Mr. Winters has practiced in a financing and advisory capacity for over 25 years, including his role as Founder and Principal of E.L.K. Capital Advisors since 2005 and as a senior member of the Financial Sponsors Investment Banking Group of Deutsche Bank and its predecessor entities, including Bankers Trust and BT Alex. Brown. Mr. Winters has extensive experience working closely with private equity funds in a variety of buyout financing, recapitalization and fund raising responsibilities. He has originated and/or executed a wide variety of transactions in these capacities, including public equity, 144A/ high yield, syndicated loans, equity and debt private placements, equity co-investments and sell-side and buy-side mergers and acquisitions advisory.

Mr. Winters holds a BSBA from the Boston University School of Management and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He holds the Series 7, 24, 28, 63, and 65 licenses, and early in his career held a CPA designation in Illinois. Mr. Winters has been a guest lecturer on private equity and venture capital financing at Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management, and is active in both investing in, and providing counsel to executives and Boards of various companies. Mr. Winters serves on several Boards of Directors.

Among his philanthropic endeavors, Mr. Winters is a member of the Board of Directors of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center and has held titles including Chairman of the Finance and Governance Committees, Treasurer and member of the Executive Committee. Mr. Winters is a senior advisor and sponsor to the Rush Mini-Medical School, a designated community service organization managed by Rush University Medical School that educates and mentors under-privileged Chicago youths. Mr. Winters recently completed his term as an appointed Trustee of the Illinois Teachers Retirement System, where he held positions including Chairman of the Investment Committee and Member of the Audit Committee.