WealthForge, a leading technology provider for raising private capital online, today announced its list of the top 15 
influencers in the private placement industry. The 15 individuals come from diverse backgrounds, with professionals across the financial, technology, legal and regulatory sectors.
“These 15 industry experts are at the forefront of helping to bring speed and efficiency to the $1.3 trillion private placement market,” said Mat Dellorso, CEO and Co-Founder of WealthForge. “Between running businesses, speaking at conferences and passing legislation, these people are actively spreading the message about the advantages of raising capital online.”
“Every industry needs its champions to succeed and I am honored to be a part of this group helping bring capital raising into the 21st century,” said list honoree Lew Feldman, a partner in the Real Estate Capital Markets Group at Goodwin Procter. “Most everything today is in digital and automated format, and I am happy to see that this industry is headed in that direction.”
“The JOBS Act has led to a greater number of self-directed IRA investors being able to participate in private placement opportunities as part of their retirement savings plans,” said Kelly Rodriques, CEO of PENSCO Trust Company. “Combined with the many developments on the technology front—especially the growing importance of the role of online capital raising—PENSCO is committed to providing resources and education to individuals on how private placements can be part of a retirement portfolio.”
The list of top 15 influencers includes:
- Mary Jo White – Chairman of the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)
- Joseph Sitt – CEO of Thor Equities, an international real estate development and investment firm with $5 billion in total assets
- Kelly Rodriques – President & CEO of PENSCO, an alternative asset custodian with more than $10 billion in assets on behalf of more than 50,000 clients
- Naval Ravikant – Co-founder & CEO of AngelList, an online platform for matching angel investors with startups
- Georgia P. Quinn – Crowdfund Insider Senior Contributor and Senior Associate at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, a Chicago-based law firm
- Alex Mittal – CEO of Fundersclub, an online venture capital firm
- Ben Miller – Co-founder of FundRise, a real estate crowdfunding and investment platform
- Richard Ketchum – Chairman & CEO of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
- Jilliene Helman – CEO of Realty Mogul, an online marketplace for real estate investing
- Sara Hanks – Co-founder & CEO CrowdCheck, a due diligence, disclosure & compliance company for online alternative investments
- Lew Feldman – Partner at Goodwin Procter LLP, a Boston-based law firm
- Bill Clark– Founder of Microventures, an online equity crowdfunding platform
- Dan Ciporin – General Partner at Canaan Partners, a global venture capital firm with $3.5 billion under
management - Ryan Caldback – Founder & CEO of CircleUp, an equity-based crowdfunding site
- Greg Brogger – President of NASDAQ Private Markets, a broker-dealer for private companies
For more information on the top 15 Influencers, please visit the WealthForge website.