As the Managing Partner of Acorn, Rick Nagel leads the strategic direction of the firm and its portfolio assets.

Nagel first served Acorn as an Advisory Board Member and in 2004 joined as a partner, launching the firm’s private equity practice. He leads and is responsible for Acorn’s current geographic footprint, fund operations, fundraising activity, investment deal generation, portfolio integrations and performance improvement initiatives.

Since joining Acorn, the firm has closed more than 30 transactions in areas that include advanced manufacturing, government IT services, defense electronics, engineering services, aircraft financing and leasing, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), maintenance repair overhaul, modernization and upgrades, radar, satellite communications, airborne logistics, air cargo, value-added distribution, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and counter unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS).

Prior to joining Acorn, Nagel was with...

Dr. Wilkerson is a career defense and intelligence executive with over 40 years of operations and leadership experience in the national security domain. This includes more than 15 years as a member of Acorn Growth Companies‘ leadership team.

Prior to his appointment as a partner, chief operating officer, and member of the capital management team in 2020, he served with distinction as the President and CEO of Acorn Growth Companies’ Integrated Defense Group. His previous professional experience includes honorable service in the United States Air Force, and senior leadership roles within the national security portfolios of Raytheon E-Systems, Teledyne Brown Engineering, and L-3 Communications.

Dr. Wilkerson serves as a board director for several non-profit and for-profit organizations. His professional affiliations include membership in the Global Special Operations Forces Foundation, Air Force Association, Association of the U.S. Army, National Defense Industrial...

As a partner, Bradford leads Acorn’s portfolio and risk management practices, which includes developing proprietary macro, sector, and subsector research and performance monitoring capabilities. Bradford also participates in the firm’s due diligence efforts and serves on the investment committee.

Prior to joining Acorn, Bradford was a portfolio manager for Millennium Partners, a $20 billion+ hedge fund in New York, where he was responsible for a team of four and $750 million, which included an aerospace/defense book. Before Millennium, he was a senior analyst at Vollero Beach Capital Partners, a $1billion market neutral hedge fund based in New York, where he was responsible for building out the industrial investing capability at the firm.

Bradford started his career as a mid-cap aerospace/defense analyst for Citadel Investment Group, a $20 billion+ hedge fund based in Chicago and then transferred to Delos Investment Management, where he was responsible for trading...

As chief financial officer, Walker manages and oversees the financial management of the firm, its funds, and its portfolio companies.

Prior to joining Acorn, Walker served as the Chief Financial Service Officer for a commercial real estate firm, with over 12M+ square feet of assets under management across the United States, where she was responsible for all accounting functions to include Asset Management and Lease Administration. Leading the team, Walker automated multiple accounting and reporting functions to advance efficiencies and streamline services.

Walker has over 15 years of experience in developing accounting policies and procedures, utilizing technology and strategic team management. Her background includes working with private equity backed companies, manufacturing, oil and gas, and wholesale. She has Six Sigma training and a proven record of implementing operational and back-office improvements.

Walker received her Bachelor of...

Agnew has spent his 20-year career in the financial services industry in both investment banking and advisory and equity research roles, the vast majority of which have been focused on the aerospace, defense and government contracting markets. Prior to joining Acorn, he established the U.S. Aerospace, Defense and Government Contracting investment banking group for Canaccord Genuity, working closely with the firm’s international offices and leading its efforts in the sector globally. During this time, Agnew gained significant experience advising private companies and public Boards of Directors. Prior to Canaccord, Agnew spent 10 years at FBR Capital Markets, eventually leading the firm’s ADG investment banking practice and completing both merger and acquisition and financing transactions for public and private companies. Prior to FBR, he was with Quarterdeck Investment Partners (now Jefferies), where he focused on mergers and acquisitions in the aerospace, defense and government...

As Chief Compliance Officer at Acorn, John Blevins is responsible for leading the compliance function, providing advisory and assurance support for the firm and its funds.

Blevins has over 30 years of professional experience in compliance, administration, and regulatory oversight of complex products among globally diversified businesses within the financial services industry. While originally from Oklahoma, Blevins spent most of his career based in New York City working in a global compliance capacity for several large investment management firms.

Before joining Acorn, Blevins was Global Chief Compliance Officer for PineBridge Investments and was a member of the firm’s senior leadership team. Prior to PineBridge, Blevins was Global Deputy Chief Compliance Officer for BlackRock. Blevins led the implementation of BlackRock’s compliance program during the firm’s acquisition of Merrill Lynch Investment Management in 2006, and during the acquisition of Barclay’s Global...

As a senior partner and serving as the chief financial officer, Morton manages and oversees the financial management of the firm, it's funds, and its portfolio companies. He plays a critical role as part of the capital management team with efforts related to identification, negotiation, due diligence and acquisition. He actively participates in the corporate governance of the firm and is a board member of a number of the portfolio companies.

Morton has more than 30 years of financial management experience, as a senior manager with both Ernst & Young (formerly Arthur Young) and Deloitte & Touche (formerly Touche & Ross), and as the chief financial officer of numerous public and private, small to medium sized companies, in various industries including energy, food services, publishing, government contracting and banking. He has also been an entrepreneur, developing a multi-unit restaurant company he later sold.

Prior to joining Acorn in 2005, Morton served as...

As partner at Acorn, Henry Gregson is responsible for identifying and managing direct investment opportunities and transactions in the European market.

Gregson has spent 29 years in private equity during which he has made 25 investments, managed 29 investments, invested £881 million of equity and has achieved an average money multiple for investors of 3.1x.

Gregson is the founder of GR Investment Partners, a firm that focuses on investing it's own and third-party money into UK and European mid-market private equity transactions whose enterprise values range from €5 million to €200 million.

Prior to founding GR Investment Partners, Henry was managing director in the London office of HIG European Capital Partners, a mid-market European private equity investor, a partner at Pamplona Capital, a €1.3 Billion fund based in London, and before that, he spent several years at the private equity arm of Royal Bank of Scotland, where he led a number of successful...

Crick serves as the vice president of human resources for the firm’s portfolio of companies. She is responsible for managing the HR managers from each of Acorn’s portfolio companies, benefit providers and brokers. She brings her expertise in recruitment, writing policies and employee handbooks, as well as benefit management to the firm.

Prior to joining Acorn, she spent years mentoring and leading teams to build corporate HR departments, and assisted multiple companies to grow both organically and strategically. As director of Human Resources for Select Energy Services, Crick was instrumental in leading a strategic expansion of growth from 1000 employees to more than 6,200 over a 4-year period.

Crick graduated from Central Texas College with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. She served many years on the Lake Dallas ISD School Board of Trustees, currently sits on the Aerospace Employer Advisory Board for COWIB and is very active at Woodland Hills Baptist...

As Managing Director for Acorn Growth Companies, Gary brings 38 years of aviation, defense, advanced technology, and leadership experience. He supports cross-functionally in the activities of the firm and specializes in developing portfolio growth, business development strategies and optimizing synergistic effects of the portfolio. He also supports organic growth acquisition and is an active leader with Acorn’s government affairs activities.

In 2008, Gary joined one of Acorn’s portfolio companies – Commuter Air Technology (CAT) located at Wiley Post Airport, OK. In his various roles at CAT including Program Manager, VP of Business Development, Senior Vice President, and General Manager of a Part 145 repair station and FBO, Gary was instrumental in the company’s monumental growth.

Prior to 2008, Gary enjoyed a successful Navy career, completing 24 years of active-duty service. As a Mustang Officer, he enlisted in 1984, and rose through the ranks to become an...

Pollack serves as a Senior Associate with Acorn and supports the team in identifying and evaluating investment opportunities, performing transaction due diligence, and working with management teams to implement operational and growth strategies.

Prior to joining Acorn in 2021, Pollack served as an Associate with Gladstone Capital (NASDAQ: GLAD), a Washington D.C.-based business development company where he focused on direct credit and equity investments across a variety of industries. Prior to that, he was an Investment Banking Associate at Hovde Group in the Specialty Finance group. His focus was on providing mergers and acquisitions advisory services to companies in in the non-bank financial services industry. Prior to Hovde, Pollack served as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Industrials & Technology Group at FBR & Co.

Pollack received his B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Richmond.

Allen supports Acorn’s fundraising and investor relations efforts with current and prospective investors.

Prior to joining Acorn, Allen was an Investment Banking Analyst at Truist Securities. She worked within the Leveraged Finance group advising and executing capital raises for corporate and sponsor clients, including leveraged loans, high yield, and bank debt.

Allen received her BBA degree in Finance from the University of Georgia.

Megan serves as our Senior Accountant for Acorn. She assists our CFO in managing the financial management of the firm, it's funds, and portfolio companies.

Prior to joining Acorn Megan worked for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as a Grant Administrator and owned and operated three Anytime Fitness Franchise locations.

Megan earned her B.S. in Business Administration from Hillsdale Freewill Baptist College in 2005.

Jamie serves as the Executive Coordinator and Office Manager for Acorn. She takes care of a myriad of daily responsibilities in the Oklahoma City office, and assists the D.C. office when needed. She ensures the smooth operation of the firm with her extensive organizational knowledge, her strong performance in high-volume, high-pressure environments, and diverse capabilities.

Jamie has an extensive experience in office management and executive assistant responsibilities.