Mr. Comerford is a senior mergers and acquisitions professional, leading middle-market merger and acquisition, valuation, and private capital-raising assignments. As head of M&A for ING Capital LLC, the US arm of the Dutch financial institution ING Group NV, he leads a team which assists the bank's clients with executing US transactions. Before joining ING in 2003, he formed Elm Capital Advisors in 2002, a middle-market boutique. While at Elm Capital Advisors he successfully assisted domestic and international firms such as Wella AG, One Big Tent Financial, and MTM Maritime with the execution or evaluation of various transactions. Mr. Comerford was also affiliated with Tridens LLC, a financial advisory boutique focused on the maritime sector.

From 1998 to 2001, he was a senior member of the ING Barings US Mergers and Acquisitions team, responsible for originating and executing assignments primarily for US middle-market companies across a broad spectrum of industries. As a senior member of ING's Fairness Opinion Committee, he participated in the issue of over 15 Fairness Opinions involving both public and private companies and led the analysis on 25% of the opinions. Representative assignments included advising the Triarc Company, New York Design Center, SODIAAL SA, Getty Petroleum Marketing, and several others.

From 1992 to 1998 Mr. Comerford was a senior banker for West Merchant Bank Limited, responsible for North American origination and execution of cross-border merger and acquisition assignments, including exclusive sale mandates and buy-side assignments from firms seeking to expand in the Americas. He supported West Merchant's UK, German, and Latin American teams through active calling on US corporations and financial buyers across a broad range of industries, with a focus on paper, packaging, consumer products, industrial manufacturing, and building materials.

From 1987 to 1992 Mr. Comerford was with Citibank, NA, providing merger and acquisition advisory services and support to the bank's non-investment grade and non-related clients. Initiatives included facilitating restructurings through divestitures and identifying and implementing strategic acquisitions.

Mr. Comerford graduated in 1987 with joint MBA and JD degrees from the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business Administration and the University of Virginia School of Law. In 1981 he graduated from the University of Michigan with a BBA degree with emphasis in finance.