NEW YORK, Feb. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — J.F. Lehman & Company (“JFLCO”), a leading alternative asset manager focused exclusively on the aerospace, defense, government, maritime, environmental and infrastructure sectors, is pleased to announce several organizational updates, including the promotion of Michael S. Friedman, William J. Hanenberg and David F. Thomas to Partner, Private Equity.
“The promotions of Mike, Will and Dave reflect their substantial commitment, leadership and contribution to our organization for more than a decade,” said Steve Brooks, Managing Partner. “Each has been actively involved in sourcing, evaluating and executing numerous investments, establishing deep partnerships with portfolio company management and demonstrating a strong commitment to our culture and values. Their advancement to Partner signifies their individual achievements as well as the confidence we have in their continued leadership and long-term stewardship,” said Alex Harman, Managing Partner.
Additional promotions on the Investment Team include R. Benjamin Hatcher and Kevin Vallès to Managing Director, and Alec M. Schmidt to Principal. “Ben, Kevin and Alec have made significant contributions to our organization by generating, executing and overseeing many high-quality transactions. Their promotions reflect their exemplary performance and meaningful commitment to the firm,” said Glenn Shor, Managing Partner.
Additional promotions included Isabel Grabel to Vice President, Marketing & Investor Relations, Sarah Cabrera to Vice President, Controller, and Mokhtar Akhtari to Fund Controller. “The progression of these talented individuals acknowledges their professional growth and the trust they have earned across our organization in recent years,” said Louis Mintz, Managing Partner.
The firm is also pleased to announce the addition of Emilie Q. Ascione as an Associate on the Investment Team as well as Mila A. Schuster to the Administrative Team.
Promotions
Michael S. Friedman, Partner, Private Equity. Mr. Friedman joined JFLCO in 2007 and is actively involved in the sourcing, acquisition, oversight and disposition of portfolio investments. He has served on many of the boards of JFLCO’s investments and currently serves as a director of Mission Microwave and Trillium Engineering.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Friedman began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst in Jefferies’ Aerospace & Defense Group. Mr. Friedman graduated magna cum laude from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a B.S. in economics.
William J. Hanenberg, Partner, Private Equity. Mr. Hanenberg joined JFLCO in 2008 and is actively involved in sourcing, acquisition, oversight and disposition of portfolio investments. He has served on many of the boards of JFLCO’s investments and currently serves as Chairman of Wrist and a director of Atlas Air Worldwide and ENTACT.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Hanenberg was an Investment Banking Analyst in Bank of America’s Global Industrials Group. Mr. Hanenberg earned a B.S. in economics from Duke University and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School.
David F. Thomas, Partner, Private Equity. Mr. Thomas joined JFLCO in 2010 and is actively involved in the sourcing, acquisition, oversight and disposition of portfolio investments. He has served on many of the boards of JFLCO’s investments and currently serves as a director of Atomic Transport, Crystal Clean, NorthStar Group, PURIS, Reclamation Technologies and TMS Group.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Thomas began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst in Credit Suisse’s M&A Group. Mr. Thomas graduated from Yale University, where he earned a B.A. in economics.
R. Benjamin Hatcher, Managing Director, Private Equity. Mr. Hatcher joined JFLCO in 2013 and is actively involved in the sourcing, acquisition, oversight and disposition of portfolio investments. He currently serves as a director of CodeMettle, CTS Engines, TMS Group and Wellman Dynamics.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Hatcher began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst in Jefferies’ Aerospace & Defense Group. Mr. Hatcher graduated from the University of Virginia, where he earned a B.A. in economics and foreign affairs.
Kevin Vallès, Managing Director, Private Equity. Mr. Vallès joined JFLCO in 2017 and is actively involved in the sourcing, acquisition, oversight and disposition of portfolio investments. He currently serves as a director of ENTACT, NorthStar Group and PURIS.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Vallès was a Private Equity Senior Associate at JLL Partners and began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Lazard. Mr. Vallès graduated magna cum laude from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a B.S. in economics with concentrations in finance and operations. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Governors Island Foundation.
Alec M. Schmidt, Principal, Private Equity. Mr. Schmidt joined JFLCO in 2021 and is actively involved in the acquisition, oversight and disposition of portfolio investments.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Schmidt was a Senior Associate at Rubicon Technology Partners, where he focused on private equity investments in Enterprise Software. Mr. Schmidt began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Harris Williams. Mr. Schmidt graduated from Pennsylvania State University, where he earned a B.S. in finance and a minor in business law.
Isabel R. Grabel, Vice President, Marketing & Investor Relations. Ms. Grabel joined JFLCO in 2024 and is involved in the firm’s marketing and capital formation efforts.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Grabel was a Senior Associate at Harvest Partners, where she focused on private equity investments in Industrial, Healthcare, Business Services and Consumer end markets. Ms. Grabel began her career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Jefferies. Ms. Grabel graduated from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, where she earned her B.B.A. with a concentration in Finance and Financial Management Services.
Sarah J. Cabrera, Vice President, Controller. Ms. Cabrera joined JFLCO in 2019 and assists in managing the firm’s treasury, finance and accounting functions.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Cabrera served as Director of Accounting for Politico, where she was responsible for all aspects of the accounting function. Previously, Ms. Cabrera worked for a public company with SEC filing requirements. Ms. Cabrera graduated from Strayer University, where she earned a B.S. in accounting, and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Mokhtar Akhtari, Fund Controller. Mr. Akhtari joined JFLCO in 2023 and supports the firm’s treasury, finance and accounting functions.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Akhtari served as an Assistant Controller for Standish Management. Previously, Mr. Akhtari held various finance and accounting positions with DoublePositive, TOR International Group and Standard Chartered Bank. Mr. Akhtari earned a B.A. in finance from Kardan University and an M.B.A. from the Modern Institute of Management, and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Team Additions
Emilie Q. Ascione, Associate. Ms. Ascione joined JFLCO in 2025 and is actively involved in the acquisition, oversight and disposition of portfolio investments.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Ascione began her career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Jefferies in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group. Ms. Ascione graduated from Indiana University, where she earned a B.S. in finance from the Kelley School of Business.
Mila A. Schuster, Reception. Ms. Schuster joined JFLCO in 2025 and provides administrative support to the firm.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Schuster held various administrative roles, most recently as a Project Coordinator at a construction and development company. Ms. Schuster earned a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Hunter College.
About J.F. Lehman & Company
Founded in 1992, J.F. Lehman & Company focuses exclusively on investing in the aerospace, defense, government, maritime, environmental and infrastructure industries. The firm has over $8 billion in AUM across its private equity and credit strategies and offices in New York and Washington, D.C.
www.jflco.com
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