Operating Professionals
Carlos Beltran
Progreso, LLC
Progreso, LLC
Carlos joined the PAGF team in 2010 and is the Director of Finance for Progreso, LLC. Prior to the PAGF team, Carlos was Corporate Finance Officer for Embotelladoras ARCA, the second largest Coca Cola bottling company in Latin America (BMV: ARCA). Prior to Embotelladoras ARCA, Carlos worked as an investment banker for JP Morgan Chase based in New York and Monterrey, Mexico and for Citibank based in Mexico City, Mexico. Carlos holds a BA in Business Administration from Universidad Panamericana and an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Carlos is a native of Mexico City, Mexico.
Alex Csitkovits
Barri Financial Group
Barri Financial Group
Alex joined the PAGF team in 2009 and is the CFO of Barri Financial Group. Prior to joining the PAGF team, Alex was Treasurer for Integrated Electrical Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: IESC). Prior to Integrated Electrical Services, Inc., Alex was a Vice President of Banco Nacional de México (Banamex). Alex holds a BA in Business and Finance from Texas A&M University and an MBA from the University of Michigan. Alex is a native of Mexico City, Mexico.
Louis LaGuardia
Progreso, LLC
Progreso, LLC
Louis joined the PAGF team in 2010 and is Director of Human Resources for Progreso, LLC. During his thirty year career in human resources prior to the PAGF team, Louis held senior management positions at Denny’s Corporation (Nasdaq: DENN), Frito-Lay North America (NYSE: PEP), Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI), HEB Grocery and American Express (NYSE: AXP). Louis holds a BA from Farleigh Dickinson University and a Ph.D. in Educational Research and Measurement from New York University. Louis is a native of Havana, Cuba.
Alberto Laureano
Barri Financial Group
Barri Financial Group
Alberto joined the PAGF team in 2007 and is an Operating Partner and CEO of Barri Transaction Services. Prior to joining the PAGF team, Alberto held senior positions at Western Union with management and marketing responsibilities for the company’s US-to-Latin America businesses. Prior to Western Union, Alberto worked at Procter & Gamble with brand management responsibilities in Mexico, Argentina and Venezuela. Alberto holds a BA in Business Administration from Universidad Panamericana and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Alberto is a native of Guadalajara, Mexico.
Steve Leggett
Barri Financial Group
Barri Financial Group
Steve joined the PAGF team in 2009 and is CEO of Barri Finance. Prior to joining the PAGF team, Steve held senior management positions overseeing credit and collections operations and strategy for GC Services, Toyota Financial Services, Providian Financial and World Acceptance Corp. (Nasdaq: WRLD). Prior to World Acceptance Corp., Steve founded installment loan company Friendly Loans, grew it into a company with operations in five states and successfully sold it to World Acceptance Corp. Steve holds a BA from Texas A&M University. Steve is a native of Houston, Texas.
Mark Teague
Barri Financial Group
Mark joined the PAGF team in 2010 and is the Chief Risk Officer of Barri Financial Group. During his twenty year career in risk management prior to joining the PAGF team, Mark held senior management positions in the consumer credit and collections operations of Toyota Financial (TSE: 7203), Sears Roebuck & Company (Nasdaq: SHLD) and American Express (NYSE: AXP). Mark holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business and Economics from West Texas A&M University and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics with concentrations in Quantitative Methods, Applications of Micro-Economics and Public Policy Analysis from Oklahoma State University. Mark is a native of Texas.
Barri Financial Group
Mark joined the PAGF team in 2010 and is the Chief Risk Officer of Barri Financial Group. During his twenty year career in risk management prior to joining the PAGF team, Mark held senior management positions in the consumer credit and collections operations of Toyota Financial (TSE: 7203), Sears Roebuck & Company (Nasdaq: SHLD) and American Express (NYSE: AXP). Mark holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business and Economics from West Texas A&M University and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics with concentrations in Quantitative Methods, Applications of Micro-Economics and Public Policy Analysis from Oklahoma State University. Mark is a native of Texas.
Manuel Zambrana
Progreso, LLC
Progreso, LLC
Manuel joined the PAGF team in 2007 and is Director of Merchandising for Progreso, LLC and CEO of Excel Grocery Distribution. During his twenty five year career in grocery prior to the PAGF team, Manuel held senior merchandising, purchasing and operations positions with Whole Foods (Nasdaq: WFMI), Wild Oats, Ball’s Food Stores, HEB Grocery, Valero (NYSE: VLO) and Exxon’s On The Run (NYSE: XON). Prior to his work in grocery, Manuel worked as a corporate banker for Citicorp. Manuel holds an MBA from Syracuse University. Manuel is a native of Puerto Rico.
Tom Castro
Operating Partner
Operating Partner
Tom joined the PAGF team in 2008 and is an Operating Partner and an Industry Advisory Board Member. Tom has a twenty five year career in building, leading and investing in companies focused on the Hispanic consumer market. Tom built and successfully divested three Spanish language radio platforms in the southwest US. His last radio platform, BMP Radio, grew to be the second largest Spanish language radio broadcaster in the US. Tom is active nationally in Hispanic affairs and is the Founding Chairman of New America Alliance and a board member of National Council of La Raza, among other leadership roles. Tom is a board member of Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) and on the CEO’s Advisory Counsel for Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT). Tom holds a BA from Harvard College. Tom is a native of Los Angeles, California.
Jeff Klein
Operating Partner
Jeff joined the PAGF team in 2010 and is an Operating Partner and an Industry Advisory Board Member. Jeff has a thirty year career making privately negotiated investments in and financing private and public companies in the United States, Latin America and Asia. Jeff has been a Managing Director for fourteen years with Equity Group Investments (EGI), Sam Zell’s private investment firm, where he has been instrumental in developing and implementing growth strategies and has led preparation for successful stock exchange listings at various portfolio companies in the United States, Mexico and Brazil. Prior to joining EGI, Jeff was a senior banker with Citibank and Mellon Bank in North America. Jeff is a current and former board member of numerous public and private companies, including McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants, Inc. (Nasdaq: MSSR), Capital Markets Engineering & Trading and Industrias Innopack, S.A. de C.V. Jeff holds a BSBA in Finance from Georgetown University. Jeff is a native of Cleveland and resides in Chicago.
