Proven Leadership Team

Mr. Griffin founded MGG Investment Group and is the Managing Partner, CEO, and CIO of the firm. In this capacity, Mr. Griffin is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the firm, including the investment process from origination through portfolio monitoring as well as the strategic vision for the firm.

Mr. Griffin has experience in every industry and has been investing across the capital structure for multiple decades and through several financial cycles at all times with a focus on premium risk adjusted returns. Post investment, he remains active on numerous boards of directors, currently including KL Discovery, (NYSE: KLDI), XL Fleet (NYSE: XL), Tastes on the Fly, and Gencanna Acquisition Corp.

Prior to launching MGG, Mr. Griffin was a Managing Director with Highbridge Principal Strategies (now HPS Partners), where he was a senior member of the Specialty Lending Platform and a Member of the Highbridge Credit Committee. In addition, Mr. Griffin was part of Fortress Investment Group in charge of originating and underwriting investment opportunities for the Drawbridge Special Opportunities Fund. His experience also includes the Head of Private Investing for Octavian Funds, American Capital (one of the first publicly traded BDC’s), and at Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin’s Investment Banking Division.

The M&A Advisor in May 2015 named Mr. Griffin a winner of its 40 Under 40 Emerging Leaders Award. The Hedge Fund Journal, in association with Ernst & Young, in December 2016 named Mr. Griffin one of 50 “Tomorrow’s Titans.”

Mr. Griffin earned his BSBA in Finance from Georgetown University.

Mr. Racz is President and a co-founder of MGG Investment Group. In his capacity, he oversees the firm’s operations and Investor Relations.

Prior to joining MGG, Mr. Racz was President, Principal, and Chief Legal Officer of Hutchin Hill, a multi-billion multi-strategy hedge fund. Prior to joining Hutchin Hill, Mr. Racz co-founded Octavian Advisors, LP, a $1.4 billion multi-strategy investment fund, and served as President, Chief Operating Officer, and general counsel (2006-2009). Previously, Mr. Racz was a member of the corporate department of the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (1999-2006). There he advised on corporate, securities, and compliance matters for Fortune 500 businesses, investment firms, and institutional and high net worth clients, including ConocoPhillips, General Mills, Walt Disney Company, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Fox Paine, Warburg Pincus, a Washington State Investment Board affiliate, and owners of the New Jersey Devils. Mr. Racz was also a journalist at The Wall Street Journal and The Buffalo News (1993-1995), and worked at the Manhattan D.A.’s Office (1991-1993).

Previously, Mr. Racz was clerk on the D.C. Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Board of Trustees & Investment Committee of the NYU School of Law Foundation, and was a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is a member of the P&I Research Advisory Panel. He was named a “2011 Rising Star of Hedge Funds” by Institutional Investor.

Mr. Racz received his JD, Order of the Coif, magna cum laude, from NYU School of Law and his BA, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Dartmouth College. Mr. Racz also studied at Oxford University and Leningrad State University.

Mr. Tayeb is the Chief Financial Officer at MGG Investment Group. In this capacity, he oversees all aspects of the financial operations of the firm.

Prior to joining MGG, Mr. Tayeb was a Principal and Controller at Apollo Investment Corporation, a publicly traded Business Development Company. At Apollo, he led day-to-day operations of finance and accounting, including supervision of middle office services and tax matters. Mr. Tayeb was also responsible for monthly and quarterly NAV and SEC filings, daily treasury operations (including managing a $1+ billion revolving multi-currency credit facility) and led quarterly investment valuations, annual budgeting, internal controls assessment, and reporting. Previously, he served as Director of Accounting for four years at Avenue Capital Group, a $12+ billion credit-focused asset manager with hedge, private equity, and real estate funds. There he was responsible for quarterly and annual financial statements, monthly valuations, reporting, and internal controls assessment, for various hybrid private equity/credit hedge funds and various management/corporate entities. Mr. Tayeb was also responsible for the accounting and financial reporting of three CLOs with more than $1 billion in assets under management. He also spent a decade at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in New York, the U.K., and Asia, and KPMG LLP in Singapore.

Mr. Tayeb is a CPA licensed in New York, and a Chartered Accountant, and holds an MBA and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Karachi, having obtained a 1st position in citywide uniform exams.

Mr. Ma oversees the sourcing and originations effort of the firm. He is also responsible for underwriting and managing investments across the MGG platform.

Mr. Ma has over 15 years of experience investing in the middle market. Prior to joining MGG, he worked at TPG Special Situations Partners LP, a specialty finance firm (with approximately $6 billion in assets under management), sourcing and evaluating credit opportunities from both a primary and secondary perspective, including distressed, recapitalizations, rescue financings, and other turnaround solutions. Previously, he worked at Oaktree Capital Management, one of the leading credit firms in the U.S. (with approximately $90 billion in assets under management). He also worked as an Analyst at JPMorgan Securities, Inc. in the Syndicated and Leveraged Finance/Financial Sponsors Group.

Mr. Ma received his BA in Business Administration with a formal concentration in Finance from the University of Washington, Foster School of Business.

Ms. Cheng runs the firm’s Western Region and is responsible for originating, underwriting and managing investments across the MGG platform. She is also a member of the MGG ESG Committee. Her move to MGG was highlighted in the Summer 2022 edition of Middle Market DealMaker Magazine.

Prior to joining MGG, Ms. Cheng was Managing Director, Western Region Investments with direct lending fund Brightwood Capital Advisors, LLC. Ms. Cheng was formerly regional head of the greater Los Angeles Investment Team for Prudential Private Capital, where she spent 15 years sourcing, executing and managing a portfolio of private placement senior debt, mezzanine debt and minority equity investments in middle-market companies across a range of industries. She previously held positions at investment bank CIBC World Markets, and at First Interstate Bank.  

Ms. Cheng received her BA, cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of California, Riverside and her MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Viravyne Chhim is Deputy General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at MGG Investment Group.

Prior to joining MGG, Ms. Chhim was Chief Compliance Officer and Managing Director at Varagon Capital Partners, L.P., an asset manager focused on direct lending to middle market companies. Previously, she worked as a Senior Vice President on the legal and compliance team within the credit businesses of The Blackstone Group Inc., the world’s largest alternative asset manager. Prior to that, she worked in similar capacities at First Pacific Advisors, LLC, a Los Angeles-based institutional money management firm, MatlinPatterson Global Advisers, LLC, a distressed and performing credit asset manager, and GSO Capital Partners LP, the credit business of The Blackstone Group Inc. Ms. Chhim began her legal career at Latham & Watkins LLP, in the banking and structured finance practice groups, which included a secondment with the Credit Investments Group of Credit Suisse Group AG.

Ms. Chhim received her JD/LLM in International and Comparative Law from Cornell Law School and her BA in Political Science and Rhetoric from the University of California, Berkeley.

Mr. Cohen runs the firm’s Chicago office and is responsible for originating, underwriting and managing investments across the MGG platform.

Over the course of his career he has led numerous teams in executing transactions for private equity, large corporate, turnaround, and distressed companies. Prior to joining MGG, Mr. Cohen was a Managing Director at Wells Fargo Capital Finance, where he managed a team of 13 professionals for the loan originations platform covering many different industry sectors across the central and south central U.S. His team covered private equity and privately held companies executing senior and unitranche credit opportunities generating over $30 billion in commitments during his 15 year tenure. Mr. Cohen was formerly a partner with Monroe Capital, successor fund to Hilco Capital, where he was responsible for deal sourcing, investment structuring, underwriting, and execution of fund investments. He also served as the Midwest Regional Underwriting Manager of FlNOVA Capital Corporation, and as CFO/consultant for two private companies. 

Mr. Cohen received his BBA from the University of Iowa and his MBA from Loyola University. He spent 10 years as a board member of the Kohl Children’s Museum. 

Mr. Flynn is Head of Portfolio Monitoring and oversees the entire firm’s portfolio. He is also a member of the MGG Investment Committee.

Mr. Flynn brings more than two decades of private capital experience. Prior to joining MGG, Mr. Flynn was a Managing Director at Carl Marks Advisors, where he originated and executed restructuring and financial advisory assignments for the fourth-generation merchant bank. Previously, he was a Managing Director and Credit Committee Member at LStar Capital, the credit affiliate of Lone Star Funds. Prior to that Mr. Flynn served as a Managing Director at CIT Group, where he was one of three principals selected to build a centralized workout group, which managed $5 billion, and played a key role in CIT’s navigation of the financial crisis. He started his career at GE Capital, where he rose from Analyst to Managing Director, and was one of two senior portfolio managers in the Distressed Debt Investing Group.

Mr. Flynn received his BS from the University of Connecticut and his MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Mr. Joella is responsible for originating, underwriting and managing investments across the MGG platform.

Prior to joining MGG, Mr. Joella worked in the Private Debt Group of AEA Investors where he helped manage approximately $2 billion in assets across senior secured term loans and mezzanine debt strategies. Mr. Joella began his career at Deutsche Bank Securities, where he was a member of the Media & Telecom Investment Banking group advising clients on M&A and capital raising transactions.

Mr. Joella received his BS in Economics, cum laude, from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Leger is responsible for managing all of MGG’s sales and marketing related efforts.

Prior to joining MGG, Mr. Leger was Head of Strategic Planning and Client Services at Akre Capital Management in Virginia where he helped grow the then 24 year old firm’s private partnership and mutual fund assets from $2 billion in 2013 to approximately $14 billion in 2019. Previously, he worked as Managing Director, Head of Marketing at Geosphere Capital, a $1.4 billion hedge fund based in New York City. Prior to that, he worked in a similar capacity at Steel Partners, a $5 billion global activist manager. Mr. Leger began his career in asset management at BRI Partners, a venture capital firm and joint venture with Mesirow Financial, that seeded hedge funds, helping grow their collective assets to in excess of $5 billion.

Mr. Leger received his doctorate in political philosophy and international relations from The University of Notre Dame in Indiana and his BA from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.

Mr. Seville runs the firm’s Dallas office and is responsible for originating, underwriting and managing investments across the MGG platform.

Prior to joining MGG, he worked as a Director at Hudson Advisors, an Investment Advisor to Lone Star Funds, where he played a role in building its direct lending credit affiliate, LStar Capital. At LStar, Mr. Seville led credit investments across the capital structure and was responsible for all aspects of the transaction process including sourcing, underwriting, due diligence and post-close investment management. Previously, he was an Associate at ORIX Corporate Capital focused on investment opportunities across the credit spectrum. 

Mr. Seville received his BBA in Finance from Southern Methodist University and is a CFA Charterholder.

Mr. Stohr is a member of the MGG Investment Committee and is responsible for initiating, underwriting and managing investments across the MGG platform in both performing and opportunistic situations, in the middle market and broadly syndicated loans.

Prior to joining MGG, Mr. Stohr was a Portfolio Manager at Ellington Management, where he helped manage a $2 billion corporate credit platform. While there, he constructed, sourced and implemented a ‘value-oriented’ CLO strategy, originating four CLO vehicles. Prior to Ellington, Mr. Stohr was Head of the US Special Situations Group at RBS Securities, Inc., where he managed a $600mm portfolio and oversaw a team of 11 analysts and traders. Additionally, he held senior roles at Angelo, Gordon & Co, and GoldenTree Asset Management, where he focused on special situation credit opportunities.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Stohr was as a Principal at American Capital, leading equity and subordinated debt investments in middle market companies, and was an investor at Trivest Partners, a Miami-based private equity firm.

Mr. Stohr received his MBA in Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and his BS in Finance from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

Mr. Krumholz is a Senior Vice President at MGG Investment Group. In his capacity, Mr. Krumholz is responsible for evaluating and underwriting investments at the firm.

Prior to joining MGG, he was Vice President with CION Investment Corporation, a business development company with approximately $2 billion in assets under management. Previously, Mr. Krumholz was Senior Associate with KPMG, where he was on the M&A advisory team. He began his career at PwC, providing assurance services to alternative asset managers.

Mr. Krumholz received his B.S.M. in Finance and Master of Accounting from Tulane University. Jordan holds a CPA license in the state of New York.

Mr. Amaral is a Vice President at MGG Investment Group. In his capacity, Mr. Amaral is responsible for evaluating and underwriting investments at the firm.

Prior to joining MGG, he was a Vice President with City National Bank, an RBC company, as an investment professional within their Food and Beverage specialty banking group. Previously, Mr. Amaral was an Associate with Medley Management, a business development company with approximately $3 billion in assets under management, and was an Analyst with GE Antares, where he was an investment professional within the Sponsor Finance Group. He began his career at PwC, where he was on the Transaction Services advisory team.

Mr. Amaral received his B.S. in Finance from The Pennsylvania State University.

Mr. Estevez is a Vice President at MGG Investment Group. In his capacity, Mr. Estevez is responsible for evaluating and underwriting investments at the firm.

Prior to joining MGG, he worked on the Principal Investing team at Barclays, where he focused on investing in special situation credit opportunities. Mr. Estevez began his career as a Research Analyst at Goldman Sachs, where he was a member of the High Yield Research team focused on evaluating high yield, stressed and distressed credits in the Telecom, Media, Cable & Satellite space.

Mr. Estevez received his BS in Finance from The Pennsylvania State University.

Mr. Gern is a Vice President at MGG Investment Group and is focused on the firm’s portfolio.

Prior to joining MGG, he was a Vice President at Gordian Group, an investment bank specializing in distressed and complex situations. Previously, Mr. Gern was an Analyst with Zolfo Cooper, focused on financial advisory and interim management. He began his career in the restructuring practice at Weil, Gotshal & Manges.

Mr. Gern received his B.A. from Franklin & Marshal College.

Mr. Jefferson is a Vice President at MGG Investment Group. In his capacity, Mr. Jefferson is responsible for evaluating and underwriting investments at the firm.

Prior to joining MGG, Mr. Jefferson worked as an Associate at Medley Management, a credit focused asset manager with approximately $3 billion in assets under management. He began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Gaming group at Wells Fargo Securities.

Mr. Jefferson received his B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Southern California, where he graduated cum laude.

Mr. Ryden is a Vice President at MGG Investment Group. In his capacity, Mr. Ryden is responsible for evaluating and underwriting investments at the firm.

Mr. Ryden has over 10 years of experience lending in the middle market. Prior to joining MGG, he was a Managing Director at CIBC BANK USA, where he led the execution of middle market transactions ranging from $5 million to +$1.0 billion of debt financing from deal sourcing, structuring, underwriting, and execution. At CIBC, he worked with private equity firms and privately held businesses executing senior opportunities including leveraged finance, asset-based lending, recapitalizations, and corporate M&A.

Mr. Ryden received his BS in Finance from Indiana University and his MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Mr. Stauffer is a Vice President at MGG Investment Group. In his capacity, Mr. Stauffer is responsible for evaluating and underwriting investments at the firm.

Prior to joining MGG, he was Vice President with Medley Management, a business development company with approximately $3 billion in assets under management. Previously, Mr. Stauffer was Associate with BMO Harris, where he was an investment professional in the Sponsor Finance group. He began his career at Lincoln International, providing private investment valuations to alternative asset managers.

Mr. Stauffer received his B.S. in Accounting from Indiana University.

Mr. Swami is a Senior Associate at MGG Investment Group. In his capacity, Mr. Swami is responsible for evaluating and underwriting investments at the firm.

Prior to joining MGG, he was an Investment Banking Analyst at J.P. Morgan in its leveraged finance group.

Mr. Swami received his BS from the New York University’s Stern School of Business, magna cum laude.

Ms. Baba is an Associate at MGG Investment Group. In her capacity, Ms. Baba is responsible for evaluating and underwriting investments at the firm.

Prior to joining MGG, she was an Associate at CPP Investments, where she worked as an investment professional within their Latin America group. She began her career at Goldman Sachs, where she was on the Investment Banking team. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, she was a Summer Analyst at Lazard and J.P. Morgan.

Ms. Baba received her B.S. in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University, where she graduated with honors.

Mr. Bubrosky is an Associate at MGG Investment Group. In his capacity, Mr. Bubrosky is responsible for evaluating and underwriting investments at the firm.

Prior to joining MGG, he worked as a Private Equity Summer Analyst for the Healthcare team at Barings LLC. Previously, Mr. Bubrosky was a Summer Analyst for Verition Fund Management, a multi-strategy hedge fund platform.

Mr. Bubrosky received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia where he captained the varsity squash team.

Mr. Lubeck is an Associate at MGG Investment Group. In his capacity, Mr. Lubeck is responsible for evaluating and underwriting investments at the firm.

Prior to joining MGG, he worked as an Investment Banking Analyst at Deutsche Bank in both the Leveraged Finance and Financial Sponsors groups. Mr. Lubeck received his BBA in Finance, and a Certificate in Chinese Professional Communication from The University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Mr. Nelson is an Associate at MGG Investment Group. In his capacity, Mr. Nelson is responsible for evaluating and underwriting investments at the firm.

Prior to joining MGG, he was a Research Associate at Goldman Sachs, where he was a member of the Equity Research team focused on the gaming, lodging, and leisure sector. He began his career as an Air Force Officer working as a satellite launch operator under Air Force Space Command.

Mr. Nelson received his MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School and his BS in Business Management from the United States Air Force Academy.

Ms. Lewis is an Analyst at MGG Investment Group. In her capacity, Ms. Lewis is responsible for evaluating and underwriting investments at the firm.

Prior to joining MGG, she was a Summer Intern Analyst at Cyprium Investment Partners LLC.

Ms. Lewis received her B.S. in Business Administration from Bucknell University, College of Management.

Ms. Caruso is an operating partner of the firm, overseeing a variety of opportunities across the MGG platform.

Prior to working with MGG, Ms. Caruso served as a senior partner and portfolio manager at New Providence Asset Management, an outsourced investment office managing discretionary portfolios for foundations, endowments and family office clients, while also leading the firm’s venture capital and private equity investment practice.

Previously, she served as the Chief Investment Officer of The Dyson Foundation where she was responsible for establishing both the structure as well as the strategy for this investment office along with its implementation. She began her career at Shearson Lehman Brothers as an analyst in the Corporate Finance department. Ms. Caruso then worked at The Dyson–Kissner–Moran Corporation, a middle–market private equity firm where she participated in all facets of corporate buyouts while also serving on the Board of Directors for portfolio companies and serving as interim President of a global portfolio company, initiating and leading its operational turnaround. Portfolio company oversight responsibilities included approving corporate strategy and senior personnel as well as conducting annual operating reviews, identifying and monitoring key performance metrics and structuring executive management compensation packages.

Ms. Caruso currently serves as the Managing Partner of Arroyo Partners LLC, an advisory firm, and as an Independent Director for Tweedy, Browne Fund Inc. She also serves on the Investment Committee of The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and the Finance and Investment Committee for the endowment of The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, a children’s charity.

Ms. Caruso earned her MBA from Harvard University and her BS from Brown University in Applied Mathematics and Economics, magna cum laude.

Mr. Haga is an operating partner of the firm, overseeing a variety of opportunities across the MGG platform.

Mr. Haga has over 31 years of experience across a wide range of private debt and equity investing as well as experience in operating financial institutions. Mr. Haga was formerly Partner, Portfolio Manager and Investment Committee Member at Carlson Capital, where he also co-founded and was Chairman of an insurance platform at Lloyd’s of London. Prior to Carlson, Mr. Haga was an investment banker and principal investor at Lehman Brothers (London), Stephens, Inc., RBC Financial, and Alex. Brown & Sons.

Mr. Haga is a graduate of the University of North Carolina and holds an MBA from the Darden School at the University of Virginia.

Mr. Tanner is a deal consultant of the firm, overseeing a variety of opportunities across the MGG platform.

Prior to MGG, he spent roughly a decade with Cerberus Business Finance and D. E. Shaw Direct Capital – during that time he was responsible for all aspects of the transaction process including origination, due diligence, legal documentation and post-investment portfolio management. Mr. Tanner began his career in San Francisco at UBS Investment Bank where he worked with their Leveraged Finance, Restructuring, and Financial Sponsors Group; he also worked at Sorenson Capital. 

Mr. Tanner enjoys spending time with his family, volunteering in his church, and playing soccer, tennis and squash. He received his BA in Classical Studies from Stanford University. 

Mr. Whitcomb is an operating partner of the firm, overseeing a variety of opportunities across the MGG platform.

He has over 20 years’ experience in middle market direct lending and leveraged finance. Mr. Whitcomb joined us from TCW Direct Lending (formerly Regiment Capital’s direct lending arm) where from 2005 to 2015, He was a Managing Director responsible for the origination, structuring, and monitoring of portfolio investments.  Mr. Whitcomb began his career in 1994 at Bankers Trust in the Leveraged Finance Group, and worked at both BankBoston and UBS in Leveraged Finance prior to joining Regiment Capital. 

Mr. Whitcomb is a graduate of Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont, where he graduated cum laude with majors in International Economics and Spanish.