Joe Cortes is a senior strategy and finance executive who has spearheaded numerous crucial capital raising, merger and acquisition and strategic partnership initiatives for companies large and small, as well as operating initiatives that turned around profitability. He has successfully advised and managed companies from start-ups to large corporations formulate and execute growth and diversification strategies as an investment and merchant banker, corporate development executive and entrepreneur. In addition, as both a strategy consultant and senior executive he has developed turnaround strategies and implemented them for underperforming businesses. Joe has experience in a wide range of industries including consumer products, industrial products, retail, wholesale distribution, alternative energy and biotechnology and health products. He has been CEO of two Tatleaux client/portfolio companies, the international auto parts distributor as well as the international home, garden and decorative products wholesaler. Joe also worked with other Tatleaux executives in advising and investing in other Tatleaux client/portfolio companies such as the healthy cola beverage and bottled tea firms. He was CFO and Acting CEO of the Internet firm IntellectExchange. As Senior Vice President of American European Group, Joe spearheaded a “roll-up” program to acquire regional financial services companies. Early in his career, Joe led the Bank of Ireland's U.S. merchant/investment banking business. Joe has personally closed equity and quasi-equity transactions that have raised well over $1 billion for small to mid-sized businesses in various stages of the corporate life cycle. Joe Cortes holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an AB, magna cum laude, from Harvard College.

At Hale and Dorr, Mr. Barrette advised clients on the planning and implementation of numerous types of business transactions, particularly the structuring and financing of independent energy projects, venture capital financings, initial public offerings and the structuring and financing of emerging technology-based companies. His particular focus has been on companies’ sophisticated financing needs that often include tax and other government incentives; complex, multi-party strategic partnerships; and significant government regulation. Thus, his practice has centered on the energy, telecommunications and healthcare industries.

Mr. Barrette received a J.D. degree, cum laude, from Boston College Law School in 1982. He was an articles editor of the Boston College Law Review and is a cum laude graduate of Harvard College, Class of 1977.

Mr. Ghoshal currently spearheads Tatleaux’s activities in the development, management and funding of renewable energy resources—solar, biomass, wind and hydro—in seven different states plus Asia. He is also engaged in smart grid project deployments, the integration of renewable and clean energy resources in a smart grid environment and other energy efficiency and sustainability programs. Mr. Ghoshal has been nominated as one the “Top 50 People in Energy/IT in the world” by a leading industry publication, PennWell. He publishes in leading industry journals on subjects of best practices in transmission and distribution/energy delivery and alternative/renewable power generation resources. He is a frequent speaker on industry issues and is an advisory board member of key global forums.

Previously, Mr. Ghoshal led Siemens Americas’ energy consulting practice, which he grew to $75 million in revenues in less than three years. He was Managing Principal of IBM Global Services’ Energy & Utilities, setting up its first portfolio of power transmission and distribution solutions and creating IBM’s $1 billion market opportunity in the smart grid sector. As Marketing Director at GE Energy, he helped expand GE’s transmission and distribution and wind power technology products globally. Mr. Ghoshal began his career as a Project Development engineer for E. I. Du Pont de Nemours’ Asia-Pacific power projects. Mr. Ghoshal received his BSEE and MSEE degrees in electric power systems at the Energy Systems Research Center, University of Texas.

David Pearce brings retailing, direct marketing and alternative energy expertise to Tatleaux Management Group. David spent the first part of his career developing, financing, constructing and operating alternative energy projects including power plants fueled by waste coal, geothermal sources, biomass and natural gas. After a stint in investment banking, focusing on energy project and corporate private financings, David was CFO and Director (1993 to 1996) of the horse riding supplies catalog retailer, State Line Tack, Inc., which was subsequently sold to PetSmart, Inc. After this sale, David was CFO for 8 years, and CEO for 2 years, of Geerlings and Wade, a publicly-traded, direct marketer of wines. From 2005 through 2007, David, as CFO and COO of Weston Nurseries, one of New England's largest nursery retailer and wholesaler, guided the company out of bankruptcy and through a business model revamping. Most recently, as CFO of Tweeeter Opco, a 94-store chain of consumer electronics, he worked to restructure and downsize this retailer to compete in its ultra competitive space. David is a shareholder and member of the Board of Directors of the Tatleaux home, garden and decorative products portfolio company as well as a shareholder of Tatleaux Consumer Holdings I, LLC. David is Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Audit Committee Chairman of Kensington Funds, a fund complex comprised of 6 mutual funds. Mr. Pearce recently accepted to join the Board of Trustees and fulfill the "financial expert" role on another mutual fund. He received his B.A. from Brown University and MBA from the University of California, Berkeley.

Per Arne Lorentzen has been actively involved in various facets of the energy and environmental sector since 1973, principally as an executive, consultant and investor.

Mr. Lorentzen began his career in the global trading and transportation of petroleum and its products, as well as oilfield equipment. Serving in a variety of capacities, including chartering manager, broker and consultant, his employers and clients included leading state-owned energy companies (Petromin, Saudi Arabia; Petroven/Lagoven/Maraven, Venezuela; Petrobras, Brazil; Pemex, Mexico), as well as major integrated oil companies, energy traders and brokers. Within the conventional energy sector, he also served as Vice President of a small independent oil and gas E&P Company.

Since 1984, Mr. Lorentzen has been primarily involved with the cleantech sector as an investor, entrepreneur, senior executive and consultant/advisor. He has worked closely with a wide range of proprietary technologies and technology companies, principally in the renewable/alternative energy and environmental industries. From 1993 to 1999, he was President and CEO of UK-based Lucas Energy Group, builder of more than 50 small waste-to-energy and biomassto- energy facilities for private and public sector clients worldwide. These plants, based on the company’s proprietary technology, include the world’s first whole-tire-to-energy plant and an additional six such facilities. He also led the US subsidiary of a British fuel-cell manufacturing company that successfully built a number of fuel-cell-powered vehicles.

Mr. Lorentzen has particular familiarity with renewable/alternative energy technologies, the potable- and waste-water industries, recycling and materials-processing, biomass production/processing/handling technologies and advanced biofuels production technologies.

Mr. Lorentzen received an MBA from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business and an AB (economics) from Middlebury College. Mr. Lorentzen is an investor in the De Pera Growth Bridge Fund.

Keith C. Austin, Jr., Esq. is a partner in the venerable Palm Beach, Florida law firm of Coe, Broberg & Austin, LLP. He has practiced law in South Florida for nearly 30 years. Mr. Austin's practice specializes in the representation of financial institutions in the preparation and negotiation of loan and financing documents, transactional matters, troubled debt restructurings, and in litigation and bankruptcy matters. Another key concentration of Mr. Austin's practice is in the representation of sophisticated investors, developers, purchasers, lender's and owners of undeveloped land, shopping centers, office buildings and developments. Prior to entering private practice Mr. Austin served for nearly a decade as General Counsel to Flagler National Bank, NA the largest independent bank in the Palm Beaches. Mr. Austin has recently been heavily involved in the tax and Federal and State legislative aspects of renewable energy, working closely with Tatleaux and De Pera partners as well as investors. Mr. Austin holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Florida and a Juris Doctorate from Nova Southeastern University.The Austin family are investors in the De Pera Growth Bridge Fund.

Ron Cortes was recently appointed to spearhead Tatleaux's activities in the health and wellness, organic and environmentally sound, consumer products and foodservice sectors. He is a former entertainment industry executive who has initiated and developed a number of film, television, theater and radio ventures. He has been involved in various marketing, co-marketing and distribution projects involving entertainment and consumer products e.g. athletic shoes, beverages and sportswear. Ron was a creative executive at Warner Brothers studios for 3 years and Paramount Pictures for 7½ years. Ron has also been an active partner of, investor in, and, advisor to, restaurant, retail and consumer products ventures, including a number of Tatleaux ventures in these arenas. He was instrumental in the founding of a restaurant company that has grown significantly in the past 17 years. Ron Cortes has a BA from the University of California, Berkeley and is a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy.