Background and Biographies
“When asked how our firm is doing, we respond that
the opinion of the owners of the capital is all that matters.”
AVENIR’S PRINCIPAL MANAGER HAs OVER 25 years OF INVESTMENT EXPERIENCE, WITNESSING A WIDE VARIETY OF INVESTMENT ENVIRONMENTS AND BUSINESS CYCLES.
During this time he has developed a respect for quality investment research and risk management. Our entire investment team is responsible for idea generation, research, and investing client assets in order to reach their goals. Our client service and operations professionals are uniquely qualified; they understand that each client has special requirements and goals, which merits highly personalized service and accessibility.
James H. Rooney has managed client portfolios at Avenir since 1998. Mr. Rooney became the principal manager of Avenir in May, 2024. Prior to joining Avenir, and after completing graduate school in 1992, Mr. Rooney worked as a consultant in the valuation and corporate finance group at Deloitte & Touche, LLP. He also worked for two energy companies, Sonat, Inc. and Columbia Energy Group, in their respective business development groups. From 1987 to 1990, Mr. Rooney worked at J. & W. Seligman & Co., Inc. Mr. Rooney received a B.A. from Duke University in 1986 and an M.B.A. from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University in 1992. He is a CFA Charterholder and a member of the CFA Society of Washington, D.C.
Charles G. Mackall, Jr. retired from active portfolio management in 2013, but retains an advisory role and is Chairman of Avenir. Prior to founding Avenir in 1980, Mr. Mackall worked for 17 years at NS&T Bank (now Sun Trust Banks, Inc.) serving as Vice President and Manager of Commercial Lending. He was a standing member of both the internal loan committee and the asset-liability committee of the bank. For the past 40 years, Mr. Mackall has been active in the investment industry. He received an A.B. from Princeton University in 1957 and an M.B.A. from the Colgate Darden School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia in 1962.
Kenneth S. George, II joined Avenir in 2005. He serves as an analyst, and is responsible for the Firm’s portfolio and performance analysis. Prior to joining Avenir, Mr. George worked for the Department of the Treasury in the Office of Economic Policy. He graduated with a B.A. from the University of Virginia in 2002 and an M.B.A. in International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in 2004. He is a CFA Charterholder and a member of the CFA Society of Washington, D.C.
Carmen L. Gonzalez joined Avenir in 1999. Ms. Gonzalez serves as the Firm’s Client Relationship Manager, and is responsible for Firm administration and human resources. Prior to joining Avenir, she worked in Client Services from 1995 to 1998 for Prudential Securities Inc. (now Wells Fargo). Ms. Gonzalez received a B.A. from Pine Manor College in 1991.
James S. Emanuelson joined Avenir in 2021. He serves as a Business Analyst. Prior to joining Avenir, Mr. Emanuelson worked for Merrill Lynch Private Banking and Investment Group as a Wealth Manager. Additionally, he was the Founder / Managing Member of Davidson Park Capital, LLC, actively managing client assets; and was an Analyst at Houlihan Lokey in their Financial Restructuring Group. Mr. Emanuelson received a B.S. from Washington and Lee University, where he was Executive Director (2015) for the Williams Investment Society. He is a CFA Charterholder and a member of the CFA Society of Washington, D.C.
John C. Horlick joined Avenir in 2022. He works with the Client Service and operations teams. Prior to joining Avenir, he worked as a Financial and Administration Associate at Trumbower Financial Advisors, LLC. Mr. Horlick received a B.A. from Washington College in 2011 and an M.Sc. from the University of Westminster in 2016.
Mary Wong-Small joined Avenir in 2022. She is Avenir’s office manager and works with the operations team.