OUR TEAM

Robert Peyton,
Chairman of the Board of Cantera Partners
Robert Peyton is a Member of the Board of Managers of C.I.S. Management Co., President of Emerging Markets and President, CEO and Chairman of Cantera Partners. Mr. Peyton joined America First Companies in 1995 to serve as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Investment Manager. In that capacity, he has overseen the investment of $100 million in food and agribusiness companies in the former Soviet Union. Mr. Peyton has 37 years experience in agribusiness and investments with 20 years experience in the CIS region. Mr. Peyton’s previous experience includes 17 years with Cargill, Inc. and ten years with ConAgra, Inc., holding top management positions with both companies. Most recently, Mr. Peyton served as Executive Vice President of ConAgra International and President of ConAgra International Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Mr. Peyton currently serves as a Director of two API Portfolio Companies: Rasko (Glass Bottle Producer) and Chicken Kingdom (Integrated Broiler Company – Chairman). Mr. Peyton was recently elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Russian-American Chamber of Commerce®. Mr. Peyton is a graduate of Kansas State University.

Michael Jung,
Vice President of Cantera Partners
As Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Cantera Partners, LLC, Mr. Jung is responsible for the overall operations of the Company. Mr. Jung works closely with public and private entities to establish economic opportunities in developing countries. He works closely with each partner to ensure the total success of the project from development to execution. Mr. Jung’s international experience has allowed him to execute commodity monetization deals for a number of Cantera’s NGO and PVO clients in the former Soviet Union, Africa, and Central Asia. Mr. Jung joined the Burlington Capital Group in 2004 as a Business Development Analyst for America First Real Estate Group LLC (a subsidiary of the Burlington Capital Group). Mr. Jung received a Masters of Business Administration from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, and a Bachelors degree from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.  Mr. Jung formerly served on the board for Mountain Pastures Dairy in Afghanistan. 

Michael Draper,
Chief Financial Officer of Cantera Partners
Mr. Draper has been the Chief Financial Officer of Cantera since its inceptions. He joined Cantera Partners' affiliate, the Burlington Capital Group in April 2004 as Director of Accounting and Finance. Prior to joining Burlington Capital Group, Mr. Draper was with Transgenomic, Inc., a publicly traded biotech company, from 2000 to 2004 where he served as CFO and previously as Controller. From 1997 to 1999 he was Vice President of Accounting and Finance at Midland Systems, Inc. (MSI Systems Integrators). MSI provided computer hardware and networking solutions and services to customers throughout the Midwestern United States. Mr. Draper also spent eight years in public accounting with the firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP from 1989 to 1997. Mr. Draper holds a B.S. degree in Accounting and Business Administration from the University of Nebraska.

William A. Delphos
Co-Founder and Board Member of Cantera Partners
Mr. Delphos is the Founder and Managing Director of Delphos International, a financial services firm that develops financing structures for emerging markets, lenders, and clients on an international basis serving over 600 clients in more than 50 countries. Prior to founding the company in 1987, Mr. Delphos was Senior Vice President of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and also held several positions with Gould Inc., including Managing Director of International Operations. He received his MBA from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he is an Emeritus Trustee.

 

August "Gus" Schumacher
Co-Founder and Board Member of Cantera Partners
August "Gus" Schumacher assists Cantera Partners in identifying new opportunities, implementing existing investments and its linkages with non-government organizations. He formerly held several high-ranking positions within the United States Department of Agriculture, including the position of Undersecretary of Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service. Mr. Schumacher was also the past President of the Commodity Credit Corporation and served on its Board of Managers. A Senate confirmed position, the Undersecretary is the third ranking official in the USDA, with oversight to the Secretary and Congress for some $102 billion in outstanding crop insurance liabilities, export and domestic farm credit, Commodity Credit Corporation payments, international food aid and staff and expenses. The Undersecretary overseas more than 18,000 employees located in 2,450 offices domestically and 76 offices in 72 countries. Mr. Schumacher held also several other key management positions at the USDA, including serving as President of the Commodity Credit Corporation, and prior to this period had extensive experience in agricultural affairs at the World Bank and in state government.

Ambassador Christopher Goldthwait
Consultant
Christopher E. Goldthwait is an independent consultant and advisor to Cantera Partners and Delphos International. Prior to establishing his consulting business, he completed a 30+ year career in the Foreign Service. From 1999 to 2004 he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Chad. While in Chad, he orchestrated the return of the Peace Corps to the country and arranged a U.S.-funded agricultural development project near Chad’s oil production to retain the agriculture industry once oil production started. From 1991-1999, Mr. Goldthwait served as General Sales Manager in the Foreign Agricultural Service of the Department of Agriculture where he was responsible for USDA’s market development, export credit, export subsidy and food aid programs. From 1982 – 1986 he was the Agricultural Counselor in the U.S. Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria, with regional responsibilities in Cameroon and Ghana. Mr. Goldthwait has extensive experience with a variety of U.S. Government programs, the USDA and the U.S. Congress. He graduated from American University in Washington, D.C. and earned a Master’s in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Ali Petersen
Executive Assistant
Ms. Petersen is responsible for assisting team members with a variety of projects. Prior to her current position, she was a Staff Assistant/Receptionist with the Burlington Capital Group. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.