Board of Directors

Rob co-founded Horizon Technology Finance Corporation and is its Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors. Rob co-founded our Advisor in 2003 and is its Chief Executive Officer and also serves a member of its investment committee. Rob has over 40 years of diversified lending and leasing experience including more than 20 years in venture lending. 

From 2000 to 2003, Rob was President of GATX Ventures, Inc., the venture lending subsidiary of GATX Corporation. From 1996 to 2000, Rob was Executive Vice President of Transamerica Business Credit, where he co-founded and was general manager of Transamerica Technology Finance, its venture lending business. Rob served from 1989 to 1996 as Senior Vice President of Financing for Science International, Inc., a publicly traded venture financing and healthcare leasing company. Rob started his career with Crocker Bank in 1974. Rob earned both a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Berkeley.

Jerry co-founded Horizon Technology Finance Corporation and is its President and serves on the Board of Directors. Jerry co-founded our Advisor in 2003 and is its President and also serves as a member of its investment committee. Jerry has over 40 years of diversified lending experience including more than 20 years in venture lending.

From 2000 to 2003, Jerry was Senior Vice President in charge of business development of GATX Ventures, Inc., the venture lending subsidiary of GATX Corporation. From 1996 to 2000, Jerry was Senior Vice President of Transamerica Business Credit, where he co-founded and was the senior executive in charge of business development of Transamerica Technology Finance, its venture lending business. From 1993 to 1996, Jerry served as a Vice President with Financing for Science International, Inc., a publicly traded venture financing and healthcare leasing company. Prior to 1993, Jerry founded and served as President of Venture Leasing and Capital. Jerry attended Northeastern University, Rutgers University and the University of Phoenix, completed a commercial credit training program with Shawmut Bank and has taken executive courses at Harvard Business School.

Elaine serves on our Board of Directors and serves on its Audit Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and Compensation Committee. Elaine most recently served as Executive Vice President of MassMutual’s Retirement Services Division and Chairman of MassMutual International LLC. Elaine joined Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company in 2005 as Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, responsible for Corporate Services, Human Resource Management, Corporate Communications, Community Relations and MassMutual’s Strategy Implementation. 
 
Previously, Elaine was a Managing Director at Babson Capital Management LLC, a MassMutual subsidiary.  Prior to joining Babson Capital, she served two elected terms as First Selectman for the town of Suffield, Connecticut. In 1998, Elaine founded Sun Consulting Group LLC, offering consulting services to the real estate industry.  Elaine previously spent 17 years at Aetna where she held multiple senior management positions overseeing segments of the company’s Investments Division and leading the Corporate Finance Department. Elaine holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Smith College and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University. She has taught real estate finance in Columbia’s M.B.A. program and is a Founding Lecturer for The Retirement Advisor University offered by the UCLA Anderson School of Management Executive Education. Elaine holds the Series 7 and 24 FINRA registrations.

Jim serves on our Board of Directors and is Chairman of its Audit Committee and serves on its Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Jim has also served as a director of Compass Diversified Holdings, Inc. ("CODI") since December 2005, and previously served as its chief financial officer from 2005 through 2013. Jim also served as an executive vice president of CODI's external manager from 2005 through 2013. Jim serves as a director of American Manufacturing, Inc., a subsidiary of CODI. Previously, Jim was the senior vice president/controller of WebMD Corporation. Prior to that, Jim was with Star Gas Corporation and a predecessor firm to KPMG LLP. Jim is a graduate of Pace University. 

Ed serves as the Lead Independent Director on our Board of Directors and is Chairman of its Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and Compensation Committee. Ed most recently served as Senior Vice President, Investments (Chief Investment Officer) of Vantis Life Insurance Company and was responsible for all of its investment and portfolio management activities. 
 
Prior to joining Vantis Life in 2009, Ed was Senior Vice President, Compliance of Hartford Investment Management Company, an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. From 1986 through 1994, Ed was Assistant Vice President and Assistant Treasurer of Aetna Life and Casualty Company, responsible for international finance, foreign exchange risk management and leasing activities. From 1984 through 1986, Ed was the Director, Cash Management Consulting for Aetna Life and Casualty Company, and from 1979 through 1984, Ed was assistant treasurer of a subsidiary of Aetna Life and Casualty Company, Urban Investment and Development Company, a real estate development and management company located in Chicago, Illinois, responsible for the company's risk management, commercial paper and construction loan programs. Ed earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Colby College, a Master of Business Administration (with distinction) from Babson College and took real estate finance related post graduate courses at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Joe serves on our Board of Directors and serves on its Audit Committee. Joe most recently served as Executive Vice Chairman of Webster Financial Corporation and Webster Bank, N.A.  Joe joined Webster Bank, N.A. in April 2002 as Executive Vice President, Commercial Banking and has served as President of Webster Financial Corporation and Webster Bank, N.A. and on the board of directors of Webster Bank, N.A. Prior to joining Webster, Joe was Executive Vice President of the Communications and Energy Banking Group for CoBank in Denver, Colorado. Joe serves as a director of the MetroHartford Alliance and the Travelers Championship Committee. He also serves on the board of The Bushnell and the Connecticut Bankers Association. Joe earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Manhattan College and a Masters of Business Administration from Seton Hall University.