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About Us

Next Sparc is a Cleveland-based, professional family office that makes direct investments in rapidly growing founder-led and family owned businesses. We leverage our entrepreneurial experience, operational expertise, insights from 100+ transactions since 2009, and a repeatable playbook to grow and scale companies.

We are guided by a unique investment philosophy: To build exceptional businesses and teams for the long term, and accelerate lasting, sustainable growth, rather than focusing on short-term exit strategies.

Our goal is to build partnerships with like-minded individuals who are ready to experience how our value-added expertise and proven best practices can be the indelible Sparc that takes their business to the next level.

The Team

Len Pagon Jr.

Len Pagon is Chairman and CEO of Next Sparc, which he founded in 2009 after the scale of his firm, Brulant.  At Next Sparc, Len focuses on analyzing investment opportunities, and advising our portfolio companies.  Len was the former Vice Chairman of Rosetta and the former Chairman, CEO and founder of Brulant.  Under Len’s leadership, Brulant became the third largest, privately-held interactive agency in the country in 2008. In July 2008, he sold Brulant to Rosetta, which was backed by private-equity firm Lindsay Goldberg. Brulant was a professional services firm that provided end-to-end services to their clients to help them build, operate and optimize their online presence.

Len is currently on the boards of Flexjet, GenomOncology, Hoodmart, Terrapin Ridge Farms, and Tuvoli. He is also actively involved in the Cleveland Chapter of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and is currently an executive committee member.  Len has received various awards and earned significant recognition as an entrepreneur and high-growth business leader. Len was named the 2007 Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, to the Crain’s Cleveland Business annual “Who’s Who in Technology” and “40 under 40” lists, and Brulant was a three-time Inc. 500 winner.

Len has his B.S. from Case Western Reserve University.  Len and his wife, Kata, and their three sons reside in Novelty, Ohio. Len enjoys any competitive or outdoor activities including traveling, golf, soccer, fishing, hiking, skiing, cycling and running.

Miles Molyneaux

Miles is CFO of Next Sparc and interim CFO of Robots & Pencils, one of Next Sparc’s portfolio companies.  At Next Sparc, Miles focuses on transaction execution, as well as providing operating support to each portfolio company’s finance function.  Prior to joining Next Sparc, Miles was VP of Finance at Hilite International, a global Tier 1 automotive supplier based in Germany. Miles spent the most formative years of his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Transaction Services group, where he ultimately achieved the level of Director, providing both buy-side and sell-side diligence and consulting services to corporate and private equity clients in the US, South America, Europe and Asia. Miles has also worked at a regional turnaround consulting firm, as well as a federal bank in West Palm Beach.

Miles holds a BS in Accounting and MBA in Finance from Case Western Reserve University. He is a Certified Public Accountant (Ohio – inactive), Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor and Certified Turnaround Professional. In his free time, Miles enjoys boating, baseball and spending time with his three daughters.

Nathan Carmon

Nathan Carmon is an Operating Partner at Next Sparc, where he utilizes Next Sparc’s playbook to accelerate growth and implement best practices at our portfolio companies.  Nathan started his career with Procter & Gamble.  Following Procter & Gamble, Nathan served as Vice President and the Cleveland Office Leader of Ernst & Young LLC and later Cap Gemini Ernst & Young. While with E&Y/CGE&Y, he was responsible for business development and client service delivery to Fortune 500 clients. In 2004, Nathan Joined Brulant as Partner and Senior Vice President, where he led the financial services vertical, growing the Vertical at a 58% CAGR and increasing FS revenue from 18% to 30% of agency revenue.  Nathan stayed with the merged Brulant/Rosetta organization through 2011. Upon leaving Rosetta in 2011, Nathan joined forces with Len and Next Sparc.

Nathan holds a BSCS and MBA from The University of Michigan – Ann Arbor.  He holds a commercial pilot’s license, a flight instructor certificate, a WUCA cycling age group world record, and is an American Power Boating Association National Champion.  He enjoys riding his bike and spending time with his life partner Tammy and his daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons.

James Carey

James Carey is a Partner at Next Sparc Growth Partners and leads the Business Development efforts at the firm. Before joining Next Sparc, James was a Vice President and the Head of Business Development at Peterson Partners, a diversified private investment firm focused on growth equity and venture capital investments. Prior to joining Peterson Partners, James was a Director at H.I.G. Capital, a leading global private equity investment firm with over $40 billion of equity capital under management. James sat across the entire family of funds at H.I.G. Capital throughout his tenure at the firm. Before working with H.I.G. Capital, James was an Associate at New River Capital Partners, an affiliate of Huizenga Holdings, where he was responsible for Corporate Development.

James received a B.S. in Business Administration from The University of Vermont. He has lived in South Florida for over 15 years and enjoys traveling, snowboarding, golf, lacrosse, spearfishing, and boating.

Andrew McKenna

Andrew Mckenna is an Associate at Next Sparc, where he is responsible for evaluating investment opportunities and working with portfolio companies. Prior to joining Next Sparc, Andrew worked on the investment team at Graham Holdings, the investment vehicle of the Graham family. At Graham Holdings, Andrew focused on sourcing investment opportunities, investment analysis, transaction execution, and financial reporting. Andrew graduated from Georgetown University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Additionally, Andrew is an Eagle Scout. Andrew lives in the Tremont neighborhood in Cleveland, and enjoys spending his free time with his dog, trying new restaurants, and exploring the outdoors.

Adam Pagon

Adam Pagon is an Associate at Next Sparc and is responsible for supporting business development and portfolio companies. He began his career in residential and commercial real estate, buying and selling single-family homes, operating rental property, and actively managing over a dozen transactions.

Adam holds an MBA with honors from Case Western Reserve University and a BS in Business Management from Miami University Farmer School of Business. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis and spending time with family.

About Us

Next Sparc is a Cleveland-based, professional family office that makes direct investments in rapidly growing founder-led and family owned businesses. We leverage our entrepreneurial experience, operational expertise, insights from 100+ transactions since 2009, and a repeatable playbook to grow and scale companies.

We are guided by a unique investment philosophy: To build exceptional businesses and teams for the long term, and accelerate lasting, sustainable growth, rather than focusing on short-term exit strategies.

Our goal is to build partnerships with like-minded individuals who are ready to experience how our value-added expertise and proven best practices can be the indelible Sparc that takes their business to the next level.

What Matters Most to Us

Our business is guided by 4 core principles – these are built into everything we do, every decision we make, and every partnership we form

  • Building exceptional
    businesses
  • Working with
    passionate talent
  • Having fun along
    the way
  • Making a
    difference

Len Pagon Jr.

Len Pagon is Chairman and CEO of Next Sparc, which he founded in 2009 after the scale of his firm, Brulant.  At Next Sparc, Len focuses on analyzing investment opportunities, and advising our portfolio companies.  Len was the former Vice Chairman of Rosetta and the former Chairman, CEO and founder of Brulant.  Under Len’s leadership, Brulant became the third largest, privately-held interactive agency in the country in 2008. In July 2008, he sold Brulant to Rosetta, which was backed by private-equity firm Lindsay Goldberg. Brulant was a professional services firm that provided end-to-end services to their clients to help them build, operate and optimize their online presence.

Len is currently on the boards of Flexjet, GenomOncology, Hoodmart, Terrapin Ridge Farms, and Tuvoli. He is also actively involved in the Cleveland Chapter of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and is currently an executive committee member.  Len has received various awards and earned significant recognition as an entrepreneur and high-growth business leader. Len was named the 2007 Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, to the Crain’s Cleveland Business annual “Who’s Who in Technology” and “40 under 40” lists, and Brulant was a three-time Inc. 500 winner.

Len has his B.S. from Case Western Reserve University.  Len and his wife, Kata, and their three sons reside in Novelty, Ohio. Len enjoys any competitive or outdoor activities including traveling, golf, soccer, fishing, hiking, skiing, cycling and running.

Miles Molyneaux

Miles is CFO of Next Sparc and interim CFO of Robots & Pencils, one of Next Sparc’s portfolio companies.  At Next Sparc, Miles focuses on transaction execution, as well as providing operating support to each portfolio company’s finance function.  Prior to joining Next Sparc, Miles was VP of Finance at Hilite International, a global Tier 1 automotive supplier based in Germany. Miles spent the most formative years of his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Transaction Services group, where he ultimately achieved the level of Director, providing both buy-side and sell-side diligence and consulting services to corporate and private equity clients in the US, South America, Europe and Asia. Miles has also worked at a regional turnaround consulting firm, as well as a federal bank in West Palm Beach.

Miles holds a BS in Accounting and MBA in Finance from Case Western Reserve University. He is a Certified Public Accountant (Ohio – inactive), Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor and Certified Turnaround Professional. In his free time, Miles enjoys boating, baseball and spending time with his three daughters.

Nathan Carmon

Nathan Carmon is an Operating Partner at Next Sparc, where he utilizes Next Sparc’s playbook to accelerate growth and implement best practices at our portfolio companies.  Nathan started his career with Procter & Gamble.  Following Procter & Gamble, Nathan served as Vice President and the Cleveland Office Leader of Ernst & Young LLC and later Cap Gemini Ernst & Young. While with E&Y/CGE&Y, he was responsible for business development and client service delivery to Fortune 500 clients. In 2004, Nathan Joined Brulant as Partner and Senior Vice President, where he led the financial services vertical, growing the Vertical at a 58% CAGR and increasing FS revenue from 18% to 30% of agency revenue.  Nathan stayed with the merged Brulant/Rosetta organization through 2011. Upon leaving Rosetta in 2011, Nathan joined forces with Len and Next Sparc.

Nathan holds a BSCS and MBA from The University of Michigan – Ann Arbor.  He holds a commercial pilot’s license, a flight instructor certificate, a WUCA cycling age group world record, and is an American Power Boating Association National Champion.  He enjoys riding his bike and spending time with his life partner Tammy and his daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons.

James Carey

James Carey is a Partner at Next Sparc Growth Partners and leads the Business Development efforts at the firm. Before joining Next Sparc, James was a Vice President and the Head of Business Development at Peterson Partners, a diversified private investment firm focused on growth equity and venture capital investments. Prior to joining Peterson Partners, James was a Director at H.I.G. Capital, a leading global private equity investment firm with over $40 billion of equity capital under management. James sat across the entire family of funds at H.I.G. Capital throughout his tenure at the firm. Before working with H.I.G. Capital, James was an Associate at New River Capital Partners, an affiliate of Huizenga Holdings, where he was responsible for Corporate Development.

James received a B.S. in Business Administration from The University of Vermont. He has lived in South Florida for over 15 years and enjoys traveling, snowboarding, golf, lacrosse, spearfishing, and boating.

Andrew McKenna

Andrew Mckenna is an Associate at Next Sparc, where he is responsible for evaluating investment opportunities and working with portfolio companies. Prior to joining Next Sparc, Andrew worked on the investment team at Graham Holdings, the investment vehicle of the Graham family. At Graham Holdings, Andrew focused on sourcing investment opportunities, investment analysis, transaction execution, and financial reporting. Andrew graduated from Georgetown University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Additionally, Andrew is an Eagle Scout. Andrew lives in the Tremont neighborhood in Cleveland, and enjoys spending his free time with his dog, trying new restaurants, and exploring the outdoors.

Adam Pagon

Adam Pagon is an Associate at Next Sparc and is responsible for supporting business development and portfolio companies. He began his career in residential and commercial real estate, buying and selling single-family homes, operating rental property, and actively managing over a dozen transactions.

Adam holds an MBA with honors from Case Western Reserve University and a BS in Business Management from Miami University Farmer School of Business. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis and spending time with family.

Julie Shaw

Julie Shaw is an Executive Assistant and Human Resource Coordinator at Next Sparc and at Portfolio Companies. Julie focuses on the needs of the team and leads employee experience and engagement and new hire coordination.

She is a Cleveland native, earning her B.S. degree in Finance from John Carroll University. In her free time she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.