Bio

James has over thirty years of corporate finance experience in private equity, mergers and acquisitions and operations management. His career comprises private and public sector investing from both a strategic and financial investor perspective. Immediately prior to coming to Peninsula Capital Partners, Mr. Illikman held positions with Talon Equity Partners LLC, a middle-market buyout firm, where he was responsible for investment origination and portfolio maintenance. Before that, he held positions with Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership, United Technologies and the predecessor entity to Delphi Corporation. At these firms, Mr. Illikman was responsible for identifying, conducting due diligence, negotiating and closing acquisitions consistent with the business development objectives of the companies. Mr. Illikman has also served in various management roles for acquired operating companies. Mr. Illikman earned both his BBA Magna Cum Laude and his Masters in Business Administration degrees from the University of Michigan. He is a member of the CFA Institute. Mr. Illikman’s interests include mountain biking and snowmobiling and other outdoor activities.