Goose Capital, Inc. Appoints New Leadership

HOUSTON, TX, January 4, 2021/EINPresswire.com/ -- The Board of Directors of Goose Capital, Inc. announced today that Jeff Smisek has been appointed as the firm’s president and Jay Collins has become chair of the board, effective January 1, 2021. Chris Staffel has been named managing director.  

Goose Capital began 15 years ago as a small group of executives committed to supporting emerging entrepreneurs, and has evolved into a professional investment organization providing capital, mentorship and board members to early-stage companies. Members of Goose Capital have broad experience across multiple industry sectors.  Goose Capital invests about $10 million per year, and currently has around 20 companies in its portfolio. The firm is well positioned to take advantage of the growing momentum in the Texas innovation ecosystem to finance multiple early stage companies every year, and deliver unique value to company founders through the experience, advice and contacts of Goose Capital members.

Mr. Smisek is currently president of Flight Partners Capital, a private investment company. He also serves on the board of directors of Finch Therapeutics Group, Inc., Lantha, Inc., Molecular Match, Inc. and is a member of the Board of Trustees of Rice University. Mr. Smisek formerly served as chairman, CEO, and president of United Continental Holdings Inc., a Fortune 100 airline. Prior to his twenty years in the airline business, Mr. Smisek was a partner at Vinson & Elkins LLP.  He started his career as a banker for Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, now JP Morgan.

“I look forward to leading Goose Capital as we help early stage companies and their founders develop their products, grow their companies, and create value,” said Mr. Smisek.  

Mr. Collins serves on the board of directors of Oceaneering International, Inc., Murphy Oil Company and Pason Systems Inc.  Previously, Mr. Collins was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Oceaneering International, Inc., a global oilfield provider of engineered services and products primarily to the offshore oil and gas industry. Prior to becoming chair of the board of Goose Capital, Mr. Collins was its president.

“I’m looking forward to working with Jeff and our new managing director, Chris Staffel, as we grow Goose Capital and its portfolio of early stage companies,” said Mr. Collins.

In her role as managing director, Ms. Staffel will focus on driving investment opportunities and managing the firm’s day-to-day operations. Ms. Staffel has been a founding member of three startup energy companies with an aggregate exit valuation of $1.38 billion. She brings a wealth of in-house experience in executing strategic decisions in the lifecycle of a company, building high-performance teams, taking companies public, and executing exit strategies. In addition to building companies, Ms. Staffel has personally invested in over 30 early-stage companies across multiple sectors.  

“It is an honor to join the team at Goose Capital and work alongside experienced industry leaders,” said Ms. Staffel. “I look forward to leveraging my entrepreneurial experience to help the start-ups in which we invest, while strategically identifying early stage investment opportunities.”

About Goose Capital, Inc.:

Goose Capital, Inc. is an investment firm comprised of former Fortune 500 executives, industry leaders, and serial entrepreneurs. Formerly GOOSE Society of Texas, the firm was established in 2005 by Jack Gill, a legendary Silicon Valley venture capitalist, and Rod Canion, the founder and CEO of Compaq Computer Corporation. Membership in Goose Capital is limited to executives who have founded or run major successful enterprises and who are willing to invest in and mentor early stage companies. Goose Capital primarily invests in early-stage companies with proprietary and disruptive technology, manageable capital needs, large addressable markets, the prospect for high margins and an exit strategy within a five-year time period.  It typically invests in convertible debt and Series A preferred stock, although it reserves capital for follow-on investments in its portfolio companies.