Our Principals have served as CEO of three small businesses, two of which were sold to Fortune 500 companies; and invested over $200 million of equity and debt capital in more than 10 companies.

Gary Furst

Gary has thirty years experience leading small businesses and has an extensive background with brand management, product innovation, manufacturing, outsourcing, and retail channel strategies. As CEO, he has built and sold two enterprises to Fortune 500 companies at significant gains to shareholders.

Prior to co-founding GEI, Gary was CEO of Weston Nurseries, a leading nursery grower, retailer, wholesaler, and landscaper designer. Gary was the first outsider to run the 80-year-old family business and he led a turnaround that resulted in significantly improved operating cash flow and increased revenue. Previously, Gary served as CEO of Kryptonite, the preeminent global producer of portable security products, where he was the first outsider to run the 25 year-old family business and led a strategic transition that resulted in a sale to Ingersoll Rand for more than 12 times the value of the business when he joined. Gary began his career at American Brush Company, a leading manufacturer of paint applicator products, where he was the fourth generation owner. As CEO, he oversaw significant top-line and bottom-line growth, and ultimately sold the firm to The Stanley Works Company, where he stayed on for three years as President of the paint applicator division.

Gary has served as a director for numerous business concerns and has been awarded an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for Consumer Products. Gary earned his B.A. from Clark University and is a graduate of Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program.

Brian Colton

Brian has over nine years of experience in mergers and acquisitions and evaluating and executing private equity investments with a focus on smaller businesses. Prior to co-founding GEI, Brian was an investment professional with Allied Capital, a $6 billion publicly-traded private equity firm focused on equity and debt financings for middle-market companies. Previously, Brian served as a consultant at Weston Nurseries, as an investment professional with Swander Pace Capital, a $325 million investment fund focused on later-stage private equity investments in consumer product companies, and as an investment banker in the Mergers and Acquisitions group at Salomon Smith Barney.

Brian has been a consultant to numerous small businesses and is the author of a family business case study currently being taught in leading graduate business schools. Brian earned a B.A. from Cornell University and an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Investors

GEI’s limited partner investors include over 25 individuals, including current and former CEOs, entrepreneurs, partners of prestigious private equity, investment banking, law and wealth management firms, and family business experts. Our investors serve as a great source of industry perspective, offer a network of relationships, and where appropriate, serve as board members and advisors to portfolio companies. We would be happy to provide our investor list to prospective companies.