An advisory relationship with True North promises the following: one team focused on a deep understanding of our client’s businesses, their prospects, and strategic positioning, and continuity from one transaction to the next. One team present during all aspects of an engagement business development, preparation, approach, negotiation, announcement, stakeholder presentations, and through integration. One team making the engagement an enjoyable experience. True North is there for clients in every aspect of the M&A process before, during, and after the transaction.

Pat McDonough

Founder

Pat McDonough is a founder of True North. Pat has been an investment banker since 1987. Prior to founding True North, Pat was a Vice Chairman of Global Investment Banking and Managing Director for Bank of America Merrill Lynch for over 10 years. Prior to that, Pat spent over 18 years at Morgan Stanley, where he was elected to Managing Director in 1997 and rose to head the Global Basic Materials Group. Pat has spent most of his career working on many important and innovative transactions in the basic materials space, including the packaging, forest products, mining, building materials, chemicals and automotive industries. Pat received his MBA at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Prior to that, Pat served four years active duty and two years active reserves (while in business school) in the United States Navy serving as a gunnery officer, navigator, and admiral’s aide. Pat earned two Navy Achievement Medals. Pat received his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia where he attended on a NROTC Scholarship and is a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

He is the Chairman of Excellent Schools New Mexico, a non-profit seeking to change educational outcomes for New Mexico’s neediest children.

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Eric Sommala

Analyst

Eric is an analyst at True North after having previously worked as an intern at True North.

Additionally, Eric was recruited to work on a high-profile U.S. Senate campaign where he served as a research analyst and operations director. On the campaign, he spearheaded policy research and white papers for foreign affairs and natural resource management, in addition to managing state and national logistics for the candidate and campaign staff.

Eric graduated magna cum laude from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cell Biology and Bachelor of Science in Economics.

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Jo Riina

Executive Assistant

Jo Riina is the True North Executive Assistant to Pat McDonough. Jo is a 30-year veteran from PepsiCo, from which she recently retired in 2018. Jo spent most of her PepsiCo career within Financial Reporting where she held various positions from Controller of Fixed Assets to Control and Compliance Director of Pepsi Beverages. As the Director of Control and Compliance, Jo led a team of ten where the focus was to ensure Plant and Manufacturing Location Leaders throughout the United States were operating within company policies and in compliance with specific local and state regulations. On a personal side, Jo enjoys cooking and is active in her community, volunteering weekly at an assisted living facility engaging dementia residents in daily fun activities.

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