Leadership Team

Black Dragon Capital is led by a team of investment, operating, and technology professionals with strong financial backgrounds, operating experience, and track records of applying capital mandates for early-stage, expansion-focused, and leveraged buyout situations in both private and public companies.

Louis

Louis Hernandez Jr., Founder, Managing Director and CEO

 

Louis Hernandez Jr. is a highly experienced technology investor and executive, corporate board member, author, and philanthropist. He works closely with Black Dragon Capital portfolio companies to create market leaders.

Hernandez guides Black Dragon using an operationally led and thesis-driven approach. Investments are predicated on the firm’s deep understanding of the impact digitization has on workflow, technology, economics, and human factors driving the transformation of the digital landscape.

Hernandez has led several companies that were in the Black Dragon portfolio. He served as chairman and CEO of Avid Technology, Inc., a leading developer of advanced technology for media originally focused on content creation for film, video, and music. He led Avid through a major transformation, restructuring the organization and diversifying the product mix to improve margins, remake the cost structure, and return the company to profitability. The turnaround involved innovative new products, a new digital strategy, cost efficiencies, workforce optimization, and the establishment of predictable, stable revenue streams, all while the company was undergoing a nine-year financial restatement. Under Hernandez, Avid also achieved a dramatic improvement in ethnic and gender diversity.

Hernandez was also chairman and CEO of Open Solutions, an award-winning banking technology leader whose DNA core processing system helped reshape the global landscape for banking technology. The company is now part of Fiserv. Open Solutions was for years one of the world’s fastest-growing enterprise banking systems.

He has served on the boards of global companies, including Edison International and HSBC Holdings, and has advised global organizations, such as Infosys and KPMG.

The 501(c)3 philanthropic foundation that Hernandez established, Louis Hernandez Jr.’s Foundation For A Bright Future, focuses on equal opportunity for children. It provides scholarships and support for education, healthcare, arts, and leadership development programs.

Hernandez is the author of three books: Saving the American Dream, Too Small to Fail, and The Storyteller’s Dilemma.

Louis Hernandez Jr.

Founder, CEO, and Managing Director, Black Dragon Capital

“We believe the entrepreneurial spirit should be nurtured through experienced execution and is best understood and optimized by peers who have walked-the-walk and talked-the-talk in the same industries that we invest in.”

Jorge Besu 11 (2)

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Jorge Besú
Marketing Director

Jorge Besú

Jorge Emilio Besú is a marketing and digital transformation strategist with more than fifteen years of professional and consulting experience. Named 2016's SBA Emerging Leader, Jorge has helped companies and organizations to innovate, better engage clients, and accelerate their growth.

Besú founded and successfully led his consulting firm Inhauz Strategic Partners, collaborating with SAP, Microsoft, Outbrain, Banco Popular, Medalla Light, Gladius Animation Studios, and the office of the CIO of Puerto Rico. He has produced award-winning content, events, and sponsor experiences for Viacom Latam clients, and has also worked as Marketing Director for Televisa Publishing in the Caribbean.

Jorge began his professional career as a Public Relations Executive in Fleishman Hillard. He was also a brand manager for Camel Cigarettes. Previous to joining Black Dragon, he served as CMO for Talos Digital -a leading eCommerce implementation partner and mobile app studio.

The executive considers himself a futurist and is passionate about emerging technologies. He has produced more than a dozen innovation conferences, summits, and hackathons, is a strong advocate for minority tech talent and is a leader in the US and Latam startup ecosystems.

Besú obtained his BBA from Loyola University, Branding Executive Certification from Kellogg School of Management, Diplomacy degree from the Caribbean Center for Advanced Studies, Master Studies on International Business from Interamerican University, and graduated from Silicon Valley's tech accelerator Founder Institute.

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Jesse Leeds
Human Resources Manager

Jesse Leeds

Jesse Leeds is the Human Resources Manager of Black Dragon Capital. Jesse is in charge of staffing, recruiting, training, and performance management. He also collaborates with the Fund senior team and directors on a variety of domestic and international projects with an emphasis on People Operations. Jesse assists with acquisitions and advises and supports portfolio companies of the Fund.

Previously, Leeds led Human Resources for SalesRoads, a B2B demand generation, and sales outsourcing company. Prior to that, he was VP of Human Resources and VP of Business Development for eCommerce digital marketing agency, Search Placement Marketing. Leeds earned his Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certificate in 2016, and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Florida Atlantic University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

Steve

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Steve Richards
Director, Dragon Performance Group

Steve Richards

Richards comes to Black Dragon with over 20 years of experience in the software and technology sector in finance-related roles, including corporate finance, operational finance, strategic planning & analysis, and corporate development.

He began his career in investment banking and venture capital and has worked as the CFO of various startup companies and has held high-level corporate development positions at multibillion-dollar public companies: namely, Constellation Software, SAP, and BearingPoint.

Richards obtained an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the University of Maryland and a BA in Economics and Finance from the University of Virginia.

At Black Dragon, he will help lead the Dragon Performance Group, the firm’s consulting arm that provides leading-edge technology and operational support to Black Dragon portfolio companies.

CapriaHeadShot

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Frank Capria
Director, Media Technology

Frank Capria

Frank Capria is a Director specializing in Media Technology at Black Dragon Capital. Frank has over a decade of experience in product strategy in companies of varying sizes.

Prior to joining Black Dragon, Mr. Capria led the video surveillance product group for LenelS2, a subsidiary of United Technologies where his focus was on advanced analytics and machine learning. Prior to United Technologies, his entire career was spent in the media and entertainment sector working businesses ranging from startups to mature companies. Mr. Capria spent nearly a decade at Avid and was part of Louis Hernandez, Jr.’s team-leading Avid’s dramatic transformation.

Before becoming a technologist, Mr. Capria was an editor at WGBH (PBS) in Boston where he won a regional Emmy Award in 1999.

Mr. Capria earned his MBA from the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College. He received his Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Journalism at Boston University where he now serves as Senior Lecturer for the Film and Television program.

Tim

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Tim Greenfield
Partner

Tim Greenfield

Tim Greenfield, partner of Black Dragon Capital, is a proven business builder with a track record in growing technology businesses in financial services, mobile applications, e-commerce, and software. He has broad experience in acquisitions, capital raising, and strategy.

Greenfield’s role at Black Dragon spans the full investment cycle, from sourcing and due diligence to post-transaction integration, strategy and operational improvement through to a liquidity event or full exit. His areas of focus include financial leadership, operational improvements, capital raising strategy, strategic planning, commercial growth, organizational planning and financial controls for Black Dragon Capital and our portfolio companies.

Previously, he served as a chief revenue officer and president of mobile commerce and payment processing for Net Element, helping to build a leading mobile payment business in Eastern Europe and a growing payment processing business in the United States. Earlier, Greenfield was president of Gold Mobile, an early-stage firm that offered a mobile wallet solution, customer relationship management, mobile apps, and mobile couponing products. He also acquired and successfully exited a distribution business and led the turnaround of a distressed industrial company.

Greenfield began his career at McKinsey & Company, where he consulted on strategic and global projects for Fortune 100 clients across a wide range of industries, including e-commerce, cable, retail, private equity, food and beverage, and automotive. He also was a business unit manager at General Electric, working in various management and technical roles in GE Appliances, GE Transportation Systems, and GE Power Systems.

He holds an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, a master’s degree in manufacturing engineering from the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan.

Daniel

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Daniel J. Consigli
Chief Financial Officer

Daniel J. Consigli

Daniel J. Consigli is the chief financial officer of Black Dragon Capital. He has 20 years of operating experience, primarily in leadership positions with financial service firms that include banking and asset management businesses, where he specialized in turn-arounds and mergers and acquisitions. His operating experience includes all aspects of finance, strategy, reporting, mergers and acquisitions, and operations. He has experience in private banking, broker dealer, asset management, and financial custodian businesses.  He coordinates financial, accounting, reporting and strategy for Black Dragon Capital.

Consigli has worked at early-stage and large-scale businesses during his career. Before joining Black Dragon, he worked with Luminex Trading & Analytics LLC, an early-stage technology registered broker dealer, where he led the finance and accounting functions. Previously, he worked at Israel Discount Bank of New York, managing banking, investing, asset management, and corporate and commercial real estate lending for the Miami region and Latin America.

Earlier, Consigli was the divisional chief financial officer of JPMorgan Chase & Co., responsible for 18 divisions, globally executing strategy, finance and infrastructure management of the business line operations.

Dan earned his executive MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and his Bachelor of Science from Babson College.

Sarah

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Sarah Hernandez
Special Projects Director

Sarah Hernandez

Sarah Hernandez is the special projects director of Black Dragon Capital.  She has more than 16 years of experience providing project management, coordination and communications support to investors, boards of directors and senior management in a variety of sectors, from banking technology and media to defense and the U.S. military.

Hernandez manages the shared service delivery group for the Black Dragon portfolio companies. The centralized services, which lower costs and drive value, include recruiting, on-boarding, insurance, and compliance reporting. She also is the liaison between investors, the Black Dragon team, advisors, and various board of directors of the portfolio companies.

Before Black Dragon, Hernandez was a project manager at Open Solutions, where she managed the board of directors’ projects, press interactions, and key speaking events for the chairman and CEO and other key executives.   Earlier, she served as an executive assistant and project manager to the chairman and CEO of Colt Defense, where she was also the lead ISO auditor.

Hernandez has the distinction of serving in the U.S. Marine Corps as an aviation operation specialist for the presidential Helicopter Squadron One (Marine One), receiving an honorable discharge with the rank of sergeant. She earned her Bachelor of Science in criminal justice administration at Park University.

Gina Rogoto

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Gina Rogoto
Louis Henandez Jr.'s Foundation For A Bright Future

Gina Rogoto

Gina is the development manager of Louis Hernandez Jr.’s Foundation For A Bright Future, formerly A Little Hope Foundation. As a Development Manager, she has devoted herself to giving back by providing opportunities, resources, and a sense of connection to those in need.  Gina has also previously supported Black Dragon Capital's marketing and social media efforts while working closely with the executive team to increase brand awareness.

Raised and educated in France, Gina moved to the United States in 2010 after earning a master’s degree in business administration in Paris. Having both lived in and traveled to a number of countries, she has a great passion for other cultures and speaks French, English, and Spanish fluently. 

Throughout Gina’s decade-long career, top name corporations, such as BCBG Max Azria and Avid Technology, have relied upon her operations management and marketing expertise to orchestrate and streamline vital processes and procedures within their organizations, resulting in greater brand representation. Gina believes the most noteworthy aspect of her career has been her ability to use her multifaceted talents to successfully move between several major industries including food, fashion, technology, and nonprofit. 

Jackie Cornacchio

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Jackie Cornacchio
Senior Accountant

Jackie Cornacchio

Jackie Cornacchio is the senior accountant for Black Dragon Capital.  She began her career in public accounting focusing on a variety of clients including non-profits and banking.  She received her Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Assumption College in Massachusetts.

Jackie has experience in several industries including healthcare, casinos, and restaurants in both accounting and payroll systems implementation.

Greg

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Greg O’Brien
Human Resources and Administration

Greg O’Brien

Greg O'Brien coordinates human resources and administrative functions at Black Dragon Capital. He has more than 40 years’ experience in high technology, primarily in the banking software and enterprise software industries. He served in a broad range of functions at the executive level as the partner to CEOs and top management in both large publicly traded and early-stage companies. He has extensive international experience and a broad range of skills that include merger and acquisition, corporate governance, organizational assessment, executive recruitment, compensation, strategic planning, and finance with strong business acumen and bottom-line orientation.

O’brien has held long-term executive assignments to the CEOs of Avid Technology, Open Solutions, and CashEdge/FiServ and continues to provide advice and governance support to several early-stage companies. Previous roles included senior vice president of human resources at Open Solutions; vice president of human resources worldwide for Mercator Software; vice president of operations and chief administrative officer for CSK Software, a Japanese worldwide banking software and services company, residing in Germany; vice president of human resources and administration for Micrognosis, a global trading systems and solutions provider to the financial industry; and director of human resources and administration for Control Data Corporation.

He holds an MBA with an emphasis in management science and a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting and finance from Pace University in New York City.

Charles

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Charles Gravallese
Accounting and Reporting Manager

Charles M. Gravallese

Charles M. Gravallese is the accounting manager of Black Dragon Capital. Gravallese has 20 years of work experience in multi-national companies serving in accounting, finance, and operating functions. He has worked in a variety of industries, including technology, manufacturing, services and nonprofit. He also has extensive international reporting experience. 

Gravallese most recently spent several years with Stellar Materials, an international manufacturer of refractory materials, where he led the efforts of the multi-national accounting and finance group. Earlier, he was with Enterprise Car Rental as a senior level accountant for the car sales division. He also was with MedVance Institute, a multi-state for-profit college enterprise, where he supervised the accounting department. 

He began his career in public accounting, performing audits in numerous industries, including financial services firms and nonprofit organizations. Gravallese served in the U.S. Air Force as an account manager at Stellar Materials. He earned his Bachelor of Science in accounting at the University of Maryland and his CPA license from the state of Maryland. 

Chandrasekhar

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Chandra Sekhar Kartha
Financial Analyst

Chandra Sekhar Kartha

Chandra Sekhar Kartha is a financial analyst at Black Dragon Capital. Kartha is an experienced merger and acquisition professional with almost a decade of experience in investment banking, strategy and corporate merger and acquisition across several industries.

Previously, he worked with the corporate strategy, merger and acquisition team at IGATE, a NYSE listed information technology services company, culminated in the multibillion-dollar sale of IGATE to Capgemini. At IGATE, he was responsible for deal sourcing, due diligence, and closure of inorganic opportunities in the enterprise resource planning and engineering services space. Previously, Chandrasekhar was part of the aerospace merger and acquisition team at Honeywell Technology Solutions Ltd., where his primary responsibility was portfolio rationalization and assessment of M&A opportunities. He began his career at HSBC Investment Banking, where he worked with the global auto sector team based out of London and Hong Kong, advising Europe, Middle East and Africa clients on fundraising and acquisition-related activities.

Chandrasekhar has an MBA in finance and strategy from Xavier Institute of Management in Bhubaneswar, India, and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Calicut University, India, in electronics and communications.

Loree

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Loree Rossi
Project Manager

Loree Rossi

Loree Rossi is a project manager for Black Dragon Capital. She has over 20 years of experience in public relations, marketing, project management, and administration. She handles a wide range of projects that support the operating and administrative activities, working closely with the managing partner, senior partners and operating leaders of the firm. She coordinates projects for sourcing new deal activity, client outreach on behalf of the portfolio, media content projects and investment activities. Originally from upstate New York, Loree migrated to South Florida in 1996 after completing her education. She began her career in the hospitality industry as an administrative assistant for an exclusive Boca Raton Hotel & Spa. She transitioned into the financial industry where she worked for 15 years as a marketing coordinator for Ameriprise Financials’ southern regional offices. She also worked in media technology as an executive project manager for the Chairman and CEO of Avid. Loree works out of the Southern Florida offices of Black Dragon Capital.