Team

With over 80 years of experience the Avrio team draws from more than 40 investments and 200 transactions as venture capital investors, entrepreneurs, operators and investment bankers.

Jim Taylor, Partner

Jim has been involved with venture capital for the last 10 years. Prior to Avrio, Jim established Farm Credit Canada (FCC) Ventures where he was responsible for developing the venture capital program, strategy, investment thesis, operating procedures, guidelines and processes. In addition, he was an active investor with a particular focus in growth stage companies in the Industrial Products sector.

Before FCC Ventures, Jim was responsible for the Bank of Montreal Capital Corporation's activities in Western Canada. Following his experience at Bank of Montreal Capital Corporation, he worked for Westcoast Energy to help establish a structured finance group. Jim's years of experience in venture, mezzanine and subordinated debt markets are combined with valuable operating experience at a small manufacturing company in Calgary.

Previous investments include Associated Proteins, Bento Nouveau, BIOX Corporation (Investment position acquired by Birch Hill Partners), Commercial Solutions Inc. (TSX: CSA), and Houweling's Nurseries.

Jim has Bachelor of Art's (Economics) degree from the University of Alberta and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. He spends time as a volunteer youth group leader and assists in community welfare projects.

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Aki Georgacacos CA, CFA, CF, Partner

Aki has over 10 years of venture capital and corporate finance experience, most recently as Managing Director of FCC Ventures. At FCC Ventures, Aki led the majority of the fund's investments with a focus on industrial life sciences companies where he played an active role in the strategic growth of all portfolio companies.

Before he became a venture capitalist, Aki was a Vice-President at Deloitte Corporate Finance in Calgary. He advised Canadian companies on public and private placements, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and strategies for maximization of shareholder value. At Deloitte, Aki led several assignments in the biotechnology, agri-food, distribution, health care, manufacturing, and oil and gas sectors.

Previous investments include Agribiotics (Acquired by Merck), Bioniche Life Sciences (TSX: BNC). Brookside Foods, Ensyn, Kinnikinick and Sembiosys (TSX: SBS).

Aki is a Chartered Accountant, CFA charterholder and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan.

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Denis Boyer agr., Director

Denis brings over 20 years of agricultural investing and operational experience to the Avrio team. Prior to Avrio Ventures, Denis was an Investment Manager with FCC Ventures since 2003. The majority of Denis's investments were focused on value-added food processors with high growth potential and on companies with strong technological advantages.

Prior to joining FCC, Denis was an Investment Adviser with SGF Soquia. Before then he was the Director of Agriculture and Food Processing Accounts with the Royal Bank of Canada and a Sales Analyst with the Bank of Montreal. Denis has built an impressive network in the Food and in the Ag-related Biotech Industry. He has successfully managed loan and equity portfolios and has provided term debt, sub debt and equity financing to several companies to finance acquisitions, expansions, working capital and restructure debt.

Previous investments include Bios Agriculture (Acquired by Agribiotics), Multi-portions, La Petite Bretonne, and Valley Machine Works.

Denis is a Professional Agronomist and has a Bachelor of Sciences (Agriculture) degree from McGill University. He is actively involved in amateur sports and coaches soccer to kids in his local community.

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JOHN D. KENNEDY CA, Director

John has over 19 years of corporate finance and operational experience, most recently as Investment Manager for FCC Ventures. At FCC Ventures John headed the Ontario region's activities, leading and managing investments in the food processing, industrial equipment and bio-energy sectors.

Prior to joining FCC Ventures, John was the Chief Financial Officer for publicly listed NBS Technologies and Unique Broadband.  For over six years John held various senior financial positions at Brookfield Properties Corporation including VP Finance of Brookfield and CFO of BPO Properties, a publicly traded subsidiary of Brookfield. While at these companies he led many strategic acquisitions, divestitures, debt financing and capital transaction structuring activities. Previously, John was a member of Deloitte & Touche's Restructuring and Advisory Services Group.

Previous investments include Agra Turf Equipment Services, Bento Nouveau, BIOX, M.J.'s Fine Foods and Otter Valley Foods.

John is a Chartered Accountant and holds an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration from Brock University. 

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Chris Wutzke, CA, CFA, Director

Chris has over 20 years of professional experience, including both Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Development Executive positions of private and publicly traded corporations and partnerships.

Prior to joining Avrio Ventures, Chris was Vice President Corporate Development and Chief Financial Officer of Aetas Health Care, where he led corporate finance and structuring initiatives as the company grew to be a national health services company.  Previously, Chris was a Vice President and Director with Deloitte & Touche Corporate Finance specializing in debt and equity financings, as well as mergers, acquisitions and divesture advisory services.  Prior to Deloitte & Touche, Chris held the position of Chief Financial Officer for a number of companies in the energy and energy services industries.   Chris is a Director in Ecotility Corporation, a private corporation focused on developing renewable and alternative energy projects using biomass, geothermal and thermal energy exchange.

Chris has led or facilitated over $120 million in financings and advised on over $200 million in mergers, acquisitions or divestiture transactions.

Chris is a Chartered Accountant, Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder and earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary.

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KIMC is a corporate General Partner of Avrio Ventures through its proprietary capital management group. Avrio Ventures and its portfolio have full access to the collective experience of KIMC team, which is composed of operators, fund managers and transaction specialists. This ensures that the right mix of individuals is assembled to support an investment's specific growth needs. KIMC also provides venture capital and private equity investment management services to assist investment funds and institutional investors achieve their investment objectives.

W.B. "Bud" Kirchner, Partner

W.B. "Bud" Kirchner leads KIMC's partnership with Avrio Ventures.

W.B. "Bud" Kirchner has more than 35 years of entrepreneurial, operational, and transactional experience. He is Founder and CEO of Kirchner Private Capital Group, composed of Kirchner Investment Management Corporation; Kirchner Transition Management, Inc., which is focused on reorganizations and workouts as well as Kirchner and Company, Inc. a boutique investment bank involving small and mid-cap companies.

Bud has started and successfully exited companies in industries as diverse as industrial life sciences, financial services, airlines and consulting, and has conducted corporate transactions in over 30 countries.

He has been a principal or agent in over 150 financings, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, workouts, and turnarounds. Bud has served as an officer and director of many public and private companies and is an advisor to a number of institutions, portfolio managers, and high net worth individuals.

In 1994 Bud was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and in 1995 was named the Quality Institute of Canada's Entrepreneur of the Year. He is the only individual awarded both of these senior awards for entrepreneurship.

Bud is active in a variety of philanthropic activities including founding the Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation, a charitable organization devoted to enriching the lives of individuals with cognitive, emotional, and/or physical impairments through programs centered on the use of multi-sensory environments.

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NEWS | ABOUT | TEAM | INVESTMENT CRITERIA | PORTFOLIO | CONTACT




Team

With over 80 years of experience the Avrio team draws from more than 40 investments and 200 transactions as venture capital investors, entrepreneurs, operators and investment bankers.

Jim Taylor, Partner

Jim has been involved with venture capital for the last 10 years. Prior to Avrio, Jim established Farm Credit Canada (FCC) Ventures where he was responsible for developing the venture capital program, strategy, investment thesis, operating procedures, guidelines and processes. In addition, he was an active investor with a particular focus in growth stage companies in the Industrial Products sector.

Before FCC Ventures, Jim was responsible for the Bank of Montreal Capital Corporation's activities in Western Canada. Following his experience at Bank of Montreal Capital Corporation, he worked for Westcoast Energy to help establish a structured finance group. Jim's years of experience in venture, mezzanine and subordinated debt markets are combined with valuable operating experience at a small manufacturing company in Calgary.

Previous investments include Associated Proteins, Bento Nouveau, BIOX Corporation (Investment position acquired by Birch Hill Partners), Commercial Solutions Inc. (TSX: CSA), and Houweling's Nurseries.

Jim has Bachelor of Art's (Economics) degree from the University of Alberta and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. He spends time as a volunteer youth group leader and assists in community welfare projects.

Download vCard

Aki Georgacacos CA, CFA, CF, Partner

Aki has over 10 years of venture capital and corporate finance experience, most recently as Managing Director of FCC Ventures. At FCC Ventures, Aki led the majority of the fund's investments with a focus on industrial life sciences companies where he played an active role in the strategic growth of all portfolio companies.

Before he became a venture capitalist, Aki was a Vice-President at Deloitte Corporate Finance in Calgary. He advised Canadian companies on public and private placements, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and strategies for maximization of shareholder value. At Deloitte, Aki led several assignments in the biotechnology, agri-food, distribution, health care, manufacturing, and oil and gas sectors.

Previous investments include Agribiotics (Acquired by Merck), Bioniche Life Sciences (TSX: BNC). Brookside Foods, Ensyn, Kinnikinick and Sembiosys (TSX: SBS).

Aki is a Chartered Accountant, CFA charterholder and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan.

Download vCard

Denis Boyer agr., Director

Denis brings over 20 years of agricultural investing and operational experience to the Avrio team. Prior to Avrio Ventures, Denis was an Investment Manager with FCC Ventures since 2003. The majority of Denis's investments were focused on value-added food processors with high growth potential and on companies with strong technological advantages.

Prior to joining FCC, Denis was an Investment Adviser with SGF Soquia. Before then he was the Director of Agriculture and Food Processing Accounts with the Royal Bank of Canada and a Sales Analyst with the Bank of Montreal. Denis has built an impressive network in the Food and in the Ag-related Biotech Industry. He has successfully managed loan and equity portfolios and has provided term debt, sub debt and equity financing to several companies to finance acquisitions, expansions, working capital and restructure debt.

Previous investments include Bios Agriculture (Acquired by Agribiotics), Multi-portions, La Petite Bretonne, and Valley Machine Works.

Denis is a Professional Agronomist and has a Bachelor of Sciences (Agriculture) degree from McGill University. He is actively involved in amateur sports and coaches soccer to kids in his local community.

Download vCard

JOHN D. KENNEDY CA, Director

John has over 19 years of corporate finance and operational experience, most recently as Investment Manager for FCC Ventures. At FCC Ventures John headed the Ontario region's activities, leading and managing investments in the food processing, industrial equipment and bio-energy sectors.

Prior to joining FCC Ventures, John was the Chief Financial Officer for publicly listed NBS Technologies and Unique Broadband.  For over six years John held various senior financial positions at Brookfield Properties Corporation including VP Finance of Brookfield and CFO of BPO Properties, a publicly traded subsidiary of Brookfield. While at these companies he led many strategic acquisitions, divestitures, debt financing and capital transaction structuring activities. Previously, John was a member of Deloitte & Touche's Restructuring and Advisory Services Group.

Previous investments include Agra Turf Equipment Services, Bento Nouveau, BIOX, M.J.'s Fine Foods and Otter Valley Foods.

John is a Chartered Accountant and holds an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration from Brock University. 

Download vCard

Chris Wutzke, CA, CFA, Director

Chris has over 20 years of professional experience, including both Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Development Executive positions of private and publicly traded corporations and partnerships.

Prior to joining Avrio Ventures, Chris was Vice President Corporate Development and Chief Financial Officer of Aetas Health Care, where he led corporate finance and structuring initiatives as the company grew to be a national health services company.  Previously, Chris was a Vice President and Director with Deloitte & Touche Corporate Finance specializing in debt and equity financings, as well as mergers, acquisitions and divesture advisory services.  Prior to Deloitte & Touche, Chris held the position of Chief Financial Officer for a number of companies in the energy and energy services industries.   Chris is a Director in Ecotility Corporation, a private corporation focused on developing renewable and alternative energy projects using biomass, geothermal and thermal energy exchange.

Chris has led or facilitated over $120 million in financings and advised on over $200 million in mergers, acquisitions or divestiture transactions.

Chris is a Chartered Accountant, Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder and earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary.

Download vCard

KIMC is a corporate General Partner of Avrio Ventures through its proprietary capital management group. Avrio Ventures and its portfolio have full access to the collective experience of KIMC team, which is composed of operators, fund managers and transaction specialists. This ensures that the right mix of individuals is assembled to support an investment's specific growth needs. KIMC also provides venture capital and private equity investment management services to assist investment funds and institutional investors achieve their investment objectives.

W.B. "Bud" Kirchner, Partner

W.B. "Bud" Kirchner leads KIMC's partnership with Avrio Ventures.

W.B. "Bud" Kirchner has more than 35 years of entrepreneurial, operational, and transactional experience. He is Founder and CEO of Kirchner Private Capital Group, composed of Kirchner Investment Management Corporation; Kirchner Transition Management, Inc., which is focused on reorganizations and workouts as well as Kirchner and Company, Inc. a boutique investment bank involving small and mid-cap companies.

Bud has started and successfully exited companies in industries as diverse as industrial life sciences, financial services, airlines and consulting, and has conducted corporate transactions in over 30 countries.

He has been a principal or agent in over 150 financings, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, workouts, and turnarounds. Bud has served as an officer and director of many public and private companies and is an advisor to a number of institutions, portfolio managers, and high net worth individuals.

In 1994 Bud was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and in 1995 was named the Quality Institute of Canada's Entrepreneur of the Year. He is the only individual awarded both of these senior awards for entrepreneurship.

Bud is active in a variety of philanthropic activities including founding the Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation, a charitable organization devoted to enriching the lives of individuals with cognitive, emotional, and/or physical impairments through programs centered on the use of multi-sensory environments.

Download vCard