Team

Louis A. Piccolo

As founder and president of Piccolo Business Advisory, a management consulting firm that has specialized in turn-around management since 1988, Mr. Piccolo provides financial, operational and systems expertise to a variety of industries in the U.S. and internationally.

A subspecialty of Piccolo Business Advisory is consulting for capital/debt procurement and start-up enterprises. With clients, both publicly and privately held, whose revenues range from $1 billion down to $5 million, Piccolo Business Advisory, with its 4 professional consultants, has rendered services to clients in the U.K., India, Singapore and Japan.

Some of the industries serviced are: retailing, manufacturing, property management, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, public relations, hotels and restaurants, food wholesaling, fashion, information systems, automated systems integration, office furniture dealerships, theatrical set design and construction, health care, health and nutrition, publishing, architecture, window manufacturing, and retail malls.

Occasionally, to ensure a continuity of advisory services, a successful turn-around or start-up has appointed Mr. Piccolo to its Board of Directors. Over the years, Mr. Piccolo has served on the boards of 4 for-profit companies (I of which is public), 2 not-for-profit organizations, as well as in the capacity of Advisory Board member for a for-profit, public company.

Carter J. Ward

Carter J. Ward brings to Piccolo Business Advisory a 20+ year history in finance & systems. His background in auditing and controllership provide him with the skills to both increase revenues and contain costs, while his experience in business process automation allows him to enhance client productivity.

Fluent in financial analysis, control environments, software design and implementation, Mr. Ward’s technical knowledge of finance and business process improvement includes: developing accounting and financial reporting systems, design of standardized reporting and analysis tools, creating computerized business models and projections, designing software applications and databases that allow for more accurate budgeting as well as business segment contribution and profitability analysis. Mr. Ward’s skill set has been well suited to the requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley Act compliance where he has extensive recent experience assisting management’s assessment of internal controls for Section 404 compliance.

Mr. Ward also possesses significant practical experience in turnaround situations and start-up companies, as he frequently assumes the role of a “firefighting” interim Chief Financial Officer. Such skills include the procuring of financing and credit, managing cash flow, negotiating payment terms with vendors, preparing budgets and business plans, etc… Some of the industries which Mr. Ward has serviced are: banking & finance, cosmetics, law firms, real estate, pharmaceuticals, publishing, public relations, chemicals, food wholesaling, information systems, automated systems integration, office furniture dealerships, and theatrical set design and construction.

By reason of extended client assignments in Singapore and India, Mr. Ward has extensive experience in international trade finance, outsourcing in Asia and is well-connected to financing and investing contacts around the globe.

Charles K. Walford

A UK Chartered Accountant, Charles K. Walford, attends to European and US clients by dividing time between New York and his base in London . He brings to Piccolo Business Advisory over 30 years’ experience in turnaround management and consulting, a rich background in real estate and invaluable familiarity with all aspects of start-up enterprises.

Mr. Walford’s experience provides clients all levels of support, from hands-on, day-to-day management of operations to on-going financial advice to one-time transaction consulting. His background as an entrepreneur enables him to engage in all aspects of a start-up venture, viz., capital procurement, lease negotiations, marketing activities, sales force selection, business development and arrangements for trade and supply agreements. His services naturally extend beyond the start-up phase, and include the necessary “hand-holding.” For this reason, Mr. Walford currently is a Director of several companies in both the US and Europe.

As a specialist in turnaround management, Mr. Walford is up to most client challenges in that he has undertaken assignments in a variety of industries and with companies of varying sizes. In one of his larger turnaround engagements, Mr. Walford’s duties, among many others, simultaneously involved debt restructuring, reorganization of a 1000-member sales team, and the disposition and liquidation of material financial assets.

Some of the industries which Mr. Walford has serviced are: windows, air conditioning, hospitality, real estate, luxury goods, metal distribution, retail and office furniture manufacturing and distribution.

Samuel Ekstein

Specializing in real estate and property management since 1973, the Chicago-based Samuel Ekstein became affiliated with Piccolo Business Advisory in 1993 as its real estate turnaround consultant. Through his own firm, Ekstein Asset Management, Inc., Mr. Ekstein currently provides management and consulting services to over 35 properties in 15 states.

During the course of his extensive real estate career, he has performed real estate-related functions of almost every type. Mr. Ekstein has undertaken “ground-up,” mid-sized project development, including land assemblage, architectural selection and construction planning and supervision. In addition, he has engaged in the redevelopment and transitioning of large retail centers, including lease negotiation, lender workout and supervision of renovations.

Throughout the years, Mr. Ekstein has developed a reliable network of real estate lenders, REITS and capital market investors.

Mr. Ekstein’s real estate turnarounds have involved properties in the retail, residential, commercial and industrial sectors.

David McCallen

David McCallen is an innovative, results-generating professional executive with international and entrepreneurial management experience in public and private companies. He has over 25 years of marketing, finance, business development and management experience, with particular expertise in developing and implementing business, financial, marketing and strategic plans. He has a proven record of accomplishments in marketing, business development, sales, public relations, management, and capital formation.

He began his finance career in the marketing department of EF Hutton, was a Research Analyst and then a founding partner of a NY-based financial investor relations firm. He has been involved as a principal and executive in industries ranging from Silicon Valley technology to health care to financial services and the wine and spirits industry.