NEW CANAAN, CT, September 2, 2026 – Gridiron Capital, LLC (“Gridiron Capital” or “Gridiron”), an investment firm focused on partnering with founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams, is pleased to announce the addition of five new members to its investment team: Cory Lund and David Millar as Senior Associates, and Dan Miklos, Jake Sims, and Tony Watson as Associates. These new team members bring a breadth of investment and operating experience, accelerating Gridiron’s ability to drive growth for the founders and management teams it partners with across the portfolio.
Tom Burger, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, and Kevin Jackson, Managing Partner, said, “Our greatest advantage has always been our people, and we are committed to building a culture of excellence where our team grows, leads, and wins together. From cultivating new partnerships to working hands-on with our current portfolio companies to execute strategic initiatives, Cory, David, Dan, Jake, and Tony will make a meaningful difference. We are delighted to welcome them to the team.”
Senior Associate Additions
Cory Lund joins Gridiron from Cobepa, where he evaluated new investments in healthcare and business services and supported portfolio company add-on M&A. He previously worked at Guggenheim Securities as an Investment Banking Analyst. Cory holds a B.A. in Mathematics & Economics from Williams College, where he was a captain of the varsity lacrosse team and a two-time All-American.
David Millar joins Gridiron from Astrion, a Brightstar Capital Partners portfolio company, where he served as Chief of Staff to the CEO after two years on Brightstar’s investment team. He previously worked at Guggenheim Securities as an Investment Banking Analyst. David holds a B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University.
Associate Additions
Dan Miklos joins Gridiron from NewSpring Capital, where he was a Private Equity Associate focused on healthcare, and previously worked in Global Corporate Banking and Leveraged Finance at J.P. Morgan. Dan holds a B.S. in Biological Sciences, summa cum laude, from Fordham University, where he was a goalkeeper on the varsity soccer team. He also completed the Tuck Business Bridge Program at Dartmouth College.
Jake Sims joins Gridiron from BlackArch Partners, where he was an Investment Banking Analyst in the M&A group advising founder-owned and sponsor-backed companies across business and consumer services. Jake received a B.S. in Business Administration and a B.A. in English Literature, with Highest Distinction, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Tony Watson joins Gridiron from Deutsche Bank, where he was an Investment Banking Analyst in the Healthcare Group, and previously worked in the Global Industrials Group at Credit Suisse. Tony received a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Notre Dame, where he played varsity baseball on teams that reached the 2021 Starkville Super Regional and the 2022 College World Series.
About Gridiron Capital
Gridiron Capital is an investment firm focused on partnering with founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams, and creating value by building middle-market companies into industry-leaders in business services, consumer products & services, and industrial growth segments in the United States and Canada. We help transform growing companies by winning together through hard work, partnerships grounded in shared values and a unique culture that comes from hands-on experience building and running businesses. As a team led by former operators and entrepreneurs, we know what it takes to run successful businesses on a day-to-day basis. Additional information is available on the firm’s website: www.gridironcapital.com.