Experience : Biographies

• James O'Connor, Jr. - Founder and President
• Edward Schatz - Managing Director
• Steven C. Petrarca - Director
• Jeffrey O'Connor - Senior Consultant

James O'Connor, Jr.
Founder and President

Having worked with over fifty troubled companies ranging from $3 million to $3 billion, Mr. O'Connor has served as CEO, COO and CFO (“C-level”) for both public and private companies, including All Seasons Services, The Whistler Radar Group and Netegrity, Inc. Jim uses his twenty-three years of financial and operational experience, including over nineteen years working as a turnaround consultant with firms in New York and Boston, to assess the vulnerability of a company and appropriately redirect its focus. This is the foundation upon which The O'Connor Group (TOG) has been built. Today, Jim serves as a C-level advisor providing strategic and operational expertise in finance, operations, legal, business planning, refinancing, and acquisitions and divestitures.

Prior to creating The O'Connor Group, Jim was a senior consultant to New York-based Alvarez & Marsal and on the audit staff of KPMG LLP. At KPMG, Jim's specialization was large international clients such as Diageo and Mercedes Benz, North America. Jim graduated from Syracuse University. His professional affiliations include memberships with the Turnaround Management Association, Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors, and the Association for Corporate Growth.

Edward Schatz
Managing Director

With industry experience in retail, manufacturing, high-tech and distribution, Mr. Schatz has been instrumental in the turnarounds of a wide range of companies from a $15 million thin film circuit manufacturer to a $200 million vending and dining services company. Additionally, he has significant experience in the area of refinancing, liquidations and divestures of distressed businesses. Since he started with The O'Connor Group in 2002, Edward's client list has included Starbak Communications, Shared Insights, Benchmark Assisted Living, All Seasons Services, Inc., Rugg Lumber and Carapace, LLC. While at All Seasons Services, Edward assisted in acquisitions and divestitures, customer and district rationalization studies, and cost reduction initiatives, all while handling vendor management of the cash strapped company.

Additionally, he managed the re-financing due diligence process which successfully removed the company from a workout situation to a market-rate 3 year, $45 million facility while paying down $24 million in sub-debt. Prior to joining TOG, Edward was a manager with the Transaction Services Group of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP providing financial due diligence services to clients including Bain Capital, Tyco International and Cabletron Systems. Edward spent several years as an auditor, most recently with Deloitte & Touche LLP and received his BS with cum laude honors in Accounting from Roger Williams University. He is a CIRA (Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor), and a member of the Turnaround Management Association, Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors, and the Association for Corporate Growth. He is also a Chairman of the Future Leaders, a subchapter of the Turnaround Management Association.

Steven C. Petrarca
Director

Mr. Petrarca has worked on financial and operational turnarounds over his sixteen-year career, and he brings strong marketing and asset management experience to The O’Connor Group. This professional expertise, combined with vast experience in the construction, distribution, services, retail/wholesale, telecommunications and transportation industries, has proven to be invaluable to our clients. Steve’s recent work with a client as CRO enabled the company to dramatically reverse negative cash flow, and his efforts procured a buyer for the client’s business. He also was retained as CFO for a company which had filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection and was able to stabilize the business and effectuate a sale as a going concern.

Mr. Petrarca has worked on financial and operational turnarounds over his sixteen-year career, and he brings strong marketing and asset management experience to The O’Connor Group. This professional expertise, combined with vast experience in the construction, distribution, services, retail/wholesale, telecommunications and transportation industries, has proven to be invaluable to our clients. Steve’s recent work with a client as CRO enabled the company to dramatically reverse negative cash flow, and his efforts procured a buyer for the client’s business. He also was retained as CFO for a company which had filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection and was able to stabilize the business and effectuate a sale as a going concern. Prior to joining The O’Connor Group Steve served as Vice President of the Special Assets Division of Citizens Financial Group. He managed a portfolio of loans and leases to middle-market and large corporate borrowers nationwide, and was consistently recognized as a top performer. After receiving his BA in Economics from Rhode Island College, he earned an MBA with a concentration in Finance from the University of Rhode Island. Steve is a Certified Turnaround Professional, and is presently a member of the Turnaround Management Association and the Association for Corporate Growth.

Jeffrey O'Connor
Senior Consultant

Mr. O'Connor has twenty years experience in both accounting and finance and has served in closely held and public companies in industries such as software, biotechnology, publishing, and manufacturing. Jeff specializes as an interim Chief Financial Officer and successfully manages the finance departments of companies ranging from start-ups to multi-million dollar corporations. His areas of expertise include finance and administration, audit planning, long-term and short-term budgeting and forecasting, SEC filings and planning and integration of acquisitions. His client list includes Applied Analysis, Inc., Rypos, Inc., Ergo Science Corporation, Access Northeast, Inc., and Minerva Biotechnologies Corporation.

Jeff's work experience also includes several years of tax and auditing with KPMG LLP. He graduated with a BS in Accounting from Northeastern University.

Please Note: The O'Connor Group employs CPAs, but is not a licensed CPA firm.