institutional capital under management, with partners HM Capital in 1998. He leads its strategic direction, investment strategy, and fundraising. Ware is also actively involved in originating, structuring, and monitoring investments. In addition to his private equity/leveraged buyout experience, Ware has served more than 10 years as either the chief executive officer or chief operating officer of two $1 billion municipalities. Previously, Ware served as city manager of the City of Dallas and initiated several ventures that created more than $7 billion in public and private business partnerships. Under his leadership, Dallas was cited by Financial World as one of the best-managed U.S. cities.
Lewis Warren Jr. Managing Director, Deputy Head of Global Investment Banking Banc of America Securities L.L.C. New York, NY. Age: 43. Bottom Line: Warren, working with the head of global investment banking, is charged with ensuring that Bank of America’s investment banking arm, part of the company’s $21 billion Global Corporate and Investment Banking division, provides a comprehensive array of products and services to U.S. and global corporate clients. He helps the Global Investment Banking group continue to show strong gains in capital raising and mergers and acquisitions.
Darryl E. Wash. Managing Partner Ascend Venture Group L.L.C. New York, NY. Age: 40. Bottom Line: Wash is a principal force behind Ascend, which manages more than $150 million through various partnerships. Ascend focuses on young companies and has supported numerous minority-owned entrepreneurs. Typical investments range from $2 million to $8 million. Since its beginnings, Ascend has invested in more than 30 companies in the applied technology and for-profit education industries. Investments include StarMedia Network, Snap Appliance, and Tabula Digita.
Thurman V. White Jr. CEO Progress Investment Management Co. L.L.C. San Francisco, CA. Age: 55. Bottom Line: White has led the firm’s fund of funds investment strategies in public markets and private equity, both of which focus on niche, first-time, and minority- and women-controlled venture capital and buyout funds as well as emerging investment management firms. Progress manages more than $5.5 billion in assets in public equities and fixed income securities as well as private equity partnerships. White recently led the firm’s management buyback, making Progress once again a minority-owned business enterprise.
Raymond A. Whiteman. Managing Director& Co-Head of Distressed Investing The Carlyle Group Washington, DC. Age: 46. Bottom Line: Whiteman is involved in Carlyle’s distressed investment fund. For more than a decade, Carlyle has been a leading private equity investor in the aerospace and defense industries. The group has completed 23 transactions representing a total purchase price of more than $7.4 billion. Whiteman was a founding principal of the Carlyle Management Group from 2000 to 2003. He previously served as a principal in Carlyle’s U.S. Buyout group.
Herb P. Wilkins Sr. Founder/Managing General Partner SYNCOM Management Co. Inc./Syncom II, Syncom III, Syncom IV Silver Spring, MD. Age: 62. Bottom Line: As founder of Syncom (No. 6 on the BE PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS list with $200 million in capital under management), he has built a company that specializes in providing early-stage growth capital