Frantz E. Alphonse

Frantz E. Alphonse is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of AP Capital Partners (APCP), a leading middle-market private equity firm. APCP’s portfolio companies collectively generate approximately $1 billion in sales and employ over 6000 individuals worldwide. With key strengths in operations and strategy, Mr. Alphonse overseas the firms due diligence efforts and post-acquisition planning. Prior to forming the firm in 2003, Mr. Alphonse held operating positions with some of the world's leading enterprises. He served as a project leader in the European operations of Reebok International. In this capacity, he reported directly to the Head of the European organization and helped lead the development of its restructuring plans. Prior to this, Mr. Alphonse worked with faculty at Harvard Business School as a Research Associate. Most notably, Mr. Alphonse has also held operating positions with Procter & Gamble in the US and Latin America. Mr. Alphonse has had stints in banking with Morgan Stanley and as a strategy consultant.

Mr. Alphonse currently serves or participates on the boards of ZeroChaos, eServices, and RMT Woodworth. He is the Founder of ClareScale Productions, a documentary film production company, dedicated to advancing public policy solutions to global crises. An avid athlete, Mr. Alphonse is also Chairman of The ClareScale Foundation, a non-profit organization of tri-athletes who raise sponsor funding for world hunger relief efforts. Mr. Alphonse is involved with number of organizations including the Harvard Business School Club of Central Florida and the Duke University Alumni Association. He is also a member of the Young Presidents Organization.

He has spoken at Harvard Business School, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, the Kellogg School at Northwestern University, and has appeared in various business publications. He is also co-author of The Buyout Game, forthcoming shortly. Mr. Alphonse holds a BA from Duke University, where he was a Phi Eta Sigma Scholar, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Richard M. Powell

Richard M. Powell is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of AP Capital Partners (APCP), a leading middle-market private equity firm. APCP’s portfolio companies collectively generate approximately $1 billion in sales and employ over 6000 individuals worldwide. Prior to forming the firm in 2003, Mr. Powell was an Associate in the Emerging Markets Group at Bear Stearns. He has also had a stint in Corporate Finance at UBS Warburg. Mr. Powell’s key strengths are in finance, management and e-business and he has worked on a variety of transactions including: Leveraged Buyouts, sponsor-backed Management Buyouts, Debt Financings, Initial Public Offerings, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Equity & Credit Derivatives. Prior to his career in finance, Mr. Powell was the Co-Founder and CEO of Fuxito Worldwide, a venture-backed IT firm serving the $300 billion global sports market. He has worked with, or consulted to, leading asset management, insurance and non-profit firms overseas.

Mr. Powell currently serves on the boards of ZeroChaos, eServices, and the Victoria Mutual Building Society (VMBS). He is also a board member of the Orlando chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and the 1420 Foundation, a non-profit leveraging education to advance sustainable global economic development. Mr. Powell is involved with number of education-related organizations including the Harvard Club of Central Florida, the Andover Alumni Association, and the Campion High School Alumni Association. He is a member of the Young Presidents Organization, the Council of Urban Professionals, the Leverage Alliance, the Indus Entrepreneurs, and the Archipel Group. He was recently named one of the “40 under 40” leaders to watch by the Orlando Business Journal and selected by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader (2009) in recognition of his commitment to positive social change.