People

Mark A. Hillman, CEO and Chief Investment Officer, founded HCM in 1998, bringing into the firm assets of predecessor companies he established in the early 1990s. His first investment advisory company, Custom Asset Management, merged with Menocal Capital Management in 1993 and he became Chief Investment Officer of the combined firms. Prior to founding his first firm, he was a financial consultant with Shearson Lehman Hutton. A graduate of Tufts University, he has done graduate coursework at Harvard University Extension School. An expert sailboat racer, he has competed successfully in National and World Championships over four decades.

As the architect of the firm’s proprietary investment process and Chief Investment Officer at HCM, Mark Hillman continues to lead the investment process. Since 1994, his investment results have spoken for themselves and have been recognized by investors and media alike. He has appeared in Fortune Magazine, The New York Times, MSN Money, USA Today, Bloomberg News, Dow Jones Marketwatch, The Baltimore Sun, The San Francisco Chronicle, Bloomberg Television, Kiplinger’s and Forbes.com.

Trevor Lee, MBA, Director of Qualitative Research, leads the investment team in the assessment of the competitive dynamics of companies. Trevor joined Hillman Capital Management in 2008 and is a member of HCM’s Investment Committee. Trevor evaluates companies from the unique perspective of his solid background in marketing and product development for Fortune 500 companies, including Procter and Gamble, Kraft, and Sara Lee. A graduate of Tufts University, Trevor earned his MBA at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Katherine O’Donnell, Analyst, focuses on assessing the competitive dynamics and valuation of companies. Kate joined Hillman Capital Management in 2022. Prior to her role at HCM, Ms. O’Donnell served as the Sailing Director of The Carolina Yacht Club, Inc., where she managed the budgeting, marketing, logistics, hiring, and employee training for the club’s sailing programs.

Ms. O’Donnell graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from The Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina (USC), where she was the captain of the University’s Sailing Team. At USC, Ms. O’Donnell was named to the Dean’s List and President’s List and achieved recognition as a member of the University’s Hall of Leaders and the ICSA All-Academic Sailing Team.

C. Frank Watson III, Chief Compliance Officer, has served as the Chief Compliance Officer for Hillman Capital Management, Inc. since 2005. Apart from Hillman Capital Management, Mr. Watson founded Fairview® Investment Services, LLC in 2005, which provides compliance support services to investment advisers and other financial institutions with assets under management totaling 378 billion. Mr. Watson oversees Fairview’s multiple lines of business, which, in addition to compliance administration, include cyber solutions, private fund administration, performance services and regulatory reporting. Mr. Watson earned a B.S. in Economics from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Jeffrey T. Long, Director of Systems and Operations, began consulting HCM in 2002 and joined the team in 2005. Jeff has more than a decade of hands on experience managing trading and operations at HCM and more than three decades of experience as a software development consultant. In addition to extensive expertise in software development for financial management organizations, he has worked on many different hardware platforms for various clients such as FedEx, Jaguar Land Rover, AT Kearney, Cadbury Schweppes, Microsoft, Lucent, Mobil and Lever Brothers. Mr. Long holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and Management Information Systems from James Madison University.

Lindsey G. Vaughan, Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®), Managing Director of Business Development, has over twenty-five years of industry experience across both alternative and traditional investment strategies offered through separate accounts, mutual funds and hedge funds. He has a strong investment acumen that ranges from alternatives to equities and fixed income. Lindsey is a member of the Boston Society of Security Analysts and maintains his NASD Series 7 and 63 licenses. Mr. Vaughan earned his Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from Williams College.

Terence M. Brems, Managing Director, Platform Distribution, has over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. He excels at helping enterprise firms to boost business performance and enhance client experiences. Through his consultative approach, Terry has become a trusted provider to RIAs, Broker/Dealers, and Financial Advisers. Terry’s experience runs the gamut from TAMPs and Separately Managed Accounts to Mutual Funds.