Managing Members and Senior Advisors
Petter Kleppan, Managing Member (Founding Member)
Mr. Kleppan founded NORROC in March 2005. Previously, Mr. Kleppan was Director of Offsets and Industrial Participation at Fast Search & Transfer (subsequently acquired by Microsoft). Mr. Kleppan also brings experience from the public growth equity space, having advised GARP profile hedge funds on proprietary investment theses. At NORROC, Mr. Kleppan architected the equity build-up transaction and advised the Chairman and CEO (the acquirer) on the mergers of Rocketplane Limited Corporation and Kistler Aerospace Corporation. Today Mr. Kleppan serves as Advisor to several technology, aerospace and solar companies. Mr. Kleppan is also a founding managing member of Rocklove Capital Partners LLC, NORROC's principal investment arm. Mr. Kleppan holds degrees from the Norwegian School of Management (BI) and the Handelshochschule Leipzig (HHL) in Germany. He is also an alum of the Cornell University Silicon Valley program, organized by The Norwegian School of Entrepreneurship.
Contact: petter@norroc.com
Rune A. Hansen, Managing Member
Mr. Hansen has acted as Special Advisor to NORROC since 2005 and was appointed Managing Partner in 2007. Mr. Hansen was formerly Communications Industry Principal at Oracle Corporation, focused on sales to the largest communications companies in North America. Prior to this he held positions in Product Marketing and Management at Siebel Systems, working with industry leaders worldwide in both technical and commercial contexts. Mr. Hansen has managed strategic product portfolios for Ericsson in the UK and Telenor in Norway. His professional experience also includes management consulting roles at Booz Allen Hamilton and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His recent engagements at NORROC include cleantech project finance, leveraged restructurings and launches of new ventures and technologies. Mr. Hansen holds a B.Eng. in Electronic Engineering from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Contact: rune@norroc.com
Stig Ørnvall, Special Advisor
Mr. Ørnvall s a growth investor, a facilitator of both public and private financing for growth companies and has successfully started multiple companies and non for profit organizations. The first company he founded was an ICT Education Center that he grew that into a viable business before ICT Education Center and sold in 2001. Currently
Mr. Ørnvall is Chairman of the Board at iSimpleTouch, a company headquartered in Las Vegas, and oversees the company's international operations. He has also been retained by Norsk Navigasjon AS, another Scandinavian growth company, to oversee and grow all R&D initiatives in EU markets. Mr. Ørnvall has been closely involved in formulating the strategy of Steinkjer Science Park in Norway. Additionally, he is Director of the Board of the Soccer Club in Steinkjer, which has been turned into a profitable enterprise during his tenure. Mr. Ørnvall has one mantra: He strongly believes in reaching goals trough collaboration.
T. James Herrmann, Special Advisor, Acquisition Financings
Principal, Pacific Coast Capital
Mr. Herrmann founded Pacific Coast Capital in 1983. Mr. Herrmann was previously associated with the Lawrence Corporate Finance Group in San Francisco. He has served as a founder and director of two Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs). He has been president of two middle market companies in the film communications industry, and also has held marketing management positions with Illinois Tool Works and Fansteel, Inc.
Mr. Herrmann holds a BS in Metallurgical Engineering from Michigan State University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Paul F. Pelosi, Jr., Special Advisor, Energy Project Finance
Mr. Pelosi is a seasoned executive with many years of varied experience. Specifically, in the world of finance, Mr. Pelosi has operated in several capacities: At San Francisco’s Bank of America Securities, Pelosi served as Principal in Corporate Finance and Institutional Sales assisting top growth companies. As Sales Manager and Originator at the San Francisco branch of JP Morgan Chase Manhattan he was named Rising Star Northern California in 2002. Mr. Pelosi has also served as Manager and Originator for Bank of America Countrywide, where he was honored in the Circle of Excellence in 2004. Mr. Pelosi is a graduate of Georgetown University and Georgetown Law Center. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in History, cum laude, while performing as a Gillette All Star Student Athlete on the track team and remained at Georgetown for his JD and MBA degrees. Mr. Pelosi is the current President of the San Francisco Commission on the Environment.
Christian Lagerling , Special Advisor, Energy / CleanTech and Financing Campaigns
Partner, GP Bullhound, Inc.
Prior to the combination of Bullhound Ltd. and GP Capital, Mr. Lagerling co-founded Bullhound in 1999, responsible for the company's investment research activities. Previously, he worked in the investment banking division of BZW / Barclays Capital, providing balance sheet optimization strategies for the corporate finance advisory group as well as authoring in-depth credit research reports. before entering investment banking Mr. Lagerling worked in the management consulting industry, most recently as IT Research Analyst for the Connecta Group in Stockholm, Sweden. Mr. Lagerling completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Economics at the London School of Economics. He subsequently received an M.Sc. degree in Finance from the Stockholm School of Business and is a CFA Candidate (Level II). Mr Lagerling holds the FINRA Series 7, 24 and 63 securities licenses.
Larry DiBattista, Special Advisor, M&A and Small Business Exit and Succession Planning
Mr. DiBattista is a senior executive and experienced business leader with proven success implementing innovative programs in complex organizations. He brings years of hands-on and executive management experience from semiconductor capital equipment companies in areas including test systems, data automation and material handling. Most recently at Verigy Ltd., Mr. DiBattista led the successful acquisition and integration of a strategic technology company. Software products and a low cost semiconductor test system were developed and introduced just eighteen months post acquisition. This organization is self-sustaining today and contributing to multiple Verigy divisions. As Vice President and General Manager of the Mixed Signal and Wireless Division for Credence Systems Corporation he led several international and domestic acquisitions. After full operational integration into the division, combined product sales exceeded $200M/yr within three years, generating over $95M in pre-tax profit. Prior to this position, Mr. DiBattista held various executive marketing, sales and management positions at Schlumberger and Advantest where several domestic and international acquisitions were successfully integrated and managed with profitable results. His 30-year career in the electronics industry began with degrees in Engineering and Management from Purdue University and several years of basic research and development.
Theo Armour, Special Advisor, Digital Media, Internet and Voice
Mr. Armour is an architect educated at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. He practiced architecture in London and Hong Kong before becoming a computer-aided design consultant at CAD-Asia. He was a founder of PC Plus, an IBM PC dealership specializing in Computer Aided Design, the Hong Kong Macintosh User Group and the Asian Venture Capital Journal. In the 1990’s he was Program Manager at Autodesk for AutoCAD Releases 13, 14 and the beginning of Release 2000. Subsequently he has implemented web sites for a number of artists, start-ups and various worthy organizations and has made angel investments in a number of start-ups. From June 2001 to June 2008 he was a member of the Board of Advisers of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice and was Designer and Webmaster of the institution's web site from 2001 to 2004. Mr. Armour was awarded the English Channel Swimming Association’s Van Audernaerde Prize for Best Disabled Swim in 1980. In 2006 he was awarded First Place for fastest swim in the annual “Escape from Alcatraz” competition.
Eric Brill, Legal Advisor
Mr. Brill is a corporate and securities lawyer based in San Francisco. He obtained his degree from Harvard Law School in 1974. During more than 25 years of practice, he has served as counsel to numerous high technology companies, ranging from startups to public companies, as well as to venture capital and other private investment funds. In addition to providing clients with general corporate advice, Mr. Brill has been involved in dozens of securities offerings, including private placements of common stock, convertible preferred stock, straight debt and convertible debt, and interests in limited partnerships. He has also handled numerous mergers and acquisitions.
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Mr. Kleppan founded NORROC in March 2005. Previously, Mr. Kleppan was Director of Offsets and Industrial Participation at Fast Search & Transfer (subsequently acquired by Microsoft). Mr. Kleppan also brings experience from the public growth equity space, having advised GARP profile hedge funds on proprietary investment theses. At NORROC, Mr. Kleppan architected the equity build-up transaction and advised the Chairman and CEO (the acquirer) on the mergers of Rocketplane Limited Corporation and Kistler Aerospace Corporation. Today Mr. Kleppan serves as Advisor to several technology, aerospace and solar companies. Mr. Kleppan is also a founding managing member of Rocklove Capital Partners LLC, NORROC's principal investment arm. Mr. Kleppan holds degrees from the Norwegian School of Management (BI) and the Handelshochschule Leipzig (HHL) in Germany. He is also an alum of the Cornell University Silicon Valley program, organized by The Norwegian School of Entrepreneurship.
Contact: petter@norroc.com
Rune A. Hansen, Managing Member
Mr. Hansen has acted as Special Advisor to NORROC since 2005 and was appointed Managing Partner in 2007. Mr. Hansen was formerly Communications Industry Principal at Oracle Corporation, focused on sales to the largest communications companies in North America. Prior to this he held positions in Product Marketing and Management at Siebel Systems, working with industry leaders worldwide in both technical and commercial contexts. Mr. Hansen has managed strategic product portfolios for Ericsson in the UK and Telenor in Norway. His professional experience also includes management consulting roles at Booz Allen Hamilton and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His recent engagements at NORROC include cleantech project finance, leveraged restructurings and launches of new ventures and technologies. Mr. Hansen holds a B.Eng. in Electronic Engineering from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Contact: rune@norroc.com
Stig Ørnvall, Special Advisor
Mr. Ørnvall s a growth investor, a facilitator of both public and private financing for growth companies and has successfully started multiple companies and non for profit organizations. The first company he founded was an ICT Education Center that he grew that into a viable business before ICT Education Center and sold in 2001. Currently
Mr. Ørnvall is Chairman of the Board at iSimpleTouch, a company headquartered in Las Vegas, and oversees the company's international operations. He has also been retained by Norsk Navigasjon AS, another Scandinavian growth company, to oversee and grow all R&D initiatives in EU markets. Mr. Ørnvall has been closely involved in formulating the strategy of Steinkjer Science Park in Norway. Additionally, he is Director of the Board of the Soccer Club in Steinkjer, which has been turned into a profitable enterprise during his tenure. Mr. Ørnvall has one mantra: He strongly believes in reaching goals trough collaboration.
T. James Herrmann, Special Advisor, Acquisition Financings
Principal, Pacific Coast Capital
Mr. Herrmann founded Pacific Coast Capital in 1983. Mr. Herrmann was previously associated with the Lawrence Corporate Finance Group in San Francisco. He has served as a founder and director of two Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs). He has been president of two middle market companies in the film communications industry, and also has held marketing management positions with Illinois Tool Works and Fansteel, Inc.
Mr. Herrmann holds a BS in Metallurgical Engineering from Michigan State University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Paul F. Pelosi, Jr., Special Advisor, Energy Project Finance
Mr. Pelosi is a seasoned executive with many years of varied experience. Specifically, in the world of finance, Mr. Pelosi has operated in several capacities: At San Francisco’s Bank of America Securities, Pelosi served as Principal in Corporate Finance and Institutional Sales assisting top growth companies. As Sales Manager and Originator at the San Francisco branch of JP Morgan Chase Manhattan he was named Rising Star Northern California in 2002. Mr. Pelosi has also served as Manager and Originator for Bank of America Countrywide, where he was honored in the Circle of Excellence in 2004. Mr. Pelosi is a graduate of Georgetown University and Georgetown Law Center. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in History, cum laude, while performing as a Gillette All Star Student Athlete on the track team and remained at Georgetown for his JD and MBA degrees. Mr. Pelosi is the current President of the San Francisco Commission on the Environment.
Christian Lagerling , Special Advisor, Energy / CleanTech and Financing Campaigns
Partner, GP Bullhound, Inc.
Prior to the combination of Bullhound Ltd. and GP Capital, Mr. Lagerling co-founded Bullhound in 1999, responsible for the company's investment research activities. Previously, he worked in the investment banking division of BZW / Barclays Capital, providing balance sheet optimization strategies for the corporate finance advisory group as well as authoring in-depth credit research reports. before entering investment banking Mr. Lagerling worked in the management consulting industry, most recently as IT Research Analyst for the Connecta Group in Stockholm, Sweden. Mr. Lagerling completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Economics at the London School of Economics. He subsequently received an M.Sc. degree in Finance from the Stockholm School of Business and is a CFA Candidate (Level II). Mr Lagerling holds the FINRA Series 7, 24 and 63 securities licenses.
Larry DiBattista, Special Advisor, M&A and Small Business Exit and Succession Planning
Mr. DiBattista is a senior executive and experienced business leader with proven success implementing innovative programs in complex organizations. He brings years of hands-on and executive management experience from semiconductor capital equipment companies in areas including test systems, data automation and material handling. Most recently at Verigy Ltd., Mr. DiBattista led the successful acquisition and integration of a strategic technology company. Software products and a low cost semiconductor test system were developed and introduced just eighteen months post acquisition. This organization is self-sustaining today and contributing to multiple Verigy divisions. As Vice President and General Manager of the Mixed Signal and Wireless Division for Credence Systems Corporation he led several international and domestic acquisitions. After full operational integration into the division, combined product sales exceeded $200M/yr within three years, generating over $95M in pre-tax profit. Prior to this position, Mr. DiBattista held various executive marketing, sales and management positions at Schlumberger and Advantest where several domestic and international acquisitions were successfully integrated and managed with profitable results. His 30-year career in the electronics industry began with degrees in Engineering and Management from Purdue University and several years of basic research and development.
Theo Armour, Special Advisor, Digital Media, Internet and Voice
Mr. Armour is an architect educated at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. He practiced architecture in London and Hong Kong before becoming a computer-aided design consultant at CAD-Asia. He was a founder of PC Plus, an IBM PC dealership specializing in Computer Aided Design, the Hong Kong Macintosh User Group and the Asian Venture Capital Journal. In the 1990’s he was Program Manager at Autodesk for AutoCAD Releases 13, 14 and the beginning of Release 2000. Subsequently he has implemented web sites for a number of artists, start-ups and various worthy organizations and has made angel investments in a number of start-ups. From June 2001 to June 2008 he was a member of the Board of Advisers of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice and was Designer and Webmaster of the institution's web site from 2001 to 2004. Mr. Armour was awarded the English Channel Swimming Association’s Van Audernaerde Prize for Best Disabled Swim in 1980. In 2006 he was awarded First Place for fastest swim in the annual “Escape from Alcatraz” competition.
Eric Brill, Legal Advisor
Mr. Brill is a corporate and securities lawyer based in San Francisco. He obtained his degree from Harvard Law School in 1974. During more than 25 years of practice, he has served as counsel to numerous high technology companies, ranging from startups to public companies, as well as to venture capital and other private investment funds. In addition to providing clients with general corporate advice, Mr. Brill has been involved in dozens of securities offerings, including private placements of common stock, convertible preferred stock, straight debt and convertible debt, and interests in limited partnerships. He has also handled numerous mergers and acquisitions.
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