Alerion Capital Group is a private equity and management advisory firm. Alerion’s investment philosophy focuses on companies that will benefit most from our experience and knowledge, centering around technology product and service providers.
Companies we seek are typically interested in Alerion’s on-going management assistance, mentoring and guidance, in addition to the capital we provide. This collaboration coupled with access to our significant network of expertise and talented management candidates enables companies to more effectively realize their potential and generate attractive returns.
Alerion was founded by James Unruh, former Chairman and CEO of Unisys, as a means of helping managers build their companies, leverage his 30+ years of technology industry experience, as well as benefit from his ongoing participation in corporate boards, including CSG, Prudential, Tenet Healthcare, and CenturyLink (formerly Qwest). The Alerion team extends on this foundation bringing extensive experience from the technology and investment banking fields. Alerion is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona and has a Salt Lake City, Utah office.
Alerion means an eagle crest in heraldry and signifies our ability to assist companies in their flights to reach new heights of business performance.
The Power of Capital and the Insight of Experience © enable us to help companies expand their potential.
The management team is led by James Unruh, founding partner of Alerion. The group brings together the diverse skills and background which drive our investments and on-going relationship with the management team of our portfolio companies.
Mr. Unruh’s extensive experience includes general management, marketing and financial positions in several large publicly held companies where he successfully completed turnarounds, joint ventures, acquisitions, divestments, and debt and equity financings. His industry background has been with multinational businesses providing computer hardware and software, semiconductors, information technology systems integration, consulting and support services, as well as electro-mechanical products for consumer and industrial markets. Immediately prior to founding Alerion, Mr. Unruh was the Chairman and CEO of Unisys Corporation. When Mr. Unruh became CEO in 1990, Unisys was in serious distress. By mapping a new strategic course and implementing his vision through a restructuring of the business portfolio, reengineering the cost structure and spearheading organizational and cultural changes, Unisys was repositioned, financially revitalized and growing again with information technology services representing two-thirds of its $6.6 billion in revenue. Earlier in his career as Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Unruh was key to the revitalization of Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation (semiconductors) and of Memorex Corporation (storage devices and media). Mr. Unruh has also served as an outside director with nearly a dozen Fortune 500 corporations including Prudential Financial and Tenet Healthcare, in addition to private mid-market firms, entrepreneurial ventures and charitable organizations. Current board memberships include CSG International and portfolio companies.
Mr. DeAvila’s background includes traditional corporate, merchant and investment banking activities. Prior to joining Alerion, Mr. DeAvila was an Associate at Banc One Capital Partners Inc. (BOCP), assisting in the establishment of its Western regional office supporting mezzanine investment opportunities in acquisitions and recapitalizations. Prior to joining BOCP, Mr. DeAvila was a Commercial Loan Officer for LaSalle Bank, NI in Chicago, focusing on the middle-market. Mr. DeAvila received his B.S. in Business Administration with a specialization in Finance and a minor in Spanish from Marquette University. He received his MBA from Arizona State University, and he is a CFA charter holder. Current board memberships include UMB Bank Arizona, and portfolio companies.
Mr. Unruh’s experience has focused on new business development, strategic alliances, and product/service introduction within the technology industry. This experience has included functional roles spanning business development, marketing, finance, procurement, supply chain management, engineering, support, and general management. Prior to joining Alerion, Mr. Unruh was a Senior Director of Business Development with Oracle Corporation. Prior to Oracle, he was primarily involved in formation and development of new divisions, business units, products and services within Hewlett-Packard, Unisys, and Memorex. Mr. Unruh is an elected trustee of the Arizona Technology Council and the Arizona Technology SciTech Institute, having served previously as an elected trustee of the Utah Information Technology Association. Mr. Unruh has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and an MBA from the University of Michigan.
Ms. Wolcott brings to Alerion a rich experience working with high-level executives and supporting dynamic businesses. Prior to joining Alerion, Ms. Wolcott worked with the executive team at APL, one of the world’s leading ocean carriers. Preceding APL, Ms. Wolcott gained diverse operational experience spanning industries with companies like EMSI, a leading, national provider of medical information services, and Delphi Packard Electric, an automotive electronics provider.
Tech Cowboy occupies a place in each of our spirits. He is as at home in our hearts as he is at home on the range (so long as his WiFi, iPhone or Galaxy is in range). He embodies the spirit of the West and that adventurous quest which brought each of us to be in the West and immersed in the world of technology, the frontier of science for humanity. While the technology sector has burgeoned since our early days in the apricot orchards of what is now Silicon Valley, when Moore’s Law was a twinkle in Gordon Moore’s eye, it still captures that original spirit of the West and enthusiasm that continues to yield new frontiers…of science.
Our investment partners are active in Alerion transactions on a case specific basis. These partners start with our network of private individuals and extend to institutional partners as appropriate to the scale and particulars of a given transaction.
Alerion maintains a network of private high net worth individuals who participate in our transactions. These individuals are successful entrepreneurs and business people who have interest in technology and technology enabled companies. They may have an affinity for particular investments we make or have related experience. They are principally passive investors but may provide an additional extension of experience or advice specific to a particular firm in the portfolio or related to that firm’s industry.
These partners include traditional bank lending institutions providing lines of credit and senior debt facilities. These partners also include mezzanine debt providers, whose lower priority debt incorporates equity based options. Financial partners may provide one or more components for the capital structure of a given transaction. Participation by financial partners is on a case by case basis in order to provide the optimal cost of capital structure reflecting the unique circumstances of a specific transaction.
These partners include funds of institutions and other types of institutional wealth sources. Institutional partners generally seek to diversify their investment portfolios to include technology and co-invest with Alerion providing expertise in the industry segment and technology area for the case specific investment.
Our network comprises current and former technology industry executives, managers, and experts accessible by our portfolio management teams to provide specific expertise, extend the firm’s capabilities and development, and assist management in their development.
Our advisory board comprises highly successful industry leaders and experts. These individuals extend the scope of experience and expertise available to Alerion and add further breadth to the management team.
Paul Dhillon is principle of CSSDP Investments and chairman and co-founder of Integra Devices, an embedded microdevice company. Paul is former President and CEO of VTI Instruments, which sold to Ametek where he continued as General Manager (Ametek NYSE: AME). Paul was instrumental in co-founding the VXI Consortium and LXI standard, which became the worldwide automated test equipment standard. Prior to VTI, Paul held management positions with Milcom, now Powerwave (PWAV), Marconi Command & Control and Racal Group. Paul is a highly experienced, electrical engineer with particular expertise in the test & measurement, sensor and military and aerospace markets. Paul is a graduate of Kingston University in London.
Doug Kennedy is CEO of Adaptiva a leading, global provider of endpoint management and security solutions, employing peer-to-peer technology, to clients across the enterprise and the Fortune 1000 market. Doug joined Adaptiva as Chief Growth Officer and COO, after two decades in the enterprise software sector, coming from Oracle, where he was VP Business Development & Partner Strategy, Oracle Marketing Cloud, responsible for the global partnering and go to market business development strategies and programs. Doug joined Oracle via its Netsuite acquisition, where he was VP Global Systems Integrators, leading partner strategies and programs.
Prior to Netsuite, Doug was Microsoft’s VP Dynamics (ERP & CRM) Partners Sales and Programs, to which he brought his experiences from a variety of positions in rising technology sector firms, including progressive senior management positions at Oracle culminating with Sr. VP Worldwide Alliances and Channels. Doug is a graduate of Simon Fraser University, Canada, in CS and Business and has been a recognized leader in the technology sector, including as board member of the Washington Technology Association.
Jerry Lindfelt has enjoyed a distinguished career in aerospace, defense businesses and identity management. Jerry has held positions as Deputy to the Chairman for Operations for L-1 Identity Solutions and Vice President of the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance business units of Lockheed Martin. Prior to Lockheed, Jerry held executive and operational management positions at Loral Space & Communications Ltd., Scitor Corporation and the Loral Corporation. He is a graduate of American International College and has a Master’s Degree from Northeastern University. Mr. Lindfelt has served on numerous non-profit and governmental boards and currently serves on the board of Learning Services, a brain injury rehabilitation company.
Terry Petrzelka is Founding CEO at Advectus Solutions Limited, a software development business providing a NetSuite fully integrated Dealer Management System. Terry continues his success as an entrepreneur, investor and advisor with Advectus and while continuing to advise companies providing solutions for the major software platforms, including NetSuite and Microsoft. Previously, Terry was the Founding CEO of Tectura, a global services company for the Microsoft ecosystem. Terry raised over $100M to fund the global build out of Tectura, reaching 23 countries. Prior to Tectura, Terry was the President and owner of Scitor and was VP & General Management of GM’s Control Data Government Systems. Terry was an officer in the United States Air Force and has been recognized among the ‘Top 100 Most Influential People’ by Accounting Today.
James Reed is a former General Partner of Vestor Partners private equity firm. Prior to Vestor, James was Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of Union Camp Corporation. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of several other publicly held companies and is a former general partner of Vestor Partners, LP. Currently, he is a Trustee of Simpson College, Indianola, IA, and the Chairman of the Desert Foothills YMCA & Community Center in Arizona.
Will West is CEO at Silvervue. Will is a successful entrepreneur and co-founder of three previous firms, including an active Board member and former CEO of Control4. He has also been Chairman of Utah Capitol Investment Corporation (Fund of Funds), and served as Chairman of Utah Technology Council. Will has raised more than $400 million in private capital for three previous ventures. In 1998, he co-founded STSN (now iBAHN), the worldwide leader in broadband services for business travelers. Prior to founding STSN, Will was president, CEO, and co-founder of PHAST Corporation, a leading manufacturer of high-end home automation equipment. Will’s other professional experience includes Proctor & Gamble, the Federal Savings and Loan Corporation, and Wasatch Advisors. He holds a degree in Finance from the University of Utah, an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and he holds the CFA designation. Will is currently on Utah Business Magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the state, and on the list in 2010. He was named Utah Valley Entrepreneur of the year in 2004 and in 2006 he was named the Ernst & Young Master Entrepreneur Of The Year® in the region. In 2008 he was named the Utah CEO of the Year by the Utah Technology Council.
