Deniz brings over 20 years of leadership, business development, and operations experience across high-growth healthcare and technology organizations.
Before founding Federal Guardian, he led several initiatives focused on improving Veteran transition and reintegration into civilian life. Notably, he directed the expansion of the national nonprofit FourBlock into the Boston market, which was one of the organization’s first and most successful national pilot programs.
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Deniz served on active duty from 2002 to 2007. He participated in direct ground combat operations during the Iraq War as an infantryman with the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. He later served with the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group (MCESG), deploying to Europe and West Africa from 2004 to 2007.
Deniz holds a B.A. in International Economics from Suffolk University and an MBA from Babson College’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business.
Richard Willbrant
Chief Financial Officer
Richard is a senior financial executive with over 40 years of experience in corporate finance, government contracting, and strategic growth across defense, software, and manufacturing sectors.
Before joining Federal Guardian, he served as Chief Financial Officer of GIS Federal, LLC (now Kinetica DB, Inc.), a fast-growing software and services provider supporting U.S. Army INSCOM, other federal agencies, and commercial clients. He also served as a Senior Advisor to Pipaya, a transaction services firm specializing in buy-side and sell-side M&A support.
Earlier in his career, Richard spent nine years as Group Vice President of Finance at DRS Technologies, a mid-tier defense contractor, where he helped drive six-fold growth through both organic expansion and strategic acquisitions. During his tenure, he led the financial execution of ten successful acquisitions over five years.
From 1987 to 2000, Richard was the lead financial executive for a leveraged buyout group that acquired and operated multiple manufacturing and aerospace & defense companies. He began his career as a CPA, spending seven years at Big Four accounting firms in Hartford, CT and Bennington, VT.
Richard holds a B.S. in Accounting and Finance and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Donald R. Caldwell
Senior Advisor
Donald Caldwell is the founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cross Atlantic Capital Partners Inc., based in Radnor, PA.
Don serves on the board of several publicly and privately held companies and civic organizations, including: Quaker Chemical (NYSE); Rubicon Technology Incorporated (NASDAQ); and Management Dynamics. He has been a principal in 15 IPOs.
Until March 1, 1999, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. (NYSE), where he also previously served as Executive Vice President. Prior to joining Safeguard in 1993, Mr. Caldwell held a number of executive and financial positions, including Chief Administrative Officer of a predecessor company of Cambridge Technology Partners, Inc. (Massachusetts), a provider of information technology consulting and software development; Executive Vice President and then President of Atlantic Financial; and as a partner in the national office of Arthur Young & Co., a predecessor to Ernst & Young, LLP.
He holds a B.S. from Babson College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. His civic organization roles include serving as a Director and Chairman Emeritus of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts as well as the Committee for Economic Development.
