Prior to founding Gate One, John was a Partner at First Annapolis for 20+ years building the Card Issuing practice and establishing the firm’s leadership position in card/fintech partnerships prior to the sale to Accenture.
Over the course of his career, John has played an advisory role on many of the most transformative partnerships in North America involving private label and co-brand cards in addition to Fintech, POS financing, and debit/prepaid. With decades of experience, John has guided clients through credit cycles, market disruptions, M&A transactions, and periods of unparalleled innovation.
His clients are market leaders in their respective industries – all sectors of retail, T&E, automotive sales and service, home improvement, fintech, affinity and others. He also helps develop, launch, and grow next-generation partnerships with marketplaces, P2P leaders, emerging ecosystems, and numerous app-based businesses.
Education
- MBA, Harvard Business School
- BS, University of Maryland, Finance
Areas of Focus
- Structuring (and restructuring) partnerships between banks (and fintechs) and non-banks
- Identifying and enabling new partnership opportunities particularly in areas where the combination of unique distribution channels and powerful ecosystems/assets can unlock significant value on a sustained basis
- Developing business and product strategies in a partnership/distribution context to expand reach, reduce friction, and meet customer needs
- Supporting M&A transactions that involve partnership-based profit pools associated with the loyalty/card programs of airlines, hotels, and retailers
Interests
John and his family live in the Annapolis area and have sponsored Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy for 15+ years. John volunteers at and is an advocate for the high school he attended in Baltimore. He is a lifelong “through the cycle” fan of the Maryland Terrapins, Baltimore Orioles, and Baltimore Ravens. On a work/personal note, John enjoys having lunch with colleagues and friends where laughs can be shared over any topic of the day usually at a local restaurant/dive on his Annapolis circuit.
Specialties Include:
- PLCC/Co-Brand/Debit/BNPL Partnerships
- Point-of-Sale Financing Arrangements
- Fintech/Emerging Solutions