Team
In a business where each loan and investment is quite large, executing in a professional, orderly, and consistent manner is very important. Investors care because their money is at stake. Mortgage brokers care because their reputations with clients are at stake. Borrowers and investment partners care because their transactions are at stake. We care because our business is at stake.
The need to operate with institutional-level standards is imbedded in everything that we do. Our senior managing director and an Ambit founder, Y. Judd Shoval, has developed and overseen a number of very successful businesses over his 30-year career. Most have been in highly-regulated industries, meaning that he has had to live up to not just his standards and his investors’ standards, but the standards of multiple regulatory agencies. To learn more about Judd, please click here.
But Judd is hardly the only person at Ambit with experience in an institutional environment. Bill Lezinski, an Ambit founder and managing director, worked in a financial capacity in regulated industries. Dr. Jarrod Wilcox, Ambit’s risk management consultant, spent most of his career in various regulated investment environments. In fact, the majority of Ambit’s staff has been in regulated industry, largely banking and investments.
We also believe that the company has to have an entrepreneurial spirit. While we must maintain institutional-level execution, we are also in the business of providing loans and investments cautiously yet swiftly. Again, Judd leads the way. While most of his previous endeavors were in regulated businesses, he was often a trailblazer, recognizing and taking advantage of pockets of inefficiencies in mature industries.
Here again, Judd is hardly the only one at Ambit with solid entrepreneurial experience. Ben Shoval, an Ambit founder and managing director, has a long track record in entrepreneurial activities. Most recently, Ben developed and managed three funds of hedge funds. Prior to that and while still in high school, Ben started and profitably sold a computer training business to one of Pennsylvania’s largest independent accounting and consulting firms. Bill (mentioned above), has lead a number of real estate investments during the past decade he’s worked with Judd. In fact, many of Ambit’s employees have spent significant portions of their careers in entrepreneurial environments.
Y. Judd Shoval
Senior Managing Director
Judd has significant experience as an entrepreneur, primarily building companies in institutional environments. Of particular note is Guard Insurance Group, which Judd and his wife Susan founded in 1982. The company writes insurance in 25 states and employs over 300 people. Recently, the company was profitably sold, although the entire staff was retained and Susan continues to run the company. Judd has undergraduate and law degrees from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
William M. Lezinski
Chief Underwriter, Managing Director
Bill has varied experience in banking, accounting, real estate, and finance. He has experience in regulated environments from his time at Merck & Co. and PNC Bank. Bill has worked with Judd in various capacities for over a decade. Bill is a magna cum laude graduate of Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pennsylvania.
Benjamin W. Shoval
Managing Director
Ben has led various entrepreneurial endeavors. Upon leaving college, Ben formed and managed three funds of hedge funds. He has been featured in numerous investment and hedge fund magazines and newspapers, among others. Prior to that and while still in high school, Ben developed and profitably sold a computer training business to Pennsylvania’s largest accounting and consulting firm. Ben has an undergraduate degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Dr. Jarrod Wilcox
Risk Management Consultant
Jarrod has spent most of his career in various regulated investment environments. He is the author of numerous published articles on finance, as well as the book Investing by the Numbers. Jarrod has undergraduate, masters, and doctoral degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. Jarrod serves Ambit in a consulting capacity.
Alexander R. Mount
Managing Director
Alex has nearly thirty years of Wall Street experience developing and managing client relationships. He has experience with multiple asset classes and a variety of investor-types and intermediaries. Alex has an undergraduate degree from Colgate University in Hamilton, New York.
Karen V. Dillon, CPA
Chief Administrative Officer
Karen has spent most of her career in various institutional environments, including a regulated regional telephone company. She has significant experience in operations management. Karen has an undergraduate degree from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Thomas R. Daniels, Esq.
General Counsel, Senior Vice President
Tom has over two decades of experience in commercial and transactional law, including nearly a dozen years with a Wall Street law firm. Tom has an undergraduate degree from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and a law degree from the University of Miami.
Randy Lisman
Controller, Senior Vice President
Randy has nearly 15 years of experience in corporate financial management and accounting, including financial operations, flows-of-funds, and cash management. Randy has an undergraduate degree from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and is pursuing a master’s degree in business administration at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Joanna L. Straley
Vice President
Joanna has nearly a decade of experience in various aspects of accounting and financial planning, including oversight of internal and external audits. Joanna has an undergraduate degree from College Misericordia in Dallas, Pennsylvania.
Melinda L. Strunk
Senior Associate
Melinda is an experienced in-house accountant, with particular knowledge of internal and external flows-of –funds issues, as well as recordkeeping. Melinda has an undergraduate degree from College Misericordia in Dallas, Pennsylvania.
Lawrence W. Mulligan
Staff Underwriter, Senior Vice President
Larry has spent most of his career in various aspects of the real estate industry. He has been involved in on-site development activities, financial planning, and feasibility analysis. Larry has an undergraduate degree from Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Anthony C. Capwell
Staff Underwriter, Vice President
Anthony has extensive experience in lending, including several years as the owner of a mortgage company. He has served in top-level financial capacities for several companies, as well as an auditor with a public accounting firm. Anthony has an undergraduate degree from the Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pennsylvania.
Jessica L. McHugh
Staff Underwriter, Vice President
Jess is an experienced credit analyst. She has been involved in various aspects of the lending process, most significantly the evaluation of credit worthiness. Jess has an undergraduate degree from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Michael W. Collentine
Senior Vice President of Commercial Finance
Michael has been involved in various aspects of real estate over the course of his career. He is experienced in origination, staff support, underwriting, compliance, and recruiting. Michael has an undergraduate degree from St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin.
Dawn M. Butler
Senior Associate
Dawn has experience in real estate development project management, facilities management, and project accounting.
Margaret C. Slusser
Compliance Officer, Vice President
Meg has over a decade of experience in in-house broker-dealer compliance, as well as multiple aspects of broker-dealer operations. Ambit Funding is not a broker-dealer, nor are investments in its products sold through broker-dealers.
Mark J. Gallagher
Investor Relations Representative, Vice President
Mark has experience in multiple parts of the financial services industry, having worked in both wealth management and lending. Mark has an undergraduate degree from Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland and a master’s degree from the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Brent W. Snowdon
Investor Relations Representative, Senior Associate
Brent has a varied background, with experience in investment management and sales, as well as customer relations. Brent has an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
The need to operate with institutional-level standards is imbedded in everything that we do. Our senior managing director and an Ambit founder, Y. Judd Shoval, has developed and overseen a number of very successful businesses over his 30-year career. Most have been in highly-regulated industries, meaning that he has had to live up to not just his standards and his investors’ standards, but the standards of multiple regulatory agencies. To learn more about Judd, please click here.
But Judd is hardly the only person at Ambit with experience in an institutional environment. Bill Lezinski, an Ambit founder and managing director, worked in a financial capacity in regulated industries. Dr. Jarrod Wilcox, Ambit’s risk management consultant, spent most of his career in various regulated investment environments. In fact, the majority of Ambit’s staff has been in regulated industry, largely banking and investments.
We also believe that the company has to have an entrepreneurial spirit. While we must maintain institutional-level execution, we are also in the business of providing loans and investments cautiously yet swiftly. Again, Judd leads the way. While most of his previous endeavors were in regulated businesses, he was often a trailblazer, recognizing and taking advantage of pockets of inefficiencies in mature industries.
Here again, Judd is hardly the only one at Ambit with solid entrepreneurial experience. Ben Shoval, an Ambit founder and managing director, has a long track record in entrepreneurial activities. Most recently, Ben developed and managed three funds of hedge funds. Prior to that and while still in high school, Ben started and profitably sold a computer training business to one of Pennsylvania’s largest independent accounting and consulting firms. Bill (mentioned above), has lead a number of real estate investments during the past decade he’s worked with Judd. In fact, many of Ambit’s employees have spent significant portions of their careers in entrepreneurial environments.
Y. Judd Shoval
Senior Managing Director
Judd has significant experience as an entrepreneur, primarily building companies in institutional environments. Of particular note is Guard Insurance Group, which Judd and his wife Susan founded in 1982. The company writes insurance in 25 states and employs over 300 people. Recently, the company was profitably sold, although the entire staff was retained and Susan continues to run the company. Judd has undergraduate and law degrees from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
William M. Lezinski
Chief Underwriter, Managing Director
Bill has varied experience in banking, accounting, real estate, and finance. He has experience in regulated environments from his time at Merck & Co. and PNC Bank. Bill has worked with Judd in various capacities for over a decade. Bill is a magna cum laude graduate of Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pennsylvania.
Benjamin W. Shoval
Managing Director
Ben has led various entrepreneurial endeavors. Upon leaving college, Ben formed and managed three funds of hedge funds. He has been featured in numerous investment and hedge fund magazines and newspapers, among others. Prior to that and while still in high school, Ben developed and profitably sold a computer training business to Pennsylvania’s largest accounting and consulting firm. Ben has an undergraduate degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Dr. Jarrod Wilcox
Risk Management Consultant
Jarrod has spent most of his career in various regulated investment environments. He is the author of numerous published articles on finance, as well as the book Investing by the Numbers. Jarrod has undergraduate, masters, and doctoral degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. Jarrod serves Ambit in a consulting capacity.
Alexander R. Mount
Managing Director
Alex has nearly thirty years of Wall Street experience developing and managing client relationships. He has experience with multiple asset classes and a variety of investor-types and intermediaries. Alex has an undergraduate degree from Colgate University in Hamilton, New York.
Karen V. Dillon, CPA
Chief Administrative Officer
Karen has spent most of her career in various institutional environments, including a regulated regional telephone company. She has significant experience in operations management. Karen has an undergraduate degree from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Thomas R. Daniels, Esq.
General Counsel, Senior Vice President
Tom has over two decades of experience in commercial and transactional law, including nearly a dozen years with a Wall Street law firm. Tom has an undergraduate degree from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and a law degree from the University of Miami.
Randy Lisman
Controller, Senior Vice President
Randy has nearly 15 years of experience in corporate financial management and accounting, including financial operations, flows-of-funds, and cash management. Randy has an undergraduate degree from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and is pursuing a master’s degree in business administration at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Joanna L. Straley
Vice President
Joanna has nearly a decade of experience in various aspects of accounting and financial planning, including oversight of internal and external audits. Joanna has an undergraduate degree from College Misericordia in Dallas, Pennsylvania.
Melinda L. Strunk
Senior Associate
Melinda is an experienced in-house accountant, with particular knowledge of internal and external flows-of –funds issues, as well as recordkeeping. Melinda has an undergraduate degree from College Misericordia in Dallas, Pennsylvania.
Lawrence W. Mulligan
Staff Underwriter, Senior Vice President
Larry has spent most of his career in various aspects of the real estate industry. He has been involved in on-site development activities, financial planning, and feasibility analysis. Larry has an undergraduate degree from Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Anthony C. Capwell
Staff Underwriter, Vice President
Anthony has extensive experience in lending, including several years as the owner of a mortgage company. He has served in top-level financial capacities for several companies, as well as an auditor with a public accounting firm. Anthony has an undergraduate degree from the Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pennsylvania.
Jessica L. McHugh
Staff Underwriter, Vice President
Jess is an experienced credit analyst. She has been involved in various aspects of the lending process, most significantly the evaluation of credit worthiness. Jess has an undergraduate degree from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Michael W. Collentine
Senior Vice President of Commercial Finance
Michael has been involved in various aspects of real estate over the course of his career. He is experienced in origination, staff support, underwriting, compliance, and recruiting. Michael has an undergraduate degree from St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin.
Dawn M. Butler
Senior Associate
Dawn has experience in real estate development project management, facilities management, and project accounting.
Margaret C. Slusser
Compliance Officer, Vice President
Meg has over a decade of experience in in-house broker-dealer compliance, as well as multiple aspects of broker-dealer operations. Ambit Funding is not a broker-dealer, nor are investments in its products sold through broker-dealers.
Mark J. Gallagher
Investor Relations Representative, Vice President
Mark has experience in multiple parts of the financial services industry, having worked in both wealth management and lending. Mark has an undergraduate degree from Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland and a master’s degree from the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Brent W. Snowdon
Investor Relations Representative, Senior Associate
Brent has a varied background, with experience in investment management and sales, as well as customer relations. Brent has an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.