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As a director, Joe supports entrepreneurs by leveraging 15 years of financial, operational, and strategic experience. Immediately prior to joining Mercato, Joe served as a director of capital markets at Vivint Solar, where he raised in excess of $1 billion in project financing and led several successful corporate development initiatives. Vivint Solar achieved a successful IPO in 2014 at a valuation of approximately $1.6 billion. Prior to joining Vivint Solar, Joe worked at the Blackstone Group, where he advised investors, activists, and corporate clients; completed mergers and acquisitions, and structured finance transactions, including Blackstoneā€™s acquisition of Vivint Solar and its sister company, Vivint, Inc.

Prior to joining Blackstone, Joe had a variety of operating and entrepreneurial experiences, including launching and building several technology companies as well as turning around a manufacturing business. Joe began his career as an investment banking analyst at A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., where he supported the completion of $16 billion in financings and corporate advisory assignments.

Growing up in a small town, Joe inherited his entrepreneurial spirit from his parents, who owned and operated a local retail business. Joe received an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a B.S.B.A. in accounting from Saint Louis University.