Jonathan DeVito is the Managing Principal of PIVITAS.

Trained as an anthropologist, Jonathan has conducted primary market research with people based on every continent, excluding Antarctica, and has executed corporate ethnographic research across the the United States, Europe, and Latin America.

Jonathan’s unique approach to research has been featured by the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Forbes. He is also a mentor at The Garage, Northwestern University’s student incubator.

Jonathan is currently exploring restaurant acquisition opportunities within the greater Chicago area. As a proponent of immersion research and learning, he maintains tactical industry expertise by working part-time as a team member at Twisted Hippo, a Chicago-based taproom and eatery.

Todd Ruddick is the Managing Partner of Andon Strategic, a consulting firm dedicated to assisting firms with launching new ventures. Todd’s experience spans early stage feasibility assessments for start-ups to studies in support of multi-million dollar business launches. Prior to founding Andon Strategic, Todd worked in leading roles at organizations such as United Airlines, Intel, and GE. Todd is also a partner and operator at Twisted Hippo, a craft brewery based in Chicago.

Todd holds an MBA from the Sloan School of Management at MIT, an MS in aeronautical engineering from MIT, and a BSE in aeronautical engineering from the University of Michigan.

Mathew is a recognized foodservice operations expert. He has held numerous culinary and business leadership roles, most recently serving as Vice President of Foodservice Strategy for Eby-Brown, one of the largest convenience store distributors in the United States.  Mathew received his JD from the Chicago-Kent College of Law at the Illinois Institute of Technology, his MBA from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, and his BA from Macalester College.

Anand Christopher (AC) is the Managing Partner of Claremont Hudson. With over 15 years of experience leading growth strategy projects, he brings a results-oriented focus to all client engagements. He has led successful projects in areas including product & pricing strategy, new market entry, acquisition strategy / commercial due diligence, strategic planning and capital raising for clients ranging from middle market to Fortune 500 companies. He has delivered tangible value to clients in a broad range of industries including healthcare, private equity, food & beverage, technology, manufacturing, energy, and financial services. Recent engagements include acquisition roadmap development for a Fortune 20 healthcare company, pricing strategy for a leading engine manufacturer, acquisition commercial diligence for a private equity fund, and strategic plan development for an industrial client.

AC holds an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BBA from The University of Michigan Ross School of Business. He currently serves as a board member for The University of Michigan Ross Club of Chicago.

Dan Palay specializes in product marketing, segmentation strategy, defining product-market fit and business case creation for B2B organizations of all sizes, across multiple industries. Whether marketing new innovations, or fighting perceived commoditization, he helps clients define their products’ market positioning and articulate their value propositions.

In addition Dan is a venture capitalist with Tactics II and serves on the advisory board of AltusLearn, of Madison, WI. He is an active mentor with the gener8tor accelerator program and holds a BA from Tufts University and an MBA from the University of Southern California. Dan resides in Chicago with his wife and two children.