Our Strategy

Axial Reade seeks to source differentiated and value-oriented private investment opportunities within the middle-market. Our strategy includes researching and crafting investment themes, mapping out industries, leveraging the expertise of our networks and building trust with owners to unlock unique investment opportunities.
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Each potential acquisition is vetted by our thorough diligence process, and we strive to create a high-conviction and detailed bridge to earnings growth prior to making any investment.

We do not rely on leverage nor multiple expansion for base case returns. We invest across the capital structure, and we are incredibly discerning, meticulous and patient. We utilize a flexible and creative hands-on approach to drive change and generate value by carefully identifying operational improvements and challenges upfront. Throughout the life of an investment, we partner with our management teams closely to build value through operational improvements, organic growth opportunities and strategic acquisitions.

Industry Focus

  • • Transportation & Logistics
  • • Industrials & Related Services
  • • Business Services

Axial Reade’s industry focus allows us to build deep expertise and foster enduring relationships with owners and executives within our sectors, which we believe provides us with a competitive advantage for identifying and executing upon investment opportunities and driving performance at our portfolio companies.

Partnerships

Axial Reade believes in the value of being long-term trusted partners to our investors, advisors, and employees as well as to top industry executives and management teams. We believe great leadership is essential for our portfolio companies to thrive, so we focus on investing in and recruiting best-in-class managers then we work with them closely throughout the life of the investment.

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Proprietary Sourcing

Axial Reade employs a thesis-driven direct origination strategy in order to unlock unique opportunities for our investors.

Firm Culture

At Axial Reade, we believe that relationships are the foundation for success. We seek to attract and retain exceptional talent by fostering an environment that rewards candor, integrity, curiosity, hard work, collaboration and creativity.

Hadley Noble

Associate

Ms. Noble joined Axial Reade in 2024. She is a member of the firm’s investment team and is responsible for evaluating and executing new investment opportunities as well as supporting its portfolio companies across sectors.

Prior to joining Axial Reade, Ms. Noble was an Associate at Brookfield Capital Partners. Ms. Noble began her career at Morgan Stanley as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Industrials group.

Ms. Noble graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and English.

Seth Segan

General Counsel

Mr. Segan joined Axial Reade in 2023 and is a member of the firm’s Operations Group. He oversees all legal matters for the firm, including guidance in completing transactions, compliance and internal legal matters, and advises on portfolio company matters.

Prior to joining Axial Reade, Mr. Segan was a Partner in the Corporate Department of Morrison Cohen LLP, a law firm in New York, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, venture capital/emerging company financings and other strategic corporate transactions. Mr. Segan also has extensive experience advising clients in connection with investment funds, joint ventures, debt and equity securities offerings, securities law compliance, bank financings, commercial transactions, corporate governance matters and other general commercial and transactional matters. Mr. Segan began his career as an Associate in the M&A/Private Equity Group of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver and Jacobson LLP, a Wall Street law firm.

Mr. Segan received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Georgia’s Honors Program and a Juris Doctorate degree from Harvard Law School.

Josh Kotler

Mr. Kotler is a seasoned executive with 30 years of experience in the IT Services industry. For nearly 22 years, he was the CEO and owner of Western Digitech, a Managed IT Service Provider that he successfully sold to CompassMSP in 2019. After the acquisition, Josh held various executive positions at CompassMSP, including Interim CEO, COO, CSO and Head of Acquisitions, during which time he led four additional strategic acquisitions for the company.

Mr. Kotler is an Axial Reade Operating Partner and adviser.

Mr. Kotler received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Miami and is a former First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

Michael Lee

Head of Accounting

Mr. Lee joined Axial Reade in 2023 and is a member of the firm’s Operations Group. Mr. Lee is responsible for overseeing all accounting related matters for the firm, including fund administration, as well as assisting the finance departments of its portfolio companies.

Prior to joining Axial Reade, Mr. Lee was a Director in IQEQ’s CFO services practice and has extensive accounting and consulting experience within the alternative investment management industry. Prior to IQEQ, Mr. Lee worked at Kreisher Miller, a regional accounting, tax, and advisory firm, where he performed audit, attestation, operational due diligence, and performance consulting services to clients within the financial services industry. Mr. Lee started his career at KPMG in the firm's investment management audit practice, where he specialized in private equity funds, hedge funds, common and collective trust funds, and registered mutual funds.

Mr. Lee is a Certified Public Accountant. He received both a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration degree from La Salle University, and he holds a Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement.

Sam Selinger

Vice President

Mr. Selinger joined Axial Reade in 2022. He is a member of the firm’s investment team and is responsible for evaluating and executing new investment opportunities as well as supporting its portfolio companies across sectors.

Prior to joining Axial Reade, Mr. Selinger was an Associate at MidOcean Partners, a middle-market private equity firm. Mr. Selinger began his career at Bank of America as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Leveraged Finance group.

Mr. Selinger graduated magna cum laude from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Economics and Management.

Barry Sanders

Managing Partner of McChrystal Group

Mr. Sanders provides oversight for all of McChrystal Group’s client engagements to maintain consistent high-quality in-service delivery. Mr. Sanders joined the company in 2015 after nearly three decades of successful executive and general management experience in market-leading multinational corporations. Prior to joining McChrystal Group, Mr. Sanders was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, where he was responsible for the company’s worldwide portfolio of consumer brands, products, and services.

Mr. Sanders currently sits on the Board of Directors of Axial Reade’s portfolio companies Allegiance Trucks and Ascendance Truck Centers.

Mr. Sanders received a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Dayton and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from Bowling Green State University.

General (Ret) Stan McChrystal

Founder and CEO of McChrystal Group

General (Ret) McChrystal is a retired four-star general and former commander of US and International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) Afghanistan and the former commander of the nation’s premier military counter-terrorism force, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). General (Ret) McChrystal founded McChrystal Group in January 2011 to deliver innovative leadership solutions to businesses globally in order to help them transform and succeed in challenging, dynamic environments. As Chief Executive Officer of the company, he advises senior executives at multinational corporations on navigating complex change and building stronger teams.

General (Ret) McChrystal and Mr. Sirignano cultivated their professional relationship while serving together on the Board of Directors of Navistar International Corporation. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of Axial Reade’s portfolio companies Allegiance Trucks and Ascendance Truck Centers.

General (Ret) McChrystal is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and the Naval War College. He also completed year-long fellowships at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and the Council on Foreign Relations. General (Ret) McChrystal is a Senior Fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, where he teaches a course on Leadership.

Jennie Adam

Chief Operating Officer

Ms. Adam joined Axial Reade in 2018. She oversees all operations for the firm, including investor relations.

Prior to joining Axial Reade, Ms. Adam spent over five years at Christie’s where she managed some of the company’s largest sales world-wide, appraised private collections, and advised high-net-worth individuals on art as an asset class. Ms. Adam started her career investigating financial crimes with the Major Economic Crimes Bureau of the New York County District Attorney’s Office.

Ms. Adam received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University and a Master of Arts degree with distinction from New York University.

William Guillet de Chatellus

Vice President

Mr. Guillet de Chatellus joined Axial Reade in 2021. He is a member of the firm’s investment team and responsible for evaluating and executing new investment opportunities as well as supporting its portfolio companies across sectors.

Prior to joining Axial Reade, Mr. Guillet de Chatellus was a Senior Associate at Rhone Capital, a middle-market private equity firm. Mr. Guillet de Chatellus began his career at Morgan Stanley as an Investment Banking Analyst.

Mr. Guillet de Chatellus graduated magna cum laude from Dartmouth College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.

Benjamin Sarnoff

Principal

Mr. Sarnoff joined Axial Reade in 2019. He is a member of the firm’s investment team and is responsible for originating, evaluating and executing new investment opportunities as well as supporting its portfolio companies across sectors.

Prior to joining Axial Reade, Mr. Sarnoff was a Senior Associate at Pegasus Capital Advisors, a middle-market private equity firm, where he focused on investing in global trends related to resource scarcity, sustainability and health & wellness. Mr. Sarnoff began his career at JP Morgan as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Media & Communications group.

Mr. Sarnoff graduated magna cum laude from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Economics and Management.

Michael Sirignano

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Sirignano founded Axial Reade in 2018. He oversees firm-wide management, sets the strategic direction of the firm, and leads the firm’s investment team.

Prior to founding Axial Reade, Mr. Sirignano was a senior member of the investment team at MHR Fund Management, a private equity firm that invests in middle-market companies with an emphasis on deeply undervalued and complex situations. Prior to MHR, Mr. Sirignano was a senior investment professional at Owl Creek Asset Management, a value-oriented investment firm. Mr. Sirignano started his career at Rothschild & Co as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Restructuring group. Mr. Sirignano has served on the Board of Directors of Allegiance Trucks, LLC, a premiere commercial truck dealer; Navistar International Corporation, a leading truck manufacturer; and, Blackman Plumbing Supply Co., LLC, a large plumbing supply company.

Mr. Sirignano graduated cum laude from Williams College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.

Allegiance Trucks

Commercial Vehicle Dealer

Allegiance Trucks is a premiere commercial vehicle dealer in the United States. Allegiance operates over 20 locations throughout the Northeast and offers a broad selection of new and used trucks for sale, lease and rental. Its customers receive best-in-class maintenance and easy access to a wide selection of readily available parts. Allegiance is proud to be a franchised dealer of International, Isuzu, Hino, Fuso, Pierce and Ford trucks.

*Allegiance Trucks is a recipient of the 2020 International Truck Presidential Award

Headquarters: Stamford, CT

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