Kenn Moritz has significant operating experience as well as a diverse professional background in structuring, funding and executing transactions.

In addition to his general mergers and acquisitions activity at Stonewood, Kenn has helped management teams through post-acquisition transitions and assisted teams in identifying product line extensions, acquisition candidates and other strategic growth strategies.

Prior to joining Stonewood, Kenn was the owner and operator of a manufacturing company in the Pittsburgh area. Before his stint in manufacturing, Kenn practiced law with firms in New York City and Pittsburgh, with experience in structured finance, mergers and acquisitions, and venture capital.

Kenn attended Carnegie Mellon University’s business school (GSIA 1988), the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (JD 1988) and the University of Pennsylvania (BS 1984).

Kenn is on the boards of several portfolio companies, as well as the Association for Corporate Growth (Pittsburgh) and the Jewish Family and Children's Services of Pittsburgh.

John Tippins
Managing Director

John Tippins has been with Stonewood at the director level since its inception in 1993, and on a full time basis since 1998. John has served on the board of directors of dozens of Stonewood portfolio companies through the years, and has been involved in issues ranging from strategic planning, engineering and operations, to the development of management bonus programs.

Prior to his involvement with Stonewood, John was a member of the management team of Tippins Incorporated, a company that designed and built rolling mill facilities for the metals industry worldwide. During his 20 years at the company, John's role ranged from the design of various control systems to the creation of a brokerage division dedicated to the buying and selling of used steel mill equipment worldwide. John's participation in the company ended when the company was sold to management in 1998.

John currently serves as a director of the Tippins Foundation, a family philanthropic organization supporting education and research in the areas of entrepreneurship and Alzheimer’s disease. He serves as a trustee of Pittsburgh Opera, and he is a member of the Advisory Council of the Donald H. Jones Center for Entrepreneurship of Carnegie Mellon University.

John Tippins was born and raised in the Pittsburgh area. He is a graduate of Shady Side Academy ( ’78), Vanderbilt University (BE Electrical Engineering ‘82) and the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School of Business (MBA ’87).

Peter J. Muth
Vice President

Peter J. Muth has been a private equity investor for over ten years and has experience in a full range of investment opportunities, including early stage ventures and traditional LBOs. In addition to his position at Stonewood, Pete is a principal of Birchmere Capital Limited Partnership. Before joining Birchmere Capital, Pete spent seven years with PNC Bank in the Energy, Metals and Mining lending group and the Corporate Credit Policy division

Currently Pete serves as director for five Birchmere Capital portfolio companies: Miller Centrifugal Casting, Pennsylvania Brewing Company, BBR Services LP, Vertical Claims management LLC, and Rita's Water Ice. In addition, Pete serves on the Education Foundation Board of the Community College of Allegheny County.

Pete earned a B.S. in business from the University of Dayton in 1990 and his M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh's Katz Graduate School of Business.

George Knapp has been involved in private company management for 30 years. His background as a tax, finance, and merger and acquisition lawyer has served him well in his structuring of closely-held company boards and management teams. George has served on many corporate boards and acts as a close adviser and confidant to managers at several companies; he currently participates in the executive committees of four companies.

George has extensive experience in structuring and negotiating financings, strategic alliances and acquisitions, both domestically and internationally. He has negotiated over 200 transactions, representing buyers, sellers, management and investors from almost every type of industry.

George also contributes significant time to developing entrepreneurial talent through local university initiatives funded by the Tippins Foundation, which he heads.

George is a graduate of Colgate University (B.A.1969) and Harvard Law School (J.D.1972).

Contact | Private Equity Investments Brochure | Early-Stage Investments Brochure