Our Team

The U.S. Growth Funds team is comprised of a small group of passionate investment professionals with proven private equity track records and access to the critical resources our management partners need to realize the full potential of their business.  We are constantly evaluating new opportunities to sponsor both private and public transactions as the majority investor or serve as a key minority co-investor. 

Robert J. McGee is the founding Managing Partner of U.S. Growth Funds (USGF) and has served as CEO and Chairman of the investment committee since its inception. With more than 30 years of experience as a banker and entrepreneur, Mr. McGee was Chairman & CEO of JPMorgan Chase (formerly Texas Commerce Bank) in Fort Worth, Texas.  Mr. McGee also led KBK Financial, a nation-wide specialty lender specializing in leveraged finance for middle market businesses.

During his 30 year banking career, Mr. McGee arranged financing for numerous M&A transactions in Food Distribution, Retail, Oil & Gas Industry, and Transportation businesses.

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Jenna C. Benner serves as Chief Financial Officer for US Growth Funds and Manager of the Capital Markets group. As manager of the Capital Markets group, Jenna leads the placement of senior and subordinated debt required to fund USGF acquisitions and portfolio company growth.  She assumed this role in 2004, following the sale of USGF portfolio company, KBK Financial to Marquette Financial. 

Between 1997 and 2004, Mrs. Benner served as chief underwriter and a voting member on KBK’s Underwriting Committee. During her tenure with KBK, she served as a portfolio manager and account executive with responsibility for closing and managing senior debt and mezzanine investments across all industries. Her experience spans all facets of leveraged finance, including structuring, negotiating and closing senior and subordinate financings in recapitalizations, leveraged buy-outs, mergers and acquisitions.  Under Mrs. Benner’s leadership, KBK averaged more than 100 new originations each year and issued more than $1 billion in aggregate loan and investment commitments. 

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Kathleen R. Owens serves as Assistant to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Ms. Owens has over seven years of experience in administration and office management in both the legal and corporate communities. She currently assists the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer with his corporate and charitable endeavors.  Additionally, Ms. Owens operates as the office manager and manger of the investment processes. 

Ms. Owens serves as the Secretary of U.S. Growth Funds, Star Brands, Inc., Jardine Foods, Inc., and Private Harvest, Inc.  To contact Kathleen R. Owens, call her at 817.258.6024, or click here.

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J. Richard Garland serves as an Analyst. As an Analyst he is responsible for identifying and analyzing potential investment opportunities. Mr. Garland is a graduate of Washington and Lee University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Accounting.  In addition to his studies at Washington and Lee University, Mr. Garland also studied at the London School of Economics. To contact Richard Garland, call him at 817.258.6023, or click here.

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Tom Keim serves as Executive-in-Residence for U.S. Growth Funds where he is responsible for deal development in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry.  In addition to this Executive-in-Residence role, Mr. Keim serves as Advisory Director on the Jardine Foods, Inc. Board of Directors.  Throughout Mr. Keim's thirty-five year career in the food industry, he has held executive level positions with Jimmy Dean Foods/Sara Lee Corporation, ConAgra, and most recently Williams Foods where he served as Chief Operating Officer.  Mr. Keim is a graduate of the University of Iowa.  To contact Tom Keim, click here.

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Daniel R. Feehan serves as a founding director of U.S. Growth Funds, Inc. He is President, Chief Executive Officer, and a director of Cash America International, Inc., a NYSE consumer lending corporation, and has served in such capacities since January 1990. He joined Cash America International as CFO in 1988. Mr. Feehan also serves as a director for AZZ Incorporated, Calloway's Nursery, Inc. and Radio Shack Corporation. To contact Daniel Feehan, click here.

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Harris A. Kaffie serves as a founding Director of U.S. Growth Funds, Inc. He is a director of CCNG, Inc., a privately held company with interests in natural gas related assets, oilfield services, and real estate development. In addition, Mr. Kaffie is a director of Blue Dolphin Energy Company, a publicly held company involved in the exploration, production and gathering of hydrocarbons in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico. To contact Harris Kaffie, click here.

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David L. Alexander serves as Advisory Director of Jardine Foods, Inc. and is the President and Founder of TCOBIZ Corporation.  Founded in 1993, TCOBIZ is a consulting firm advising senior maangement and owners regarding strategic business planning, acquisitions/transactions, problem solving, recruitment, mentoring/coaching, and other high-level activities and strategies.  Mr. Alexander has previously been the President/Chief Executive Officer, shareholder and member of the Board of Directors of three aviation related manufacturing businesses since 1990 and two related real estate ventures.  Prior to 1990, Mr. Alexander was engaged to manage two bankrupt entities in the urgent care and television businesses.  From 1979 to 1985 he was the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of D B Energy, Inc. and a number of related entities engaged in the oilfield services business.  Alexander began his business career in 1972 as a staff accountant for Arthur Young & Company (Certified Public Accountants) in Fort Worth.  Prior to leaving the firm in 1979, he had been promoted to Audit Manager.

Mr. Alexander has founded, co-founded, or invested in several private equity enterprises/partnerships in the urgent health care, automotive services, venture capital, oilfield trucking, oil and gas investment, and real estate development businesses.

Alexander's private sector directorships, other than the companies listed above, include Or-Tech Ingredients, Inc. of Carrollton, Texas.  He is a past Executive Committee Member of the Mineral Wells Chamber of Commerce and past Chapter Chairman of the West Central Texas Chapter of the International Association of Drilling Contractors.  He has also been a Junior Achievement Classroom Teacher in Abliene and Mineral Wells.  He is an alumni member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO). He recently became a member of the MBA Advisory Board of the Mays School at Texas A&M University.

Alexander received his BBA (1971) and MBA (1972) degrees from Texas A&M University.  Alexander has been a licensed Certified Public Accountaint since 1974. To contact David Alexander, click here.

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Jay Kemper serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Jardine Foods, Inc.  Mr. Kemper has over 27 years of diversified experience including consumer products experience and executive leadership.    Mr. Kemper began his career during the early 1980s with sales and marketing leadership roles at Pepsi USA, Dove International, and Richardson-Vicks. As a senior executive, Jay served as an operating partner specializing in merger and acquisition activity in the private equity industry, was Vice President of Sales and Marketing at the JelSert Company and as a member of Brach’s Confection, Inc.’s executive management team where he led the worldwide sales effort as VP Sales.  During his most recent position as President/CEO of Unicous Marketing, Inc., Jay and his team innovated technology-based consumer marketing solutions for retailers and manufacturers throughout the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry.

Mr. Kemper received his Bachelor of Science from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.  Currently, Mr. Kemper serves as a Director on the Jardine Foods, Inc. and Private Harvest, Inc. Board of Directors.  To contact Jay Kemper, call him at 512.295.4069, or click here.

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Bonnie Frese serves as President of Private Harvest, Inc.  Ms. Frese has an extensive background in sales that includes co-founding a California gourmet food marketing group in 1990.  While working with customers, she discovered a need in the California wine valley for private label product for local wineries and restaurants. In 1995, Ms. Frese founded what is now Private Harvest, Inc., developing and producing high-end gourmet foods that have become category leaders in the valley.

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