Team
Tim Shannon
Tim is the Managing Partner of Cedar Investors, and founded the firm in 2016. Prior to launching Cedar, Tim was an operator in DaVita's Redwoods executive development program. At DaVita, one of the nation's largest operators of dialysis clinics and physician group practices, Tim served as administrator of the South Denver Dialysis Center and led a nationwide initiative to provide integrated care in novel accountable care models. Previously, Tim was an investor focused on healthcare at Zweig-DiMenna Associates, a $3 billion global investment partnership. He started his career at J.P. Morgan Investment Management as a research analyst covering healthcare services, medical devices, and biotechnology. Tim served as a board member and audit committee chair of Galata Acquisition Corp, an emerging markets focused special purpose acquisition company that completed its merger with Marti Technologies (NYSE: MRT), Turkey's leading ride hailing app in 2023. Tim also serves on the boards of the Georgetown University School of Nursing and Health Studies and GPS LLC, an education and mentorship focused intercollegiate investment group at eight universities. Tim is a CFA charterholder. He holds a B.S., magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Georgetown University and an M.B.A. with distinction from the Kellogg School of Management.
Sam Mehrberg
Sam is a Vice President at Cedar Investors, and joined the firm in 2017. Prior to joining Cedar, Sam was an Analyst at Sonenshine Partners, an investment bank based in New York. At Sonenshine, Sam focused on mergers & acquisitions across a variety of industries, and served clients in sectors including healthcare services, healthcare technology, consumer healthcare, and medical devices. Previously, Sam was a Summer Analyst with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and prior to that Berkshire Hathaway Energy, where he focused on Corporate Development. He holds a B.S. cum laude from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with concentrations in Finance and Marketing.
Niyant Dholakia
Niyant is a Vice President at Cedar Investors, and joined the firm in 2017. Prior to joining Cedar, Niyant was a consultant at Sigma Cubed, a firm that provided engineering and operational solutions in the Oil and Gas sector. At Sigma Cubed, Niyant focused on asset evaluation, development planning and management of projects up to $164 million. Previously, Niyant was an Engineer at Halliburton Energy Services, where he managed projects with budgets up to $3 million. Niyant also remains involved and consults on his family's operation of a select service hotel in New Braunfels, Texas. He holds a B.S. from the University of Texas and an M.S. from the University of Colorado.
Duncan Gottschall
Duncan is an Analyst at Cedar Investors and joined the firm in 2021. Prior to joining Cedar, Duncan served as Vice President in the Leeds Investment and Trading Group, where he taught other students valuation concepts to be used in the ~$400,000 portfolio of U.S. equities the club manages. He also served as the Business Team Co-Lead and Financial Officer of the CU Sounding Rocket Laboratory, a student-operated group developing rockets to reach space. At the CU Sounding Rocket Laboratory, Duncan focused on raising capital to fund operations. He holds a B.S. with distinction from The University of Colorado with an emphasis in Finance and Accounting, minors in both Mathematics and Economics, and a Certificate in Quantitative Finance.
Cathy Fey
Cathy is an Executive Assistant at Cedar Investors and joined the firm in 2022. Prior to joining Cedar, Cathy was a Program Manager in the Energy industry. Cathy previously acted as lead assistant for a real estate group of 12 independent agents with responsibility for scheduling, correspondence, and event planning. Cathy holds a B.A. from the University of Colorado.
Justin Starzyk
Justin is an Operating Advisor of Cedar Investors and joined the firm in 2018. He currently serves as the COO of United Urology Group, an Audax Private Equity portfolio company. Prior to joining UUG, Justin ran and transacted a range of private equity-backed healthcare services businesses spanning dental and value-based primary care. A seasoned operations professional with a track record of delivering high growth, Justin spent over 20 years in diverse leadership roles including successful tenures within Abbott Laboratories' professional development program, and the management consultancy, Bain & Company. He then spent eight years at DaVita, Inc., a Fortune 200 healthcare services company where he held multiple roles including co-leading growth & development nationally for DaVita Kidney Care, serving as chief of staff to the CEO, and launching & operating multiple successful internal startups in value-based care. Justin holds an MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management, and a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Northwestern University.
Advisors
Michael Shannon
Michael co-founded KSL Capital Partners, LLC in 2005 and co-founded its predecessor KSL Recreation Corporation in 1992, serving as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Since 2005, KSL Capital Partners has raised over $24 billion in capital commitments and invests exclusively in travel and leisure businesses. Michael co-founded and became Chief Executive Officer of KSL Resorts in 2004 following the sale of KSL Recreation. Prior to establishing KSL Recreation with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, he served as President and CEO of Vail Associates, Inc. (owner of Vail and Beaver Creek Resorts) in Vail, Colorado, from 1986 to 1992. Michael currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Northwestern University, and as a Board Member of the University of Wisconsin Foundation, the Mayo Clinic, Eagle Valley Behavioral Health, and Eisenhower Medical Center. He holds a Bachelor of Business and Administration from the University of Wisconsin and a Master of Management in Accounting and Finance from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.
George Dean Johnson, Jr.
George is Founder and Chairman of Johnson Development Associates, Inc. He previously founded and served as Chairman of Advance America Cash Advance Centers, Inc. (NYSE), and as CEO of Extended Stay America, Inc. Prior to Extended Stay America, he was division president and a director of Blockbuster Inc. His extensive public board service includes Duke Energy, Norfolk Southern, AutoNation Inc., and Boca Resorts. He served as president of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, and as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1969-1974. Mr. Johnson received a B.A. from Wofford College and a J.D. from the University of South Carolina.