Jake Sloane

Co-Founder

Originally from New York City, Jake Sloane is a Co-Founder of Crete Professionals Alliance. He is also co-founder of ZBS Partners, Crete United, Legacy Service Partners, Rocket Youth Brands, and Alliance Animal Health. Prior to this, Jake was an associate at Carlyle where he diligenced and oversaw investments in the healthcare space. Prior to Carlyle, Jake worked at Blackstone in their Mergers & Acquisitions group where he worked with media, chemicals, and financial services companies. Jake is a Trustee of the Heckscher Foundation for Children. Jake received an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.A. in Political Science from Harvard University where he graduated magna cum laude.

Originally from New York City, Jake Sloane is a Co-Founder of Crete Professionals Alliance. He is also co-founder of ZBS Partners, Crete United, Legacy Service Partners, Rocket Youth Brands, and Alliance Animal Health. Prior to this, Jake was an associate at Carlyle where he diligenced and oversaw investments in the healthcare space. Prior to Carlyle, Jake worked at Blackstone in their Mergers & Acquisitions group where he worked with media, chemicals, and financial services companies. Jake is a Trustee of the Heckscher Foundation for Children. Jake received an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.A. in Political Science from Harvard University where he graduated magna cum laude.

Frank Zhang

Co-Founder

Originally from Irvine, California, Frank Zhang is a Co-Founder of Crete Professionals Alliance. He is also co-founder of ZBS Partners, Crete United, Legacy Service Partners, Rocket Youth Brands, and Alliance Animal Health. Prior to this, Frank was an associate at Apollo where he diligenced and oversaw investments in gaming & leisure, metals & mining, security, and publishing. Prior to Apollo, Frank worked at Blackstone in their Mergers & Acquisitions group where he worked with companies in oil & gas, utilities, and chemicals. Frank received an MBA from Harvard Business School as well as a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and a B. S. in Economics (Finance) from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated summa cum laude.

Originally from Irvine, California, Frank Zhang is a Co-Founder of Crete Professionals Alliance. He is also co-founder of ZBS Partners, Crete United, Legacy Service Partners, Rocket Youth Brands, and Alliance Animal Health. Prior to this, Frank was an associate at Apollo where he diligenced and oversaw investments in gaming & leisure, metals & mining, security, and publishing. Prior to Apollo, Frank worked at Blackstone in their Mergers & Acquisitions group where he worked with companies in oil & gas, utilities, and chemicals. Frank received an MBA from Harvard Business School as well as a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and a B. S. in Economics (Finance) from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated summa cum laude.

Steve Stagner

CEO

Steve Stagner serves as the Chief Executive Officer at Crete Professionals Alliance. Steve previously served as an Operating Partner in the LightBay Capital Operating Performance Group. His experience with LightBay, since 2020, varied from Executive Chairman of Alliance Animal Health, Clarion Home Services Group, Infinity Home Services, and Foundry Brands to interim Chief Executive Officer at Clarion Home Services Group, leading all operations for the residential HVAC platform. As Executive Chairman for the various portfolio companies, he was responsible for guiding portfolio companies and their leadership teams to formalize their strategic roadmap, driving sustainable growth while optimizing the human capital team. Before joining LightBay Capital, Steve was Executive Chairman and CEO of Mattress Firm, the nation’s leading specialty retailer of mattresses that operated over 2,500 company-owned and franchised locations. During his 23-year tenure, Steve led various stages of growth, from starting with one location and building the largest franchise to leading the parent company’s expansion from ~$250m in annual revenue to over $2.5b in yearly revenue and ~$250m in EBITDA. He also led the company through two Private Equity leveraged buyouts, listed the company on NASDAQ (MFRM), and sold for ~$3.8b to an international conglomerate. Mr. Stagner sits on several operating and advisory boards while significantly contributing to various philanthropic endeavors.

Steve Stagner serves as the Chief Executive Officer at Crete Professionals Alliance. Steve previously served as an Operating Partner in the LightBay Capital Operating Performance Group. His experience with LightBay, since 2020, varied from Executive Chairman of Alliance Animal Health, Clarion Home Services Group, Infinity Home Services, and Foundry Brands to interim Chief Executive Officer at Clarion Home Services Group, leading all operations for the residential HVAC platform. As Executive Chairman for the various portfolio companies, he was responsible for guiding portfolio companies and their leadership teams to formalize their strategic roadmap, driving sustainable growth while optimizing the human capital team. Before joining LightBay Capital, Steve was Executive Chairman and CEO of Mattress Firm, the nation’s leading specialty retailer of mattresses that operated over 2,500 company-owned and franchised locations. During his 23-year tenure, Steve led various stages of growth, from starting with one location and building the largest franchise to leading the parent company’s expansion from ~$250m in annual revenue to over $2.5b in yearly revenue and ~$250m in EBITDA. He also led the company through two Private Equity leveraged buyouts, listed the company on NASDAQ (MFRM), and sold for ~$3.8b to an international conglomerate. Mr. Stagner sits on several operating and advisory boards while significantly contributing to various philanthropic endeavors.

Leslie Adler

General Counsel & Head of People

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Leslie Adler is Crete Professional Alliance’s General Counsel and Head of People. In this role, Leslie is spearheading Crete’s legal, compliance and culture driven initiatives to support Crete’s strategic goals, partner firms and people. Prior to this, Leslie was General Counsel of Marcum LLP, a top 15 accounting firm in the United States, where she advised the firm on legal matters regarding internal governance, operations, employment and personnel matters, regulatory issues and risk management. Leslie received a Juris Doctor degree from Brooklyn Law School and a B.A. in Political Science from SUNY Binghamton where she graduated summa cum laude.

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Leslie Adler is Crete Professional Alliance’s General Counsel and Head of People. In this role, Leslie is spearheading Crete’s legal, compliance and culture driven initiatives to support Crete’s strategic goals, partner firms and people. Prior to this, Leslie was General Counsel of Marcum LLP, a top 15 accounting firm in the United States, where she advised the firm on legal matters regarding internal governance, operations, employment and personnel matters, regulatory issues and risk management. Leslie received a Juris Doctor degree from Brooklyn Law School and a B.A. in Political Science from SUNY Binghamton where she graduated summa cum laude.

Josh Funk

Chief Development Officer

Josh Funk is the Chief Development Officer of Crete Professionals Alliance. He is also the Chief Financial Officer of ZBS Partners. Prior to joining Crete PA, Josh was a practicing CPA in Minnesota for 25 years. As a Partner at Ballenthin, Funk and Johnson, LLP his career evolved from audit and tax work to primarily transaction services. In the last 10 years of his public accounting career, Josh was an advisor on either the buy-side or sell-side of well over 200 transactions with total proceeds in-excess of $2 billion. Personally and professionally, Josh finds great satisfaction in excelling at everything he is involved in. From bowling, billiards, growing a CPA firm, to mentoring team members, Josh will work hard to be great and help others be great at everything they do.

Josh Funk is the Chief Development Officer of Crete Professionals Alliance. He is also the Chief Financial Officer of ZBS Partners. Prior to joining Crete PA, Josh was a practicing CPA in Minnesota for 25 years. As a Partner at Ballenthin, Funk and Johnson, LLP his career evolved from audit and tax work to primarily transaction services. In the last 10 years of his public accounting career, Josh was an advisor on either the buy-side or sell-side of well over 200 transactions with total proceeds in-excess of $2 billion. Personally and professionally, Josh finds great satisfaction in excelling at everything he is involved in. From bowling, billiards, growing a CPA firm, to mentoring team members, Josh will work hard to be great and help others be great at everything they do.

Hendre Ackermann

CFO

Hendre Ackermann joined Crete Professionals Alliance as Group CFO in July 2025, bringing more than two decades of global leadership experience across finance, M&A, strategic transformation, and operational excellence. A Chartered Accountant (SA) with an Executive MBA from London Business School, Hendre has held senior roles across industries including consumer goods, marketing & media, mining, and retail—successfully leading turnarounds, scaling businesses, and managing P&Ls ranging from $50M to multi-billion dollars. His previous roles include CEO of Foundry Brands, CFO & COO of Mattress Firm, and leadership positions at Gravity Global, BHP Billiton, and Steinhoff International. A dedicated philanthropist, Hendre is also a founding member of Napoleon '99, a charity committed to improving access to education for disadvantaged children.

Hendre Ackermann joined Crete Professionals Alliance as Group CFO in July 2025, bringing more than two decades of global leadership experience across finance, M&A, strategic transformation, and operational excellence. A Chartered Accountant (SA) with an Executive MBA from London Business School, Hendre has held senior roles across industries including consumer goods, marketing & media, mining, and retail—successfully leading turnarounds, scaling businesses, and managing P&Ls ranging from $50M to multi-billion dollars. His previous roles include CEO of Foundry Brands, CFO & COO of Mattress Firm, and leadership positions at Gravity Global, BHP Billiton, and Steinhoff International. A dedicated philanthropist, Hendre is also a founding member of Napoleon '99, a charity committed to improving access to education for disadvantaged children.

Rick Tyson

SVP of Finance & Accounting

Rick Tyson, VP of Finance & Accounting at Crete Professionals Alliance, brings extensive expertise in finance, FP&A, operations, treasury, risk management, and efficient reporting in fast-paced, acquisitive environments. Starting as a CPA at Katz, Sapper & Miller, he served diverse industries before advancing to leadership roles at Duke Realty, Beazer Homes, PGT Innovations, and Apex Service Partners.

Rick Tyson, VP of Finance & Accounting at Crete Professionals Alliance, brings extensive expertise in finance, FP&A, operations, treasury, risk management, and efficient reporting in fast-paced, acquisitive environments. Starting as a CPA at Katz, Sapper & Miller, he served diverse industries before advancing to leadership roles at Duke Realty, Beazer Homes, PGT Innovations, and Apex Service Partners.

Lisa Hillmer-Poole

SVP of Brand Strategy & Integration

As SVP of Brand and Integration at Crete Professionals Alliance, Lisa Hillmer-Poole leads the firm’s organic and inorganic growth initiatives, overseeing brand strategy, communications, marketing, and business development support throughout the M&A lifecycle. With 18 years of global marketing agency experience, she has held leadership roles spanning Client Services, Brand Strategy, Operations, and Digital Experience, guiding brands like Budweiser, Bell Helicopter, NVIDIA, and Phillips 66. Lisa has managed distributed teams across the U.S., Asia, and Europe, helped build a tech-agnostic development team in Vietnam, and led end-to-end acquisition processes—from target identification to rebrand, integration, and go-to-market execution. Known for bringing confidence, clarity, and consistency across teams, brands, and experiences, Lisa helps unify vision and drive growth across Crete’s expanding network.

As SVP of Brand and Integration at Crete Professionals Alliance, Lisa Hillmer-Poole leads the firm’s organic and inorganic growth initiatives, overseeing brand strategy, communications, marketing, and business development support throughout the M&A lifecycle. With 18 years of global marketing agency experience, she has held leadership roles spanning Client Services, Brand Strategy, Operations, and Digital Experience, guiding brands like Budweiser, Bell Helicopter, NVIDIA, and Phillips 66. Lisa has managed distributed teams across the U.S., Asia, and Europe, helped build a tech-agnostic development team in Vietnam, and led end-to-end acquisition processes—from target identification to rebrand, integration, and go-to-market execution. Known for bringing confidence, clarity, and consistency across teams, brands, and experiences, Lisa helps unify vision and drive growth across Crete’s expanding network.

Rick Paster

SVP of Enterprise Integrations & Program Management

Rick Paster is SVP of Enterprise Integrations & Program Management at Crete Professional Alliance. In this role, Rick is responsible for partnering with Crete’s Business Development team and partner firm leaders to establish and implement Crete’s mergers & acquisitions integration strategy. Rick has worked in mergers & acquisitions for the past 12 years, including stints at CBRE, Peloton & Walmart. In these roles, Rick built robust and repeatable processes for mergers & acquisitions due diligence and post-merger integration and separation. Prior to his M&A experience, Rick spent 15 years focused on digital transformation at American Express and Citibank. Rick holds a Bachelor’s degree in Speech Communications from Syracuse University.

Rick Paster is SVP of Enterprise Integrations & Program Management at Crete Professional Alliance. In this role, Rick is responsible for partnering with Crete’s Business Development team and partner firm leaders to establish and implement Crete’s mergers & acquisitions integration strategy. Rick has worked in mergers & acquisitions for the past 12 years, including stints at CBRE, Peloton & Walmart. In these roles, Rick built robust and repeatable processes for mergers & acquisitions due diligence and post-merger integration and separation. Prior to his M&A experience, Rick spent 15 years focused on digital transformation at American Express and Citibank. Rick holds a Bachelor’s degree in Speech Communications from Syracuse University.

Shrey Gupta

VP of Growth Operations

Shrey Gupta is VP of Growth Operations for Crete Professionals Alliance. Born and raised in India, Shrey now calls the greater New York City area home. In his role, Shrey is responsible for driving firm integration and value creation initiatives to accelerate the growth of Crete PA’s member firms and reinforce their operations, including development of Crete PA’s offshoring capabilities. Previously, Shrey served as a growth, operations and go-to-market leader at seed through growth stage startup businesses with operations in the United States and India. Shrey received his MBA from Columbia Business School, New York and his Bachelor of Commerce degree from the Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi.

Shrey Gupta is VP of Growth Operations for Crete Professionals Alliance. Born and raised in India, Shrey now calls the greater New York City area home. In his role, Shrey is responsible for driving firm integration and value creation initiatives to accelerate the growth of Crete PA’s member firms and reinforce their operations, including development of Crete PA’s offshoring capabilities. Previously, Shrey served as a growth, operations and go-to-market leader at seed through growth stage startup businesses with operations in the United States and India. Shrey received his MBA from Columbia Business School, New York and his Bachelor of Commerce degree from the Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi.

Kelli Houdek

Sr. Director of Human Resources

Kelli Houdek, Senior Director of Human Resources at Crete PA, excels in a myriad of environments—from startups to large-scale corporations like Omnicell. Her specialties include payroll, benefits, people strategy, and employee engagement. Certified as SHRM-CP and PHR, Kelli prioritizes advancing HR practices that align business goals with employee growth and meaningful engagement opportunities.

Kelli Houdek, Senior Director of Human Resources at Crete PA, excels in a myriad of environments—from startups to large-scale corporations like Omnicell. Her specialties include payroll, benefits, people strategy, and employee engagement. Certified as SHRM-CP and PHR, Kelli prioritizes advancing HR practices that align business goals with employee growth and meaningful engagement opportunities.

Brad Knudsen

Director of Compliance

Brad Knudsen, CPA, is the Compliance Director at Crete Professionals Alliance. With over 12 years of audit experience at a top 25 U.S. accounting firm prior to joining Crete PA, Brad brings extensive expertise to his position. He leads the Compliance team, focusing on due diligence and independence matters while supporting the quality control function at Crete PA’s member firms. Brad's analytical skills and industry insights enable him to effectively navigate complex compliance issues and support firms’ adherence to professional standards. He holds both a Master’s and a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Florida.

Brad Knudsen, CPA, is the Compliance Director at Crete Professionals Alliance. With over 12 years of audit experience at a top 25 U.S. accounting firm prior to joining Crete PA, Brad brings extensive expertise to his position. He leads the Compliance team, focusing on due diligence and independence matters while supporting the quality control function at Crete PA’s member firms. Brad's analytical skills and industry insights enable him to effectively navigate complex compliance issues and support firms’ adherence to professional standards. He holds both a Master’s and a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Florida.

Matt Domit

VP of Information Technology

Matt Domit is an accomplished Business Technology Executive with over 25 years of experience. He specializes in enterprise application integrations, transformational leadership, and M&A integrations. A certified CISSP and Data Protection Officer (DPO), he excels in managing information risk and compliance programs. Outside of work, Matt enjoys traveling, outdoor adventures, music, reading, exercise, and exploring new cuisines.

Matt Domit is an accomplished Business Technology Executive with over 25 years of experience. He specializes in enterprise application integrations, transformational leadership, and M&A integrations. A certified CISSP and Data Protection Officer (DPO), he excels in managing information risk and compliance programs. Outside of work, Matt enjoys traveling, outdoor adventures, music, reading, exercise, and exploring new cuisines.

Travis Wobbekind

Group Financial Controller

Travis Wobbekind is the Group Financial Controller for Crete Professionals Alliance. In his role, he brings extensive experience serving in financial controller and corporate accounting oversight roles. He started his career as a CPA and spent nine years as an audit professional at Deloitte & Touche, LLP. in Tampa. Travis holds a Bachelors and Masters in Accounting from the University of Florida.

Travis Wobbekind is the Group Financial Controller for Crete Professionals Alliance. In his role, he brings extensive experience serving in financial controller and corporate accounting oversight roles. He started his career as a CPA and spent nine years as an audit professional at Deloitte & Touche, LLP. in Tampa. Travis holds a Bachelors and Masters in Accounting from the University of Florida.