Our Founders
Over the course of his 30+ year career in the mid-cap investment banking arena, Jay has undertaken M&A, debt and equity transactions for leading companies in North America and overseas. Jay most recently served as Vice Chairman of Raymond James Investment Banking. Previously. Jay was Head of Raymond James’ Consumer Products & Retail team where his efforts focused within the recreation & fitness, beauty, branded household products, contract manufacturing and other consumer services. He joined Raymond James in 2014 from Oppenheimer & Co Inc. where he was a Managing Director and headed the firm’s consumer products practice. From 2002 to 2009, Jay was a Managing Director at CIBC World Markets dedicated to consumer and business services clients. Jay was a Managing Director with Deutsche Bank from 1999 to 2002 and Bankers Trust from 1997 to 1999 subsequent to its acquisition of Alex Brown & Sons. Jay served in various positions within Alex Brown & Sons consumer, debt and restructuring teams from 1990 to 1997. He began his investment banking career at Drexel Burnham Lambert and his initial finance career at the Irving Trust Company.
Jay is a passionate sailor, boater and family guy. He is an outdoor and fishing enthusiast spending much of his time between the Chesapeake Bay and New England. He loves history and the lessons it teaches. Jay received an MBA from the Tuck School at Dartmouth and a bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College.
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Jay Eastman
David (“Sol”) J. Solomon
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Sol brings over 30+ years of transaction advisory with deep experience in consumer products, services, and industrial companies. From 2019 until 2026, Sol worked at Financo which was acquired by Raymond James in 2021, focusing on consumer products and services. From 2007 until 2019, Sol worked at Lazard Freres, where he was CEO of Lazard Middle Market. As CEO, he tripled the revenues of the firm and established middle market teams in London, Paris, Milan, and Frankfurt that coordinated with the North American team. Previously, Sol worked at Lazard Middle Market’s predecessor Goldsmith Agio Helms, where he helped build the firm from 7 to 130 professionals working across multiple industries including plastics and paper packaging, consumer products and retail, manufacturing, and services. Prior to joining Goldsmith Agio Helms, Sol spent 8 years as a real estate professional, developing retail shopping centers and mixed-use projects.
He began his career as an architect designing large commercial office buildings. He graduated magna cum laude with both a BA and a M. Arch from Yale University and earned his MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.
Sol is an avid runner, cyclist and outdoor enthusiast enjoying backpacking and fly fishing. He is a passionate conservationist, and is a board member of American Rivers, the leading river and water conservation organization. Sol serves on the board of Grand Circle Corporation, a global travel company operating as Overseas Adventure Travel. He also provides CEO and executive coaching for strategy and operational excellence through his affiliation with AEI - the Center for Advanced Emotional Intelligence.