Our Team

Bill Lunsford, Managing Partner

Bill Lunsford photo

Prior to founding Zabel Capital, Bill spent eight years as a founding partner at Copeley Capital, a lower middle market private equity firm. Bill led and served as board chair of Copeley Capital’s investments in Roll-Rite, LLC, EMS Management & Consultants, Inc., Ambulance Billing Consultants, LLC, Badger Land Car Wash Equipment and Supplies, LLC, and Champion Optical Network Engineering, LLC. Prior to founding Copeley Capital, Bill was a principal with Keystone Capital, a private equity investment firm based in Chicago where he served as a board member or officer of five portfolio companies.

Bill's investment experience includes investments in the specialty chemical, optical components, baked goods, retail services, analytical instrumentation, cutting tools, heavy truck, car wash supplies, healthcare services, and telecom industries.

Bill earned a BA from Wake Forest University and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. Bill enjoys hunting, fishing, coaching youth sports and spending time with his family.

Bill currently serves on the boards of Puritan Products, Inc., Freedom Hawk Kayaks, LLC and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Charlotte.

Rich Jones, Principal

Rich Jones photo

rich@zabelcapital.com | 704-973-9938

Rich joined Zabel Capital in 2012. He was previously a principal at Copeley Capital, where he worked with Bill for seven years. Rich's experience spans all aspects of the investment process, including investment sourcing, deal execution, and portfolio management. Rich previously served on the board of directors of Badger Land Car Wash Equipment and Supplies, LLC, EMS Management & Consultants, Inc., and Champion Optical Network Engineering, LLC.

Rich's prior experience also includes work with McColl Partners, a middle market investment bank focused on mergers and acquisitions, private capital raises, and strategic advisory work, as well as Stern Stewart & Co., an international corporate finance and brand valuation consulting firm.

Rich has invested in or provided advisory services to healthcare revenue cycle management, health insurance, specialty chemicals, heavy-duty truck component manufacturing, payment processing services, database management and various value added distribution businesses.

Rich earned a BS in commerce from the University of Virginia with concentrations in finance and management. Rich enjoys outdoor sports, reading, live music and chasing after his three young children.

Advisory Board

A. Wellford Tabor

Mr. Tabor is currently the Managing Partner of Keeneland Capital. Prior to forming Keeneland Capital in 2009, Mr. Tabor was a Partner at Wachovia Capital Partners, where he worked since 2000. Before that, Mr. Tabor worked at The Beacon Group and at Morgan Stanley & Co. Mr. Tabor is a director of Concho Resources, Inc. (NYSE: CXO) and several privately held companies and community organizations.

Mr. Tabor received an undergraduate degree in History from the University of Virginia and a Master of Business Administration degree from The Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.

Brad Templeman

Mr. Templeman currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Roll-Rite, LLC, a middle market manufacturing business. Mr. Templeman was recruited to Roll-Rite, LLC in 2005 by Bill Lunsford (who was serving as Chairman of the Board at the time), and they worked closely together until the sale of Roll Rite in 2011. Prior to joining Roll-Rite, Mr. Templeman spent 24 years with Illinois Tool Works in multiple roles at a number of ITW operating companies. Just prior to joining Roll-Rite, Mr. Templeman was the Vice President of Business Development and was responsible for developing a strategic selling approach that leveraged ITW’s silo business structure. Prior to that Mr. Templeman led Binks and DeVilbiss, a $90.0 million operating company, where he reported to the President of ITW North America.

Mr. Templeman received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Kentucky.

Chet Walker

Mr. Walker began his professional career in 1972 when he joined a predecessor of Bank of America. During his 30-year tenure with the institution, he performed a variety of assignments, including Corporate Banking and the founding of the Private Placements, Syndications and Project Finance Groups within NationsBank and NCNB. Mr. Walker founded Banc of America Capital Investors in 1993. Capital Investors (now Ridgemont Equity Partners) was a private equity investment arm of Bank of America that focused on buyouts, recapitalizations and growth capital financings. Over a 10-year span, Capital Investors invested approximately $1.4 billion in more than 100 equity and mezzanine transactions. Mr. Walker was the Managing Partner until his retirement in 2002.

Mr. Walker received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Emory University and a Master's Degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration.