John Shumate
John is Founder, Chairman & CEO of Venture First, an alternative investment group that also provides venture-focused financial services, including deal structuring, M&A and capital raise advice, fractional CFO services, and an array of equity and derivative valuation. He is General Partner in Whiskey Capital Finance Co., a debt fund lending to the craft American […]
Rob Penta
Rob Penta serves as the Vice Chairman and General Counsel of Venture First, a member of its Board of Directors, the Chief Legal Officer of Whiskey Capital Finance Co., and a managing General Partner of Whiskey Capital Finance Co. II. Prior to joining Venture First, Rob was a partner of Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP […]
Jack Hellige
Jack Hellige is the VP of Funds and Transactions at Venture First. Jack started his career in sell-side equity research at Hilliard Lyons (now Baird) in Louisville prior to joining Venture First as a Financial Analyst in 2019. He spent over 2 years in the trenches supporting the CFO services and transactions groups working with […]
Greg Guilford
Greg serves as CFO for Venture First and for several of its clients. He also serves as VP of Financial Services for the company. With over 25 years of progressive accounting experience, Greg brings a wealth of knowledge about complex accounting situations, cash flow management, business process improvement, and analysis to the table. He has […]
Madison Ewing
Madison Ewing is the Vice President of Operations and Business Development at Venture First, overseeing internal operations, recruiting and client management. Madison started her career in Financial Accounting within the energy sector for four years prior to working in the Assurance Department of Strothman & Company in Louisville. After leaving public accounting, she provided accounting and […]
Mark Crane
Mark Crane serves as Venture First’s VP of Investor Relations. He is an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award winner and has 25+ years’ experience as a Leader or Advisor for fast-growth companies in technology, healthcare, and manufacturing. Mark’s work has connected him to 200+ high net worth individuals, family offices, and venture […]