OUR TEAM

Our tHREE principals offer their clients
varied investment management expertise.

Thomas Carhart - Principal

Mr. Carhart has long experience in managing equity and fixed-income portfolios, especially for not-for-profit institutions, wealthy family groups, Japanese insurance companies, and European mutual funds.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Carhart worked at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. where he supervised a department from 1986-1995, providing U.S. and global investment-management services to overseas investors. Under his direction, assets under management increased from $200 million to $1.2 billion. Prior to earning his MBA, Mr. Carhart spent two years at Carlisle Decoppet & Co. where he was a trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

Mr. Carhart earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at Antioch College and a Master’s degree in Business Administration at Columbia University. He is Director of Prevent Child Abuse America and Arts for Art, a New York City Jazz Philanthropy.

Stephen B. Owen - Principal

Mr. Owen has over 30 years of experience managing the investments of private clients and institutions, based both in the U.S. and abroad.  Prior to joining South Street Advisors, he served as Managing Director at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., overseeing the firm’s non-U.S. investment management activities.  Mr. Owen supervised the International Department and served as a Director of the bank's Cayman Trust Company. His responsibilities included the management of U.S. equities, and the oversight of alternative investments including private equity and hedge funds.  At SSA, Mr. Owen’s client base includes longstanding international relationships and a diverse domestic base with strongholds in New York and South Florida.

Mr. Owen earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Duke University, where he remains directly involved in the establishment and administration of a private endowment for research benefiting children.  He also serves as a board member and former Commodore of a Long Island yacht club. Mr. Owen is fluent in several languages, including French and Spanish.  He is an avid backgammon enthusiast, and has competed in U.S. and European tournaments.  

Michael W. Butts - Principal 

Mr. Butts has over 25 years of experience managing both equity and fixed income portfolios for private clients, family foundations, and nonprofits.  Prior to joining South Street Advisors, LLC he was a Partner and Portfolio Manager at Tocqueville Asset Management, L.P., a French-American investment management boutique based in New York City, where he managed investments for private clients as well as served as a trusted advisor for family matters.  He began his career as an equity research analyst in the asset management department of First American National Bank, since acquired, now Regions Financial.  

Mr. Butts earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Belmont University and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa.  He is a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts and is involved in charitable work for the American Cancer Society.   

Our associates are all seasoned investment professionals
averaging over 10 years of market experience.

Nirmala G. Colon - Vice President, Portfolio Management

Ms. Colon earned her Bachelor of Science degree at York College. With over 10 years experience in the financial industry, her career includes a position at Concord Investment Management where she was a fixed income portfolio administrator. Prior to that Ms. Colon assisted portfolio managers at Smith Barney Asset Management and Lazard Asset Management. At South Street Advisors she serves on the investment committee.

Colleen Fitzgerald - Vice President, Portfolio Management

Ms. Fitzgerald earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bryant College. Upon graduation in 2001, she worked as a financial analyst for the investment consulting firm CRA Rogers Casey. Prior to joining South Street Advisors Ms. Fitzgerald worked as a performance measurement analyst at Informa Investment Solutions, specializing in preparing quarterly performance reports for pension fund clients. At South Street Advisors she serves on the investment committee.

MICHAEL PAPKOWICH - VICE-PRESIDENT, PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Mr. Papkowich earned a Bachelors Degree in Business Economics from the State University of New York, College at Oneonta and a Masters of Business Administration in Finance at Long Island University.

Mr. Papkowich has over 20 years of experience in the financial industry as an experienced leader in equity trade operations, settlements, portfolio administration and technology for institutional and SMA clients. Most recently Mr. Papkowich was a Trade Operations specialist at Ruane Cunniff and Goldfarb.

Suzette Blount - Director of Administration

Ms. Blount has administered global custody accounts for over 20 years, with experience at JP Morgan Chase and at Deutsche Bank. At JP Morgan Chase, she was responsible for handling over $2.0 billion in client assets. Ms. Blount attended Farmingdale University.

EriC KLEINSCHMIDT - Chief Compliance Officer

Mr. Kleinschmidt serves as the Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) for South Street Advisors responsible for the administering its compliance program pursuant to a compliance services agreement with ACA Group (“ACA”), a separate and unaffiliated entity.  Mr. Kleinschmidt also serves as CCO and supports the compliance structures of other investment advisers through his position at ACA. 

Mr. Kleinschmidt has over 25 years of experience with regulatory compliance and operational oversight in the financial services industry. Prior to joining ACA, he was Director of Fund Accounting at SEI Investments for 16 years where he served as CFO/Treasurer for mutual fund families and was responsible for delivering accounting, administration, compliance, and client services for a wide variety of investment managers and products. Mr. Kleinschmidt received his B.S. degree in finance from La Salle University.

JEAN JACQUES SUNIER - REGIONAL MARKETING DIRECTOR, WEST COAST

Mr. Sunier serves as a third-party marketer for SSA, responsible for developing business in California, pursuant to a solicitation agreement between SSA and his firm, Sunier Advisors, a separate and unaffiliated entity.

Through his work in public equity portfolio management and venture capital, Mr. Sunier has developed strong relationships with Swiss and global private banks, asset managers, large relationship managers, and venture capital and independent financial advisory firms. As Chief Investment Officer of Julius Baer (Zurich), Mr. Sunier was sole discretionary equity manager for $800 million in AUMs.  He has also worked with IG Group plc (London), Landolt & Cie (Geneva), Société Générale Asset Management (Paris), Pictet & Cie (Geneva), and Arnhold and S. Bleichroeder (New York).

Mr. Sunier’s expertise in the biotech, medtech and high-tech sectors developed through early-stage venture partnerships, including Moderna, where he oversaw the Julius Baer Group’s investment in the last (Series G) venture round. He has close ties to private companies, entrepreneurs, and equity capital markets desks of leading technology and health care investment banks.  

Mr. Sunier earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and is fluent in French and Italian.