“Wellvest Capital is support by our proprietary group of industry executives and domain experts, providing industry intelligence and access to PE and Strategic buyers.”
TIM AVILA
Wellvest Capital: Strategic Director
Systems Bioscience: President
Domain Expertise:
- Nutritional Products and Ingredients expert in:
- Formulations, Product Development, and Innovation
- Clinical Studies, R&D
- Production and Manufacturing
Tim Avila blends 20 years of experience in discovery, validation and branding of bioactive ingredients and consumer packaged nutrition products. He is the CEO of Systems Bioscience, Inc., a company specializing in providing Global Fortune 500 companies with business and product development knowledge regarding dietary supplements, natural and organic foods and consumer products and services. Tim’s client list includes Cargill, Nestle, Proctor & Gamble and Coca Cola. He also is General Manager of Zero Worries Foods Inc., the manufacturer and distributor of ZSweet brand all natural zero calorie sweetener. Tim is the inventor and developer of the ZSweet proprietary blend formulations. Before founding Systems Bioscience in 1997, Tim served with Metagenics, Inc. for five years, where he was responsible for numerous proprietary formulations. He was also advisor to Sambazon Inc. Tim passionately pushes boundaries for the nutrition and health & wellness industry and currently assists large and small companies in both consumer packaged and raw material innovations. Over the last 5 years, early stage ventures have been a focus with a raft of start-ups, incubator concepts and other industry-wide ‘farm system’ activities leading to successful new brands and companies via Tim’s ability to coach and guide entrepreneurs in all aspects of the venturing process. Tim has also worked as a Senior Executive Advisor to New Hope Natural Media Inc.
JOHN GRUBB
Wellvest Capital: Strategic Director
Summit Venture Management: Managing Partner
Domain Expertise:
- Natural, Organic Food and Beverage CPG expert in:
- Growth Strategy and Execution
- Marketing, Brand and Product Innovation
- Investing and M&A
John is founder of Summit Venture Management based in Boulder, Colorado. Summit consults and partners with purpose-driven entrepreneurs and investors on brand and business growth initiatives. John has over 30 years of experience as a marketing and strategy executive in the consumer products world. His executive leadership experience includes over 15 years in food manufacturing, multi-channel retail, and contract manufacturing. As well, he has over 15 years of experience in business and brand growth strategy consulting – most recently as Managing Partner of Sterling-Rice Group (SRG) in Boulder, Colorado. At SRG he served on the company board of directors, and ran the research, strategy, and innovation competencies. He led client growth and innovation assignments for a range of private equity owned brands, natural and organic brands as well as for global leaders in CPG including, Annie’s Homegrown, Atkins Nutritionals, Bolthouse, Bayer AG, Boulder Brands, Campbell’s, Johnson & Johnson/McNeil, Mars, Nestlé, and Unilever. John began his consulting career at Bain & Company. John has deep experience in health and wellness, natural, organic, and functional food and beverages. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences such as The Grocery Manufacturers Association, Natural Products Expo, ICR Investor Conference, RBC Consumer Conference, Healthy Foods Europe, NBJ Summit, Food Leaders Summit, and many others. His current passion is around the future of food – from regenerative methods to CEA and synthetic biology. He has extensive private company governance experience having served on many Boards. He also recently completed a 5-year term on the Board of Advisors for the Yale Center of Customer Insights. Among many non-profit board roles, John was the Board Chair of Naturally Boulder and the founding Board Chair of the Naturally Network – now, with 9 affiliate chapters around the country.
John’s MBA is from the Yale School of Management.
MATTHEW ROBERTS, PH.D., MBA
Wellvest Capital: Strategic Director
Sensus Ventures
Domain Expertise:
- Nutritional Products, Food CPG expert in:
- R&D, Innovation, Clinical Studies
- Investing and M&A
- Intellectual Property
Dr. Matthew Roberts has over 25 years of success in driving corporate growth through science, technology, and innovation as well as advising organizations across the industry. He currently manages a portfolio of growth-phase company’s while historically he has worked with large-multinationals at Pharmavite, The Nature’s Bounty Company, Abbott Nutrition, and Nestle as well as serving on the board or as a scientific advisor to a number of emerging food and nutrition companies. Matthew has a broad array of experience and subject matter expertise across food, nutrition, digital health, as well as clinical trial, regulatory, and quality operations. Matthew has a strong ability to leverage both internal R&D resources as well as external partnerships to expand the market and to deliver profitable growth. Matthew is the successful author of over 30 publications and patents. He has a track record of results, excellent science communication skills, and inspires others with purpose, productivity and perseverance.
Matthew’s PH.D is from Cornell University and MBA from Washington University in St. Louis – Olin Business School.
PADRAIC “PADDY” L. SPENCE
Wellvest Capital: Strategic Director
Zevia PBC: Board Chair
Domain Expertise:
- Natural and Organic Food/Beverages and Beauty CPG expert in:
- Executive and Board Level Management
- Growth Strategy and Execution
- Brand Development
- Market Data and Analytics
Mr. Spence serves as Chair of the Zevia board of directors. Mr. Spence previously served as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the board of directors from March 2021 through July 2022. Prior to this he served as the Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors of Zevia LLC, a subsidiary of Zevia PBC, (NYSE: ZVIA) since September 2010 when he acquired the company. Mr. Spence is a 27-year veteran of the natural and organic products industry. From 2005 to 2009, he served as President of Levlad, a personal care manufacturer known for its natural brand Nature’s Gate. Prior to Levlad, Mr. Spence founded SPINS, a market research firm for the natural products industry, and served as its Chief Executive Officer from 1995 to 2003, then its Chairman until 2004 when it was sold to private investors. As the CEO of SPINS, he tracked the sales of more than 300,000 natural and organic products. From 1992 to 1995, Mr. Spence served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Kashi Company, a manufacturer of natural cereals. He has also held positions at Harvard Business School’s Division of Research, the Center for Leadership and Career Studies at Emory University, and within the United Parcel Service’s International Marketing department. He previously served as lead independent director for Physicians Formula Inc., a publicly listed cosmetics company.
Mr. Spence earned his A.B. magna cum laude from Harvard College and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
FRAN TOWEY
Wellvest Capital: Strategic Director
Bayberry Lane Partners: Principal
Domain Expertise:
- Nutritional Products expert in:
- Executive and Board Level Management
- Growth Strategy and Execution
- Technology Distribution and Organizational Optimization
- Utilizing Transformative Technology as a Next Gen Strategy
Fran founded Bayberry Lane Partners LLC in 2022 after serving as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fullscript, a digital health platform that helps healthcare practitioners build better patient relationships. Prior to Fullscript he served as President and CEO of a leading private equity owned company in the professional health and wellness industry, as well as a leadership role at Fisher Scientific. Currently Fran spends most of his time investing and/or advising companies in the health and wellness markets. He is Executive Chair, and Board Director for Lindora Clinic, medically supervised clinics focused on metabolic health and wellness. Additionally, he sits on the board of Cellcore Biosciences, and he sits on the board of trustees for Sonoran University of Health Sciences, a fully accredited university, and innovators in the field of naturopathic medicine and nutrition. As well, he is an advisor for Santa Barbara Nutrients, a team of kidney researchers and nutrition experts committed to the research and development of products to help maintain human health, specifically in chronic kidney disease. A strategist and critical thinker with an intense market and customer focus with a passion for advising, coaching/mentoring, and investing in passionate teams in the health, wellness, and nutrition markets.
Fran earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University, Boston, MA and an Executive MBA from Fogelman College of Business and Economics at the University of Memphis.