-up

• Oversee manufacturing facilities, including contractors, repairs, and maintenance

• Manage relationships with commercial tenants in company-owned buildings

• Administer correspondence and document flow across the separate entities

• Take on confidential special projects for ownership

What You Bring

• 10+ years of senior operating or finance leadership; background as a COO, CFO, VP of Operations/Finance, or in private equity / venture portfolio operations required

• Transaction experience strongly preferred: sale preparation, due diligence, quality of earnings, carve-outs, or post-acquisition integration

• Fluency in adjusted EBITDA, add-backs, and working effectively with outside accountants

• Experience in manufacturing or multi-site industrial environments preferred

• Demonstrated discretion handling confidential ownership-level matters

• CPA, CMA, or MBA a plus

• Based within commuting distance of greater Hartford; regular travel among local facilities

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary $185,000 – $210,000, commensurate with experience

• Annual performance bonus tied to defined operational and financial milestones

• Significant transaction incentives on completed portfolio-company sales — total compensation opportunity exceeding $1,000,000 upon successful outcomes. First transaction expected end of 2027.

• Medical and dental coverage; 401(k) with company match

• Paid time off; vehicle allowance for multi-site travel

How to Apply

Send a résumé and a brief note describing a business you helped prepare for or through a transaction to Andrew@element119.com. All inquiries are held in strict confidence.

YPO Investor Readiness Sprint

Submitted by David Logan

david@umergence.com

860-838-3332

YPO is currently finalizing the inaugural cohort of the Investor Readiness Sprint, a virtual program for growth-oriented founders looking to strengthen their investment proposition, fundraising story, pitch materials and delivery.

The program includes three interactive workshops, small-group coaching and a live YPO pitch finale with experienced YPO members and investors.

We have a small number of places still available for founders who are actively building scalable businesses and are interested in becoming investor-ready.

Interested? Please complete the short expression of interest form here: YSP Investor Readiness Sprint