Kelly A. Romano
Principal Occupation and Business Experience
Ms. Romano is the Chief Executive Officer of BlueRipple Capital, LLC, a consultancy firm she founded in May 2018 that is focused on strategy, acquisitions, deal structure, and channel development for high technology companies. She also currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Athira Pharma (NASDAQ GS: ATHA), a role she has held since 2020 and has served as Chair since 2021. She also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Dorman Products, Inc. (NASDAQ: DORM), a role she has held since 2017. In addition, she has been an executive advisory board member of Gryphon Investors (“Gryphon”), a private equity firm focused on middle-market investment opportunities, since December 2016, and is Co-Chair of the Board of Potter Electric, one of Gryphon’s portfolio companies in the life safety industry. Ms. Romano served as a senior advisory partner for Sand Oak Capital Partners, LLC, a private equity firm focused on industrial and manufacturing investments, from 2016 to 2019. From 1984 to April 2016, Ms. Romano served in various capacities at United Technologies Corporation (“UTC”), a New York Stock Exchange listed company that provided high technology products and services to the building and aerospace industries, which merged with Raytheon Company in 2020. From September 2014 to April 2016, Ms. Romano served as President, Intelligent Building Technologies for the UTC Building & Industrial Systems business. Previously, she held other executive level positions within UTC including President, Global Security Products, President, Building Systems and Services and President, Distribution Americas.
Key Skills and Qualifications
Ms. Romano’s qualifications to serve as a director include her extensive global senior management experience at United Technologies Corporation and her operational, technology, sales, marketing, distribution, strategic planning and leadership, business development, corporate governance, and executive compensation knowledge and expertise.