Investment Team
Our team comprises successful individuals with hands-on experience building businesses. We strongly believe that people are the most important asset of any company and that creating value for customers, employees, management and investors is a winning combination. With our broad experience across multiple industries, personal experience in executive leadership roles and our dedicated support of our portfolio companies, we are the right partner for businesses looking to reach the next level of success. Our principals have created value for organizations ranging from family-owned businesses to Fortune 500 companies.
Nikel Industrial Holdings also has an extended team of advisors who have cross-industry experience in key areas of business including finance, strategy, marketing, sales, human resources, international business, and sourcing in Asia and other low cost areas of the world.
John K. Strautnieks
FounderPrior to founding Nikel, John Strautnieks was a Director with Berwind Corporation, a private investment firm managing over $6 billion in assets. While at Berwind, John shared responsibility for Corporate Development functions, including transaction sourcing, structuring & negotiating and executing operational improvement initiatives for Berwind’s portfolio.
Before joining Berwind, John worked at General Dynamics in Strategic Planning and Mergers and Acquisitions. In this capacity, he led multiple growth initiatives for a $1.5b division within the company. Previously, he was a Senior Consultant with Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), where he specialized in global supply chain initiatives for Fortune 500 clients including Hewlett Packard, Motorola and British Petroleum.
Early in his career, John was an operations analyst for an automotive components supplier, where he implemented the company's ISO/QS 9001 quality system and led operational improvement initiatives. John graduated from Lake Forest College and Case Western Reserve University's Graduate School of Business.
Ray Ford
Operating PartnerRay has wide-ranging experience as a senior operating executive and has successfully built several businesses in the capacity of president and chief operating officer or chief executive officer. Prior to joining Nikel, Ray was President of Rostra Precision Controls, a manufacturer of automotive components and aerospace and commercial control and pressure relief valves. In this capacity, he executed a successful growth strategy by acquiring companies with strong core businesses and potential market leadership and integrated them into the company.
Previously, he was the COO of Century Brass, a manufacturer of pneumatic controls and assemblies serving the aerospace industry. Ray has a strong track record in building businesses through driving business strategy change, add-on acquisitions and integration and operational improvements. He has been an active director on many boards throughout his career and is a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Malcolm L. Heins
Operating PartnerMalcolm is the Chief Executive Officer of The Law Society of Upper Canada, which was founded in 1797, and has served in that role since August 2001. From November 2005 through June 2006, Mr. Heins also served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, the national coordinating body of the 14 Law Societies in Canada.
Previously, Mr. Heins was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Lawyers’ Professional Indemnity Company (LawPRO), an insurer engaged in lawyers’ professional liability insurance and title insurance. Mr. Heins is a graduate of the Dalhousie Law School and former civil litigator. Mr. Heins is a member of The Law Society of Upper Canada and the Canadian Bar Association.
John Lloyd
Operating PartnerJohn has had a long career in finance, accounting, business development and acquisitions operations in public and private companies, both large and small. John currently retains financial oversight for Rostra, a privately held company, in which he has an ownership position.
Following six years at Thomas Tilling plc, a London-based UK conglomerate now part of Invensys, John came to the US in 1978 as Vice President, Finance of its fast-growing US operation which grew from sales of $25 million to $1.5 billion over five years, mainly by acquisitions. Following a takeover of Tilling, he took a position at British Oxygen as Vice President, Finance and Corporate Development of BOC Healthcare.
He qualified as a Chartered Accountant having trained with Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co. in London and obtained a degree in Mechanical Engineering at Kings College, London.
