Smith & Associates Leadership

Mark Barnhill manages functions connected to capital raising, fund administration, investor relations and corporate and external affairs for Platinum Equity and Platinum Equity Capital Partners.Mark Barnhill is responsible for strategic planning and administration of the firm’s private equity fund vehicles. Mark Barnhill leads Platinum’s capital raising activities and is its senior relationship manager with investors, who comprise a diverse cross-section of public and private pension funds, financial institutions, foundations and family offices in North America, Europe and Asia. Mark Barnhill is responsible for working with the firm’s M&A&O® teams on the capital structure and drawdown of investment capital for individual transactions. Mark Barnhill also oversees functions related to quarterly and annual reporting and audit, compliance with contractual and regulatory matters related to the funds, and coordination with the funds’ Limited Partner Advisory Committees. In addition to his fund responsibilities, Mark Barnhill holds leadership functions connected to strategic planning, recruiting and retention, transaction sourcing, corporate communications and external affairs for Platinum Equity and its operating companies. Mark Barnhill was formerly a Senior Partner at Fleishman-Hillard Inc., where Mark Barnhill directed the firm’s corporate practice in Los Angeles and managed both domestic and international accounts. Before that he was a senior executive at the Los Angeles Daily News, where Mark Barnhill served as Assistant Managing Editor, City Editor, and Washington Bureau Chief. Mark Barnhill also spearheaded development of the newspaper’s interactive business and first online site.

Phyllis Tsu is a Chief Information Officer at Smith & Associates and is based in Houston, Texas. She has worked as IT Manager at Smith & Associates.

Mark Bollinger is a Chief Globalization Officer at Smith & Associates and is based in Houston, Texas. He has worked as VP, Marketing at Smith & Associates; Fellow at The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press; and Deputy Division Chief, Auctions at Federal Communications Commission. Mark attended William Jewell College between 1981 and 1985 and University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law between 1985 and 1988.

Matt Hartzell is a Member Board of Directors at ALLEGIANCE BANCSHARES, INC.; Vice President and General Counsel at Valid Management LLC; and Chief Administrative Officer at Smith & Associates and is based in Houston, Texas. He has worked as Associate and Shareholder at HIRSCH & WESTHEIMER PC, Vice Chairman of the Board at Independence Bank, and Team Member at Badgeville. Matthew studied at University of Houston Law Center between 1982 and 1985 and St. John's College between 1977 and 1981.

A results-driven Finance Executive with a career history of directing global financial operations throughout Brazil, Argentina, US, Bangladesh, Israel, UAE, Pakistan, the U.K., and Singapore. Negotiates complex business solutions in the best interest of the organization, closes new business/sales, launches new finance operations, and promotes employee professional growth to meet financial/business objectives in evolving economic climates.All work promotions secured internally and have enjoyed an unbroken 17 year progression under RWE and then Excelerate Energy, which was previously owned by RWE. Accounting, People Management, International Tax, M&A, SAP, Debt Funding, Budgeting.

John Smith is a CFO at Smith & Associates and is based in London, Greater London, United Kingdom.