alison wistner joins mercato's investment team

Mercato Partners expands investment team with hire of new principal, Alison Wistner.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – August 15, 2010 – With the  continued success its first growth equity fund, Mercato Partners expands its investment team through the hire of seasoned private equity professional, Alison Wistner. Alison’s background and financial expertise are complementary to the skills of the existing team and she brings a fresh perspective to Mercato's growth capital investment practice. The Mercato team has co-invested with her prior to her joining Mercato and has worked closely with her on challenging projects in the past. Alison has made immediate contributions to Mercato's current fund and will further expand the firm’s capacity as they raise successor funds.

Alison Wistner has over 15 years of experience in private equity, finance and investment banking.  Prior to joining Mercato Partners, she was a Principal at Prospector Equity Capital, L.P. (PEC), a private equity firm based in Park City, Utah.  At PEC, Alison served on the Investment Committee and worked on the investment team.  Alison served on the Board of Directors for two of PEC’s portfolio companies and as a Board observer for four portfolio companies.  She was also the CFO of portfolio company, Zane Benefits, Inc., a healthcare benefits administration technology company, for three years.  Previously, she was a Vice President at Hunter Capital, focused on middle market investment banking transactions.  Prior to joining Hunter Capital, Alison worked as a Financial Analyst for NationsBanc Montgomery Securities in mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. Alison received a B.S. in Business Finance from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

ABOUT MERCATO PARTNERS: Mercato Partners was founded by marketing and sales execution expert, Alan Hall and serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist, Greg Warnock. Mercato Partners offers the innovative fusion of growth equity investing and world-class sales and marketing execution. The fund seeks minority investments in high growth technology and consumer electronics companies nationwide. The combined competencies around venture finance and sales and marketing execution allow Mercato to provide authentic and measurable value to companies seeking growth capital.