Our People

Ronnda Causey, a proud Texas native, holds a bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Ashford University. She brings over 16 years of experience from corporate regulatory and compliance roles, complemented by three years of multi-franchise ownership and operation in the boutique fitness space. In 2024, Ronnda joined the executive administrative team at Western, where she plays a key role in supporting the organization’s leadership and operations. She currently resides in Cresson, Texas, with her husband.

Kasey, originally from Dubuque, Iowa, joined Western in July 2024 as part of the deal execution team, participating in initial engagement activities through to closing day. Prior to joining Western, he was an associate at CliftonLarsonAllen in their transaction advisory services practice, where he assisted private equity firms and private companies with financial diligence matters related to buy-side and sell-side transactions. Kasey graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire in 2022 with a BBA in finance and accounting and was a member of the men’s hockey team. He holds an active CPA license.

Ryan is responsible for leading the Western's strategic advisory services and working closely with clients on buy-side and sell-side engagements.  Ryan has over 15 years of experience leading M&A advisory engagements including, buy-side, sell-side, IPO readiness and post-close integrations for clients in various industries and has held Executive level positions leading investment, financial and operational strategies for privately owned companies. Ryan obtained both his Masters in Accounting and BBA from Texas Christian University and is a licensed CPA in the State of Texas. He currently lives in Fort Worth, TX with his wife and daughter. 

Elizabeth is a Research Analyst on Western's Intelligence Team. Previously, she worked at LKCM Headwater Investments. Elizabeth is from Farmersville, Texas, and graduated from Texas Christian University in 2022 where she majored in Finance and Accounting. 

Bryce Jones is a Senior Analyst at Western, where he supports the evaluation, diligence, and execution of M&A transactions across a range of industries. He joined the firm full-time in 2023 after interning during his senior year at Texas A&M University, where he earned a B.B.A. in Finance. Originally from Cedar Park, Texas, Bryce now lives in Fort Worth with his wife. Outside the office, he enjoys spending time at his ranch and playing golf.

Sarah attended San Francisco State University and competed collegiately with their debate team, taking them to California State Runner-up in 1994-95. She began her career selling office technology solutions in San Francisco, then left to work for Siebel Systems selling CRM software. She has lived in Texas since 2000 with her husband, two children, and two dogs. She joined Western in 2021 as part of the executive administrative team.

Samantha Kowalchuk serves as an M&A Analyst at Western Commerce Group, where she conducts in-depth research on investment opportunities and supports due diligence efforts. Previously, she worked under renowned economist Dr. Arthur Laffer at Laffer Associates in Nashville, Tennessee, contributing to reports on economic trends, market conditions, and supply-side insights. Originally from The Woodlands, Texas, Samantha graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2022 and has lived abroad in both Australia and Brunei, experiences that have shaped her global perspective.

As part of the Business Development team, Jerad focuses on developing new relationships and strengthening existing client connections for Western. A co-founder of a construction materials supply company and former General Motors leader, Jerad has nearly 15 years of experience in supply chain, manufacturing, and product development across various industries.  Originally from Southwest Michigan and now in Dallas, Jerad holds a BA in Supply Chain Management from Michigan State University and an MBA from Kettering University.

Julia is a Researcher for Western Commerce Group, working in the Origination Team. She helps the Business Development Team to find new prospects and opportunities for strategic partnerships. Previously, she came from a CPA background, and has experience calculating the R&D Tax Credit. Julia is from Fort Worth and attended Baylor University (BBA Accounting) where she met her husband.

Alex is a member of Western's deal execution team, which is involved in all phases of transactions, from initial financial analysis to closing. She is originally from The Woodlands, Texas, and graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2024 with a BS in Science-Business. In her spare time, Alex enjoys traveling, reading, and watching college football and baseball. 

Michael serves as a lead on Western’s Execution Team, as well as heading up business development efforts in the Industrial and Aerospace sectors. Previously, he served as EVP and CFO of Hillwood Airways, a Perot family investment, which he led to a successful exit in 2023. A CPA and Airline Transport Pilot with 9 years in public accounting and a Lear 60 type rating, he attended Oklahoma State University and the University of Texas, Dallas for his bachelor's and master’s degrees in Accounting, graduating UTD at the top of his class with full honors. Michael is active in his hometown of Southlake where he resides with his wife and five children.

Caroline was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, then moved to Texas where she has lived most of her life when she wasn’t traveling all over the US, Canada, and abroad. She attended San Jacinto College, and Culinary School of Fort Worth. Since then, she has served on the local and executive board in various positions for the Texas Chefs Association, as well as mentoring future chefs and volunteering her time in the community. In 2017 and 2023, she was nominated and awarded Chef of the Year for the TCA Fort Worth Chapter as judged by her peers, as well as awarded Texas State Chef of the Year for 2023-2024. One of the biggest honors in her Culinary Career was being inducted into the World Master Chefs Society. Caroline has been Western’s Private Chef for more than 13 years using her culinary knowledge, talent, and 30 years’ experience to prepare meals for Western’s VIP’s. Her previous background in Graphic Arts and Digitizing led her to owning a digitizing and Ad Specialty business for several years in Virginia, where she also had a cake decorating business. In her spare time, she enjoys being with family and friends, hiking in the mountains, decorating or working on her cookbook.

Lindsay is a professional pilot, helping to run the Western flight department and fly the company jet since 2023. She began her aviation career in 2016 after graduating from Hendrix college with a double major in Business and Spanish. Her interest in aviation began early, as both of her parents were pilots in the Navy and her dad went on to fly for Delta. In Lindsay’s spare time she loves reading, finding ways to be active, and spending time with her family. 

Chris Wolf is a Vice President at Western, where he leads M&A sourcing and execution across both sell-side and buy-side engagements. In this role, Chris manages the full deal lifecycle, from initial due diligence and financial modeling through buyer outreach, LOI negotiation, and closing. His responsibilities span operational, legal, and tax analysis to ensure successful outcomes for clients. Before joining Western in 2023, Chris held a similar role at a Dallas-based M&A advisory firm. Earlier in his career, he managed corporate communications for several Fortune 500 companies. A native of Phoenix, Chris earned his Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Missouri and his MBA from Southern Methodist University. He lives in Dallas with his wife and two young children and enjoys playing golf in his free time.