Biography

Scott A. Carlson has managed, invested in, and advised successful small and middle market companies most of his career. 

From 2007 to 2010, Scott led a restructuring team at CIT Group that managed several large and complex distressed accounts, including a Central Appalachian coal company, a major restaurant franchisee with over 60 stores, and a portfolio of 2,500 student loans of a bankrupt vocational training school. In November 2008, the team assumed responsibility for CIT’s distressed commercial real estate portfolio with a book value of $950 million. Over the last year, 25 of 48 CRE accounts were restructured, generating $160 million of cash recoveries. The sum of the current valuation of the CRE portfolio and cash recoveries is within 5% of the team’s original estimate.

In 2002 after working in Europe for ten years, Scott founded his own consulting practice in the U.S. to provide strategic, financial, operating and organizational advice to early-stage and under-performing companies.

In 1994 Scott established the operations of the Western NIS Enterprise Fund, a $150 million private equity fund that invests in private companies operating in Ukraine and Moldova.  As President & CEO of the Fund, Scott developed a unique investment strategy and built a strong team of investment professionals.  With his team, Scott invested over $75 million to restructure and enhance the operations of early-stage companies in sectors with high-growth potential.  Over five years, the aggregate EBITDA of the nine largest companies increased from $4.2 million to $24.8 million, and aggregate sales increased at a compound annual growth rate of 22% to $178 million.  Prior to being recruited to the Fund, Scott founded his own investment banking practice in Berlin, Germany to advise newly privatized companies in Central Europe.

From 1983 to 1992, Scott worked in the corporate finance department at Dillon, Read & Co. Inc., a New York based investment bank, where he originated and executed a number of acquisitions and financings in the public and private markets for middle market companies. 

Scott started his career in New York as a corporate loan officer at the Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company, a major money center bank.  He is a graduate of Harvard Business School and Washington & Lee University.

In 1994 Scott was the head coach of the German National Lacrosse team, the first team from Germany to qualify for the International Lacrosse Federation World Championships.