Team

Mr. Djunic is a Partner of Blue Torch and is responsible for all aspects of a credit investment process. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Djunic was a Senior Credit Analyst at Sounion Capital, where he focused on high yield and distressed credit. Prior to that, Mr. Djunic worked at Caxton Associates in the High Yield Group. Earlier in his career, Mr. Djunic worked at Moore Capital and J.P. Morgan. Mr. Djunic graduated from Harvard Business School with an MBA and Brown University with a BA in Economics.

Mr. Haspel is a Partner of Blue Torch and is responsible for all aspects of a credit investment process. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Haspel was a Portfolio Manager at Fifth Street Asset Management, where he focused on middle market lending, tradable credit and portfolio financings. Prior to that, Mr. Haspel worked as a leveraged loan trader and portfolio analyst at Halcyon Asset Management. Mr. Haspel graduated from Tulane University with a BS in Finance.

Mr. O’Flanagan is a Vice President of Blue Torch and is responsible for all aspects of the credit investment process. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. O’Flanagan was a Director within the restructuring group at Lazard where he focused on advising stressed and distressed businesses and their stakeholders on strategic alternatives, including in and out-of-court restructurings, financings, liability management solutions and mergers & acquisitions. While at Lazard, Mr. O’Flanagan led transactions across a range of industries including business services, consumer products, industrial products, oil field services and retail. Mr. O’Flanagan graduated from Georgetown University with a BS in Finance.

Mr. Bernstein is a Vice President of Blue Torch and is responsible for all aspects of a credit investment process. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Bernstein was a Principal at Jupiter Peak Capital where he focused on providing capital solutions to asset managers and owners of illiquid assets trapped in restrictive investment vehicles. Prior to that, Mr. Bernstein worked at Crestline Investors. Earlier in his career, Mr. Bernstein worked at Berkshire Global Advisors and Milestone Advisors. Mr. Bernstein graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with an MPA in Accounting and Washington University in St. Louis with a BSBA in Finance and Accounting.

Ms. Kavak is a Vice President of Blue Torch and is responsible for all aspects of a credit investment process. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Ms. Kavak was a Vice President at St. Cloud Capital where she focused on sourcing, underwriting, executing and monitoring debt and non-control equity investments. Prior to that, Ms. Kavak worked in the Sponsor Finance group at City National Bank. Earlier in her career, Ms. Kavak worked at UnionBanCal Equities, FocalPoint Partners and CIT Healthcare. Ms. Kavak graduated from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business with a BS in Business Administration.

Mr. O’Donnell is a Vice President of Blue Torch and is responsible for all aspects of a credit investment process. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. O’Donnell was an Associate at Guggenheim Securities in the Restructuring Group where he advised companies and creditors in connection with in- and out-of-court balance sheet restructurings. Prior to that, Mr. O’Donnell was an Associate at Davidson Kempner Capital Management in the Distressed Group. Prior to that, Mr. O’Donnell was an Analyst at Miller Buckfire. Mr. O’Donnell graduated from Georgetown University with a BS in Business Administration.

Mr. Lindo is a Vice President of Blue Torch and is responsible for all aspects of a credit investment process. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Lindo was an Associate at Jefferies Group LLC where he was responsible for the underwriting, execution, and monitoring of leveraged finance transactions. Prior to that, Mr. Lindo was an Assistant Vice President at Amalgamated Bank. Mr. Lindo graduated from Baruch College with a BBA in Finance and Investments.

Mr. Fisher is a Vice President of Blue Torch and is responsible for all aspects of a credit investment process. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Fisher was a Vice President at Bank of America where he was responsible for the origination, underwriting, and execution of asset-based financings in combination with leveraged finance transactions. Mr. Fisher graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business with a BS in Business Administration.

Mr. Rackear is an Associate of Blue Torch and is responsible for all aspects of a credit investment process. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Rackear was a Senior Associate at Ivy Hill Asset Management, a wholly owned portfolio company of Ares Capital Corporation, where he evaluated, underwrote and monitored private credit transactions. Prior to that, Mr. Rackear was a Leveraged Finance Senior Analyst at CIT Group on the Healthcare Team. Mr. Rackear graduated from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School with concentrations in Finance and Strategy & Management Consulting.

Mr. McAlpine is an Associate of Blue Torch and is responsible for all aspects of a credit investment process. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. McAlpine was an Investment Banking Associate at Houlihan Lokey in the Financial Institutions Group where he advised on a variety of M&A and capital raise transactions. Prior to that, Mr. McAlpine was an Investment Banking Analyst at Sandler O’Neill & Partners. Mr. McAlpine graduated from the University at Albany, State University of New York with a BS in Business Administration and Accounting, and with a BA in Economics.

Mr. Kravette is an Associate of Blue Torch and is responsible for all aspects of a credit investment process. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Kravette was an Associate at Alvarez & Marsal in the Turnaround and Restructuring Group where he advised companies in connection with in and out of court balance sheet restructurings. Mr. Kravette graduated from Vanderbilt University with a BA in Economics and Minors in Spanish and Financial Economics.

Mr. Fichman is an Associate at Blue Torch and is responsible for all aspects of the credit investment process. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Fichman was an Associate at Aozora North America where he was responsible for evaluating and investing in broadly syndicated loans. Prior to that, Mr. Fichman worked in Middle Market banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Mr. Fichman graduated from the University of South Carolina with a BS in Finance.

Mr. Sitzer is an Associate of Blue Torch and is responsible for all aspects of a credit investment process. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Sitzer was an Associate at Cion Investment Management where he was responsible for evaluating, underwriting, and monitoring private credit transactions. Mr. Sitzer graduated from Tulane University with a BS in Finance and Minor in Accounting.

Mr. Palmiotto is an Associate at Blue Torch and is responsible for all aspects of the credit investment process. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Palmiotto worked in the Leveraged Finance Group at J.P. Morgan where he focused on structuring and executing leveraged buyouts, mergers and acquisitions, recapitalizations, and other debt financings. Prior to that, Mr. Palmiotto worked in J.P. Morgan’s Financial Planning & Analysis Group. Mr. Palmiotto graduated from The Ohio State University with a BS in Business Administration and is a CFA Charterholder.

Ms. Chan is an Associate of Blue Torch and is responsible for all aspects of a credit investment process. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Ms. Chan was an Investment Banking Associate in the Media & Communications Group at J.P. Morgan where she advised clients on M&A and capital raising. Prior to that, Ms. Chan worked at Goldin Associates focused on Restructuring. Ms. Chan graduated from the NYU Stern School of Business with a BS in Business Administration.

Mr. Aleem is an Associate of Blue Torch and is responsible for all aspects of a credit investment process. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Aleem was an Associate at PGIM Private Capital where he was responsible for evaluating, underwriting, and monitoring private debt and equity investments. Mr. Aleem graduated from Baruch College with a BBA in Finance & Investments.

Mr. Manowitz is the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Blue Torch. Mr. Manowitz is responsible for Blue Torch’s operations, investor relations, treasury, fund accounting, valuation, tax reporting, and administration functions. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Manowitz was the Chief Accounting Officer for the Credit Platform at H.I.G. Capital. Prior to that, Mr. Manowitz worked at Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. as Controller of the Credit Platform of Cerberus Business Finance and Ableco Finance LLC. Earlier in his career, Mr. Manowitz worked at Merrill Lynch and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mr. Manowitz graduated from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business with an MBA and a BS in Accounting.

Mr. Leo is the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Blue Torch and is responsible for the legal and compliance operations of the firm.  Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Leo held the role of Senior Compliance Officer at Capstone Investment Advisors and before that was the Director of Legal and Compliance at Aravt Global.  Prior to joining the asset management industry, Mr. Leo was an officer in the U.S. Army, serving as a military prosecutor and command legal advisor in a variety of assignments.  Mr. Leo received his Juris Doctor from the Fordham University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Bucknell University.

Mr. Sell is the Director of Finance of Blue Torch. Mr. Sell is responsible for Blue Torch’s day-to-day fund operations, treasury, finance, and fund accounting functions. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Sell was the Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary for Full Circle Capital Corporation, and its merger successor Great Elm Capital Corp. Prior to that, Mr. Sell worked at Agile Group, LLC and Sky Bell Asset Management, LLC focusing on investments in the private credit industry. Previously, Mr. Sell worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mr. Sell graduated from Miami University’s Richard T Farmer School of Business with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Accountancy and a Masters of Accountancy.

Ms. Foley is responsible for Investor Relations at Blue Torch. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Ms. Foley was Head of Investor Relations at Athanor Capital. Prior to that, Ms. Foley was Head of Investor Relations at DW Partners, an alternative credit firm that spun out of Brevan Howard, where Ms. Foley worked prior to joining DW Partners. Earlier in her career, Ms. Foley worked at QVT Financial, Ralph Lauren, and Bloomberg. Ms. Foley graduated with honors from Union College with a BA in Art History.

Mr. Rivera is the Vice President of Accounting & Finance for Blue Torch. Mr. Rivera is responsible for assisting in Blue Torch’s day-to-day fund operations, treasury, and fund accounting functions. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Rivera was an accounting manager at H.I.G. Capital. Previously, Mr. Rivera worked at Deloitte and BDO. Mr. Rivera graduated from Universidad de Puerto Rico with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting.

Mr. Abrahimzadeh is the Associate Vice President of Finance of Blue Torch. Mr. Abrahimzadeh is responsible for Blue Torch’s day-to-day fund operations, treasury, and finance functions. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Abrahimzadeh was a Vice President at HPS Investment Partners, LLC in their Fund Finance group. Prior to that, he worked at Mizuho Bank focusing on OTC Collateral Management. Mr. Abrahimzadeh graduated from Seton Hall University with a BS in Finance and Rutgers University with an MBA in Finance and Real Estate.

Mr. Rosenbaum is the Assistant Controller of Blue Torch. Mr. Rosenbaum is responsible for assisting in Blue Torch’s day-to-day fund operations, treasury, and fund accounting functions. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Rosenbaum was the Controller for Adi Capital Management LLC. Previously, Mr. Rosenbaum worked at Rothstein Kass. Mr. Rosenbaum graduated from Yeshiva University’s Sy Syms School of Business with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.

Mr. Green is the Accounting Manager of Blue Torch. Mr. Green is responsible for assisting in Blue Torch’s day-to-day fund operations, treasury, and fund accounting functions. Prior to joining Blue Torch, Mr. Green was a senior manager at KPMG. Mr. Green graduated from Ramapo College of New Jersey with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant.