Meet the Team

Founder and Managing Partner

Steve Yager

Steve Yager is a Founding Partner of Snow Peak Capital and a Member of SPC’s Investment Committee.  Steve is involved in all aspects of SPC activities, including establishing the firm’s strategic direction, originating and executing transactions, overseeing investment operations and providing firm oversight.  During his career Steve has developed significant experience with M&A transactions, having led numerous deals and served as either Chairman or Director of several portfolio companies.

Prior to forming SPC, Steve was a Senior Managing Director for The Gores Group, which he either worked for or was affiliated with for more than 30 years.  While at Gores, Steve was a member of the Gores Investment Committee and was responsible for evaluating, structuring and executing acquisitions, leading due diligence efforts, arranging financing transactions and overseeing portfolio company exits.  Steve was deeply involved in many of Gores’ successful investments.  Steve also served as the President and CEO of Artemis International Solutions, a Gores portfolio company that developed project management software, from 1997 to 2002.  At Artemis, Steve led a successful turnaround and restructuring initiative which restored the business to a strong financial and operational footing, and ultimately yielded a successful exit for Gores.

From 1985 to 1994, Steve worked at Executive Business Systems and its acquiror, Contel Business Systems, as a General Manager.  Prior to EBS, Steve worked at Burroughs Corporation from 1978 to 1985 in a variety of Sales and Marketing positions.  Mr. Yager earned a B.A. in Business Administration and Economics from the University of Michigan.

Founder and Partner

Anthony Chirikos

Anthony Chirikos is a Founding Partner of Snow Peak Capital and a member of SPC’s Investment Committee.  Anthony is involved in all aspects of SPC activities, including establishing strategic direction, originating and executing transactions, overseeing investment operations and providing firm oversight. Anthony brings substantial experience to SPC, having led or been involved with several acquisitions and divestitures over the course of his career, and having served as a Director of numerous private companies.

Prior to co-founding SPC, Anthony was a Managing Director for The Gores Group where he was responsible for evaluating, structuring and executing acquisitions, leading due diligence efforts, arranging financing transactions and overseeing portfolio company exits.  Prior to joining Gores in 2004, Anthony worked for Jefferies & Company, where he focused primarily on leveraged finance transactions and mergers & acquisitions assignments.  Mr. Chirikos earned a B.S. in Economics, graduating summa cum laude from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Founding Partner and Business Development

Melissa C. Evans

Melissa Evans is a Founding Partner of Snow Peak Capital and Head of Business Development.  In this role, Melissa is responsible for devising the firm’s investment sourcing strategy and leading its execution. Prior to the formation of SPC, Melissa was a Vice President on the Origination team for The Gores Group where she was responsible for identifying, originating and qualifying new platform and add-on investment opportunities focusing primarily on the Healthcare and Industrial sectors. Prior to joining Gores in 2010, Ms. Evans worked at Hellman & Friedman, LLC. Ms. Evans has a B.A. in Journalism and Speech Communications from Metropolitan State College of Denver.

Principal

Stowe Eighmy

Stowe Eighmy is a Principal at Snow Peak Capital where he is responsible for investment opportunity evaluation, due diligence, portfolio company monitoring and exit opportunity analysis. Before joining SPC in 2021, Stowe worked as an Associate at Deutsche Bank in New York within the Industrials Investment Banking group. He focused on facilitating capital raises and cross-border M&A transactions in the Transportation and Logistics vertical, specifically in aviation, 3PL and shipping. Stowe graduated from the University of Chicago with a B.A. in Public Policy with Specialization in Finance.

Principal

Dave Warren

Dave Warren is a Principal at Snow Peak Capital where he is responsible for investment opportunity evaluation, due diligence, portfolio company monitoring and exit opportunity analysis.  Prior to joining SPC, Dave worked at Vance Street Capital, a private equity firm in Los Angeles, where he focused on investments and portfolio company management in the industrial, aerospace, defense and medical sectors.  Prior to this, Dave worked in the Investment Banking group at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, participating in the execution of mergers and acquisitions as well as capital raises for companies across various industries. Dave graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California, where he received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer

John Belza

John Belza is Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Snow Peak Capital. In these roles, John is responsible for the administrative, compliance and finance operations of the firm. Prior to joining Snow Peak in 2022, Mr. Belza served as Chief Financial Officer at privately held companies GatesAir, Inc. (a portfolio company of The Gores Group), Lombart Instrument ( a portfolio company of Atlantic Street Capital), Cambridge International (a portfolio company of Industrial Growth Partners) and Carat Security Group. Mr. Belza began his career in public accounting at Coopers & Lybrand from 1983 to 1990. From 1990 to 2007, he held executive finance and supply chain roles at public companies Steel Technologies, General Electric, Fifth Third Bank and Hill-Rom. Mr. Belza earned a B.S in Business Administration from the University of Louisville and holds the profession designations of Certified Public Accountant, Chartered Global Management Accountant and Certified Six Sigma Greenbelt.

Associate

Jackson Winn

Jackson Winn is an Associate at Snow Peak Capital where he focuses on investment opportunity evaluation, due diligence, portfolio company monitoring and exit opportunity analysis. Prior to joining SPC, Jackson was with Guardian Restoration, an Alpine Investors-backed residential services aggregator, where he supported M&A execution and operational initiatives within the platform. He began his career with GLC Advisors in Denver within the Business Services & Industrials Investment Banking group. Jackson graduated with distinction from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he received his bachelor’s degree in Finance and Information Management.

Senior Advisor

Michael Priem

Michael provides strategic development for Snow Peak including originating and executing transactions, assisting with new investment sourcing efforts, and providing strategic support to portfolio assets.  Prior to his involvement with SPC, Michael was an advisor to the founding team at The Gores Group.  Michael is also the founder and CEO of Modern Impact, a Minneapolis-based brand performance agency.  SPC leverages Michael’s digital, technical and marketing aptitude to find and evaluate new investment opportunities and to add value to SPC’s portfolio companies.  Michael studied at St John’s University with emphasis in Natural Sciences.

Senior Advisor - Evergreen Capital Partners LLC

Dominick J. Schiano

Evergreen supports Private Equity sponsors by sourcing investment opportunities, and providing strategic, operational, and financial guidance with respect to investments in the industrial sector. Evergreen co-invests in all the transactions they are involved in.

Evergreen has been engaged by The Gores Group and served as past President of Gores Holdings II, Inc. (NASDAQ: GSHTU) that successfully merged with Verra Mobility Corp. (NASDQ: VRRM) in 2017. The firm was previously engaged by TowerBrook Capital Partners where Mr. Schiano was a member of the Management Advisory Board and prior to that by DLJ Merchant Banking Partners, the Private Equity arm of Credit Suisse where he held the position of Vice Chairman – Global Industrial Partners. 

Known for his ability to refocus business units and drive positive change, he has compiled a noteworthy track record of performance improvement for an impressive array of Fortune 100 and sponsor-controlled companies. He is also an accomplished dealmaker, having led many successful transactions in a variety of industries. 

Mr. Schiano has developed a wide network of contacts throughout the globe…in the business community, among financial sponsors and in Investment Banking.  He has a strong track record of sourcing proprietary investment opportunities.

Mr. Schiano has served on over thirty local government, private company, joint venture and public company and charitable boards. He is currently on the Board of Atlantic Coastal Acquisition Corp. (NASDQ: ACABU), and a director of a number of Sponsor controlled companies.

Prior to forming Evergreen, Mr. Schiano served as a Managing Director and member of the Investment Committee of Questor Partners Funds. Previously, Mr. Schiano served in various executive roles at Textron Inc., including Executive Vice President and CFO of Textron Automotive, Executive Vice President and CFO of Textron Fastening Systems, Inc., and finally as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Textron Fastening Systems – Threaded Products Group.  Prior to Textron, Mr. Schiano held senior positions at TRW Inc., where he was responsible for mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, licensing, and strategic alliances. Prior to that, Mr. Schiano held progressively responsible finance, M&A and operating roles at Wickes Companies Inc., its predecessor, Gulf+Western Industries Inc. and Emerson Electric Company Inc.