BOCA RATON, FL—August 18, 2020 – AE Industrial Partners, LP (“AEI”), a private equity firm specializing in Aerospace, Defense & Government Services, Power Generation, and Specialty Industrial markets, announced today that Kelly Romano has joined the firm as an Operating Partner, effective immediately. Her distinguished career in technology, commercial buildings and aerospace includes 27 years in executive roles at United Technologies Corporation (UTC).

“Kelly’s broad technology and industrial experience aligns with many of AE Industrial’s core sectors, which will make her a valuable asset to our portfolio companies as they seek counsel on growth and operations improvement,” said David Rowe, Managing Partner of AEI. “Kelly’s additional background in finance will also be helpful to the AEI team as we source new deals. We look forward to working with her and welcome her to the growing AEI team.”

Since her retirement from UTC in 2016, Ms. Romano has served as the founder and Chief Executive Officer of BlueRipple Capital, LLC, a consultancy firm focused on strategy, acquisitions, deal structure, and channel development for high tech companies. She held various positions of increasing responsibility at UTC, her most recent being President, Intelligent Building Technologies, in UTC Building Systems & Services. She also held senior positions in UTC Corporate Headquarters, UTC Fire & Security, and Carrier Corporation.

Ms. Romano serves on the board of directors of several companies including UGI Corporation, Dorman Products, Inc., Potter Electric Signal, and tech start-up 75F. She has also worked as an advisor in the private equity space over the last four years with various firms and as a managing partner of Xinova, LLC, an innovation development firm. She previously was on the Advisory Council for Accenture’s Women’s Leadership Forum and was also named to WomenInc's Most Influential Corporate Directors in 2019. She holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the State University of New York at Buffalo, an MBA degree from Syracuse University, and is a graduate of the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management’s Corporate Board Governance Executive Program, as well as senior executive programs at Darden School of Management, University of Virginia.

“AE Industrial has been one of the most active private equity firms in the aerospace, defense, technology, and industrial space today, and I am excited to join the firm and work with an outstanding group of professionals and companies,” said Ms. Romano.