2025 Wolverine Venture Battle Judges

More Judges will be added soon!

Lori A. Brinker ’96, CFP®, CRPC®, CDFA™,CPFA

Lori joined Merrill Lynch as a financial advisor in 2005 and has been in the financial services industry since 1996. The basis of Lori’s financial background began with her studies for the bachelor’s degree in financial management, with a minor in mathematics that she earned from Grove City College. She holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification. Throughout 29 years of experience in the financial services industry, she has also acquired a Pennsylvania state life, accident, and health insurance license. She also holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor ™, the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor designations.

Functioning in a dual role as a Financial Advisor and Manager, Lori had recently served in a leadership capacity as the Senior Resident Director of the Private Wealth Office of Merrill Lynch.  She is currently the Senior Resident Director in the Sewickley, PA office.   Lori is an alumna of the Resident Director Advisory Council to Management at Merrill and was the former Co-President of the Western PA chapter of the Women’s Exchange.  Prior leadership roles with Merrill Lynch include: POA training coach, Western PA Sales Manager and Resident Director of the former New Kensington office. She also is a member of the Masterson Award committee that recognizes champions of culture at Merrill.

In addition to educating individuals, families and business owners regarding the wealth management process, Lori is an educator for Duquesne University. She enjoys teaching Duquesne University’s Executive Certificate in Financial Planning course that prepares professionals to obtain their CFP® designation. Lori previously served on the board of directors for the Sampson Family Y in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh and she was the metro liaison to the Greater Pittsburgh Area YMCA. Furthermore, Lori is a member of Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO) and has also served on the Business & Entrepreneurship Advisory Board at Chatham University. Currently she serves on the leadership team as a volunteer at Cornerstone Ministries,

Lori and her husband, John, live in Murrysville, PA.  In her spare time she enjoys time with family, biking, boating, reading and travelling.

Patrick Colletti

Patrick Colletti is an experienced board director and advisor for angel, VC, and PE-backed organizations. He is the author of the book Refounder: How Transformational Leaders Take What’s Broken and Make it Better (Per Capita, 2021) and teaches at Carnegie Mellon University. He is passionate about creating flourishing organizations and cultivating refounders — generational leaders and entrepreneurs who revitalize the places where they live, work and play. 
 
Serving as the President of Net Health for over two decades, Colletti and his partners took an organization on the brink of bankruptcy and transformed it, turning it into a thriving software business serving millions of people each year. Net Health analytics and AI solutions are used in over 25,000 facilities, including 98% of the country’s largest healthcare systems. Their award-winning culture has made them a mainstay on lists ranking the best place to work.
 
Colletti is a frequent corporate and community speaker and an active early-stage investor.

Tim Daigle ’84

Tim balances his time being a business advisor/consultant and launching a faith driven network of entrepreneurs and investors who create and support amazing entities that aid human flourishing.  For the past 30+ years, he has been leading consulting practices and managing major transformation programs for companies and public entities by re-engineering business processes and implementing Tier-1 enterprise software solutions, including Oracle, PeopleSoft, J. D. Edwards and SAP.  He is a Consulting Practice Director at many of the top global consulting firms, including Accenture, Arthur Andersen, Perot Systems, and Dell, staying focused on the Global 2000, with a specialty in midmarket companies and cultures. Tim has served dozens of clients across multiple industries, including manufacturing, distribution, public sector, education, health care, and utilities. In 2011, he founded EagleArch, LLC to bring high value, cloud-based solutions to companies to drive down complexity, time to market, and overall costs of IT solutions.  Tim is an elder and pastor at his urban, multi-cultural church on Pittsburgh’s Northside.  He has served as leader of youth ministries and as the Young Adult Pastor, advising and encouraging an incredible group to lean into God’s calling on their lives and be ambassadors of His love, grace, and truth to their world.

 

Pete Durfee ’80

Mr. Durfee has over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical sciences industry. He was formerly employed at Gilead Sciences, Inc. (“Gilead”), a publicly held, research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need, from 1997 until retiring in 2012. During his tenure, Mr. Durfee served as Senior Director of Corporate Engineering and Facilities Operations (CEFO) which was responsible for the strategic and operational direction of Gilead’s engineering pursuits. While at Gilead, Mr. Durfee was responsible for directing Engineering, Validation, Maintenance/Facilities Operations, Manufacturing/Contract Manufacturing, Environmental Health & Safety, Corporate Real Estate, Site Services and Security. Mr. Durfee received a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering and completed the required coursework for a Masters in Electrical Engineering at Penn State before moving to California in 1988. Peter and his wife Susan (Peshek ‘81) are retired, live, and play in Montreux, Nevada.

RJ Fryan ’08

Dr. Fryan is a dynamic leader who has spent most of his career in the manufacturing industry. RJ grew up in Canton, Ohio, where he started working in the steel industry while still in college. RJ has served in various functions within the steel industry throughout his career, including operations, marketing, supply chain, and sales. He is the CEO of Kind Special Alloys US and Lake Park Tool and Machine in Youngstown, Ohio. RJ earned his MBA from Anderson University and his DBA from George Fox University. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife Laura (Koller ’11) and their three children, Raymond,  Emma, and Evelyn.

 

Andrew Graber ’19

Andrew Graber is an entrepreneur with a passion for building businesses. He earned his B.S. in Entrepreneurship from Grove City College in 2019, where he competed in the Wolverine Venture Battle each year, winning 1st Place in 2018. Raised in the building supply industry through his family’s business, Graber Supply, Andrew developed an early understanding of the trade. After college, he worked as a business development consultant for Vine Country Builders, a custom home builder in New York’s Finger Lakes region. In 2021 in partnership with a friend, he acquired Tyrone Building Supply, a lumber and building materials company. Under his leadership, the business has more than tripled in size since the acquisition, driven by a focus on operational efficiency, team development, and strong customer relationships. Andrew thrives on the process of growing and refining businesses and values the connections made along the way.

Jonathan Graber ’16

Jonathan Graber is the owner and president of Graber Supply, LLC, a post-frame (pole barn) design, supply, and construction company based in Atglen, Pennsylvania. Founded by his father in 1991, the company has served both residential and commercial customers and contractors in the mid-Atlantic region for over 30 years.

Jonathan joined Graber Supply as general manager in 2021 and purchased the business from his father in 2024. Since taking ownership, he has focused on improving operational efficiency to set the company up for the next phase of growth while fostering a strong company culture with an emphasis on integrity and long-term customer relationships.

Jonathan graduated from Grove City College in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship. Following graduation, he participated in the Pittsburgh Fellows Program and started working for Net Health, an electronic medical record software company in Pittsburgh. During his four years at Net Health, he worked in client services and then sales, where he earned “Rookie of the Year.” He went on to earn his MBA from Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business in May 2022.

He lives in southeastern Pennsylvania with his wife, Micaela (2015 Grove City Grad), and their 2-year-old son and 10-week-old daughter. Outside of work, he enjoys running, outdoor adventures and time with his family.

Darrin Grove ’91

Darrin Grove, Truefit’s Founder and CEO, is a native Pittsburgher with a passion for innovation, technology, and values-based leadership. At Truefit, he works with business leaders who are creating new or next generation software products to pursue a new opportunity in the market, solve an important problem, and ultimately grow their business. Darrin and his team reduce risk and build confidence by guiding clients through their proven Idea Launch™ process.

In addition to his work at Truefit, Darrin is dedicated to sharing his insight in product development and entrepreneurship with the community and with students. He is an active angel and venture investor and currently serves on the investment committee for Beyond Capital, a faith-driven investment fund.

Darrin is also a food and wine enthusiast and loves spending time with his wife Chris and three sons, Andy, Tyler, and Ryan.

Timothy Habbershon ’81

Dr. Habbershon is currently Managing Director at Fidelity Investments, one of the largest private family companies in the U.S. where he assists ownership and management in the organizational issues associated with transitions. He also Chairs the Corporate Board of the largest private hair salon chain in the U.S., facilitates the Ownership Board of a large family holding company, serves on the Operating Executive Board of a private equity group focused on family companies, and is Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at Babson College in Wellesley, MA. Dr. Habbershon has conducted Executive Education programs to family ownership and management teams on entrepreneurial strategy, transitions and relationship issues through universities worldwide. He received a BA in Psychology from GCC, a Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and an MBA and a Doctorate degree in adult education from the University of South Dakota.

Dave Kuraguntla ’05

David Kuraguntla is the Founder and CEO of Alio, a healthtech company revolutionizing remote patient monitoring for individuals with chronic conditions. A graduate of Grove City College, David went on to attend medical school at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine before launching a career at the intersection of medicine and technology. Under his leadership, Alio has raised over $70 million in funding and achieved multiple FDA clearances, including for the world’s first non-invasive potassium monitor. David brings over a decade of experience in innovation, entrepreneurship, and clinical strategy, and is passionate about mentoring the next generation of founders.

Winifred McGee ’77

Winifred McGee grew up in a family business – observing on a daily basis the drive, dedication and proactivity that it takes to be successfully self-employed. It is upon that basis that she has built her entire career, supporting entrepreneurs – first as a Business Consultant at the Penn State Small Business Development Center at Penn State Harrisburg, then on to 30 years in Penn State Cooperative Extension (providing information and education for home based, food and farm business). Winifred’s areas of expertise include agri-business and food enterprise start-up and expansion; shared kitchen incubator management; enterprise feasibility studies, business planning and financial analysis; and grant application coaching for agricultural and food enterprises.  As curriculum developer and lead instructor for the Penn State Extension Food for Profit workshop, she introduced more than 1500 participants throughout Pennsylvania and other states and at National conferences to the building blocks for food entrepreneurship. Winifred is a certified instructor for Annie’s Project©, True Colors® and NxLevel™ instruction and received certification as a Master Consultant, Business Retention and Expansion International.  She completed the US Small Business Administration, Office of Investment and Innovation’s SBIR Outreach, Training and Technical Assistance Program, empowering her to coach farmers preparing applications for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Small Business Innovation and Research grant Phase I and has served as a reviewer for SBIR Phase I and II proposals. Retiring from Penn State in 2018, she joined the University of Scranton Small Business Development Center as a contract Business Consultant in January 2019. Outside of the SBDC, Winifred has served as a class guest speaker, a mock venture capitalist for the accelerated growth business simulation, and a reviewer for the Wolverine Venture Battle business plan competition at GCC.

Winifred and her husband, Chris ‘77, are the parents of two adult children (including James ’11) and four grandchildren. They live in Elizabethtown PA, and they are partners of LCBC Church of Manheim PA.

Rick Newton ’86

Entrepreneur, consultant, and coach, Rick Newton is focused on helping marketplace leaders integrate their faith and work in practical ways. He is especially passionate about helping entrepreneurs and emerging leaders become transformational agents, bringing redemption and restoration to every facet of society.
 
After receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering and Computer Science from Grove City College and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh, Rick worked at various regional corporations long enough to decide that he wanted to create a company very different than most – one that integrated and reflected his faith by serving customers, employees, and the communities in which they live.
 
In 2003, he founded Newton Consulting – which was sold 21 years later to Wavestone, a global management consulting firm headquartered in Paris, France.  
 
Rick now focuses his time and energy within the Newton Institute, a leadership development company that is building a platform of programs and practical tools for coaches, consultants, and companies to create flourishing leaders, teams, and cultures for their clients and employees.
 
Rick and his wife, Terrie (Wright ’85) have 5 children and 11 grandchildren, all of whom live close by and are actively involved in a multi-generational vision to see their community and region transformed through the redeeming power of God’s love.

Paul Passaro

Paul Passaro’s career began on Wall Street at the municipal bond firm Roosevelt & Cross, Inc., and he has subsequently served as the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Operating Officer of a number of enterprises with as many as 1,400 employees, including Pine Needles and Mid Pines Resorts, Corporate Realty Advisors (now part of Jones Lang LaSalle), DunnWell (now a part of Cintas Corporation), and East West Partners Club Management. Paul’s management responsibilities have included leading finance, operations, strategic planning, human resources, and business development. In addition to three years of full-time mission work in South Africa, Paul has helped plant churches and has served on the boards of privately-held businesses, foundations, and ministries in the US and overseas, including Thrive Farmers International. He is a cum laude graduate of Williams College with an MBA from UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Paul and his wife, Kristi, are the parents of three children (including Annie ’22 and Charlie ’27) and reside in Chapel Hill, NC, where they are members of Christ Community Church (PCA).

Bill Powers

Engineering Manager, IQ Inc. Bill comes to IQ Inc. with over 35 years of experience in product development and business management. He has extensive experience creating new innovative products, improving existing products, creating strategic processes, and building teams. Previously, Bill was the Director of Engineering and later Marketing Manager at CSE Corporation, developing gas detection and IoT products for the coal mining industry. Prior to CSE, Bill founded PixController, Inc. where he developed and manufactured low-power motion-activated electronics for wildlife research, law enforcement and military surveillance, as well as remote IoT environmental monitoring products. During his time as owner, PixController, Inc. won numerous local and international awards. Bill is an active member of the Kent State University, Arts & Science Advisory Board.

Dan Reed

Dan Reed is animated by the power of generous, risk-forward capital to transform culture. At Praxis, Dan helps cultivate a community of investors and philanthropists committed to activating capital towards redemptive purposes. From causes ranging from public education to free enterprise to animal health, Dan previously served at National Right Work Committee, Denver Public Schools Foundation, and Morris Animal Foundation. In 2015, Dan founded Seed, a training and coaching company designed to help social entrepreneurs design and fundraise for scale. He loves the work of building new things and the people that put their hands to the task. Dan lives in Beaver, PA, with his wife, two kids, and dog (Norma the Newfie).

Don Tharp

Don is the founder and president of Hudson Financial Advisors Inc. which he started on 4/1/1996…proof he is an April fool! He started HFA after working with a Fortune 100 wealth management firm for approximately 10 years.  HFA serves approximately 200 high net worth families through their Financial Masterpiece Program®.  Don’s business partner Steve McCann 99 introduced him to the good work of Grove City College.  Don has gained significant business experience operating and growing HFA and through his close work with his clients who own privately held businesses in a multitude of industries.  He has served on the boards of various nonprofits to include serving as Chairman of the Board for the Hudson Community Foundation.  Don has been married to his wife Shelly for more than 40 years. They have 3 adult children and 5 grandchildren. He loves aviation and has a single engine turbo prop that he flies for personal and business travel. He also has a T 34 Mentor that he uses to fly formation for airshows and sporting events.      

Ben Tobias ’19

Mr. Tobias graduated with his B.S. in Entrepreneurship from Grove City College in 2019. Ben is passionate about the startup process and participated in a variety of competitions hosted by Grove City in his tenure as a student. He also engaged in international opportunities to compete through the European Innovation Academy in Italy. He is currently employed as an analyst supporting the department of defense and various intelligence agencies as a private government contractor, and runs his own small business in the geospatial and telecommunications industry from his home in Florida with his wife Courtney (’19). Ben currently volunteers his time on a Classical Christian School advisory board, and has a heart for international missions as a member of a missions committee through the Presbyterian Church in America.