Ben Gordon, CFA    |    Founder and Managing Partner

Prior to founding his own firm in 2018, Ben spent almost a decade as a Portfolio Manager with GMT Capital Corp. Ben  joined GMT in 2005 as an analyst and was promoted to Portfolio Manager in 2008.  He was responsible for the largest portfolio at GMT outside of GMT’s founder.  Ben managed over $2 billion in gross assets at peak while at GMT and as a a generalist, he invested globally across a wide variety of sectors and geographies, with a higher weighting towards TMT businesses based on GMT investment strategy and focus. Ben  also helped open GMT’s London office and managed the UK-based investment team.   He began his career with Raymond James as a research associate covering telecom services.

Ben  also worked at the Joint Economic Committee of Congress, an economic think tank and is the author of “Seeking Extraordinary Returns”, a book on investing. Ben graduated Magna Cum Laude from Ohio University and is a CFA charterholder.

Dan Levinson  |    Founding Officer and Senior Advisor

Over the past 30 years, Mr. Levinson has held senior level finance and operations positions at various financial institutions with extensive experience in accounting, portfolio management systems implementation, regulatory procedures, compliance, tax planning, and business development. Most recently,  Mr. Levinson was Partner, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Cat Rock Capital Management LP, a Global long/short equity hedge. Mr. Levinson was previously the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Atalaya Capital Management LP, currently a $3+ billion distress credit fund, where from the firm’s inception until his departure 9 years later, he built and managed the non-investment side of the business.  Prior to Atalaya, Mr. Levinson was the Chief Financial Officer at Morgens, Waterfall, Vintiadis & Co., a hedge fund and private equity manager specializing in leveraged loans, special situations and distressed debt.  Prior to that, he has also served as a Vice President at Sentinel Real Estate (formerly Smith Barney real estate group). 

Mr. Levinson began his career at KPMG Peat Marwick, earned his CPA license (not active), and has previously held Series 7, 24 and 63 securities licenses.  Mr Levinson served on Board of Directors for Banyan Strategic Realty Partners, (NASD:  BSRTS).   He has also spoken at numerous industry conferences including GAIM Cayman, IMN Alpha East, IMN Global Summit, and Institutional Investor Investment Conferences. Mr. Levinson graduated from Lehigh University with a BS degree with concentration in Accounting and Economics.

Alexandra Dogariu, CFA | Analyst

Alex Dogariu brings over 13 year of investment experience as a buyside analyst to Blue Grotto Capital. Alex started in the industry in 2005 as an undergraduate intern at Fidelity Management & Research Company and then,  upon graduating, joined the domestic equities research team where she focused on TMT. In 2010, she left Fidelity to join Asian Century Quest, an Asian Focus hedge fund where she covered TMT in the US and Asia.  Subsequently, Alex spent over 6 years at a family office managing equity securities.

 Alex earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics and Economics from University of Pennsylvania, graduating magna cum laude.  While at Penn, she was a Benjamin Franklin Scholar and received the Simon Kuznets Fellowship Award in Economics.     Alex is a CFA charterholder.

Lauren Puglisi | Analyst

Over the past 20 years, Lauren Puglisi has held various senior level positions within investment management. She began her career at JPMorgan in New York as an analyst in investment banking, she served at the firm for over 13 years and was promoted to Managing Director in Equity Sales and Trading. She was the youngest woman to become Managing Director at JPMorgan and the youngest person in her Managing Director class. Lauren's experience includes equity research, risk management, and global asset allocation. Lauren served as a Portfolio Manager at Fifth Third Asset Management, where she managed risk as well as allocated assets as part of a $25B firm portfolio. Ms. Puglisi also has experience covering clients globally, managing exposure in the US, Asia, Latin America and Europe. Lauren served in a senior role as an equity analyst on the investment team at Earnest Partners, a $20B+ investment manager. She identified equity opportunities globally in the consumer and financial services sectors, providing a significant contribution to outperformance.

Lauren is a graduate of the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, where she earned a Masters in Business Administration. Lauren also holds a BA from Franklin and Marshall College in Business Management and Accounting and has previously held Series 7, 55 and 63 securities licenses.

Jeff Lichy | Analyst

Jeff brings over 12 years experience to Blue Grotto Capital. He began his career in 2012 as an analyst at Iridian Asset Management, where he spent nine years covering Consumer, Industrial, and Business Services. After Iridian, Jeff served as a Director of Equities at Baymount Management, a thematic Macro Fund with a global mandate, and later as a Consumer Sector Analyst at Balyasny Asset Management.

Jeff attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Economics.

Greg Deese, CPA   | CFO/CCO/COO

Greg Deese is the Controller of Blue Grotto Capital Mr. Deese’s financial accounting experience spans over 30 years and includes more than 25 years in alternative asset management. Previously, Mr. Deese was CFO, COO and CCO at Concourse Capital Management and was with the firm since its inception in 2008.   Previous to Concourse launch, he was the Controller at Perimeter Capital Management, LLC from 2006-2010. Before this, from 1996- 2006,  he was Controller at GMT Capital where he oversaw prime brokerage relationships, securities lending, risk management, accounting, tax and financial activities for 4 separate hedge funds with combined assets of over $2.5 billion. Mr. Deese received a B.B.A. from University of West Georgia and earned his CPA designation in 2000.