John Keefe

Experience

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  AG Becker

  Jan 1976 - Jan 1982

  Sr Vice President

  In less than six years rose from entry MBA level to Senior VP and Registered Principal, managing venture capital investments for the firm's account, and working on mergers and private placements for this major investment banking firm. Started and raised outside capital for an in-house venture capital partnership, and negotiated its spin off as The Phoenix Partners prior to the firm's acquisition by Merrill Lynch in 1983.

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  The Phoenix Partners

  Jan 1982 - Jan 1989

  General Partner

  Co-founded this high technology venture capital investment partnership. Responsible for overall management of the firm, sourcing of investments, due diligence, and negotiation and closing of investments. Responsible for oversight of investments, often sitting on the board of portfolio companies and assisting management with strategic plans and implementation of growth strategies.

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  Aperture Technologies

  Jan 1987 - Jan 1998

  Co-founder, CFO

  Co-founded this world leading provider of Enterprise Software Solutions for Business Infrastructure Management. The company utilizes advanced workflow and visualization technology to help organize and manage physical and technical infrastructure and assets. Responsible for company strategic planning as well as implementation of financial systems. Was also in charge of international sales and personally negotiated the company's largest contract with the CEO of a $2 billion Japanese company.

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  J Keefe Associates LLC

  Jun 1996 - Jun 2024

  President

  J Keefe Associates provides turnaround and restructuring management services to financially distressed organizations, both for profit and non profit. This can include serving as Chief Restructuring Officer, providing advice and guidance to the board and senior management, serving as financial advisor through a bankruptcy proceeding, and/or managing an orderly shutdown if a turnaround cannot be accomplished.

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  Cornerstone Consulting Group

  Jan 2003 - Jan 2005

  Principal

  Principal in this boutique consulting firm assisting mid-size to small companies with strategic direction, capital raising and restructuring.

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  Aztec Metal Maintenance`

  Jan 2005 - Jan 2006

  CRO/CFO

  Led this company through a successful Chapter 11, dealing with substantial unpaid taxes, loans in default, and overdue trade payables and union benefits.

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  Nachman Hays Brownstein, Inc.

  Jan 2006 - Jan 2010

  Managing Director

  Turnaround management firm; voted one of the best in the country by Turnarounds & Workouts. Served as financial advisor to many distressed businesses, in and out of bankruptcy.• Financial advisor to an $800 million retail jewelry chain suffering from reduced revenue due to the recession. Conceived a plan to repay secured lender by closing and liquidating inventory in underperforming stores.• Financial advisor to a full service printing company with reduced revenue due to cutbacks in customers’ marketing budgets. Discovered a $1 million fraud related to their bank line of credit. Enabled the bank to fully recover its loan.• Restructured a $20 million credit facility for a NY Stock Exchange electronics company on more favorable terms.• Financial advisor to a restaurant chain in Chapter 11.• Financial advisor to a television production and editing company specializing in sporting events, which was experiencing losses since losing a major client. Arranged for the sale of the company to a strategic buyer allowing lenders a recovery on their loans. Show less

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  Community Environmental Center Inc.

  May 2014 - Aug 2015

  Vice President

  I was hired by the Board to restructure this environmental non-profit facing extreme financial difficulty following the loss of a significant government contract. Organized and oversaw negotiations with creditors, including a major bank, and managed a reorganization plan to save two affiliated entities as viable non-profits through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

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  Hale House Center Inc.

  Apr 2015 - Sept 2017

  Chief Restructuring Officer

  Hale House is a legendary Harlem non-profit, winding down its operations due to financial difficulties stemming from the long-term effects of a theft by the founder’s daughter. Arranged transfer of the Mother Hale Learning Center to another agency. Arranging for the sale of its primary asset, a building in Manhattan, and arranging settlements with creditors. The net profit from the building sale will form an endowment for the Learning Center.

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  Hospital Audiences Inc.

  Jan 2016 - Jan 2018

  Interim Excutive Director

  Interim Executive Director for this non-profit arts organization which filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2016, after 47 years of operations, due to the consequences of a large embezzlement. Appointed immediately following the bankruptcy filing with the goal of either reestablishing HAI as viable organization or transferring the programs to another, healthy agency. Limited staff were rehired, and operations commenced, demonstrating the continuing strong demand for HAI’s services, and leading to a successful transfer of the programs so that the clientele could continue to be served. Show less

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  Families for Excellent Schools Inc.

  Feb 2018 - Oct 2018

  Chief Restructuring Officer

  As Chief Restructuring Officer for this financially distressed nonprofit, which, due to several events, had lost the support of its donors, successfully wound down and liquidated the entity under Delaware law. A large part of the effort was to assure wealthy donors that the mission itself was still necessary and viable, even though this entity had experienced unforeseen problems leading to its demise.

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  Atlas DIY Corporation

  Jan 2019 - Jan 2020

  Chief Restructuring Officer

  Retained as Chief Restructuring Officer after the board elected to shut down and dissolve this nonprofit which provided services to immigrants in New York City. The winding down involved transferring legal cases to other agencies which could continue to represent the immigrants in their search for green cards or work permits, as well as negotiating settlements with major creditors including the landlord.

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  Institute of Play Inc.

  Jan 2019 - Jan 2020

  Chief Resructuring Officer

  Chief Restructuring Officer for this nonprofit which pioneered the use of learning through games. Initially funded by large foundations, this funding disappeared as IOP’s methods became more accepted and mainstream. The board retained me to gracefully wind down and dissolve the entity, including negotiating a settlement with a major bank as their largest creditor.

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  YWCA of White Plains and Central Westchester

  Jun 2020 - Sept 2020

  Chief Restart Officer

  Working as a member of the senior management team of the YWCA to assure its survival through the COVID crisis so it can emerge healthy and able to continue its important mission of "eliminating racism and empowering women."

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  Homes of Montclair

  Oct 2021 - Mar 2023

  Interim Executive Director

  Interim Executive Director of this nonprofit providing affordable housing in Montclair, NJ, an upscale suburb of NYC. As prices of real estate and maintenance increased substantially, Home Corp’s portfolio of over 15 buildings fell into serious disrepair. A major renovation program was undertaken, and a permanent ED was hired in March 2023.

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  American Irish Historical Society

  Dec 2022 - Oct 2023

  Interim Executive Director

  After the Society proposed selling its Fifth Avenue townhouse, an investigation by the NY Attorney General’s office led to the resignation of the entire board. An interim board retained Mr. Keefe in December 2022 as Interim Executive Director with the goal of preparing the Society for the recruitment of a new board, which was accomplished in July 2023.

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  NYC Anti-Violence Project

  Apr 2024 - Sept 2024

  Interim Executive Director

  Directing the financial turnaround of this 43-year-old nonprofit dedicated to assisting the victims of violence in the LGBTQ community and to ending all forms of such violence.https://avp.org/

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  IN OUR BACKYARDS, INC

  Aug 2024 - now

  Chief Restructuring Officer

  Chief Restructuring Officer for this nonprofit which had made the decision to shut down after 16 years of providing funding, advice, and assistance to local projects usually organized by fairly inexperienced founders. The goal is to shut down gracefully and legally within the limitation of available funding to pay obligations.