People
Jeff Blake |
Operating Partner, Portfolio M&A |
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Jeff Blake joined Sentinel in 2023 as an Operating Partner focusing on portfolio company M&A. He has worked closely with Sentinel since 2019, when he joined Altima Dental, a Sentinel portfolio company, as Vice President of Corporate Development. Prior to Altima Dental, Mr. Blake held senior leadership roles in business development and corporate finance at BrightPath Early Learning and at Porter Airlines. He received his BS from University of Toronto, his MBA from Toronto Metropolitan University, and is a CFA charterholder.
Steven R. Cumbow |
Operating Partner |
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Steven Cumbow joined Sentinel Capital Partners as an Operating Partner in 2015. He has worked closely with Sentinel since 2010, when he joined one of the firm's portfolio companies as CFO. Before joining Sentinel, he was a member of the operations team of American Capital, where he served as COO and CFO of two of its portfolio companies. Mr. Cumbow also served as a CFO and Finance Director of two Clayton, Dubilier & Rice portfolio companies. Previously, he was a Managing Director at NachmanHaysBrownstein, Inc. a nationally recognized turnaround firm.
Mr. Cumbow began his career as a mechanical engineer. He received a BS in mechanical engineering from University of Kansas and an MBA from Loyola University where he graduated a member of Alpha Sigma Nu. Mr. Cumbow is a Certified Turnaround Professional. He is also fluent in German.
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James Darby |
Operating Partner |
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James Darby joined Sentinel in 2024 as an operating partner. He has worked closely with Sentinel since 2013, first through Sentinel’s investment in Power Products, where he served as Vice President of Operations, and most recently through Sentinel portfolio company ECM Industries, where he was COO. Before Power Products, Mr. Darby held various operational leadership roles in Actuant's Electrical segment and spent seven years at Newell Brands. He received a BA from the University of Wisconsin, where he played on their NCAA football team.
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Spectrum Safety Solutions |
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Matthew Griffiths |
Operating Partner |
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Matthew Griffiths joined Sentinel Capital Partners as an Operating Partner in 2019. He has worked closely with Sentinel since 2013, when he served as CFO of WellSpring Pharmaceutical, a Sentinel portfolio company. Before joining Sentinel, Mr. Griffiths was Vice President of Global Finance at Masonite International and worked closely with its executive leadership team on operational and strategic initiatives. Prior to Masonite, he spent nine years at Alcoa/Arconic in various financial leadership roles within multiple business units across a variety of industries. Mr. Griffiths holds a BS in accounting, magna cum laude, from St. Louis University and is a CPA.
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Recreational Group |
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Spencer Houlihan |
Operating Partner, Finance |
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Spencer Houlihan joined Sentinel as Operating Partner, Finance, in 2024. He has worked closely with Sentinel since 2015, when Sentinel acquired Fazoli's, where he was most recently CFO and treasurer. Before Fazoli's, Mr. Houlihan was Director of Finance at University of Kentucky Healthcare. He began his career at Lexmark International, where he held various financial leadership roles. Mr. Houlihan holds a BS in business management and an MBA in corporate finance from the University of Kentucky.
Rodney Lee |
Operating Partner |
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Rodney Lee joined Sentinel as an Operating Partner in 2022. He previously served as CFO of Fazoli's for 13 years. Mr. Lee has worked closely with Sentinel since 2015, when Sentinel acquired Fazoli's. Before Fazoli's, he served as CFO of The Krystal Company and EVP and CFO of a Pizza Hut franchisee. Earlier in his career, Mr. Lee spent seven years in various financial leadership roles in Yum! Brands' Pizza Hut. For the past two decades, Mr. Lee has been an adjunct instructor of finance and economics in graduate and undergraduate programs at Indiana Wesleyan University and Campbellsville University. He holds a BBA from Baylor University and an MS in finance from the University of Texas, Dallas.
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American West |
TranSystems | |
Lori Malcolm |
Operating Partner, Human Capital |
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Lori Malcolm joined Sentinel as an Operating Partner focused on human capital in 2023. She previously served as SVP and head of human resources of Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, a highly successful Sentinel portfolio company, where we worked closely with her for more than four years. After Checkers, a career shift took Ms. Malcolm to United Way Worldwide, where she spent the next five years as chief culture and operations officer. She has a long and distinguished career in human resources at some of America’s leading companies, including WalMart (five years), Disney Corporation (five years), and IBM (nine years). She holds a BS degree from Cornell University.
Michael Masino |
Operating Partner |
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Mike Masino joined Sentinel as an operating partner in 2024. He has more than 30 years of experience in the electrical industry and has worked closely with Sentinel since 2014, first through Sentinel's investment in Power Products, where Mr. Masino was division president, and most recently through Sentinel portfolio company ECM Industries, where he was CEO. Before Power Products, Mr. Masino was with Technical Consumer Products and Actuant Corporation in various leadership roles. He holds a BA from Elmhurst University, where he was a member of the men's basketball team.
James Mauck |
Operating Partner, IT |
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Jim Mauck joined Sentinel as an operating partner in 2024. He has more than 36 years of experience in information technology and has worked with Sentinel since 2013 through Sentinel's investments first in Power Products and then in ECM Industries, where he was Vice President of Information Technology. Previously, Mr. Mauck was IT Director of Actown Electrocoil and in IT leadership roles at Actuant following Actuant's acquisition of Actown.
Matt Walter |
Operating Partner |
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Matt Walter joined Sentinel as an operating partner in 2024. He has more than 20 years of experience in the electrical industry and has worked closely with Sentinel since 2013, first through Sentinel's investment in Power Products, where Mr. Walter was most recently VP of Finance, and later in ECM Industries, where he was CFO. Before Power Products, Mr. Walter worked in public accounting at Deloitte. He holds a BS in accountancy from University of Wisconsin–La Crosse.
At a Glance
- Friendly and supportive partners
- Responsible stewards of businesses
- Broad and deep middle market operating experience
- Willing and able to help and advise
