Corporate Strategic Advisors
Stephen Lister
Stephen Lister is Chairman of CPS Capital Inc., a Canadian Private Equity firm focused on building small-cap companies in targeted industry niches in North America, and which is investing Fund V. He is also Chairman & Co-Founder of Private Debt partners Inc., a provider of senior credit to select Canadian mid-market companies, which is investing its second Fund. Through his family office, JMB Capital Corp., Mr. Lister invests in and advises emerging entrepreneurial companies in profitable niches in private asset management and makes direct investments in the best emerging companies and private funds in a variety of growth industries.
Mr. Lister was a Managing Partner and Co-Founder (1989-2019) of Imperial Capital Corporation (IC), a Toronto-based mid-market private equity buyout firm which made acquisitions in the United States and Canada. Mr. Lister was integrally involved in the formation and investment of Imperial Capital Acquisition Funds I through VII.  Imperial’s Funds grew from $2.7 million for Fund I to $1.2 billion for Fund VIII. Portfolio companies have included: one of Canada’s largest engineering consulting firms (Stantec), the largest dental practice management company in Canada (Dental Corp); the largest Canadian vet practice manager (VetStrategy); North America’s largest pet aftercare company (Gateway); America’s second largest patient records manager (MRO); a vet clinic practice management firm in the USA (AmeriVet); a consolidator of food testing labs (Matrix Sciences); a consolidator of pharmaceutical testing labs (Infinity Labs); one of the largest car wash companies in America (Go Carwash) and an optometry clinic management company (Keplr Vision). Imperial specialized in assisting successful entrepreneurs in consolidating fragmented industries and scaling companies that have low-to-no cyclicality, superior profitability, and strong growth. Mr. Lister led the acquisition and stewardship of many of IC’s portfolio companies. He has assisted the management teams with the strategic direction and growth of these businesses, including follow-on acquisitions and related financings. Mr. Lister has been a Director of a number of private and public companies.
From 1987-89, Mr. Lister was President of Startups Inc., which he founded to provide equity financing and consulting assistance to high growth companies. In 1987, he was an Associate with Harrison Associates, a Toronto consulting firm. From 1985-87, he was a Management Consultant with Touche Ross & Partners in Toronto, where he provided strategic planning services to companies internationally. From 1982-84, he was an economist with the House of Commons, where he wrote economic policy papers for members of Parliament.
Mr. Lister received an Honours BA in Economics from the University of Toronto in 1982 and an MBA from the IVEY Business School at Western University in 1985. He attended Lisgar Collegiate Institute in Ottawa. Mr. Lister is a member and a Past President of the Ticker Club, and a member of The Young Presidents Organization, Chief Executives Organization, The Toronto Club, Cambridge Club, Lake Joseph Club (Muskoka, Ontario), The Royal & Ancient Golf Club (Scotland), The Cabot St. Lucia Point Hardy Golf Club (founding member), Grey Oaks Golf Club (Naples, FL), Oviinbyrd Golf Club (Muskoka, Ontario) and the Eden Club (Scotland). He is a member of the Investment Committee for Victoria College at the University of Toronto, an Advisory Board Member and Executive Board Member of the Ivey Business School, a member of the Finance Committee at Grey Oaks Golf Club, a Director of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), and a former Director of the Royal Conservatory of Music, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and the Michael Garron Hospital Foundation.
He is married (1985) to Dr. Molly Rundle, a former family Physician. They have two sons: Jonathan Lister, President & Founder of Satstreet Inc.; and Benjamin Lister, an entrepreneur in the wellness industry. Mr. Lister and his wife support many charities directly and through the Lister-Rundle Foundation. He is a member of the Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance, plays the tenor saxophone, competitive amateur golf, collects art and biographies, and is a fitness and wellness enthusiast.
Douglas Dreyer
Doug is the President of the strategic advisory firm Mind Gear Solutions and a former executive at Lockheed Martin, Vencore, and Parsons Corporations. He has over 30 years of experience in technology development, program management, and corporate business development for public, private, and closely held firms. His accomplishments span industries including defense, space systems, cybersecurity, public infrastructure, and healthcare. Doug has led successful business capture campaigns, sales teams, corporate ventures, and R&D organizations, demonstrating a strong background in business development and innovation.
Doug serves on private company boards, is an active angel investor, and volunteers with the Veterans Fellowship Program at the Union League of Philadelphia. He earned a BS from Penn State University and an MS from Drexel University, with postgraduate work at the Carnegie Mellon University Leadership Development Institute, the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, and the Penn State Graduate Center for Healthcare Policy.
Chris Throckmorton
Chris Throckmorton is Chief Executive Officer for EyeCare Partners (ECP). In this role, he is responsible for providing strategic, financial and operational leadership for ECP, working closely with the company’s executive leadership and Board of Directors. He is building upon the organization’s legacy of excellence and driving innovation and collaboration to meet the evolving needs of our patients and practices.
A healthcare leader with more than three decades of experience, Chris is widely recognized for his strategic vision, operational acumen and commitment to delivering high-quality care. Most recently, he served as President and CEO of Athletico Physical Therapy, a leading provider of outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation services. Prior to that, he had served as Pivot Health CEO since 2019, helping build the organization into a leading physical therapy provider.
Chris has also held prior roles as CEO of IntegraMed Fertility, and Group President and Chief Operating Officer of Surgery Partners, a leading operator of surgical facilities and ancillary services with more than 180 locations nationwide. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and he earned his MBA degree in finance from Georgia State University.