Meet the Team

Franzuha Byrd

Technology Partner

Franzuha joined the BGS team as a Partner in January 2025. He will be building and leading the BGS Technology Advisory Practice.

Franzuha has over 25 years of experience as an accomplished IT executive. He specializes in leading mid to large-scale complex technology engagements and managing transaction-based M&A activities from due diligence through stand up, carve-outs and integrations. Franzuha has a deep background in enterprise information technology systems, IT Infrastructure, and IT Security and has a proven track record of growing and leading organizations through periods of significant change. He has successfully led full life cycle implementations of national and global enterprise technology systems and infrastructures in a wide variety of client environments across multiple industry segments. Franzuha currently holds both an MBA and M.S. in IT and maintains several industry certifications.

Franzuha spends his free time traveling, spending time with family and friends, exploring new cuisines, and golfing.

Nicko Esherick

Recruiting Manager

Nicko is a Recruiting Manager at BGS Consulting. He is an experienced recruiter, with close to 5 years of permanent placement recruiting which has focused on the accounting and finance industry. He has worked with numerous Fortune 500, start-up and mid-market companies on placing people at the entry level to CFO seats. He also has experience with General Counsel searches for energy and media companies in the DC and NYC areas.

Nicko coaches travel basketball teams in his free time as well as enjoying golf and basketball.

John Jacob

Manager

John Jacob joined BGS Consulting in October 2023 and serves as a Manager. He is a veteran of The McLean Group’s valuation services group where he served clients primarily in the government contracting, software, cybersecurity, and healthcare industries.

As a manager, John primarily supports FP&A needs for clients with a focus on management accounting, fund accounting, business valuations, M&A due diligence, forecasting, variance analyses, treasury management, cap table management, and compliance.

John spends most of his free time with his wife and daughter. He enjoys reading, walking, and traveling.

Sean McEnroy

Senior Accountant

Sean McEnroy has 12 years of experience in leadership capacities in several accounting positions. Sean joined the BGS team as a Senior Accountant in September 2024. Sean will use his accounting experiences to support our clients’ financial and accounting reporting processes. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, accounting operations assistance, financial reporting and analysis, technical accounting research, FP&A, budgeting and forecasting, ERP system support, internal auditing, acquisition or divestiture support, and other special projects.

During Sean’s free time, he enjoys playing and coaching soccer, and travel. He is an avid sports fan of Manchester United, the New York Mets, and the New York Giants.

Tony Ricciardella

Partner

Tony is a seasoned financial executive and entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience.  For much of Tony’s career, he was an audit partner in large international accounting firms where he worked with technology, professional services and life science companies ranging from early-stage venture backed to large multinational private equity backed and public companies.  He also led Grant Thornton’s Mid-Atlantic Technology Practice for over 13 years.

Tony has experience building consulting practices that focus on CFO advisory services, technical accounting consulting, IPO’s, SPAC, private placement and M&A transactions, as well as IPO and SOX readiness.  He has frequently presented on SaaS industry panels regarding digital and finance transformation as well as technical accounting matters.

In 2018, Tony co-founded RevLock, an automated revenue recognition software application built for the SaaS and Subscription Industries, and sold it to Chargebee in 2021.

Dustin Klavon

Senior Consultant

Dustin Klavon is an international trade compliance professional with over 7 years of experience operating within as well as in a consultant role to clients performing international transactions.

Dustin joined the BGS team in May 2024 and will apply his experience and knowledge to support BGS clients. He works with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate the networking systems and software company’s product development and sales activity in conformity with its internal standards and the regulations of the many jurisdictions.

Dustin enjoys reading fiction and nonfiction books & information about a variety of subjects, and is an avid sports & fantasy sports fan, especially of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning & NFL’s Detroit Lions.

Claire Chao

Senior Marketing Associate

Claire is a recent 2024 graduate from Bucknell University. She studied international relations and was involved in campus Greek life as well as mentorship programs. Claire grew up in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and New York where she has gained different cultural backgrounds while pursuing several internships. During the summer of 2023, she partook in Under Armour’s internship program as a supply chain management intern, obtaining practices in operations.

Since joining the BGS team in June of 2024 as a marketing associate, Claire will be utilizing her prior experience toward the recruiting and administrative functions of the firm, allowing our team to grow and reach a wider audience. In addition, she will continue her path of learning as a young professional.

In her free time, Claire enjoys restaurant and café hopping, traveling, photography, cooking, and partaking in new experiences.

Jason Cespedes

Senior Manager

Jason is a seasoned finance professional with over two decades of experience in the financial sector. He spent his first 7 years out of college in financial sales with roles ranging from stockbroker to personal banker.  He later received a MS in Financial Management from Maryland University which he used to prepare him for a transition into the world of FP&A.  In 2010, Jason joined Deltek as a Senior Finance Generalist, a role he excelled in for five years, showcasing his versatility and comprehensive understanding of financial operations. He then moved to Rosetta Stone, taking on the role of Senior Finance Manager, where he demonstrated his leadership and strategic planning skills for six years. In 2021, Jason became the Director of Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) at Brazen, where he drove financial strategy and performance, leveraging his extensive experience to lead his team and support the company’s growth and profitability.

Today Jason joins BGS as a Senior Manager and looks forward to helping to build out the FP&A arm of the consulting firm.

In his personal time Jason enjoys working out, spending time with his children, and traveling.

Christopher Welsh

Manager

As a Manager at BGS, Christopher manages workstreams and teams to support clients during critical times of need. He uses technical and managerial experience, business acumen, and understanding to deliver each client thoughtful, tailored solutions encompassing audit support and readiness, accounting operations management, process improvement and documentation, project management, financial and management reporting, systems implementation support, and technical accounting.

Christopher has served clients of different sizes, in various industries, on many systems, including a regional real estate developer and construction manager, regional senior living operator, and global consumer packaged goods company, utilizing software including QuickBooks, Yardi and Payscan, SAP, Oracle, CaseWare, Microsoft Office suite, and more. Before accounting advisory, he worked four years in audit and earned his bachelor’s in accounting from Portland State University. He is a Certified Public Accountant in Virginia.

In his free time, Christopher enjoys running, watching movies, and travelling with an emphasis on exploring the United States.

Gerry Lindner

Director

Gerry joined the BGS team in 2021 and provides technical accounting and financial reporting guidance to public and PE-backed high growth clients. At BGS, Gerry has led the cash-to-GAAP conversion of numerous PE portfolio companies and led these organizations through their first financial audit, establishing accounting policy and procedures and GAAP accounting standards. Prior to BGS, for nearly forty years, Gerry provided assurance and advisory services to clients ranging from global Fortune 500 firms to private equity backed start-up companies. As a Partner at Ernst & Young, Gerry worked alongside clients, executives, and their Boards to provide leadership and council on business strategies, mergers and acquisitions, capital transactions, internal control issues, cyber security and information technology matters, external financial reporting, business transformation, management performance, and corporate governance.  He has experience working with numerous industry sectors including consumer products, manufacturing, chemicals and minerals, professional services, technology, government contracting and healthcare. Gerry is currently the vice chair of the board of Junior Achievement of Central Maryland and a member of the Accounting Advisory Board of Loyola University Maryland. Gerry is a Certified Public Accountant.

Paul Feeko

Senior Advisor

Paul joined BGS as a senior advisor in April 2024.  A former partner with EY, Paul retired in June 2022 after a 36 year career in the Big 4.  Paul began his career in audit, concentrating on large public companies, growth-oriented IPO candidates and venture backed companies in Technology, Communications, Manufacturing and Defense/GovCon.  He then spent nearly 20 years in Transaction Advisory, working with large and middle-market private equity firms and corporate buyers and sellers, helping them optimize value from strategic transactions.  Paul also served in numerous internal roles with EY, including leading EY’s largest global acquisition, overseeing large strategic change programs across the firm and managing large business units.  Prior to his retirement, Paul served as EY Americas Sector Leader for Aerospace and Defense.

As part of the BGS team, Paul is helping advise clients on strategic transactions, growth strategy and transformational change. His extensive experience with growth-oriented companies, private equity firms and all forms of buyers and sellers will help clients achieve optimal value for strategic transactions and initiatives.

Paul lives with his wife in the Northern Virginia area and attempts to advise his own two children, who are busy starting their own careers.  He is involved in numerous not-for-profit endeavors, and enjoys golf, fitness and travel.

Frank Mencini

Managing Partner

Frank joined BGS Consulting in November 2023 and currently serves as Managing Partner.  Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Frank graduated from Penn State University, earned his CPA, spent three years in the audit practice of Arthur Andersen and then spent the next two years earning his MBA from Harvard Business School.  Frank returned to Andersen, advancing to Partner as he helped build and operate Andersen’s Healthcare Advisory Practice.  Following Andersen, Frank helped lead and grow a revenue-cycle and staffing business which was eventually sold to a private-equity backed company.  Frank then joined Inova Health System, a $6 billion integrated healthcare system based in Northern Virginia, serving as the CFO of the Physician Enterprise & Ambulatory Portfolio for seven years.  Concurrent with this, Frank was elected to the Board of Directors of FNB Corp., a publicly traded $50 billion asset financial services business based in Pittsburgh, PA, where he currently Chairs the Audit Committee and serves on several other board committees.  Most recently, Frank served as the CFO of a $200 million New York based private equity backed rollup enterprise.

As part of the BGS leadership team, Frank is focused on building and expanding relationships with key strategic partners, private equity and VC sponsored businesses.  Frank will help drive our service offering mix and delivery as well as the overall growth of the company. Frank’s extensive background and strong leadership capabilities bring a unique and valuable perspective to client service, company strategy, and growth initiatives.

Frank spends most of his free time with his wife, three daughters, extended family, and close friends.  He enjoys running and golfing.