Biography
Founding Story
Shundrawn A. Thomas is a professional investor and corporate executive with 30 years of impactful leadership in financial services. He is the Founder and Managing Partner of The Copia Group ("Copia"), an investment firm which provides bespoke capital solutions to privately held, lower middle market companies.
Prior to founding Copia, Shundrawn served as President of Northern Trust Asset Management, a leading global investment manager with over $1.3 trillion in assets and served as a member of the executive management group of Northern Trust Corporation. His executive roles included Head of FlexShares ETFs, President of Northern Trust Securities, and Head of Corporate Strategy. Prior to joining Northern Trust, Shundrawn worked at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley in sales, trading, and research divisions.
Highly respected for his authentic leadership style, Shundrawn has earned numerous industry accolades. In 2017 Black Enterprise Magazine identified him among the Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America. In 2021, Shundrawn became a member of ThinkAdvisor’s 2021 class of industry luminaries, and InvestmentNews honored him with a lifetime achievement award for inclusive leadership.
Shundrawn is an esteemed speaker, thought leader, and published author. He serves as a Board Director of Reinsurance Group of America (NYSE: RGA) and as a trustee for the Financial Accounting Foundation. Shundrawn also supports a range of philanthropic causes including serving as a trustee for Rush University Medical Center and Chicago’s Museum of Science & Industry.
Shundrawn received a B.S. degree in accounting from Florida A&M University and an MBA degree from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where he was a Toigo Fellow. Shundrawn is happily married to his lovely wife, Latania, and they have two young adult sons.
Biography
Founding Story
Anthony D. Hoye is a professional investor and seasoned executive with over 30 years of financial services experience. He specializes in structuring, underwriting, and executing credit transactions, ranging from senior debt, mezzanine lending to structured loans. He serves as Partner and Head of Private Credit for The Copia Group ("Copia"). Anthony is a trusted, strategic advisor to middle market and large corporate clients spanning multiple industries including Consumer, Business Services, Healthcare and Media.
Prior to joining Copia, Anthony served as Director and Senior Credit Officer in the Global Corporate & Investment Banking group of Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He covered over 100 clients and managed $35 billion of credit exposure in the Consumer, Retail and Healthcare industry group. Anthony also served as the Credit Risk Industry Owner and Subject Matter Expert for the Retail sector. Previously, he served as a Structured Credit Executive in the Global Wealth & Investment Management group, providing credit advisory and structured lending.
As a U.S. Bank Director in the Commercial and Middle Market, Anthony originated and underwrote senior and subordinated debt financing transactions and led the portfolio management of over 50 clients.
At JPMorgan Chase, Anthony worked for the principal investment subsidiary, Chase Capital that invested $1.2 billion in over 40 different middle market companies. During his tenure, he originated and underwrote private credit and equity investments across multiple industries. He also worked at JPMorgan Mezzanine which invested $300 million in private credit and equity in support of middle market companies.
Anthony holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an M.A. in Economics and a B.S. in Finance from the University of Illinois.
Being “the only” in most places and rooms, you often rely on your family, your faith, and your community. Outside of those pillars, you learn how to exist and function in an environment that feels solitary. Along the way, you experience some successes and wins and, when you do, it is fulfilling. Often, the success is unilateral, pertaining only to you, your immediate family, or those you serve. We all serve something, whether we realize it or not. I come from a military family that taught me how to serve and sacrifice for others without expectations of favor. With that discipline, I choose to improve underserved communities by serving those same communities that I came from, leaned on, and that gave me more opportunities than I feel I deserved. So, I choose to be, what we often say here, “Copious”. Under the banner of The Copia Group, I embrace a holistic approach to serving underserved communities. I purposefully seek to break the solitary silo and instead expand economic opportunity, increase equity ownership, and generate wealth across those communities…and this is “My Why”.
Biography
Founding Story
Beata D. Kirr is a high-impact investment executive with significant experience in investing, asset allocation, portfolio creation and communications. She serves as Managing Director and Chief Impact Officer for The Copia Group ("Copia"). Most recently, at Bernstein Private Wealth, Beata led key change initiatives, expanded Bernstein offerings, and drove the creation and growth of $6B of Purpose Driven strategies.
Prior to joining Copia, Beata served as Co-head of Investment Strategies, overseeing strategic asset allocation, manager selection, investment evolution and communications for the firm’s $100 billion investment platform. She was also a member of the Private Wealth Executive Leadership Team and served as the President of the $35B Sanford C. Bernstein Mutual Fund Board. Previously, Beata was Head of Core Asset Strategies, leading the allocation platform & portfolio selection.
Beata is most proud of spearheading Bernstein Impact Alternatives, delivering customized access to private equity and venture capital strategies, focused on environmental sustainability, health equity and economic opportunity.
As a passionate supporter of women in finance, Beata created and led the Women & Wealth Institute, Bernstein’s global programming that elevates women’s voices in financial services. As part of this, Beata hosted the highly successful Women & Wealth podcast. Beata has been recognized as Investment News Women to Watch Top Portfolio Performer (2022) and Private Asset Management Women & Wealth Individual Advocate (2021).
Prior to Bernstein, Beata held investment roles at Harris Alternatives, a global hedge fund, and Goldman Sachs Investment Banking, Capital Markets and Research Sales.
Beata serves on the Investment Committee for Congregation SukkatSholom and is a member of National Charity League, Northwestern University’s Council of 100 and Chief.
Beata holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.
#mywhy reflects the collective experience humanity endured over the pandemic, plus my personal lived experience. An article on The Top Five Regrets of the Dying caught my attention and when I was at the funeral for a dear friend who left us far too young in 2022, “My Why” started to crystallize. Time is often our friend but can be our enemy - and it is clearly out of our control. If it's possible to make a bigger impact with our treasure, time, and talent, why not try? I didn’t want to later ask myself, “Why not”, when instead I could ask myself, “If not now, when?”
It was a fateful reunion with the incredible Shundrawn Thomas that led me to Copia. My Why is clear:
Stepping off my prior CIO perch was not something I took lightly. I recognize it is a privilege and I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to do so. The Road Not Taken is about living your values, rather than doing what people expect of you. So, if not now, when?
Biography
Founding Story
Todd C. Schneider is a CPA and seasoned executive with over 30 years of financial services experience. He is the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer for The Copia Group ("Copia"). He has high ethical standards who is a proven leader with extensive operational and management expertise in banking and alternative asset management.
Prior to joining Copia, Todd was the CFO & CCO at Delta Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on litigation finance. At Delta, he was member of the management committee, responsible for investment modeling & pricing, investor relations & reporting, regulatory compliance & reporting, tax, management of outsourced service providers, human resources, information technology, and office management.
Todd was the CFO & CCO of Shorehill Capital LLC, a private equity firm investing in middle market industrial and distribution businesses. He was also the CFO & CCO of CHS Capital LLC, the predecessor firm of Shorehill Capital. Todd’s first private equity role was at Conversus Asset Management, a publicly traded private equity fund of funds, where he was the CFO.
At FBOP Corporation, a privately held multi-bank holding company with 150+ customer-banking centers in Illinois, Texas, Arizona, and California, he was a Senior Vice President & Chief Accounting Officer. Todd was the Chair of the ALM Committee and a member of the Pension & 401(k) Plan Committees. Todd began his career with KPMG, serving most recently as a senior manager in the assurance practice specializing in banking.
Todd has an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a B.S. in Accounting from Northern Illinois University. Todd is married to Cynthia, and they have three adult children.
I was born and raised on the Northside of Chicago, where I attended a public grade school and a Catholic high school. I subsequently attended college at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and began my career as a CPA in public accounting. Public accounting opened my eyes to the reality and importance of gender and race diversity. It seems like the 1980s were the early days of Corporate America struggling to figure out how to improve diversity via recruiting and retention programs – but that was just scratching the surface. After public accounting, I worked for small investment firms and my level of consciousness towards diversity waned as I focused on my own career. As time passed, it became embarrassingly evident that I was a senior leader at organizations where there was virtually no diversity in gender and race, nor was there any tangible effort by the owners to change the paradigm. Upon that realization, I began a period of introspection and learning that reopened my eyes to the meaning of diversity in the workplace, which ultimately attracted me to Copia and its mission. Copia provides a platform to influence change in the portfolio companies we invest in by providing equal access to capital for minority and women owned businesses. Copia also provides a platform to provide expertise in establishing and strengthening portfolio company diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Now I can finally and proudly say, “I walk the talk.”
Biography
Founding Story
Peter W. Washington is a seasoned credit investment professional with over 20 years of experience serving middle market borrowers. He serves as Managing Director and Head of Originations for The Copia Group ("Copia"). Peter has extensive experience in all phases of the credit investment process, including credit strategy, credit policy, sourcing, underwriting, deal execution, and portfolio management. He has completed senior secured, equipment leasing, and subordinated loan transactions for his clients. Peter’s industry expertise spans manufacturing, consumer, healthcare, business services, and the technology sectors.
Prior to joining Copia, Peter spent 13 years at CapX Partners, a credit investment Small Business Investment Fund (SBIC), that was subsequently acquired by Accord Financial (TSE: ACD) in 2017. While at CapX Partners, Peter served in various capacities, including underwriting, business development, portfolio management, and capital markets. Peter was a voting member of the organization’s investment committee and was also a former President of the Midwest Small Business Investor Alliance (SBIA).
Prior to CapX Partners, Peter was a senior secured lender for the Northern Trust Company, providing working capital and term loans to middle market businesses and its business owners. Peter served in Northern Trust’s Middle Market Lending and Business Banking divisions.
Prior to Northern Trust, Peter began his professional career at Banc of America Securities, working as an analyst on the Company’s Cross Over Fallen Angel (COFAD) trading desk in New York, NY. Peter also worked as an analyst for Bank of America’s Interest Rate Derivative sales desk in Chicago, IL.
Peter received his B.A. in Business Administration from Florida A&M University, and received his MBA with concentrations in Accounting, Finance, and Entrepreneurship from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Peter is married with three young children and resides in Oak Park, IL.
“My Why” for joining the Copia Group is rooted in my core belief in the relentless pursuit of opportunity. The definition of opportunity is “an occasion or situation that makes it possible to do something that you want to do”. Through the Copia Group, I now am a member of one of the most diverse leadership teams within the private credit industry. Through the Copia Group, I now serve underserved communities (including lower middle market companies ethnically diverse and women- owned companies), not as a side project, but as the primary strategy. Through the Copia Group, I now support entrepreneurs, many who remind me of my father, who need (a) access to capital, (b) trusted counsel, and (c) an unbiased underwriting process. Through the Copia Group, I also now empower the next generation of diverse and women owned professional investors who seek long-term partnerships with lenders who can help them achieve their investment goals. In summary, My Why is driven by the opportunity to serve significantly and intentionally.
Biography
Founding Story
Yvette D. Taylor is a seasoned credit lending and operational leader with over 30 years of experience. Yvette serves as Director, Private Credit for The Copia Group ("Copia").
Yvette’s expertise includes over 20 years of experience working with private middle market companies. She focused on minority and women owned businesses (First Chicago and Northern Trust), leveraged finance (LaSalle National Bank), and distressed credits (American National Bank). Her experience includes underwriting, loan portfolio management, and credit approvals. She has closed several senior transactions across various industries, including healthcare, business services, food supply management, and manufacturing.
Prior to joining Copia, Yvette spent 24 years with the Northern Trust Company (“Northern”). Yvette joined Northern as a Senior Banking Relationship Manager within their Middle Market lending group. Her career success led to progressive management roles including Managing Director of Northern’s offices at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and State Street. In addition to managing office operations, Yvette led first level credit approvals, managed lending and banking staff, and directed broader credit portfolio management.
Yvette’s career hallmark at Northern was serving as Manager, Personal Client Services for 7 years. In this role, Yvette built Northern’s only centralized banking team with $1B loans and $3B deposits. As Manager and Senior Lender, Yvette created and developed a centralized portfolio management process, optimizing business performance and personnel experience. Furthermore, she served as a member of the Fair Lending Committee and was responsible for credit approvals.
Yvette later joined Northern’s Wealth Management middle office. As national manager, Yvette led the team through expansion and digital transformation, driving consistent execution across three regionally located operating centers. Her areas of focus included controlling risk, creating efficiencies, and creating a consistent client service experience.
Yvette holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Iowa Tippie School of Business and an M.A. in Business Administration (Finance) from Augustana College.
In business, I am passionate about two things 1) Helping others reach their potential by leveraging and sharing what I know and 2) Developing and supporting those individuals or businesses traditionally underserved.
Whether as an individual contributor or as a leader, whether as a lender or operations specialist, providing opportunities inclusive of those who historically have been overlooked has been a hallmark of my career. Providing opportunities that have the potential to help business owners achieve their vision is a compelling and exciting proposition – especially knowing such transformation has the potential to have generational impact. As a part of The Copia Group, I have the unique opportunity to bring my operational, lending and leadership experiences to bear in a way that will positively impact our clients.
Equally as important as making an impact is how it is done. I’ve always counseled people that impact and integrity can coexist. Integrity is the sincere drive to do what is right - specifically holding to heart the principles of trust, transparency, and accountability. Who I am and what I value, is what the Copia leadership team expects me to be everyday as we serve investors and clients alike. Within Copia, I’ve found my tribe. We share a vision of bringing opportunities for growth to those traditionally underserved without compromise of standards or integrity.
The decision to step away from years of progressive leadership experience was not an easy one. I made the decision because I believe in the work and the vision of Copia, and I believe that here I can make an impact.
Why Copia? Diversity in leadership, diversity in whom we serve, shared values, and opportunities for all.
Shundrawn hails from Chicago’s Southside, where he grew up the son of a steelworker and one of four siblings. His interest in business and finance was piqued when he attended a magnet high school distinguished for academic excellence.
After attending Florida A&M University, a distinguished Historically Black College and University, he set his sights on Wall Street working as an analyst in the fixed income division of Morgan Stanley.
After successful stints in sales, trading, and research, Shundrawn returned to the windy city to pursue graduate study at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Along the way, he continued to build networks and exchange entrepreneurial ideas.
After business school, he honed his business acumen first working with Goldman Sachs, followed by a series of executive roles with Northern Trust. He most recently served as President of Asset Management and a member of the corporation’s management group.
Over time, his passion for investing and his commitment to an inclusive form of capitalism evolved into a vision of building a distinctive private investing firm. And with support of sage advisors and supportive allies, The Copia Group was born.
The word copia means abundance or plenty and all connotations relate to wealth, variety, and productivity. The Copia Group is founded upon the belief that full inclusion generates the greatest long-term value for colleagues, clients, and communities.
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