Team

Dana Telsey

Dana Telsey is CEO and Chief Research Officer of Telsey Advisory Group LLC, a leading research, trading, banking, and consulting brokerage firm focused on the consumer sector that she founded in 2006. With over 140 companies under coverage – encompassing apparel manufacturers, casino operators, restaurants, children’s and teen retailers, consumer electronics retailers, department stores, discounters, cosmetics, cable and satellite, entertainment, footwear, gaming technology, home furnishings retailers, office supply retailers, pet retailers, internet, lodging, luxury goods, media, off-price retailers, home improvement retailers, packaged food, specialty apparel retailers, sporting goods retailers, and supermarkets.  From 1994 to 2006, Ms. Telsey covered the retail sector at Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc., most recently as a Senior Managing Director. Prior to working at Bear Stearns, Ms. Telsey was the retail analyst at C.J. Lawrence and vice president of the Baron Asset Fund at Baron Capital, Inc.  Ms. Telsey has followed over 100 companies during her 27-year career and was, during her Bear Stearns & Co. Inc. tenure, the only U.S.-based analyst to provide complete analysis of the European luxury goods sector.

Ms. Telsey is a 13-year member of Institutional Investor magazine’s “All-America Research Team,” where she was the No. 1 specialty stores analyst for seven consecutive years through 2005. In 2009, Ms. Telsey was ranked the No. 1 specialty stores analyst and the No. 1 broadlines and department stores analyst on Institutional Investor magazine’s “All-America Independent Research Team.”

Ms. Telsey has appeared as a special guest on such programs as Wall Street Week, ABC News, NBC Evening News, The Today Show and Good Morning America and is a regular guest analyst on both CNN and CNBC.

Ms. Telsey graduated from Hobart-William Smith Colleges with a B.A. degree in History and Spanish and received her M.B.A. from Fordham University.  She holds the Series 7, 24, 63, 66, 86, and 87 Licenses.

Joseph Feldman

Joe Feldman is a managing director and the assistant director of research, as well as the senior research analyst covering the discount, grocery, and hardlines retail sectors at TAG. Joe has over 12 years of research experience. Prior to joining TAG, he worked as a global retail analyst for Wexford Capital LLC, a hedge fund based in Connecticut. He also spent two years at SG Cowen & Co. as a vice president and senior equity research analyst following hardlines retailers. Joe previously worked with Ms. Telsey at Bear Stearns as a vice president and associate analyst in equity research following hardlines retailers. He spent the first four years of his career in the retail industry at Saks Fifth Avenue, followed by positions in equity research at Lazard and in credit research at Standard & Poor’s.

Mr. Feldman is a magna cum laude graduate of Brandeis University with a B.A. in American Studies and holds an M.B.A. from New York University’s Stern School of Business. He holds the Series 7, 24, 63, 65, 86, and 87 Licenses.

Tom Chin

Tom Chin is the Managing Director of Consulting and Analytics at TAG. Tom has over 15 years of experience working with consumer companies.  Prior to Joining TAG, Tom worked in the corporate finance groups of Bear Stearns, JP Morgan and Alex. Brown.  He has executed numerous merger and acquisition and financing transactions primarily for retail, apparel, and restaurant companies.  His career also includes operational and private equity experience with Unilever, Transpac Capital and Bradford Capital Partners.

Mr. Chin earned a B.S. in Commerce from the University of Virginia and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He holds the Series 7, 24, 63, and 65 Licenses.

Kristina Westura

Kristina Westura is a Director and senior research analyst covering the apparel companies and department stores sectors at TAG.  Ms. Westura brings 10 years of experience in equity research to TAG.  Previously, she was an associate analyst at Morgan Stanley covering the hardlines sector, as well as home furnishings retailers and home improvement vendors.  Prior to Morgan Stanley, Ms. Westura worked for a venture capital firm based in Washington, D.C.

Ms. Westura graduated from Mary Washington College with a B.A. degree in French and Art History.  She holds the Series 7, 63, 66, 86, and 87 licenses.

Tom Forte

Tom Forte is a Director and senior research analyst covering the internet sector at TAG. Tom brings over nine years of research experience to the firm. Prior to joining TAG, he covered the entire retail sector at Geneva Investment Management of Chicago. Earlier in his career, Tom followed media and advertising companies at Morningstar. He also worked in sell-side research for William Blair and BMO Nesbitt Burns in Chicago.

Mr. Forte graduated from the University of Illinois with a B.A. in Economics and earned an M.P.W. from the University of Southern California. He is a Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) and holds the Series 7, 63, 65, 86 and 87 Licenses.

David Wu

David Wu is an Analyst covering the cosmetics and luxury goods sectors at TAG. David brings over three years of investment banking and retail industry experience. Prior to joining TAG, he was a brand manager at LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Earlier in his career, David worked in Jefferies & Co.’s investment banking group.

Mr. Wu graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles with a B.A. in Business Economics and received his M.B.A. from Columbia Business School with a concentration in Finance and Marketing. He holds the Series 7, 63, 65, and 87 Licenses.

Peter Saleh

Peter Saleh is an Analyst covering restaurants at TAG. Prior to joining TAG, he was a research associate at Nollenberger Capital Partners covering footwear and apparel manufacturers. Earlier in his career, Peter worked for Cohen Specialists on the American Stock Exchange as an Equity Specialist.

Mr. Saleh graduated from Rutgers University with a B.S. in Finance and received his M.B.A. from Boston University School of Management with a concentration in finance and strategy. He holds the Series 7, 63, 65, 86 and 87 Licenses.

Christopher Jones

Christopher E. Jones is a Director and the senior research analyst covering Leisure: Gaming & Lodging at TAG. Chris brings over eight years of research experience to the firm. Prior to joining TAG, he worked as a senior retail analyst covering the specialty retail sector for Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. He also spent a year at Jefferies Asset Management as a Vice President and research analyst, following the overall consumer sector. He spent the first three years of his career in the retail industry at Saks Fifth Avenue, followed by associate positions in equity research at Lehman Brothers covering Department Stores/Broadlines retailers and at Merrill Lynch, covering the Hardlines retailers.

Mr. Jones graduated from Boston University with a dual major in Accounting and Finance. He holds the Series 7, 63, 65, 86, and 87 Licenses.

Joshua Herrity

Josh Herrity is an Analyst covering Leisure: Gaming & Lodging at TAG. Josh brings over ten years of equity research and finance experience within the consumer industry to TAG. Prior to joining TAG, he was a treasury finance manager at Linens ’n Things, Inc. Josh previously worked with Ms. Telsey at Bear Stearns as a vice president in equity research following hardlines retailers. Earlier in his career, Josh worked as an investment banking analyst in the Retail and Consumer Group at Lehman Brothers.

Mr. Herrity graduated from Washington & Lee University with a B.A. in economics. He holds the Series 7, 63, 65, 86 and 87 Licenses.

John Baumgartner

John Baumgartner is an Analyst covering the Packaged Goods sector at TAG. John brings over six years of sell-side research experience to the firm. Prior to joining TAG, John was the Agriculture Strategist on Goldman Sachs’ Global Commodities Research Team. Earlier in his career, John covered the Packaged Food and Beverages equity sectors at Goldman Sachs, Wachovia and Banc of America Securities.

Mr. Baumgartner graduated from Rutgers University with a B.S. in Finance and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He holds the Series 3, 7, 63 and 87 licenses.

Jaison Blair

Jaison T. Blair is a Director and Senior Analyst covering the Media sector at TAG. Jaison brings over nine years of research experience to the firm. Prior to joining TAG, he worked as a senior analyst covering hardlines retailers and the broader consumer sector for Rochdale Securities. He also spent six years in the media industry assisting with the turn-around and preparation for sale of Creative Homeowner. He spent the first three years of his career as a research associate to Peter Marcus, the #1 ranked Institutional Investor All-Star analyst covering the domestic and international steelmakers and non-ferrous metals producers.

Mr. Blair is a CFA Charterholder, and has passed the CPA and CTP exams. He graduated from Washington University in Saint Louis with a BA in History, and earned his graduate degree in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics. He holds the Series 7, 63, 86 and 87 Licenses.