A Trusted, Experienced Team Built for Middle Market Companies
At Westlake Securities, each of our trusted advisors has 10+ years of experience providing middle market companies with a diverse, robust suite of services.Â
The principals of Westlake Securities come from diverse backgrounds of advising, operating, and investing in middle market companies. Our clients benefit from the team’s deep understanding of deal strategy, operational improvements, equity value creation, and transaction process.
Matt Andersen
CEO
Matt Andersen, CEO
Matt is the CEO of Westlake. Over the past ~25 years, he has worked on over 145+completed transactions totaling ~$6 billion in private placement and M&A value. Matt has gained in-depth experience working with companies from the lower middle market up to public companies with market capitalizations in excess of $1.5 billion. Since joining Westlake in 2014, Matt has advised companies with a combined annual revenue of over $1.8 billion in the areas of strategy, capital, finance, and M&A. He currently sits on the board of three companies.
In past roles, Matt has had full operational and P&L responsibility for a NYSE-listed company division with $15 million of EBITDA, led a multi-million dollar revenue geographic territory for a privately held company, and oversaw a multi-million dollar revenue product line for a NYSE-listed company.
Matt has an MBA in banking and has attended executive programs at Harvard and the University of Chicago. Matt holds Series 6, 7, 63, 65, 24, 27, and 79 FINRA licenses.
Jon D'Andrea
Managing Director
Jon D'Andrea, Managing Director
Jon is a managing director at Westlake. Since joining Westlake in 2008, Jon has executed and closed numerous sell-side, buy-side, and capital placement engagements. Primarily serving founder-owned / privately-held middle market companies ranging in size from $5 million to over $150 million and representing over $500 million of aggregate transaction value.
At Westlake, Jon has gained specific industry experience from projects in the manufacturing, industrial, consumer, technology, energy, and business service sectors. Recently, he has led active engagements in the education services, energy efficiency, and home improvement product sectors.
Jon graduated with high honors from The University of Texas at Austin where he received his BBA in Finance with a minor in accounting. Jon holds active Series 7 and 63 FINRA licenses.
Originally from Houston and a native Texan, Jon has lived in Austin for over 15 years.
Wilson Allen
Managing Director
Wilson Allen, Managing Director
Wilson co-founded Westlake in 2003 and serves as a managing director. Since 1995, Wilson has provided leadership and guidance to early-stage companies with unique intellectual property in large markets, assisting with capital, corporate structure, strategy, and developing management teams. Collectively, through his career, he has assisted early and late-stage companies raise over $170 million.
Early in his career, Wilson worked with Eagle Global, a $2 billion money management firm, where he served as senior equity trader and member of the asset allocation group. In addition, Wilson has served on numerous for-profit and non-profit boards throughout his career.
Wilson earned an MBA from Pepperdine University and a BA from The University of Texas at Austin. He holds Series 62, 63, 24, and 79 FINRA licenses.
Kevin Brady
Managing Director
Kevin Brady, Managing Director
Kevin is a CFO consultant with over 14 years of experience providing financial leadership to high growth, entrepreneurial companies. Educated as an engineer, he is skilled at analyzing problems and developing client solutions. As a business partner, he works with the senior leadership to formulate strategies and tactics to achieve the company’s objectives. Kevin is skilled at building teams and processes to meet the demands of these high growth companies. Kevin spent fifteen years in Fortune 100 companies as a financial leader, developing a successful record in acquisitions, turnarounds, and process improvements. For the past twenty years, he has been working with small to mid-size companies, helping them achieve their growth and profitability goals. Kevin earned an MBA from SMU, in Dallas, and a BS in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M.
Liz Schwab
Managing Director
Liz Schwab, Managing Director
Marketer. Storyteller. Curator. Liz is a hybrid marketer with skills and experience in strategy, planning, account service, and creative direction. She specializes in utilizing storytelling to ignite and influence action and direction. Liz's 20 years of marketing and business development experience include developing strategies and go-to-market plans for companies of all sizes.
Liz combines her creativity and experience with a deep knowledge base and focuses on brand building and growth strategies. With a background in design and strong creative instincts, she has been instrumental in building emerging, middle-market brands.
After years at TPN (Omnicom’s creative commerce agency) traveling between New York, Dallas, and Chicago, Liz lived in Austin for 12+ years and now resides in South Carolina.
Bryan Miller
Senior Vice President
Bryan Miller, SVP
Bryan brings more than 15 years of finance and transaction experience to Westlake, with a career built entirely around middle market M&A and corporate finance. Most recently, he served as Principal at Crescendo Capital Partners, and prior to that held Vice President roles at KPMG Corporate Finance and Wells Fargo, where he focused on buy- and sell-side M&A for middle market companies. Earlier in his career, Bryan served as Principal at Pegasus Capital Group, a private equity firm based in Los Angeles.
Bryan holds an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management and a BA from Yale University.
Jon Sanfelippo
Senior Vice President
Jon Sanfelippo, SVP
Jon joined Westlake in 2021 from GulfStar Group, where he executed numerous sell-side, buy-side, and capital raising engagements for privately held middle market companies. His transaction experience spans the manufacturing, distribution, and services sectors throughout the United States and Mexico. Prior to joining GulfStar Group, Jon was with J.P. Morgan Chase, working with privately-held middle market companies and their owners in both commercial banking and private banking capacities.
Jon graduated from Texas Christian University, where he received his BBA in Finance with a minor in Energy Management. Jon holds active Series 79 and 63 FINRA licenses. After spending the past 10 years in Houston, Jon and his family relocated to San Antonio in 2021.
Jordan Markim
Vice President
Jordan Markim, VP
Jordan joined Westlake Securities in 2022 and advises founder-owned, privately held, and sponsor-backed businesses on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and other strategic transactions. He has successfully closed transactions representing more than $500 million in aggregate value across the middle market, including manufacturing and industrials, infrastructure and construction services, and business services.
Jordan graduated with high honors from Texas A&M University with a BBA in Finance and holds FINRA Series 7, 63, and 79 licenses.
Colin Chapman
Vice President
Colin Chapman, VP
Colin brings a comprehensive background and foundation in financial services and management consulting to his role at Westlake, where he supports clients across buy-side and sell-side advisory, capital placements, and growth strategy. Prior to joining Westlake, he was a Senior Manager at Embark, a financial consultancy, and before that held assurance roles at PwC. Colin holds a Master's degree in Finance from Texas A&M University's Mays Business School.
Hannah Warrick
Sr Associate, Marketing & Events
Hannah Warrick, Marketing
Hannah brings a background in brand marketing and consumer engagement to her role at Westlake, where she is instrumental in the firm's events and marketing efforts. Prior to joining Westlake, she held brand marketing roles at Techtronic Industries, a global manufacturer of cordless technology and power tools, where she progressed from Marketing Specialist through Brand Marketing Manager. Hannah is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma.
Ben Achilles
Senior Associate
Ben Achilles, Sr Associate
Ben joined Westlake Securities in 2025 and advises family- and founder-owned, privately held middle-market companies on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and other strategic transactions. He has helped execute transactions representing more than $350 million in aggregate value across the United States, with particular depth in the downstream energy sector. Ben supports clients through every phase of the deal process, from valuation and diligence through negotiation and closing, and plays an active role in the firm's business development efforts. He graduated cum laude from Texas Tech University's Rawls College of Business with a BBA in Finance and holds an active FINRA Series 63 license.
Billy Utt
Managing Director
Billy Utt, Managing Director
Billy brings more than 15 years of operating experience in the telecommunications, energy, and venture-backed technology sectors to his role as a Managing Director at Westlake Securities. He joined the firm in 2023 after founding and operating Cherrywood Growth Capital, a search fund focused on acquiring and growing middle market businesses. Billy works closely with clients to develop tailored financing, acquisition, and exit outcomes based on their goals and objectives. He has an MBA from Tulane University and a BA from the University of Virginia. Originally from Houston, Billy has lived in Austin with his wife since 2015.
Is your company set up for real, sustainable growth?
Our team is here to help you navigate growth, transitions, and strategic opportunities through tailored advisory services. When the stakes are high, our team brings the experience to move with confidence.
