KELLY DEPONTE
Managing Director
Probitas Partners

Deponte, a managing director at San Francisco-based private equity advisory group Probitas Partners, has more than thirty-four years of industry experience. He is responsible for Probitas Partners’ research. Prior to joining Probitas Partners, Kelly was Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director at Pacific Corporate Group (“PCG”), a leading provider of alternative investment advisory, management and consulting services. Kelly oversaw the partnership investment program, which comprised more than $20 billion in capital dedicated globally to private equity. Before joining PCG, Kelly held various senior positions at First Interstate Bancorp, including management of a $170 million venture capital portfolio, oversight of all financial derivative activity in the corporation and its banks, and analysis and management of capital and liquidity positions of First Interstate subsidiaries. Kelly is also a member of the a Editorial Advisory Board of The Review of Private Equity and is the editor of several books published by PEI Media: “The Definitive Guide to Private Equity Fund Due Diligence” (1st & 2nd editions); “The Definitive Guide to Distressed Debt and Turnaround Investing” (1st & 2nd editions); and “A Guide to Private Equity Fund of Funds Managers” (2nd edition). Kelly earned a BA in Communications from Stanford University and an MBA from The Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA.

BRIAN RICH
Managing Partner & Co-Founder
Catalyst Investor

Rich is responsible for the general management and investment policy of Catalyst Investors. He monitors all of the firm’s investment opportunities and provides counsel for all portfolio companies. A veteran investor, he has more than 20 years of experience in the business services, technology and wireless sectors. Rich has served on numerous boards at Catalyst and predecessor funds and is currently on the executive committee of the National Venture Capital Association’s inaugural Growth Equity Group. In 2010 he was invited by the FCC to advise on media ownership. Prior to co-founding Catalyst, Mr. Rich founded and managed TD Capital (USA) Inc. (“TD Capital”), the entity that made Toronto Dominion Bank’s U.S.-based equity, mezzanine, and limited partnership investments from 1995 to 1999. As group head, he oversaw approximately 40 investments totaling more than $600 million. Before founding TD Capital, Mr. Rich was a Managing Director in the bank’s Media, Telecom & Technology Group. Prior to joining TD in 1990, Mr. Rich held positions at The Bank of New York and Intel Corporation.

Mr. Rich earned a BS in Industrial Engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo and an MBA from Columbia Business School.