Roberto Buaron’s background combines investment experience with extensive consulting and management expertise. Prior to founding First Atlantic Capital in 1989, Mr. Buaron was a Senior Partner with Overseas Partners Inc., a firm which invested international funds in LBOs in the United States. From 1983 to 1986, Mr. Buaron was a First Vice President of Smith Barney, Inc., and a General Partner of its venture capital affiliate, First Century Partnership. Prior to joining First Century, Mr. Buaron was a Partner of McKinsey & Company, Inc. During his nine-year tenure at McKinsey, he counseled senior management at a number of Fortune 500 companies on improving their strategic position and operating performance. Mr. Buaron has a graduate degree in electrical engineering from the Politecnico of Milan in Italy, an M.B.A. from INSEAD in France, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

James A. Long has more than 30 years of successful experience in identifying, acquiring and building businesses. Prior to joining First Atlantic in 1991, Mr. Long was an Executive Vice President and a member of the Executive and Operating Committees of Primerica Corporation (formerly American Can Company), where he worked from 1975 to 1989. Mr. Long was a key member of the team that restructured Primerica from a capital intensive, manufacturing concern into a dynamic financial services and specialty retailing organization. He had significant responsibility for identifying and implementing over 80 acquisitions and divestitures with an aggregate value in excess of $6 billion. From 1970 to 1975, Mr. Long was Director of Acquisitions for The Sperry and Hutchinson Company. Mr. Long holds an M.B.A. from Columbia Graduate School of Business and a B.A. from Dartmouth College.

Mahesh Saladi began his career in 1978 and held various positions with Dredging Corporation of India, a government of India undertaking, and Editing Concepts and Subsidiaries, a New York-based firm. Prior to accepting a full time position with First Atlantic in 1992, Mr. Saladi was a Vice President and Senior Consultant at RKB Consulting Group, Inc. and provided services to First Atlantic as a consultant since 1989. Mr. Saladi holds a master's degree in Accounting and Banking.

Prior to joining First Atlantic Capital in May 2001, Noel E. Wilens was a General Partner and Managing Director of Bradford Equities Fund, L.L.C., a New York-based private equity firm focused on the acquisition of small and medium size U.S. industrial manufacturers and distributors. At Bradford Equities Fund, where he was responsible for sourcing, evaluating, negotiating and monitoring private equity investments, Mr. Wilens raised two private equity investment funds. Previously, Mr. Wilens was a Principal of The Invus Group, Ltd., a private equity firm specializing in food industry acquisitions on behalf of European investors. Mr. Wilens holds an M.B.A. in Finance from the New York University Stern School of Business and a B.S. in management from the State University of New York at Binghamton, School of Management

Prior to joining First Atlantic Capital, Mr. Berglund was a partner at Jupiter Partners, 
a middle-market private equity firm. At Jupiter, Mr. Berglund played a pivotal role 
in sourcing, financing, acquiring and managing portfolio companies in a variety of 
industry sectors. Prior to joining Jupiter Partners in 1994, Mr. Berglund spent three 
years as a Principal at the Invus Group, Ltd., a private equity firm specializing in food 
industry investments. Previously, Mr. Berglund was a Manager at Boston Consulting 
Group. Earlier in his career, Mr. Berglund was a researcher in the Microelectronics 
area at Bell Laboratories. Mr. Berglund holds an M.B.A. from the Wharton School 
at the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Science from Purdue University, and a
Bachelor of Science from Lehigh University.

Prior to joining First Atlantic in 1998, James Grover was an Associate and Business Analyst at New York Consulting Partners, Inc. There he assisted Fortune 500 companies in developing strategies and solving supply-chain-related operating problems. Mr. Grover began his career as an engineer after receiving a B.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science from Duke University.

Prior to joining First Atlantic Capital in 2003, Emilio S. Pedroni 
worked as an Engagement Manager in the Corporate Finance & 
Strategy group at McKinsey & Company, consulting with major 
corporations on business development and financial programs.  
From 1996 to 1999, Mr. Pedroni was an Executive Director at 
CIBC World Markets, where he delivered investment and 
corporate banking advice to the transportation and aerospace-
defense industries.  He also worked as an Associate in the 
Corporate Finance department at JPMorgan Chase starting in 
1993.  Mr. Pedroni holds a graduate degree in Economics from 
Bocconi University in Milan, Italy.

Prior to joining First Atlantic in 2005, Erik Patton was an Analyst in the Consumer and Retail Investment Banking Group at Morgan Stanley, where he evaluated capital funding opportunities and acquisition strategies for public and private companies.  Mr. Patton holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government, cum laude, from Harvard College.

Prior to joining First Atlantic in 2007, Aneil Lala was an Analyst in the Financial Sponsor Group at JP Morgan, where he evaluated capital funding opportunities and acquisition strategies for private equity firms and their portfolio companies.  Mr. Lala holds a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy Studies, cum laude, from Duke University.

The Firm’s investment strategy is based on the following five key elements:

Targeting middle market companies with significant growth or improvement potential.  First Atlantic is primarily interested in acquiring controlling positions through its funds in businesses that it can help build through operating improvements, modifications in corporate strategy, and add-on acquisitions. In particular, the Firm looks for: (i) companies with strong expansion opportunities, either internal or through acquisitions; and (ii) companies with a sound business foundation where a limited number of identifiable changes in operating practices or business strategy can substantially improve financial performance. The firm does not look to invest in distressed or “turn–around” opportunities, but rather seeks undermanaged companies that can benefit from the professional management, strategic focus, financing, and operating skills which First Atlantic’s Principals can bring to their portfolio companies. While not limited to any specific industry focus, First Atlantic has a strong and continued interest in the industrial and consumer goods, packaging, food processing, general manufacturing, and other sectors. The firm also has an interest in select service industries, particularly those with a business-to-business focus.

Building and establishing market leaders.  First Atlantic seeks to build well-managed companies that are leaders in their respective markets through strategic redirection and enhancements in management. In building its portfolio companies, the Principals work with management at the outset to (I) establish an operating and strategic plan (“action plan”) that governs the companies initiatives from the time of acquisition; (ii) develop consistent monitoring gauges to measure the company’s progress and performance; and (iii) strengthen the existing management team and its supporting infrastructure. In most of its portfolio companies, First Atlantic’s action plan includes significant improvements in the companies systems and the implementation of an add-on acquisition program that will create strong operating efficiencies and cost savings, grow sales and EBITDA, and enhance the strategic position and importance of the company within its industry.

Utilizing consulting expertise to add value.  First Atlantic is distinguished from other private equity firms not only in its investment philosophy, but also by the extensive consulting experience of its Principals. The Firm utilizes these skills to add value and insight to a portfolio company’s existing operations, as well as to identify unique opportunities to grow new and existing portfolio companies both internally and externally. The Principals take an active board-level role in portfolio companies, working in partnership with management to build long-term equity value. The process of adding value through strategic and operating enhancements begins before the transaction is completed, with the outline of an operating and strategic plan developed in partnership with the company’s management. It continues when the transaction is completed with the immediate implementation of short-term operating improvements and the launch of key long-term internal strategic growth programs. The process is subsequently expanded with a thorough analysis and identification of acquisition opportunities developed jointly by members of the management team and First Atlantic. These add-on acquisition candidates are then systematically approached and pursued. Throughout this process, First Atlantic works closely with management on specific strategic and operating issues when its support is required, and on the negotiation and financing of add-on acquisitions. The operating and consulting skills of the First Atlantic team, as well as its experience integrating acquired companies, are critical to this process.

Partnering with management.  First Atlantic views its partnership and close working relationship with a company’s management team as paramount to its investment success. Prior to any acquisition, First Atlantic’s Principals spend a substantial amount of time working with a company to understand the issues and opportunities facing its management team. Through this interaction, First Atlantic develops a prudent capital structure that accommodates the future capital requirements and growth opportunities of the acquired business, and aligns its interests with those of management by requiring management to reinvest on the same basis as the Firm, and by establishing significant incentives. The Firm and its Principals have substantial experience in assisting management teams in identifying and executing acquisitions, financing major expansion projects, and recruiting additional management talent as the organization grows.

Creating proprietary deal flow.  First Atlantic utilizes its broad network of relationships with various middle-market intermediaries to identify new platform investments and add-on acquisition opportunities. These relationships include an extensive database of small brokers, advisors and industry specialists, as well as the personal and professional relationships of the Principals and operating management within and across various industries and professions. These relationships have been instrumental to the success of first Atlantic’s portfolio companies.

First Atlantic views the closing of an acquisition not as an end, but as the beginning of its long-term plans for that company’s growth. By maintaining a long-term strategic focus, working closely with management, and utilizing the investment and consulting skills of its Principals, First Atlantic has built a strong reputation for delivering superior returns and value to its investors and managing partners.

First Atlantic is interested primarily in acquiring controlling positions through its funds in businesses that it can help build through operating improvements and add-on acquisitions. In particular, the firm looks for: (a) companies with strong expansion opportunities, either internal or through acquisition; and (b) companies with a sound business foundation where a limited number of identifiable changes in operating practices or business strategy can substantially improve performance.


First Atlantic focuses on businesses which share the following characteristics:

    • Enterprise values between $75 and $300 million.
    • An entrepreneurial, highly motivated management team with a proven track record.
    • Large, growing or specialized markets that are relatively immune to rapid technological obsolescence.
    • A strong business foundation which can serve as a platform for internal growth or acquisition.
    • A fragmented industry structure that facilitates growth both internally and through acquisitions.
    • Identifiable opportunities to add value through a limited number of operating improvements.


While not limited to any specific industry focus, First Atlantic has a strong record and continuing interest in the industrial and consumer goods, packaging, food processing, general manufacturing, and value-added distribution industries. The firm also has an interest in select service industries, particularly those with a business-to-business focus.