John Signa
Founder and CEO
John Signa, Founder and Chief Executive Officer. As a first-generationer, John Signa always had an innate drive to build a lasting legacy. As a former college soccer goalie, his competitive edge fuels his hunger to win. That tenacity, combined with over ten years of inspiration from those within private equity operations and transaction advisory, culminated in the entrepreneurial spirit required to launch E78 Partners in 2016.
With a decade of experience in capital markets, corporate finance and private equity operations, and having served as outsourced or interim CFO to a multitude of cross-industry companies with revenues ranging between $20 million to $250 million, John answered the calls of his clients who needed a solutions-oriented change agent that could drive strategic growth initiatives.
Today, John effectively drives E78’s strategy and operational direction along with managing key client relationships. As CEO of a rapidly expanding company, he remains passionate about forging new partnerships and vigilant in finding innovative ways to meet evolving industry standards.
Before launching E78, John was part of the operational team at Sterling Partners, a $5 billion private equity firm focused on growth equity investments in middle-market and founder-led businesses. Prior to that, he was VP for a small business investment company that invested in mezzanine debt and preferred equity securities of later stage, lower middle market, and privately held companies.
John began his career as a Certified Public Accountant working for RSM’s financial services group in assurance and transaction advisory services. He graduated from Dominican University with a BS in Accounting and a MBA in Finance.
John Signa, Founder and Chief Executive Officer. As a first-generationer, John Signa always had an innate drive to build a lasting legacy. As a former college soccer goalie, his competitive edge fuels his hunger to win. That tenacity, combined with over ten years of inspiration from those within private equity operations and transaction advisory, culminated in the entrepreneurial spirit required to launch E78 Partners in 2016.
With a decade of experience in capital markets, corporate finance and private equity operations, and having served as outsourced or interim CFO to a multitude of cross-industry companies with revenues ranging between $20 million to $250 million, John answered the calls of his clients who needed a solutions-oriented change agent that could drive strategic growth initiatives.
Today, John effectively drives E78’s strategy and operational direction along with managing key client relationships. As CEO of a rapidly expanding company, he remains passionate about forging new partnerships and vigilant in finding innovative ways to meet evolving industry standards.
Before launching E78, John was part of the operational team at Sterling Partners, a $5 billion private equity firm focused on growth equity investments in middle-market and founder-led businesses. Prior to that, he was VP for a small business investment company that invested in mezzanine debt and preferred equity securities of later stage, lower middle market, and privately held companies.
John began his career as a Certified Public Accountant working for RSM’s financial services group in assurance and transaction advisory services. He graduated from Dominican University with a BS in Accounting and a MBA in Finance.
Brian White
President and COO
Brian joins E78 Partners from 9Gauge, the Austin, Texas-based management consulting and technology-enablement firm he founded in 2006 and grew into one of the country’s leading providers of solutions for high-growth businesses and other members of the alternative investment community.
Brian’s unique blend of operational and financial executive experience – along with his strong and expansive network of key influencers, industry experts and service providers – spans more than two decades. Throughout his career, he has earned a reputation for delivering a visionary understanding of client challenges and opportunities along with the instinctive ability to facilitate collaboration between the right people to turn strategic concepts into actionable plans – and, ultimately, business results.
Brian is particularly well respected for the partnership he provides C-level executives, working with them to formulate and implement critical business strategies to expand, develop, or grow revenue and profitability.
Before he started 9Gauge, Brian held executive leadership roles in companies such as Motion Computing, where as Vice President of Mobility Services, he led the professional services organization. Brian also served as Vice President of Finance and was responsible for strategic business planning, forecasting, budgeting and establishing, and leading the program management office to drive the development of a comprehensive product development process plan. Prior to Motion Computing, Brian served as a co-founder for DASI Consulting. He developed and managed alliance relationships with large national and regional accounting firms and was a frequent speaker at AICPA national conferences and State Societies of CPAs conferences.
Brian began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers where he was responsible for client services provided to public and private companies, including numerous initial public offerings, debt/equity transactions, and mergers and acquisitions. He holds a B.B.A. in Accounting from Texas State University and is a licensed CPA in Texas.
Brian joins E78 Partners from 9Gauge, the Austin, Texas-based management consulting and technology-enablement firm he founded in 2006 and grew into one of the country’s leading providers of solutions for high-growth businesses and other members of the alternative investment community.
Brian’s unique blend of operational and financial executive experience – along with his strong and expansive network of key influencers, industry experts and service providers – spans more than two decades. Throughout his career, he has earned a reputation for delivering a visionary understanding of client challenges and opportunities along with the instinctive ability to facilitate collaboration between the right people to turn strategic concepts into actionable plans – and, ultimately, business results.
Brian is particularly well respected for the partnership he provides C-level executives, working with them to formulate and implement critical business strategies to expand, develop, or grow revenue and profitability.
Before he started 9Gauge, Brian held executive leadership roles in companies such as Motion Computing, where as Vice President of Mobility Services, he led the professional services organization. Brian also served as Vice President of Finance and was responsible for strategic business planning, forecasting, budgeting and establishing, and leading the program management office to drive the development of a comprehensive product development process plan. Prior to Motion Computing, Brian served as a co-founder for DASI Consulting. He developed and managed alliance relationships with large national and regional accounting firms and was a frequent speaker at AICPA national conferences and State Societies of CPAs conferences.
Brian began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers where he was responsible for client services provided to public and private companies, including numerous initial public offerings, debt/equity transactions, and mergers and acquisitions. He holds a B.B.A. in Accounting from Texas State University and is a licensed CPA in Texas.
Seth Deutsch
Chief Growth Officer
Seth joined E78 Partners in 2020 as Senior Advisor to the Board and has grown into an expanded role as E78’s Chief Growth Officer. Seth is a growth leader, having scaled numerous businesses across the B2B product and services segments. Prior to E78 Partners, Seth held executive leadership roles at Eaton and at AECOM, where he was the President of the Industrial Group and the CEO of the Enterprise Facility Maintenance Group. He’s also the former CEO of a national private equity-backed HVAC and Refrigeration services company. He is a Board Member of a private equity-backed veterinary company and is a board advisor to a private equity-backed construction management firm. His expertise is in executive leadership, strategy & transformation execution, sales, effectiveness/optimization and M&A. Seth received his BA in Political Science from Rice University and his MBA from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.
Seth joined E78 Partners in 2020 as Senior Advisor to the Board and has grown into an expanded role as E78’s Chief Growth Officer. Seth is a growth leader, having scaled numerous businesses across the B2B product and services segments. Prior to E78 Partners, Seth held executive leadership roles at Eaton and at AECOM, where he was the President of the Industrial Group and the CEO of the Enterprise Facility Maintenance Group. He’s also the former CEO of a national private equity-backed HVAC and Refrigeration services company. He is a Board Member of a private equity-backed veterinary company and is a board advisor to a private equity-backed construction management firm. His expertise is in executive leadership, strategy & transformation execution, sales, effectiveness/optimization and M&A. Seth received his BA in Political Science from Rice University and his MBA from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.
Jonathan Hines
Executive Managing Director, Head of Sales
As E78’s firm development owner, Jonathan focuses on sales, marketing, business development, partner development and positioning the company for organic growth. Jonathan consistently strives to recognize patterns of client challenges and evaluates which are opportunities to enhance the company’s suite of offerings, either internally or through partnering relationships, ensuring absolute client satisfaction. Johnathan earned his BA in Communications from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
As E78’s firm development owner, Jonathan focuses on sales, marketing, business development, partner development and positioning the company for organic growth. Jonathan consistently strives to recognize patterns of client challenges and evaluates which are opportunities to enhance the company’s suite of offerings, either internally or through partnering relationships, ensuring absolute client satisfaction. Johnathan earned his BA in Communications from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Adam East
Managing Director, Head of Finance
Adam East is a Managing Director and co-founder of E78 Partners. Adam has firm responsibilities across corporate finance, financial reporting, analysis and firm administration. Adam also leads client engagements for private equity clients, with an emphasis on Interim Executive roles, transaction advisory services, and performance enhancement projects. Prior to E78, Adam worked at Sterling Partners as the Director of Portfolio Reporting where he was responsible for managing a team that monitored and evaluated the financial and operational performance of Sterling’s portfolio companies. Adam received his BA in Finance and Marketing from Loyola University.
Adam East is a Managing Director and co-founder of E78 Partners. Adam has firm responsibilities across corporate finance, financial reporting, analysis and firm administration. Adam also leads client engagements for private equity clients, with an emphasis on Interim Executive roles, transaction advisory services, and performance enhancement projects. Prior to E78, Adam worked at Sterling Partners as the Director of Portfolio Reporting where he was responsible for managing a team that monitored and evaluated the financial and operational performance of Sterling’s portfolio companies. Adam received his BA in Finance and Marketing from Loyola University.
Basia Cohen
Managing Director, Head of People
In Basia’s role as Head of People, she manages everything in a team member’s lifecycle, from recruiting to employee development and retention, as well as firm culture and employee engagement. Basia focuses her efforts on implementing a rigorous hiring process and working with all team members to ensure high engagement and to empower each team member to develop and continuously improve themselves. Basia also serves clients in the Management Consulting practice for 9Gauge Partners in Austin, Texas. In the field, Basia works with her clients to drive high performance and effectiveness in accounting and finance with a focus on improving processes to increase accuracy, efficiency, and visibility.
Prior to 9Gauge Partners, Basia served as Senior Revenue Recognition Analyst for Borland Software Corporation, where she provided strategic consultation to the company’s international sales, legal, and support organizations to help structure deals to result in favorable revenue recognition in compliance with GAAP requirements. Prior to Borland, Basia served as Corporate Internal Auditor/Internal Process Manager for Seaport Companies, where she managed strategic company-wide projects utilizing her interpersonal skills to build inter-departmental management consensus for process improvements, policy creation, and systems implementations. Basia spent her early career as an audit Senior Associate for PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, in Boston’s Tech practice and then as a Financial Process Manager for the Pepsi Bottling Group, in Central Texas.
Basia holds an M.B.A. and M.S. in Accounting from Northeastern University’s Graduate School of Professional Accounting in Boston, MA, and a B.A. in Economics from Colgate University in Hamilton, NY. She is a CPA licensed in Massachusetts.
In Basia’s role as Head of People, she manages everything in a team member’s lifecycle, from recruiting to employee development and retention, as well as firm culture and employee engagement. Basia focuses her efforts on implementing a rigorous hiring process and working with all team members to ensure high engagement and to empower each team member to develop and continuously improve themselves. Basia also serves clients in the Management Consulting practice for 9Gauge Partners in Austin, Texas. In the field, Basia works with her clients to drive high performance and effectiveness in accounting and finance with a focus on improving processes to increase accuracy, efficiency, and visibility.
Prior to 9Gauge Partners, Basia served as Senior Revenue Recognition Analyst for Borland Software Corporation, where she provided strategic consultation to the company’s international sales, legal, and support organizations to help structure deals to result in favorable revenue recognition in compliance with GAAP requirements. Prior to Borland, Basia served as Corporate Internal Auditor/Internal Process Manager for Seaport Companies, where she managed strategic company-wide projects utilizing her interpersonal skills to build inter-departmental management consensus for process improvements, policy creation, and systems implementations. Basia spent her early career as an audit Senior Associate for PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, in Boston’s Tech practice and then as a Financial Process Manager for the Pepsi Bottling Group, in Central Texas.
Basia holds an M.B.A. and M.S. in Accounting from Northeastern University’s Graduate School of Professional Accounting in Boston, MA, and a B.A. in Economics from Colgate University in Hamilton, NY. She is a CPA licensed in Massachusetts.
Shelly Kilpatrick
Managing Director, Management Consulting
Shelly offers 25 years of management-level experience within accounting and finance operations, and she matches that with a passion for ensuring that people, processes, and tools are designed in a way to best maximize scalability of a business. Shelly ensures we are supporting our client service delivery teams through training and development, tools, and a collaborative environment.
Prior to 9Gauge Shelly had spent most of her career advising C-level leadership, board members and investors of public, pre-IPO, private and non-profit companies with revenues from $50M to $1B. She has helped companies to optimize the accounting close cycle, improve actionable insights from their financial statements, champion process improvement across the organization, tighten internal controls, improve compliance and expense management, increase audit readiness, implement systems and automation and grow through acquisitions and fundraising.
She has worked across various industries including CPG, wholesale distribution, logistics, restaurants & retail, manufacturing, healthcare, professional services, biotech, hospitality, SAAS, and consumer financial services. She is a CPA in the state of Texas, has an MBA from St. Edward’s University and a BBA in Accounting from Texas A&M University.
Shelly offers 25 years of management-level experience within accounting and finance operations, and she matches that with a passion for ensuring that people, processes, and tools are designed in a way to best maximize scalability of a business. Shelly ensures we are supporting our client service delivery teams through training and development, tools, and a collaborative environment.
Prior to 9Gauge Shelly had spent most of her career advising C-level leadership, board members and investors of public, pre-IPO, private and non-profit companies with revenues from $50M to $1B. She has helped companies to optimize the accounting close cycle, improve actionable insights from their financial statements, champion process improvement across the organization, tighten internal controls, improve compliance and expense management, increase audit readiness, implement systems and automation and grow through acquisitions and fundraising.
She has worked across various industries including CPG, wholesale distribution, logistics, restaurants & retail, manufacturing, healthcare, professional services, biotech, hospitality, SAAS, and consumer financial services. She is a CPA in the state of Texas, has an MBA from St. Edward’s University and a BBA in Accounting from Texas A&M University.
Gary Modrow
Managing Director, Management Consulting
Gary Modrow is a Managing Director and a co-founder of E78 Partners, having held various leadership roles across a number of corporate functions and practice areas. His role has recently expanded to include leadership of the Management Consulting and Outsourcing practice. Gary’s firm responsibilities extend from strategy execution to management of key client relationships, business development activities and origination of new partnership and client relationships.
Gary also leads client engagements for private equity and private corporate clients, with an emphasis on interim executive roles, transaction advisory services and performance enhancement and restructuring projects. Gary brings an entrepreneurial passion to all his efforts, customizing solutions to each client’s business strategy and circumstances. Prior to E78, Gary held various roles as an M&A principal, a management consultant and a public accountant with The GSI Group, The Keystone Group and RSM McGladrey. Gary received his MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and his BA from Illinois Wesleyan University.
Gary Modrow is a Managing Director and a co-founder of E78 Partners, having held various leadership roles across a number of corporate functions and practice areas. His role has recently expanded to include leadership of the Management Consulting and Outsourcing practice. Gary’s firm responsibilities extend from strategy execution to management of key client relationships, business development activities and origination of new partnership and client relationships.
Gary also leads client engagements for private equity and private corporate clients, with an emphasis on interim executive roles, transaction advisory services and performance enhancement and restructuring projects. Gary brings an entrepreneurial passion to all his efforts, customizing solutions to each client’s business strategy and circumstances. Prior to E78, Gary held various roles as an M&A principal, a management consultant and a public accountant with The GSI Group, The Keystone Group and RSM McGladrey. Gary received his MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and his BA from Illinois Wesleyan University.
Chris Rakers
Managing Director, Fund Services
Chris Rakers joined E78 Partners in 2018 as a Managing Director of Fund Services. Chris manages the firm’s fund administration business and its strategic initiatives. Chris brings 15 years of experience in fund administration, working in C-level and leadership roles at both large and middle-market fund services groups. Prior to E78 Partners, Chris served as Senior Manager for NAV Fund Administration and was Chief Operating Officer for Custom House Global Fund Services (now part of Apex Group). He began his career in fund accounting at Northern Trust. Chris received his M.B.A. and B.S. in Business from Eastern Illinois University.
Chris Rakers joined E78 Partners in 2018 as a Managing Director of Fund Services. Chris manages the firm’s fund administration business and its strategic initiatives. Chris brings 15 years of experience in fund administration, working in C-level and leadership roles at both large and middle-market fund services groups. Prior to E78 Partners, Chris served as Senior Manager for NAV Fund Administration and was Chief Operating Officer for Custom House Global Fund Services (now part of Apex Group). He began his career in fund accounting at Northern Trust. Chris received his M.B.A. and B.S. in Business from Eastern Illinois University.
Steve Adelstein
Managing Director, Technology and Talent Services
Steve Adelstein, Managing Director, Technology and Talent Services, joined E78 Partners in 2020 where he oversees E78 delivery and is responsible for day-to-day operations for the firm. Steve leverages his experience as a senior executive with his business and technology acumen to deliver value to his clients. As COO of a rapidly expanding company, he is passionate about looking for ways to optimize the processes and technologies to support the company’s growth.
Prior to joining E78 Partners, Steve spent 17 years as the founder and CEO of Trillium Solutions Group, Inc, a Chicago-based Professional Services firm. Prior to starting Trillium, Steve served as Vice President of Business Operations at Divine/Whittman-Hart. Steve started his career with Accenture. As an Associate Partner, Steve was at the forefront of major engagements where his teams delivered successful business and technology solutions across multiple industries.
Steve’s thought leadership as an entrepreneur has earned him mention in publications such as Crain’s Chicago Business as part of a feature on growing small businesses. He is active in the community and instills that value into the E78 Partner’s culture. Steve is a member of The Economic Club of Chicago, and he is an active board member of the United Way Metro Chicago.
Steve Adelstein, Managing Director, Technology and Talent Services, joined E78 Partners in 2020 where he oversees E78 delivery and is responsible for day-to-day operations for the firm. Steve leverages his experience as a senior executive with his business and technology acumen to deliver value to his clients. As COO of a rapidly expanding company, he is passionate about looking for ways to optimize the processes and technologies to support the company’s growth.
Prior to joining E78 Partners, Steve spent 17 years as the founder and CEO of Trillium Solutions Group, Inc, a Chicago-based Professional Services firm. Prior to starting Trillium, Steve served as Vice President of Business Operations at Divine/Whittman-Hart. Steve started his career with Accenture. As an Associate Partner, Steve was at the forefront of major engagements where his teams delivered successful business and technology solutions across multiple industries.
Steve’s thought leadership as an entrepreneur has earned him mention in publications such as Crain’s Chicago Business as part of a feature on growing small businesses. He is active in the community and instills that value into the E78 Partner’s culture. Steve is a member of The Economic Club of Chicago, and he is an active board member of the United Way Metro Chicago.
Joe Cohen
Managing Director, Technology Services (Adaptive)
Joe Cohen offers more than a decade of experience in financial management, analysis and reporting, with additional expertise in process engineering. Joe is an ace troubleshooter and repairman of existing models, but his real gift is in using multi-divisional input and existing systems to create new, integrated and repeatable processes that manage assets, measure profitability, accurately analyze and robustly report company performance and metrics.
Joe Cohen offers more than a decade of experience in financial management, analysis and reporting, with additional expertise in process engineering. Joe is an ace troubleshooter and repairman of existing models, but his real gift is in using multi-divisional input and existing systems to create new, integrated and repeatable processes that manage assets, measure profitability, accurately analyze and robustly report company performance and metrics.
Ken Schatz
Managing Director, Technology Services (NetSuite)
As the Managing Director for E78 Partners’ NetSuite Practice, Ken’s ultimate goal is ensuring the successful implementation of NetSuite to our clients. In this role, he is involved in everything from people management to delivery and sales enablement and is tasked with growing and maturing our industry-leading NetSuite team.
Prior to joining the firm, Ken was a Senior Practice Director for Alithya US’s Oracle EPM practice. He has spent the past 12 years helping Fortune 100 corporations implement and improve their Budgeting and Forecasting systems and processes across a multitude of industries such as Aerospace, Entertainment, Retail, Medical/Pharmaceutical and Supply Chain. Before entering the consulting world, Ken worked in various Finance and Accounting roles at Austin-based companies Trilogy Software, Vignette, Inc. and Austin Regional Clinics.
As the Managing Director for E78 Partners’ NetSuite Practice, Ken’s ultimate goal is ensuring the successful implementation of NetSuite to our clients. In this role, he is involved in everything from people management to delivery and sales enablement and is tasked with growing and maturing our industry-leading NetSuite team.
Prior to joining the firm, Ken was a Senior Practice Director for Alithya US’s Oracle EPM practice. He has spent the past 12 years helping Fortune 100 corporations implement and improve their Budgeting and Forecasting systems and processes across a multitude of industries such as Aerospace, Entertainment, Retail, Medical/Pharmaceutical and Supply Chain. Before entering the consulting world, Ken worked in various Finance and Accounting roles at Austin-based companies Trilogy Software, Vignette, Inc. and Austin Regional Clinics.