Who We Are
We believe that water access and safety will be the defining challenges for the next several generations, and we’ve decided to devote our careers to helping solve them.
We know from hard-won experience that small and medium-sized, established companies hold the expertise, relationships, and ambition to meet these challenges head-on.
With this in mind, our team combines decades of industry experience with committed, patient capital to scale and accelerate legacy businesses that seek to protect public health and the environment.
Our Values
Think in Decades
Optimize decisions for the long-term. Default to short-term sacrifice over shortcuts.
Virtuous Triangle
Servant-leaders who invest everything we can in our employees, so they can give their all to our customers, who trust us as partners.
Perform as a Playoff-Bound Team
Teammates who show up everyday focused on the mission and challenging each other.
Relentless Passion for Water
Our ultimate motivation is to use our platform to serve public health and the environment.
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
Create the best outcome for the founders
Whether you want to retire, narrow your focus, or bring in new business partners, we work creatively with deal structure to deliver the best result.
Continue the unique identities of our companies, in perpetuity
We buy to invest and grow, not cut and flip. No expiration date.
Combine founder legacy with new technologies and methods to multiply value
We mix founder expertise and decades-long customer relationships with new technologies and methods from our global experience in startups, Fortune 500 companies, utilities, and the military to multiply value for customers.
Team
Peter Brooks
Founder and Principal
CEO, General Pump Co.
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Peter leads Sylmar’s Utility Services platform as the CEO of General Pump Company.
Prior to founding Sylmar Group, Peter worked for years across the water and wastewater industry in utility operations as the leader of waterTALENT, in advanced water treatment at Xylem Inc, and in-conduit hydropower at NLine Energy.
He is a former US Marine infantry officer, two-time Iraq War veteran, Fulbright Scholar, and an award-winning water policy instructor at Harvard where he also received an AB (High Honors) and MBA-MPP as a Tillman Military Scholar. He and his wife have three high-energy kids and enjoy spending time outdoors in and around Joshua Tree, California.
Michael Warady
Founder and Principal
CEO, EAI Water Inc.
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Michael leads Sylmar’s Industrial Water Treatment platform as the CEO of Economic Alternatives, Inc.
Prior to founding Sylmar Group, Michael led the infrastructure project development team at AquaTECTURE LLC, a family office investing in and developing innovative water infrastructure projects such as seawater desalination and wastewater reuse.
Michael also led international supply chain efforts for Clean Energy Associates, a solar panel procurement and quality assurance firm based out of Shanghai, China. Michael is a member of the International Desalination Association’s Industrial Advisory Special Committee. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Duke University and his MBA/MEM from Yale University.
Jamil Assaf
Vice President of Finance
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Prior to joining Sylmar, Jamil began his career at Deloitte before spending over a decade in private equity-backed companies building finance and other back-office functions. In the PE world, he has been focused on standardizing and professionalizing back offices for quickly growing and acquisitive-focused companies. His expertise lies in implementing efficient processes, robust controls, and scalable systems to support rapid growth and streamline operations.
Jamil holds a CPA license in Texas and a Master’s degree from the University of Texas. Outside of the boardroom, he cherishes spending time with his children and wife, particularly chasing fish in salty waters.
Peter Brooks
Peter leads Sylmar’s Utility Services platform as the CEO of General Pump Company.
Prior to founding Sylmar Group, Peter worked for years across the water and wastewater industry in utility operations as the leader of waterTALENT, in advanced water treatment at Xylem Inc, and in-conduit hydropower at NLine Energy.
He is a former US Marine infantry officer, two-time Iraq War veteran, Fulbright Scholar, and an award-winning water policy instructor at Harvard where he also received an AB (High Honors) and MBA-MPP as a Tillman Military Scholar. He and his wife have three high-energy kids and enjoy spending time outdoors in and around Joshua Tree, California.
Michael Warady
Michael leads Sylmar’s Industrial Water Treatment platform as the CEO of Economic Alternatives, Inc.
Prior to founding Sylmar Group, Michael led the infrastructure project development team at AquaTECTURE LLC, a family office investing in and developing innovative water infrastructure projects such as seawater desalination and wastewater reuse.
Michael also led international supply chain efforts for Clean Energy Associates, a solar panel procurement and quality assurance firm based out of Shanghai, China. Michael is a member of the International Desalination Association’s Industrial Advisory Special Committee. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Duke University and his MBA/MEM from Yale University.
Jamil Assaf
Prior to joining Sylmar, Jamil began his career at Deloitte before spending over a decade in private equity-backed companies building finance and other back-office functions. In the PE world, he has been focused on standardizing and professionalizing back offices for quickly growing and acquisitive-focused companies. His expertise lies in implementing efficient processes, robust controls, and scalable systems to support rapid growth and streamline operations.
Jamil holds a CPA license in Texas and a Master’s degree from the University of Texas. Outside of the boardroom, he cherishes spending time with his children and wife, particularly chasing fish in salty waters.
Michael Kerper
Vice President of Operations
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Michael works on Sylmar’s acquisition strategy, post-deal integrations, and transformational projects at the operating companies.
Prior to joining Sylmar, he worked in sales at SOURCE Global, a renewable water technology startup, and at Starbucks on the international and channel licensing team.
He is a former U.S. Army infantry officer and Afghan War veteran. He received his undergraduate degree from West Point and his MBA from the University of Washington. Outside of work, he and his wife enjoy searching for the best Korean food in L.A. and hiking or cross-country skiing with their daughter and energetic doodle.
Megan Leitch
Vice President of Corporate Development
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Megan leads Sylmar corporate strategy and helps drive acquisitions and integration of outstanding operating companies.
Prior to joining the Sylmar team, Megan consulted at McKinsey & Company, serving industrial manufacturers and utilities on strategy and operations excellence with a focus on water technologies, water management, and stewardship. Megan also served as a US Air Force Civil Engineer officer in a RED HORSE expeditionary construction squadron, after which she earned her PhD at Carnegie Mellon University through research of water treatment membranes.
Megan lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband, two kids, and a goofy Great Dane.
Bradley Boyer
Director of FP&A
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Bradley is the Director of FP&A and helps guide the financial strategy of Sylmar.
Prior to joining the Sylmar team, Bradley worked in a variety of FP&A roles across various industries for both publicly traded and private equity-backed companies. Bradley started his career in the investment banking industry, where he provided M&A and capital raising advisory services to lower middle market clients.
Bradley resides in Allentown, PA where he enjoys hiking, cycling, and soccer.
Michael Kerper
Michael works on Sylmar’s acquisition strategy, post-deal integrations, and transformational projects at the operating companies.
Prior to joining Sylmar, he worked in sales at SOURCE Global, a renewable water technology startup, and at Starbucks on the international and channel licensing team.
He is a former U.S. Army infantry officer and Afghan War veteran. He received his undergraduate degree from West Point and his MBA from the University of Washington. Outside of work, he and his wife enjoy searching for the best Korean food in L.A. and hiking or cross-country skiing with their daughter and energetic doodle.
Megan Leitch
Megan leads Sylmar corporate strategy and helps drive acquisitions and integration of outstanding operating companies.
Prior to joining the Sylmar team, Megan consulted at McKinsey & Company, serving industrial manufacturers and utilities on strategy and operations excellence with a focus on water technologies, water management, and stewardship. Megan also served as a US Air Force Civil Engineer officer in a RED HORSE expeditionary construction squadron, after which she earned her PhD at Carnegie Mellon University through research of water treatment membranes.
Megan lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband, two kids, and a goofy Great Dane.
Bradley Boyer
Bradley is the Director of FP&A and helps guide the financial strategy of Sylmar.
Prior to joining the Sylmar team, Bradley worked in a variety of FP&A roles across various industries for both publicly traded and private equity-backed companies. Bradley started his career in the investment banking industry, where he provided M&A and capital raising advisory services to lower middle market clients.
Bradley resides in Allentown, PA where he enjoys hiking, cycling, and soccer.
Ricardo A. Villa
Senior Associate, Projects & Integrations
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Ricardo A. Villa is a Senior Associate in Sylmar’s Projects & Integrations team.
Prior to joining Sylmar, he served as a Technology Consultant at Ernst & Young LLP
within their U.S. SAP practice where he led the first SAP Intelligent Robotic Process
Automation implementation for the only integrated rare earth mining and processing site
in North America.
Outside of his work in digital transformations and process improvements, Ricardo is an
avid Harley-Davidson rider, boxer, and coffee lover who loves spending time with his
family, always exploring the next best burger.
Avery Myers
Mergers & Acquisitions Associate
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Avery works on Sylmar’s M&A deal origination, market research, and complete transaction lifecycle management, to support the groups growth strategy.
Prior to joining Sylmar, he worked in the tech sector as a consultant for Darktrace, an AI Cyber Security platform, and in sales at Oracle.
Avery is a former Division I Lacrosse Captain at the University of Michigan, where he received his BA and his MiM from Michigan’s Ross School of Business. In his free time he enjoys spending time outdoors at the beach and on the golf course.
Ricardo A. Villa
Ricardo A. Villa is a Senior Associate in Sylmar’s Projects & Integrations team.
Prior to joining Sylmar, he served as a Technology Consultant at Ernst & Young LLP
within their U.S. SAP practice where he led the first SAP Intelligent Robotic Process
Automation implementation for the only integrated rare earth mining and processing site
in North America.
Outside of his work in digital transformations and process improvements, Ricardo is an
avid Harley-Davidson rider, boxer, and coffee lover who loves spending time with his
family, always exploring the next best burger.
Avery Myers
Avery works on Sylmar’s M&A deal origination, market research, and complete transaction lifecycle management, to support the groups growth strategy.
Prior to joining Sylmar, he worked in the tech sector as a consultant for Darktrace, an AI Cyber Security platform, and in sales at Oracle.
Avery is a former Division I Lacrosse Captain at the University of Michigan, where he received his BA and his MiM from Michigan’s Ross School of Business. In his free time he enjoys spending time outdoors at the beach and on the golf course.