Meet Our Team
Dan leads our mergers and acquisitions advisory team. Having worked with family and founder owned businesses for two decades, he has a deep understanding of the joys and hardships of entrepreneurship. Dan has helped businesses of all sizes find the right path to transition ownership, from internal transitions to sales to private equity groups. Prior to founding Purpose Equity, Dan worked as an independent attorney and investment banker for almost a decade. Dan began his career at Nelson Mullins law firm where he worked with many private equity-owned businesses.
Dan D’Alberto
Managing Director
Thomas serves as Managing Director at Purpose Equity. Prior to Purpose Equity, Thomas was the Founder and CEO of Venture Resorts, a fully-integrated resort development and construction company. For over two decades he helped build Venture Resorts into a market leader, while also creating, expanding, and diversifying its brokerage, private utility, and resort property management verticals.
Venture Resorts was sold in 2021 to a public company. After his exit, and a short stent in retirement, Thomas felt the calling to offer his experience and expertise to other entrepreneurs who may be considering selling their company.
Thomas offers a unique set of skills in the investment banking industry-offering advisory services based on his real world experience of starting, building, and selling a company himself. He finds great fulfillment in helping entrepreneurs fulfill their dreams by navigating and executing a successful exit.
Thomas leads our Purpose Equity Ventures platform, focusing on Venture Capital and joint-venture endeavors. He is the owner of, and partner in, many different businesses and brings a unique set of skills to our team.
Thomas Buxton
Managing Director
Andrew serves as Vice President of Purpose Equity, where he is responsible for transaction strategy and execution on behalf of the firm’s clients. Prior to joining Purpose Equity, Andrew was a part of Piper Sandler’s Services & Industrials Investment Banking Group in Charlotte, NC, where he was involved in M&A and capital raising advisory services for middle market, private equity-backed companies.
Andrew earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Wofford College and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from UNC Kenan-Flagler. A native of Spartanburg, SC, Andrew lives in Columbia, SC with his wife and three children.
Andrew Anderson
Vice President
Michael serves as Business Development Specialist with Purpose Equity, where he is responsible for business development and consulting on behalf of the firm’s clients, with a focus on the packaging and industrial sectors.
Prior to joining Purpose Equity, Michael spent more than 35 years in the packaging industry, including roles with Milliken, Greif, and as an owner with Amspak, where he led sales and marketing efforts across paper tubes, folded cartons, and die-cutting applications. He has been directly involved in mergers and acquisitions, including the successful sale of a privately held business, and brings practical, firsthand experience in ownership transition and value realization.
Michael earned a Bachelor of Science from Limestone University, where he was a member of the inaugural soccer team. A native of South Carolina, he lives in Rock Hill, SC with his wife and is the father of two sons.
Michael Smith
Business Development Specialist
Zach serves as a Senior Analyst at Purpose Equity, where he supports transaction execution and client advisory efforts across the firm’s engagements.
Prior to joining Purpose Equity, Zach was an Analyst at Nova Capital Partners, a New York-based investment bank focused on complex, cross-border transactions, where he specialized in capital raising and strategic advisory across the infrastructure, power, and industrials sectors. During his time there, he supported transactions up to $1 billion for institutional investors and project sponsors across emerging markets, including Sub-Saharan Africa, South America, Asia, and the Middle East.
Zach earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA with a concentration in Financial Engineering from The University of Alabama. Originally from Charleston, South Carolina, Zach enjoys hunting and fishing in his free time.
Zach Nagrodsky
Senior Analyst
Frank has over four decades of experience in the Financial Services industry.
Frank served as Wealth Market Leader for TD Wealth private client group for the S.C. and Western N.C. markets, where he provided comprehensive banking, lending, investment, and trust offerings to the bank’s clients.
He has extensive experience advising and partnering with privately held business owners and families to support growth, capital planning, and wealth preservation.
Frank graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a BA in Economics and is actively involved in many local philanthropic causes.
Frank O’Brien
Director of Business Development & Strategic Partnerships