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ABOUT THE ALLIANCE

The people who make the
coordination possible.

BCA is run by a small leadership team and guided by two boards of 

owners and operators. Everyone listed here has either built a company, 

sold one, or spent a career advising the people who do.

Leadership Team
Member Advisory Board
CEO Advisory Board
WHY BCA EXISTS

Owners get advice in fragments. Somebody has to put it back
together.

Your accountant has never met your wealth manager. Your M&A advisor does not talk to your operations consultant. When the advice conflicts, you are the one who reconciles it, and nobody has ever named that job.

The Business Connection Alliance was founded to close that gap. It brings owners together with professionals who already know each other, already coordinate, and already understand what it means to carry a P&L. There is no membership fee for business owners, and nobody is working the room.

The boards below exist to keep it that way. They set direction, test what the alliance offers against what owners actually need, and hold the leadership team to it.

Greater Washington

Virginia, Maryland and the District, with members and events across the region.

Owners at $10M to $150M

Privately held, owner-led companies with real operating complexity.

No fee for owners

Attend, run the Owner360, engage a professional only when you decide to.

Two advisory boards

Members and CEOs who have already built, scaled and exited companies.
LEADERSHIP TEAM

The people who run the alliance day
to day.

John Yetman

Co-Founder

Managing Partner, The Capitol Bay Group at LPL Financial

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Erika Baez-Grimes

Co-Founder

Award-winning M&A advisor, entrepreneur and dealmaker

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George Mentis

Digital Growth and AI

Founder and Managing Partner, OriginGrowth

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Isabel Iglesias

Member Services

Executive support and financial analysis, San José, Costa Rica

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MEMBER ADVISORY BOARD

Members who shape how the
alliance serves owners.

Ali Qureshi

Operations and technology

COO and Chief Strategy Officer, 14 Technology Holdings

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Brian Roberts

Leadership and peer advisory

Vistage Worldwide Chair and executive advisor

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Jason Jannati

Operating systems

Certified EOS Implementer and strategic advisor

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Esther Aguilera

Governance and boards

Two-time CEO and corporate governance leader

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CEO ADVISORY BOARD

Operators who have built, scaled and exited companies.

Amit Puri

Space and government technology

President and CEO, Kurtek

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Satya Akula

Growth and exits

Entrepreneur, investor and strategic advisor

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Kristina Pezzello

Regional business leadership

Entrepreneur and Northern Virginia business leader

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Tom Anderson

Public sector and defense

Founder, DataStrategi

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John Yetman

CO-FOUNDER

Managing Partner, The Capitol Bay Group at LPL Financial

With more than thirty years of experience in wealth management, John Yetman serves as Managing Partner of The Capitol Bay Group at LPL Financial. He and his team focus on helping business owners, high-net-worth families, and family offices navigate complex financial planning, exit planning, and long-term wealth strategies. The Capitol Bay Group has been recognized as one of the Best in State Wealth Management Teams in both 2024 and 2025.

John holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) designation from Wharton. He has presented at organizations including The World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and NBC News, and is a Co-Founder of the Association for Enterprise Growth (AEG). His leadership has also included serving as Host of Executive Leaders Radio and Co-Host of the CEO Stories podcast. John lives in Potomac, Maryland with his wife, Dina, their two sons, and two dogs.

Expertise

Erika Baez-Grimes

CO-FOUNDER

Award-winning M&A advisor, entrepreneur and dealmaker

Erika Baez-Grimes, CM&AP, is an award-winning M&A advisor, entrepreneur, and dealmaker with more than 15 years of experience guiding complex transactions across multiple industries. Through her portfolio of companies, she helps founders and family-owned businesses with certified valuations, transaction strategy, pricing optimization, asset protection, and ownership transitions. Her firms have developed a national reputation for helping clients strengthen enterprise value and pursue premium outcomes.

Erika is also active in the Vistage Worldwide ecosystem, working closely with CEOs, key leaders, and SMBs throughout the DC region. She advocates for entrepreneurship through acquisition, broader access to business ownership, economic mobility, and youth entrepreneurship. Erika founded a payment processing company in 2014 that has since supported multimillions in client transactions. She holds multiple M&A designations and is most proud to be a Dominican-born wife and basketball mom.

Expertise

George Mentis

DIGITAL GROWTH AND AI

Founder and Managing Partner, OriginGrowth

George Mentis is Founder and Managing Partner of OriginGrowth, where he helps business owners and executive teams build practical systems for growth, positioning, and market development. Over a career spanning more than 33 years, George has worked across professional services, government contracting, trade organizations, and local service businesses, helping organizations translate strategy into measurable execution. His work increasingly focuses on the application of artificial intelligence to marketing, business development, research, workflow automation, and decision support.

Within the Business Connection Alliance, George leads digital strategy and AI initiatives designed to strengthen the value BCA delivers to its executives, advisors, and partner organizations. He combines decades of traditional business-building experience with emerging technology, with an emphasis on making sophisticated capabilities practical and useful for business owners and leadership teams.

Expertise

Isabel Iglesias

MEMBER SERVICES

Executive support and financial analysis, San José, Costa Rica

Based in San José, Costa Rica, Isabel Iglesias brings a background as an executive and administrative assistant, along with growing experience in financial analysis. She has spent nearly two years supporting financial advisory operations, managing calendars, serving as a first point of contact for clients, and maintaining accurate, confidential records. Earlier in her career, she worked in retail sales, where she used data analysis to track inventory and inform business decisions while building strong client relationships.

Isabel is currently completing her degree in Economics and is skilled in tools such as Excel and Python, which she applies to analyze data and support informed decision-making. She brings strong attention to detail, discretion, and proactive follow-through to everything she supports. Outside of work, she is passionate about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Expertise

Ali Qureshi

OPERATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY

COO and Chief Strategy Officer, 14 Technology Holdings

Ali Qureshi is Chief Operating Officer and Chief Strategy Officer of 14 Technology Holdings, where he helps portfolio companies scale through stronger operations, technology, and data-driven strategy. He brings more than two decades of experience serving commercial and federal government organizations, including leadership roles at NuAxis Innovations, Xcelerate Solutions, and the U.S. House of Representatives.

Earlier in his career, Ali worked with Accenture and Booz Allen Hamilton and held senior roles across healthcare and technology businesses. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of Wilkes University and has been active in the Wharton alumni community. Ali holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Wilkes University and an Executive Master’s degree from the Wharton School and Penn Engineering.

Expertise

Brian Roberts

LEADERSHIP AND PEER ADVISORY

Vistage Worldwide Chair and executive advisor

Brian Roberts is a Vistage Worldwide Chair and executive advisor who has spent more than 16 years helping CEOs, business owners, and senior executives become stronger leaders and make better decisions. He currently leads four Vistage peer advisory groups, bringing executives together for candid discussion, shared problem-solving, and individual coaching.

Earlier in his career, Brian served in the U.S. Air Force, including an assignment with the White House Communications Agency, before moving into senior leadership and entrepreneurial roles in telecommunications and technology. He later founded Croix Connect and hosted a Washington, D.C. area business radio program interviewing prominent executives and business leaders. Today, Brian draws on decades of operating experience, entrepreneurship, and leadership lessons to challenge executives, expose blind spots, and help them navigate growth, change, and difficult decisions.

Expertise

Jason Jannati

OPERATING SYSTEMS

Certified EOS Implementer and strategic advisor

Jason Jannati is a Certified EOS Implementer, entrepreneur, and strategic advisor who helps leadership teams create greater clarity, accountability, and traction in their businesses. He has built, acquired, operated, and sold companies and brings extensive experience in entrepreneurship, clean energy, economic development, and organizational growth.

Jason is also Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Howard County Economic Development Authority, where his work includes redevelopment and regional growth initiatives. Earlier in his career, he helped build greeNEWit and later led land development strategy for Power52 Energy Solutions. Jason has been recognized by the Obama White House for his work in sustainability and job creation and was named the 2011 SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year. He is based in Columbia, Maryland.

Expertise

Esther Aguilera

GOVERNANCE AND BOARDS

Two-time CEO and corporate governance leader

Esther Aguilera, CEPA, is a two-time CEO, senior advisor, and corporate governance leader with more than 30 years of experience building organizations, developing strategic partnerships, and expanding leadership opportunities. She currently serves as Senior Advisor to Altura Capital and advises organizations focused on executive leadership, investment, and economic opportunity.

Previously, Esther served as President and CEO of the Latino Corporate Directors Association, where she led significant growth and helped expand Latino representation in corporate boardrooms. Her earlier leadership roles include President and CEO of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute and senior positions with the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. House of Representatives. Esther has worked with Fortune 500 companies, institutional investors, private equity firms, corporate directors, and CEOs throughout her career.

Expertise

Amit Puri

SPACE AND GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY

President and CEO, Kurtek

Amit Puri is President and CEO of Kurtek, a mission-critical space communications company supporting NASA, defense agencies, and commercial space operators. A recognized space operations expert, he has contributed to high-profile missions ranging from the Space Shuttle to the Hubble Space Telescope, with expertise in space-to-ground communications, ground systems, and science data processing.

Amit previously founded Ingenicomm, which provided advanced technical solutions to NASA and the U.S. Air Force before being acquired in 2017. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Potomac Bancshares and supports several academic and nonprofit organizations, including the Inova Foundation and George Mason University. Virginia Tech’s Puri Satellite Ground Network is named in recognition of his support for the university’s space research and education programs.

Expertise

Satya Akula

GROWTH AND EXITS

Entrepreneur, investor and strategic advisor

Satya Akula is an entrepreneur, investor, and strategic advisor with more than 25 years of experience building and growing companies in government contracting, technology, cybersecurity, healthcare, and other industries. He previously served as President and CEO of Amyx, where he helped grow the company into a significant mid-market government contractor before its acquisition.

Earlier, Satya founded AC Technologies, an IT services company that expanded across multiple states before being sold to a publicly traded company. He began his career at NASA and later served as President of TiE-DC, supporting entrepreneurship throughout the Washington region. Today, Satya advises growing companies and entrepreneurs, bringing the perspective of a founder who has successfully built, scaled, and exited multiple businesses.

Expertise

Kristina Pezzello

REGIONAL BUSINESS LEADERSHIP

Entrepreneur and Northern Virginia business leader

Kristina Pezzello is an entrepreneur, business leader, and longtime advocate for the Northern Virginia business community. For more than 30 years, she led Reston Limousine, helping grow the company from a small fleet into one of the region’s largest transportation businesses and one of the nation’s leading limousine companies. She now serves as an advisor to the company and as a Director of Potomac Bancshares.

Kristina founded Sterling Women and co-founded the Virginia Women’s Business Conference, creating platforms to support and connect women in business. Her community leadership has included service with numerous business, healthcare, education, and philanthropic organizations throughout Loudoun County. In 2026, she received the WBEC Icon Award recognizing her leadership and commitment to elevating other women.

Expertise

Tom Anderson

PUBLIC SECTOR AND DEFENSE

Founder, DataStrategi

Tom Anderson is a highly accomplished leader in the Defense and Civil sectors of the U.S. public sector, with more than 36 years of experience guiding publicly traded and privately held organizations. He is the founder of DataStrategi, LLC, a management consulting firm focused on providing measurable support in the areas of Plan, Grow, and Execute.

Prior to DataStrategi, Tom held leadership roles at SAIC, Wyle, CSC, Raytheon, and Federal Data Corporation, where he helped lead organizations across information systems, health sciences, engineering services, and government operations. He also served as a Board Member and Public Sector Chairman of TechAmerica. Tom holds a Master of Science in Technology Management from George Mason University and has served in advisory leadership roles supporting GMU capstone programs.

Expertise

John Yetman Bio Test