There has been a lot of chatter about Gabriel Gomez across the news lately. He's frequently mentioned as one of the candidates that is thinking about the Republican nomination for the US Senate. Who is he?
Here is his bio page on the Advent International Private Equity website.
Gabriel Gomez joined Advent International in 2004. His previous private equity experience covers a broad range of industries including business services, healthcare, distribution, financial services and industrial products.
Before joining Advent, he worked for three years at Summit Partners in its buyout group. Prior to that he was an investment banking associate at Bowles Hollowell Conner in its Aerospace & Defense group, advising clients on sell-side and buy-side transactions.
Gabriel also served for nine years in the US Navy as both an aircraft carrier pilot and Navy SEAL commander.
Qualifications
Gabriel received a BS in systems engineering, with Merit, from the United States Naval Academy and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
In addition the Boston Globe ran a story about him highlighting him today. Including his donations to Obama in 2008 and his role as a spokesperson for an anti-obama SuperPAC in 2008.
Gomez, the son of Colombian immigrants, has made a good impression with some of the party leaders he has met with over the past few weeks.
"I was very impressed with Gabriel Gomez,'' said former governor Paul Cellucci, who believes Gomez would provide a strong voice for bipartisan cooperation in Washington. "He really carries himself with grace and dignity. He has stature and is very impressive.''
Cellucci added that Gomez had a compelling life story, pointing to his parents' roots and his rise through the Naval Academy and Harvard Business School.
But his support of Obama in 2008 and his donations to other Democrats, including $1,000 to liberal Alan Khazei for the US Senate in 2009, could hurt him in a GOP primary fight.
Finally here is an appearance he had on Hardball with Chris Matthews.
