Meet the Team
President of ANANIA & Associates (A&A) and Chairman of ANANIA & Associates Investment Company LLC (“AAI”)
Peter V. Anania | Email Peter
Mr. Anania was the founding member of Leaders LLC, a mergers and acquisitions firm with offices in Portland and Boston, which advises companies around the world. Mr. Anania’s extensive background in merger and acquisitions, operating companies as well as a broad, well established network of professional contacts gives him the tools needed to make each investment successful.
Mr. Anania serves as a Corporator for Bangor Savings Bank, is an Emeritus Board member of the Maine International Trade Center, participating in trade missions to the United Kingdom, Brazil, Argentina, Taiwan, Singapore, Germany, the Netherlands and Mexico and is also a founding charter member of Maine’s District Export Council, helping small businesses expand their export sales in association with the US Department of Commerce. In 1998, Mr. Anania was named the SBA’s Maine Exporter of the Year due to expanding Rockwood Swendeman’s, A&A’s first portfolio company, sales into over 30 countries around the world.
Mr. Anania in the past served as Treasurer of the Windham Economic Development Corporation and the Maine Metal Products Association. He was invited and accepted into the exclusive International Network of Mergers & Acquisitions Partners (IMAP) with 59 offices worldwide where he served on the Board of Directors and as Chairman of the Membership Committee.
Mr. Anania received a BS in Business Administration from the University of Maine at Orono with a double major in marketing and management and his MBA from the University of Southern Maine. Mr. Anania is also a graduate of the Delta Class of the Institute of Civic Leadership.
Partner and Vice President of Corporate Development
Scott Knoll | Email Scott
As a Partner and the Vice President of Corporate Development Mr. Knoll’s focus is to promote growth of the Investment Fund through assistance with strategy, sales and marketing in the various portfolio companies, as well as acquisitions. The Investment Fund looks at many bolt-on acquisitions for the portfolio companies and new platform company acquisitions.
Mr. Knoll brings years of experience in International Corporate Development and Venture Capital Investments. Prior to working for AAI, Mr. Knoll was the Director of Corporate Development and International Development for WEX Inc. (NYSE: WEX) and a Partner at venture firm North Atlantic Capital. Mr. Knoll has a BS in Management from Purdue University.
Florian Knappe – Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Knappe has 20 years of strategy and financial management experience. Prior to joining AAI in 2010 he was CFO of CorrectDeck a Maine based building products company. From 2013 to 2015 Mr. Knappe spent three years in Europe setting up Anania’s European operations including developing sales distribution channels for AAI portfolio companies. As AAI’s CFO, Mr. Knappe works closely with each of the portfolio companies is the strategic financial partner in the organization focusing on the planning process, routine reporting and financial analysis.
Walter Wunderlich – Operations, Compliance and Facilities Management
As an Operating Partner and Director of Operations and Compliance, Mr. Wunderlich provides interim COO services and leverages his 34 years of unique manufacturing management experience to assist AAI portfolio companies in scaling operations and establishing best practices in areas such as production control, purchasing, job costing, safety and manufacturing management (throughput, inventory control and expense management). Mr. Wunderlich previously held senior operating roles at numerous AAI portfolio companies including EVP of Engineering and Manufacturing at MEGA Industries and COO at both Maine Cedar Log Homes and Lighthouse Imaging.
Mr. Wunderlich in the past was a Volunteer Firefighter for nine years which included being a Lieutenant, twice on new fire truck purchase specification and bid committees, Training and Maintenance Officer, and actively serves on the Board of advisors for Integrated Manufacturing Technology at Southern Maine Community College. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for ANANIA & Associates Investment Company LLC, MEGA Industries LLC, mWave Industries LLC and Grow-Tech
Alissa Buschegger – Controller
Char Jewell – Human Resources Director
Char Jewell joined the Anania & Associates Investment Company umbrella in May 2015 as Human Resources Director responsible for all of our Portfolio Companies HR and Safety functions. Char began her Human Resources career in 1994, working for a mid sized family owned business and spent the last ten years prior to joining A&A managing regional HR operations for a Fortune 100 company. Char’s broad experience working for smaller companies as well as the expertise she developed in the Fortune 100 world brings a breadth of knowledge and experience that are a great benefit to our Companies as well as our Employees.
Jeffery Tounge – Director
Ray Nadeau – IT Manager
Ray Walsh – Project Manager
