MEI-MEI TUAN, Managing Partner and Founder
As an investment banker with Goldman Sachs, BankAmerica and BankAustria, Mei-Mei led domestic and international transactions in project finance, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, syndications and sale leasebacks. Mei-Mei’s operating experience includes serving as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer at two nationally prominent non-profit organizations: the Sierra Club Foundation and the San Francisco Food Bank.
Prior to founding Notch Partners, Mei-Mei ran a thriving independent consulting practice, completing assignments for over twenty clients, including several private equity-backed companies, private equity funds, and large corporations. Her current client relationships represent a range of industries including media, apparel, consumer products, publishing, medical technology, telecommunications, and enterprise software.
Mei-Mei is a frequent speaker at events and on panels which promote and support women business leaders and managers. She is an active board member of the New Jersey Women’s Forum, the Wellesley College Alumnae Association, the Harvard Business School Asian Alumnae Association, the Wellesley College Business Leadership Council, the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) and the Mid-Manhattan Performing Arts Foundation. Mei-Mei is a member of the Committee of 100, an organization that addresses issues concerning Sino-U.S. relations.
Mei-Mei is fluent in Chinese and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Wellesley College. She also holds a music degree from the Juilliard School of Music.
ANDREW THOMPSON, Managing Partner and Founder
Prior to founding Notch Partners, Andy was Managing Director of Primedia Ventures, where he co-managed two private equity investment funds. Through investments in 17 private companies, the firm generated top-quartile returns. In that capacity, he served on several boards of directors, providing strategic oversight and helping to build top-caliber management teams for the portfolio companies. Previously, he was a management consultant with McKinsey & Company. Andy has been a co-founder or early employee of three successful startup businesses. He was a member of the initial team at Andromedia, Inc., a private equity-backed software startup which sold to Macromedia, Inc. in a 9-figure transaction netting outsized returns for the private equity investment group, including UBS Capital, JK&B Capital, Draper International and Platinum Ventures.
His functional expertise spans strategic planning, private equity investment, and sales & marketing. His executive relationships cover a broad range of industrial and business-to-business fields including business process outsourcing, commercial banking, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, enterprise software, and telecommunications.
Andy is a frequent speaker to senior executive audiences, addressing the topics of career transition and executive relationships with private equity buyout investors. He is on the board of trustees for New Jersey SEEDS, an academic and leadership program for high-achieving, low-income youth. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Dartmouth College.
JUDY COLLINS
Judy joined Notch Partners in 2005 where she focuses on a variety of industrial and consumer related projects. She has extensive contacts in building materials, water/electrical infrastructure, and distribution/logistics. Prior to joining Notch, Judy served in operating roles at Flying Minds and Barnes & Noble. She started her career at Citibank in private banking. She holds an MPPM from Yale University and a BA from Wellesley College.
SCOTT GUNTHER
Prior to joining Notch Partners, Scott was an associate on Gerson Lehrman Group’s (GLG) private equity team. While at GLG, he spent time co-managing some of GLG’s private equity relationships as well as assisting in new business development. Scott has worked with a diverse group of sponsors in both size and strategy, including middle-market funds, global asset managers, and mezzanine lenders. He holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
CARSTEN HANSEN
Carsten holds a B.A. from Dartmouth College, where he studied government, with a concentration in international political economy and environmental studies. He co-founded and served as president of Dartmouth for Clean Water, a Tucker Foundation student organization that provides clean water to 17 villages in rural Haiti and El Salvador. Carsten has done extensive management consulting project work in both for-profit and nonprofit sectors. He is an avid outdoorsman and competitive cyclist.
ALICE JONES
Prior to joining Notch Partners, Alice worked as a consultant for IBM Global Business Services in the Financial Services Sector. At IBM, she spent time as a data integration designer and developer for a large banking client, then moved on to become the Business Operations Manager for a $40M account in the insurance industry. Alice holds an AB in Economics from Princeton University.
HEATHER MCNAUGHT
Before joining Notch Partners, Heather was a management consultant serving both for- and non-profit clients. At McKinsey & Company, she worked primarily with financial services companies to identify strategic acquisition opportunities, improve human capital systems, and streamline operations. Later, as an independent consultant, she advised non-profits and state and city governments attempting to transform public education to improve education for low-income children. Heather also founded and led Learn NY, a nonprofit that worked with Mayor Bloomberg’s office to successfully advocate for the renewal of mayoral control over New York City public schools. She began her career in public policy, working for the President’s Council of Economic Advisers and the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Policy in Washington, DC. Heather holds a JD from Harvard Law School and an AB from Princeton University.
MONIE RYDER
Prior to joining Notch Partners, Monie spent over 15 years in the private sector, serving as executive assistant to C-level executives, largely within the telecommunication industry. She has worked at Bay Networks (acquired by Nortel), Flarion Technologies, and FiberTower Corporation (merged with First Avenue Networks). She began her career in Washington, D.C., where she served as Assistant Director, Presidential Appointments and Scheduling for the President of the United States, and in similar roles for the Vice President and for a US Senator. Later, she served as Deputy Associate Director of Presidential Personnel. Monie attended Katharine Gibbs School and Wheaton College.
TIM SULLIVAN
Prior to joining Notch Partners, Tim was a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Argus Capital Partners LLC, where he advised middle market companies and made principal investments sourced through a broad network of high net worth partners. Prior to founding Argus Capital, Tim was a senior investment banker in the M&A Group with Goldman Sachs focusing on serving Goldman’s private equity client base. Previously, he was an investment banker in the M&A Group at Citigroup. Tim started his professional career as a lawyer with Sullivan & Cromwell, where he focused on M&A transactions, as well as general corporate and securities law work. He holds a JD from St. John’s University School of Law and a BA from Fordham University.
BETH WARNER
Beth fills multiple research and office management roles at Notch Partners, in addition to providing support to the founders. Prior to Notch, Beth was a researcher with the Latin American Emerging Markets group at BNP Paribas. Beth began her career in Paris with a French communications firm. She is fluent in Portuguese and French, and holds a BA in Public Communications and Economics from The American University.