Great Point Holdings, LLC, was founded to create and/or incubate new high growth companies and to provide advisory and support services, including strategic, business development, and CEO/CFO level services to start up, early-stage, and middle market businesses. We are active participants in the management of our portfolio companies to help accelerate growth and capital formation. We have an extensive network of relationships with a group of seasoned executives across multiple industries that allow us to match new business ideas and concepts with opportunity. We pursue new opportunities to partner with entrepreneurs to help them build successful, high growth companies and also make angel round and early stage investments. We also foster new business concepts internally leading to the launch and incubation of new businesses and as such, are always seeking seasoned management professionals to help us grow our portfolio companies. Great Point was founded by Tristram E. Collins, a seasoned oil and gas executive and former Managing Director and sector head in Citigroup’s investment banking division that also served as the former executive and head of operations and finance for the 15th largest radio broadcaster in the U.S. Great Point has been a founder or is invested in and provides services to companies in real estate, oil & gas, healthcare technology and services, software application development, consulting, sustainable building structures and composite materials. We bring a distinctive combination of extensive industry, financing and strategic relationships with deep experience in M&A, financing, acquisition integration and operations to its portfolio companies and clients.The Executive Team
Tristram E. Collins
Founder, Managing Partner
As Founder and Managing Partner, Tris oversees all investments, services, and transactions and serves as a Board Member or active member of the management teams of the Company’s portfolio businesses. Tris brings his 30+ years of investment banking and diverse operational and senior management experience to help the Company’s portfolio companies and clients grow and create value. Tris has been successful in creating substantial opportunity and value in numerous industries, including most recently in multi-center childcare as well as in the oil & gas sector in the active shale oil regions in the U.S. Prior to Great Point, Tris led a New Jersey-based radio company where he grew the company from 12 radio stations to become the 15th largest US radio broadcaster. Tris oversaw operations, financial and strategic activities and led the acquisition, financing, and integration of 16 acquisitions representing 44 radio stations throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States. Tris also oversaw and led financing and M&A transactions for a diversified portfolio of affiliated New Jersey-based companies in the real estate, tower communications, publishing, and marine industries.
Tris previously served as a Managing Director and sector head in Citigroup’s Media Investment Banking practice where he oversaw the broadcasting and entertainment practice and managed the firm’s relationship teams for such companies as Viacom and The Walt Disney Company. Prior to Citigroup, Tris had significant experience as a senior investment banker in M&A and corporate finance in the investment banking groups for Merrill Lynch, Smith Barney, and PaineWebber. During his investment banking career, Tris was directly involved with over $85 billion in financing and advisory transactions. Tris was also the founder and President of SafeOne Systems, Inc., a regional security firm in New England.
Tris has an extensive background in finance, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic corporate initiatives. Tris’ extensive financial background combined with his entrepreneurial and deep operational experience allows him to bring unique insights and expertise to the management teams and boards on which he serves. Tris previously served as the Chairman of the Audit Committee and on the board of directors of Opel Technologies, Inc., (TSX: OPL), a publicly-traded solar and semiconductor company. Tris also served as the President of Grassmere Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition company. Tris currently serves on the Board of Lakehouse Music, LLC, a music academy and professional recording studio company in Asbury Park, NJ. Tris holds an A.B. from Dartmouth College and an MBA from The Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth.
Peter Tonks
Partner
Pete brings over 40 years of experience in diversified accounting, finance, and operating management. Pete serves as a portfolio company CFO for Great Point and its related party company Starboard Tack Capital. Pete previously served as CFO for the 15th largest radio company in the US and was a vital executive in strategic planning and business initiatives during an aggressive growth period when operations grew from 2 to 53 locations over a seven-state platform and revenues grew from $4M to $53M. He managed all aspects of finance including strategic planning, budgeting, treasury management, external and internal financial reporting, outside audits and tax compliance, human resources, IT, and risk management. He was the primary financial contact for all lending sources and private equity partners. Pete was also responsible for the due diligence process on all acquisitions and their expeditious integration into the Company’s culture and infrastructure. Pete previously founded Tonks & Company, CPA’s, a state-wide accounting firm specializing in automotive, telecommunications, and service related accounting and tax issues. Mr. Tonks started his career with eight years on the audit staff of several regional and national accounting firms. He is a CPA and graduated from Lafayette College with a B.A. in Economics.
Ryan Dunn
Partner
Ryan brings over 20 years of experience in corporate finance, property management, and operations to Great Point and its portfolio companies. Ryan is an integral member of the Great Point executive team and he provides an invaluable corporate development and operations resource for our portfolio companies. Ryan is also the co-founder of Intercoastal Marina Management, a marina management company that works directly with marina owners to maximize the potential of their businesses as well as provide them with a professional management team to operate marina facilities. Intercoastal specializes in consulting marina owners on transactions, operations, and management of their marina operations. Prior to founding Intercoastal, Ryan served as Vice President of Nassau Marina Holdings, a New Jersey-based marina operator. During his tenure at Nassau Marina Holdings Ryan was responsible for the management of four large marina facilities that had revenues of over $10 million and 60+ employees. While there, Ryan also lead the acquisition of two large marina facilities in 2008 and 2009. Prior to joining Nassau Marina Holdings, Ryan worked as part of the corporate finance group of a large radio broadcaster where he was involved in the acquisition and integration of 37 radio stations. Ryan began his career at Legg Mason and Merrill Lynch. Ryan graduated from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA with a B.S. in Finance.