Mr. Priest has extensive industry investment banking experience having advised on over 60 transactions representing over $6 billion in transaction value. Industry experience includes transactions for clients in the following sectors: Satellite Communications, Signals Intelligence, Commercial Aerospace, Defense Electronics, Intelligence Community, Transportation, Homeland Security, Government Services and Communications.
He has advised many leading industry participants, having represented clients in transactions with buyers such as Boeing, TPG, Veritas Capital, Mantech International, QinetiQ PLC, Arlington Capital, Chart Capital, SRA International and DC Capital, among others.
Over a 25 year investment banking career, Mr. Priest has advised on some of the more complex middle market transactions, to include ‘going private’ transactions, takeover defense and taking clients public through Special Purpose Acquisition Corporation (SPAC) transactions. Other transactions include sell side and buy side M&A, Lead and sole managed IPOs and follow on offerings.
In addition to his duties at Southwind Capital, he is a senior advisor at Quilty Analytics (www.quiltyanalytics.com) a strategic and financial services boutiqe focused on the Satellite & Space industry and is a member of the Board of Directors of Sequoia Holdings LLC (www.sequoiainc.com), a firm providing full life cycle software systems, enterprise cloud solutions and real time big data applications for the Intelligence Community and the Department of Defense.
Prior to his investment banking career, Mr. Priest served 8 years active duty as a commissioned officer and naval aviator in the U.S Navy and has recently served 2 years as a public company CFO.
He holds an Aerospace Engineering degree from the U.S. Naval Academy and an MBA from the University of Maryland and resides with his family in Williamsburg, VA.
As a Principal at Southwind Capital, Mr. Powell utilizes his real-world industry experience and professional background to take a hands-on approach in assisting clients throughout a deal’s lifecycle. He has relevant deal experience across industry and has represented clients in the following sectors: Commercial Aerospace, Intelligence Community, and Aerospace and Defense.
Prior to his investment banking career, Mr. Powell practiced law in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. After serving a highly sought-after term as a law clerk to a federal judge in the Eastern District of Virginia, he shifted to private practice where he represented and provided counsel to individuals, commercial companies, and government contractors. Mr. Powell remains active with the Virginia State Bar (“VSB”) and serves in a leadership role on the Board of Governors for the Young Lawyers’ Conference of the VSB.
He holds a law degree, with honors, from Regent University School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia, where he is also a published author. Mr. Powell resides in Williamsburg, Virginia with his wife and two children.