Private Equity Fast Pitch

Eric Wiklendt is a Managing Director at Speyside Equity, where he is responsible for sourcing, executing, managing, and exiting investments. Eric has previously held senior leadership and operational roles, and he currently serves on the Boards of several portfolio companies.
 
Before joining Speyside Equity, Eric was President & CEO of Kelix Heat Transfer Systems. Prior to that, he held leadership roles at Eaton and Hilti Corporation, where he oversaw M&A activities, established a manufacturing plant in Mexico, managed a large marketing team, and directed industrial sales operations.
 
A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Eric obtained his MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Sam Gaynor is a Managing Director at Altamont Capital Partners where he oversees their Financial Services practice.  Sam evaluates and underwrites deals in the insurance, asset / wealth management, and specialty finance sectors, working closely with management teams to help maximize the value of their businesses.  In particular, Sam has overseen Altamont's efforts to incubate new Financial Services businesses, having launched eight new companies over the last decade.

Throughout 2025, I sat down with CEOs, founders, investors, and leaders across the private equity ecosystem. In every conversation, I asked a question that I have asked since the very first episode of Private Equity Fast Pitch:
 
What's the quote, motto, or what drives you?
 
The answers were telling as there were no slogans or catchy buzzwords.
 
What stood out was a shared seriousness about how success is built over time. Intention. Discipline. Mentorship. Compassion. Consistency. A deep respect for people and for the responsibility that comes with leadership.
 
These are not quotes for social media.
They are reference points for leadership.
 
I'm incredibly grateful for these guests time and our impactful conversations. And grateful to be able to bring these voices to the private equity community.
 
The Ninth Annual Quotes and Mottos montage features perspectives from our 2025 guests:
 
Erik Brooks – Founder & Managing Partner, Ethos Capital
Action over analysis. Grit, discipline, and winning the next 30 minutes.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000684256262
 
Jeff Aiello – Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Agellus Capital
Execution over perfection. Momentum guided by principles.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000687186161
 
Russ Roenick – Founder & Managing Partner, Transom Capital Group
Decisiveness and self-awareness. Knowing your limits and acting accordingly.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000731004463 
 
Michelle Noon – Founder & Managing Partner, Clearhaven Partners
Growth through discomfort. Progress comes from moving through challenge.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000733152917
 
Andrew Weinberg – Founder, CEO & Co-Chair, Brightstar Capital Partners
Carpe Diem. Presence, gratitude, and intention, rooted in family.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000696604131
 
Paul Raphael – Founder & Partner, Aurea
Quality and mentorship. Trusting people to figure it out.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000717775898
 
Parker Weil – Global Co-Head of Investment Banking, TD Securities
Long-term thinking. Reputation, relationships, and consistency.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000737590933 
 
Lucy Heintz – Partner, Actis
Empathy and perspective. Understanding how others see the world.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000701104377
 
Chris Rozzell – Managing Partner, Cresta Fund Management
Clarity over comfort. Discipline over drama. Truth over ego.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000721947245
 
Tim Meyer – Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Angeles Equity Partners
Focus and simplification. Eliminate noise to intensify impact.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000735555551 
 
Neda Vakilian – Partner, Actis
Sharp thinking and grounded execution. Trust and responsibility as leadership.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000713638680
 
Robert Brown – CEO, Lincoln International
Hustle and presence. Showing up and doing the blocking and tackling.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000711726279
 
Kristin Johnson – Managing Director, Altamont Capital Partners
Service and humility. Leading by asking, "What can I do to help?"
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000726285319 
 
Sean MacIver – Managing Director, KeyBanc Capital Markets
Adaptability. Knowing when the familiar tool no longer fits.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000728454456 
 
John Diggins – Partner, Platinum Equity
Risk and growth. Understanding that not taking risk can be the biggest risk.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000706853889
 
Matthew Sparks – Managing Director, Northleaf Capital
Proactivity. Skating to where the puck is going, not where it's been.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000723925489
 
Eliot Kerlin – Partner & Managing Partner, Broadwing Capital
Presence and forward thinking. Focused on what comes next.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000741835818 
 
Scott Sperling – Co-CEO, THL
The ripple effect. Small actions compounding into meaningful impact.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000720142324
 
Michael Psaros – Co-Founder & Co-Managing Partner, KPS Capital Partners
Time, gratitude, and legacy. Using success in service of something larger.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-equity-fast-pitch/id1359329939?i=1000739675082

Eliot serves as Managing Partner of Broadwing Capital, which he co-founded after 20 years of operational private equity experience. He is responsible for overall direction of the firm and ensuring Broadwing achieves its investment objectives in a manner consistent with the firm's mission and core values. He originates and leads investment opportunities, partners with management post-acquisition to achieve transformative results, and serves as primary contact at the firm for investors. Eliot has been a private equity investor since 2000, and has significant expertise in mergers and acquisitions, corporate strategy, performance improvement, and realizations through sales, public offerings and dividend recapitalizations.
Prior to founding Broadwing in 2022, Eliot was a Managing Partner of Insight Equity, a private equity firm with $1.4 billion under management. During his 17 years at Insight, Eliot led numerous investments and exits, working with management teams to create significant value across pre-fund investments, three equity funds and one mezzanine vehicle. He was responsible for all stages of the investment process, collaborating closely with management to identify and implement strategic and tactical improvement opportunities. Eliot served as Director and Chairman of multiple portfolio company boards, acted as Chief Restructuring Officer at a portfolio company during the great recession, and led acquisitions and greenfield expansion efforts throughout the United States and in seven countries.
Before joining Insight, Eliot acted as turnaround manager for Bay State Paper Company. Earlier in his career, Eliot worked for three years at Jupiter Partners, a New York-based private equity fund focused on domestic manufacturing, distribution and services companies. Previously, Eliot worked as an investment banker in Merrill Lynch's Global Communications Group advising public and private companies on corporate mergers, public offerings and bond offerings.


Eliot enjoys investing in the lives of his three sons and daughter and his local community. He co-founded and serves as Chairman of Casa Del Lago, an outreach to the Bachman Lake community in Dallas. In addition, Eliot previously served as a long-time board member of the Prison Entrepreneurship Program and other non-profit boards, Director and Chairman of a school board, English as a Second Language teacher, Assistant Scoutmaster, and coach of multiple soccer teams. Eliot co-founded a national impact angel network that invests in young companies and provides advice to their founders. Active in professional circles as well, Eliot was the Chairman of the DFW Private Equity Forum and Director – Private Equity with the DFW Association for Corporate Growth. Originally from Ft. Worth, Eliot roots for the Aggies, enjoys the outdoors, took up tennis to protect his knees from soccer injuries, and can play tunes on several stringed instruments. He lives in Dallas with his wife and their four children.


Eliot holds an M.B.A. with distinction from Harvard Business School, and a B.B.A. in Finance with honors from Texas A&M University.

Michael Psaros is a Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner of KPS Capital Partners, LP ("KPS") and a member of its Investment and Management Committees. KPS is a leading global private equity firm with approximately $19.4B (as of 6/30/25) of assets under management focused on making controlling equity investments in global manufacturing and industrial companies across an array of industries. KPS generates investment returns by structurally improving the strategic position, competitiveness and profitability of its portfolio companies. The KPS Funds' portfolio companies generate aggregate annual revenues of approximately $21.6B and operate 211 manufacturing facilities in 21 countries (as of 6/30/25 pro forma for recent acquisitions and exits).
Mr. Psaros currently serves on the Board of Directors of 14 KPS portfolio companies and as Chairman of six. He previously served on the Board of 35 former KPS portfolio companies. Prior to joining its predecessor in 1991 and co-founding KPS in 1997, he was an investment banker with Bear Stearns & Co., Inc.
He received a B.S.B.A. in Finance from Georgetown University and attended Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan.
The Psaros Center for Financial Markets and Policy at Georgetown University, named for and endowed by the Psaros family in 2022, provides non-partisan, unbiased expertise to guide policy and practice. The Center leverages the strength of Georgetown's McDonough School of Business, distinguished faculty and leadership in finance and public policy to convene leaders across the private sector, global capital markets, legislators and regulators to solve problems for the common good.
Mr. Psaros served on Georgetown University's Board of Directors and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Executive Board of Advisors at McDonough School of Business. Mr. Psaros received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Honorus Causa, from Georgetown University in May 2025. Mr. Psaros created "The Michael and Robin Psaros Endowed Chair in Business Administration" at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business in 2013 and "The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Endowed Orthodox Chaplaincy, Endowed by the Michael Psaros Family" in 2021.
Mr. Psaros is the Vice Chairman of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at Ground Zero in New York City. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and is an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and serves on its National Council. He serves on the Board of Trustees of The Leadership 100 Endowment and the Executive Board of The Hellenic Initiative. Mr. Psaros was honored by the Hellenic Republic (Greece), the International Foundation for Greece and the Hellenic Post for his exceptional business achievements and philanthropy. The Hellenic Post placed Mr. Psaros on a limited-edition postage stamp now in circulation throughout Greece.
Michael Psaros, Commencement Speech, Georgetown University:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=5U-9gVrfXto