Mary Ellen Hennessy-Jones is President and a co-founder of Solera Capital, a New York-based, women-owned private equity firm. Solera has invested over $250 million of equity capital in: organic food company, Annie’s; affordable luxury apparel retailer, Calypso St. Barth; consumer healthcare company, The Little Clinic; environmentally responsible paint company, Yolo Colorhouse; integrated media company for US Hispanic women, Latina Media Ventures; and an equestrian specialty retailer. She is a member of the Board of YOLO Colorhouse. She also serves as Solera’s Chief Compliance Officer.
Prior to joining Solera, Ms. Hennessy-Jones focused her extensive analytic, research and diligence skills on assessing value and risk across numerous industries and different types of transactions during a 20-year career in private finance, investment banking and corporate finance, at firms including J.P. Morgan, Salomon Smith Barney, NationsBank, Allied Capital Corporation and Exxon Corporation.
Ms. Hennessy-Jones graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Durant Scholar from Wellesley College with a B.A. in Mathematics and Economics. She also holds a MBA, with a concentration in Finance, from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where she was elected to Beta Gamma Sigma.
Ms. Hennessy-Jones is an avid marathon runner, having completed 80 marathons. She is a member of the 50 States Marathon Club.