Joe Trentacosta

Founder & CEO

Oversees strategic initiatives, client relationships, and company growth
Ensures the adequate resources and systems for outsourced operational activities firm-wide

25+ years: leadership, asset management

Joe is the CEO of Windstream, leveraging 25+ years of multi-faceted industry experience to improve operational scale and controls for asset managers. Before founding Windstream, Joe was a Managing Director at AQR Capital, where he was responsible for the firm's global investment operations. During his tenure, Joe contributed to scaling AQR's growth from $15b to $225b. He was also an active member of several operating committees, including Counterparty Risk, Operational Risk, Best Execution, and New Product. Additionally, he served as a director of the board for AQR's UCITs funds.

Before joining AQR in 2006, Joe spent several years working for Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM), where he ran a variety of groups, including Vendor Management, Client Onboarding, and Operations for its hedge fund-of-fund business.

Joe began his career at Chase Manhattan Bank
and received his degree in accounting from
St. Francis University.

Phil Benincasa

President, Co-Founder

Expands managed service relationships, contract negotiations, and service design
Oversees the service delivery, operations and expansion of all operational support services

20 years: finance industry

As founder and COO at Windstream, Phil provides a wide range of back and middle-office integrations to asset managers from compliance to human resources and legal. Before founding Windstream, Phil spent 15 years as the head of shared services at AQR Capital Management. In this role, he helped foster innovation by initiating AQR's international expansion into Asia, living in Manila, Philippines, where he took charge of a team of over 200 working professionals. In addition to these corporate milestones, Phil is dedicated to fostering lasting relationships across the investment community through a strategic network of prime brokers, custodians, attorneys, administrators, and more.

Phil began his career at Investors Bank and Trust and received his degree Magna Cum Laude from Pace University with a major in finance and minor
in accounting.

Debra Penan, CPA

CFO, Accounting & Finance

Performs management companies' financial reporting, accounting, and payroll
Oversees internal controls, accounting policies, and financial procedures across clients and the firm

20 years: finance and accounting industry

Debra is the CFO of Windstream, drawing on 20+ years of driving down the cost of financial operations through multi-dimensional finance expertise. Before joining Windstream, Debra was an accountant at AQR Capital Management for 18 years. She oversaw all aspects of the NAV reconciliation process, provided audit and financial statement support, and assisted with the management company’s books and records. During her tenure at AQR, she was responsible for various aspects of the firm’s accounting value chain, including fund setups, budgeting, expense management, management and performance fee calculations, and fund liquidations.

Debra is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of CPAs. Debra began her career at Goldstein Golub Kessler LLP. She graduated from Binghamton University.

Lou Sala

Senior Advisor, Business Development

Oversees and supports the development of business initiatives
Works with marketing leadership to build relationships and drive growth

35 years: C-level financial advisory services

Lou brings vast experience across all operational areas throughout the financial arena encompassing hedge funds, private equity, mutual funds, and traditional banking. Lou founded and managed
the boutique consulting firm Sala Associates, later Avalon Lake Partners, delivering outsourced solutions and strategic consulting to asset managers. Sala’s prior roles include: Head of Finance & Accounting for Stone Ridge Asset Management, Head of Trading for Paloma Partners, managing the seeding/incubation platform, VP at Goldman Sachs, working on strategic initiatives including the firm’s IPO, and as director of operations at Salomon Brothers, working in US, Hong Kong, London, and Tokyo, supporting revenue-producing businesses.

Lou began his career at Arthur Andersen & Co. and, subsequently, spent 8 years in international banking at Bank Julius Baer and Credit Commercial de France. Lou earned his MBA from Fordham University and his B.S. in Accounting from St. John’s University.

Nick Thompson

Director, Compliance & Legal

Implements effective, control-focused compliance programs for financial firms
Provides solutions for complex regulatory issues, engaging outside counsel and leadership teams

18 years: finance industry

Nick brings seasoned capabilities to help financial institutions comply with the ever-changing regulatory environment. He combines depth of experience with leadership from his work at trading firms, institutional asset managers, and hedge funds. Before joining Windstream, Nick served as Chief Compliance Officer and Counsel to HC Technologies, where he architected a surveillance solution to help the firm comply with the regulations governing algorithmic trading. Further, Nick created a competitive edge for the organization by implementing a control-based framework to manage regulatory exposure to the SEC, CFTC/NFA, and FCA, in addition to US and European futures exchanges.

Nick began his career as a proprietary trader of fixed income and derivatives at TransMarket Group, followed by critical roles at Neuberger Berman. As a consultant and Assistant VP of Security Control, Nick focused on leading data quality initiatives and managing the relationship between the front office and vendor BlackRock Solutions. Nick holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.

Isaac Jimenez

CFO, Accounting & Finance

Oversees internal operations, helping to build strong customer relationships
Develops fund accounting controls and oversees financial reporting

10 years: accounting and financial services industry

Isaac is in charge of the daily operations, creating strong client bonds, and designing financial controls for fund accounting. Additionally, he oversees financial reporting.

Jimenez boasts more than a decade of expert-level accounting and financial services experience. Prior to joining Windstream Partners, he honed his skills during a successful 8-year tenure at SS&C Technologies. As a Senior Manager in SS&C's fund service group, Isaac expertly managed the accounting and operations for some of the company's most high-profile and complex clients. He was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the NAV reconciliation process ,financial statement preparation, audit and tax support, and preparation of Form PF and 13F filings. Isaac holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and a minor in economics from the University of Massachusetts.

Harris Bogner

Director, Compliance & Legal

Oversees and supports the development of compliance programs
Develops compliance manuals and related regulatory requirements

25 years: Legal & Compliance

Harris Bogner is a compliance specialist with more than two decades of experience successfully developing, implementing, and maintaining compliance programs for investment advisers registered with the SEC, as well as startup and early-stage investment managers.

After starting his career with UBS Asset Management serving as counsel, he worked in various compliance roles with Morgan Stanley, Bessemer Trust and APG Asset Management. In 2007 he joined Cadogan Management, a long-short equity hedge fund-of-fund manager, as Chief Compliance Officer. Since leaving Cadogan in 2011, Harris has held senior compliance consultant positions with several firms including Insight Investment North America. He also served as the Chief Compliance Officer for Cantor Fitzgerald’s asset and wealth management business units.

Harris holds a BA from the University at Albany (SUNY) and a JD from New York Law School.

Lee Ehly, CPA

CFO, Accounting & Finance

Performs fund and management accounting services
Manages comprehensive financial operations and reporting

25 years: Financial Services Industry

Lee is an experienced financial professional, who has been a CFO/controller of billion dollar-plus hedge funds, fund of funds and PE fund of funds for over 20 years. Lee possesses deep experience in all areas of accounting, audit, tax and regulatory filings for funds and management companies.
‍
Lee earned his bachelor's degree from Rutgers School of Business before starting his career in the audit and tax group at Rothstein Kass and the audit group at PwC. Lee is a CPA.

Ryan Visniski, CFA

Vice President, Compliance & Legal

Regulatory reporting and compliance framework
Operational due diligence

10 years: Financial Services Industry

Ryan is a compliance specialist with over 10 years of experience successfully developing, implementing, and maintaining compliance programs for investment advisers.
‍
Ryan started his compliance career at BlackRock, where he helped build an Aladdin based dashboard for tracking firmwide material non-public information ("MNPI"). Subsequently, Ryan joined Raging Capital Management, a long-short equity hedge fund manager, as Compliance Manager guiding the firm through SEC exams, institutional due diligence, and cybersecurity enhancements.
‍
Ryan holds a BA from the University of Arizona and is a CFA Charterholder.

Susan Proctor

Documentation Specialist, Compliance & Legal

Manages trading documentation processes
Liaises with law firms and regulatory bodies

30 years: Financial Services Industry

Susan is an experienced documentation and contracts specialist spanning multiple facets of the financial industry, both sell side and buy side. Susan spent over a decade at AQR Capital Management, and previous to AQR nearly 20 years in commercial banking and markets at Fuji (Mizuho), Citibank, ABN AMRO, and Bank of America. Susan’s expertise covers trading documentation across capital market areas, focusing on swaps and futures, margin and triparty collateral agreements, records management and Dodd-Frank Protocols.

Susan graduated magna cum laude from Mount Holyoke College and holds an MA from NYU.

Laura Latella

CFO, Accounting & Finance

Fund and management accounting services
Manage implementation of change management directives for products and services

25 Years: Asset Management and Financial Services

Laura has extensive experience in financial management, regulatory compliance, and client success strategies across diverse investment vehicles, with a particular emphasis on alternative investments. Throughout her career, Laura has effectively collaborated with key service providers, portfolio managers, and investors to address client needs and cultivate enduring relationships.

She has held significant roles, including Principal Financial Officer and Treasurer for two 40 Act Series Trusts. Laura has also contributed her expertise as a member of Due Diligence, Valuation, and Compliance Committees, and has served on the Board of Directors of Offshore Entities in Bermuda and the BVI.

Laura earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting with a Minor in Psychology from The College of New Jersey and holds an MBA from Rutgers University.

Steven Hershman

CFO, Accounting & Finance

Fund accounting and oversight
Management company accounting and finance

23 Years: Accounting and Financial Services Industry

Steven is a financial services professional who brings 20+ years of experience in fund administration, investor relations, treasury, SEC reporting and audit. Prior to joining Windstream, Steven served as a Vice President of Fund Administration and Accounting at Citco Fund Services (USA) Inc. and State Street Corporation. He has also held various other positions including Assistant Vice President of Fund Administration and Accounting at SS&C Technologies, Inc., Controller at Sage Investors, LP, and Transfer Pricing Supervisor at AllianceBernstein L.P.
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Steven began his career at Deloitte & Touche, LLP and received both his B.S. in Accounting and an MBA from Yeshiva University.

Jim Scellato

Vice President, Operations & Strategy

Daily operations management
Project management; business process re-engineering

20 years: Financial Services Industry

Jim is an accomplished professional with extensive experience managing day-to-day operations across diverse organizations. Jim is skilled in organizing, planning, directing, and coordinating operations departments, supporting the full complement of financial products, such as fixed income, equities and derivatives. Prior to joining Windstream, Jim spent 10 years at Nomura Securities, primarily managing the Middle Office supporting the sales and trading desks for rates products, such as derivatives, repurchase agreements and certificates of deposit.

Jim began his career at Lehman Brothers and received his bachelor's degree in business management from Hofstra University.

Michael Mazzola

Vice President, Operations & Strategy

Process Improvement / Risk Mitigation
Middle Office Services

20 years: Financial Services Industry

Michael Mazzola is a seasoned middle office leader with over 20 years of financial services experience. He has worked on several long-term strategic projects, including optimizing settlement readiness and transitioning manual trade booking processes to straight-through processing (STP) procedures. Michael brings a wealth of expertise in problem-solving, relationship management, and operational risk mitigation to his role.

Michael's career includes operations roles at Citi Bank, Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), Barclays, and Lehman Brothers. Michael graduated from The College of New Jersey with a degree in Business Administration.

Victor Alves

Vice President, Operations & Strategy

Develops operational infrastructure and related control framework
Project management

25 years: Finance Industry

Victor oversees operations and develops efficient and effective strategic solutions to optimize operational infrastructure. He is a Subject Matter Expert in portfolio administration, investment management, trade execution, client services and risk management. Victor has spearheaded the transition of legacy systems, integrating data across platforms, and eliminating reconciliation and trade settlement issues to ensure operational efficiency.

For the past 9 years, Victor was at Cardinal Asset Management where he established a comprehensive operational infrastructure, encompassing several system installations, such as portfolio accounting and trading, developing standard operational procedures and reporting. Prior to Cardinal, Victor was the Senior Portfolio Administrator for both, Silvercrest Asset Management for 8 years and ING Investment Management for 9 years managing day-to-day operations and leading operational project development.

Victor graduated from Mercy College with a degree in finance and accounting in 1998.

Dean Marinis

CFO, Accounting & Finance

Performs fund and management accounting services
Manages comprehensive financial operations and reporting

20 years: Finance and Accounting Industry

Dean is an experienced finance professional who holds over 20 years of industry knowledge and expertise. Being the controller of a multi-billion dollar hedge fund he possesses an array of experience including audit, tax, regulatory filings, treasury functions, operations, and overseeing all aspects of NAV calculations.

Dean earned his bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in finance from Marist College.

Meet the team

Skilled leadership, unwavering discipline, and unmatched expertise

Joe Trentacosta

Founder & CEO

Joe Trentacosta

Phil Benincasa

Debra Penan, CPA

Lou Sala

Nick Thompson

Isaac Jimenez

Harris Bogner

Lee Ehly, CPA

Ryan Visniski, CFA

Susan Proctor

Laura Latella

Steven Hershman

Jim Scellato

Michael Mazzola

Victor Alves

Dean Marinis

Skilled leadership, unwavering discipline, and unmatched expertise

Windstream is a disciplined team with leadership skillsand expertise to help managers succeed

Partnering for Success

Joe Trentacosta

Phil Benincasa

Lou Sala

Debra Penan, CPA

Lee Ehly, CPA

Isaac Jimenez

Dean Marinis

Laura Latella

Steven Hershman

Nick Thompson

Harris Bogner

Ryan Visniski, CFA

Jim Scellato

Victor Alves

Michael Mazzola

Susan Proctor

Windstream is supported by the following strategic partners:

Unlocking Efficiency

Partnering for Success

Third-party Administrators

IT Firms

Prime Brokers

Law Firms

Accounting Firms

Banks

Leaders in the industry

Joe Trentacosta

Phil Benincasa

Debra Penan, CPA

Providing expert advice

Lou Sala

Kristen Caccavo

Windstream can make scalability a reality with a complete end-to-end portfolio of industry-leading solutions.

Windstream can make scalability a reality with a complete end-to-end portfolio of industry-leading solutions.

Access to specialized operations and technology skills

Premium technology without investing in a new platform

Processes and people that utilize technology most cost-effectively

More overall flexibility, scalability, and adaptability

Want to learn more? Get in touch with us.

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Windstream Partners

Windstream is a disciplined team with leadership skills
and expertise to help managers succeed