Co-Founders

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  • Andrew is the Founder of Redwood Endeavors, a 501c3 social impact platform for multiple public benefit initiatives, including Redwood Fellows and The Neighborhood.  Prior to creating Redwood Endeavors in 2025, Andrew served as Co-CEO of Dalio Education, a division within Dalio Philanthropies, where he led the team, overall strategy, and grant-making alongside Barbara Dalio.  From 2014 to 2024, they worked together as partners to build Dalio Education in service of young people, public schools, non-profit organizations, and communities across Connecticut. Before joining Dalio Philanthropies in 2014, Andrew served in state government and as a public school teacher. He is a Pahara Fellow and Redwood Fellow, and member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. He serves on the boards of the Community Mindfulness Project and Friends Center for Children.

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  • As a Focus Partners Wealth Division President, Gerry provides leadership and ongoing management to advance Focus Partners’ strategic vision and support for advisory teams. He is responsible for driving organic growth through measurable objectives and overseeing complex budgets. Gerry also focuses on optimizing business operations, evolving the firm’s advisory team and office model, executing advisor and client experiences, maintaining a strong operational infrastructure, and developing top talent to support the business. In addition, he serves as Executive Sponsor of the firm’s community impact efforts, spearheading outreach initiatives. Gerry served as the CEO of GYL Financial Synergies, which he co-founded in 2016 and led through its integration into Focus Partners in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    For the 30 years that Gerry has resided in Connecticut, he has been involved in many non-profit organizations in a volunteer capacity, including but not limited to: a member of the national advisory council of More Perfect; serving as a trustee and a member of the executive committee of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford; President of the Hebrew High School of New England; Community Trustee for the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford; and past trustee of the board for the Solomon Schechter Day School.  When not working or giving back to the community, Gerry is an avid skier and enjoys spending time with his wife, three children, and three grandchildren.

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  • I started my first company when I was 26.  Luckily, that company today employs more than 40,000 people and is the largest restaurant company in Central Europe with over $3 Billion in sales.  I was also a founding board member of Hotwire, an online travel startup acquired by Expedia in 2003 for a ton of money.  I've started and run 4 for-profit companies and helped found 4 non-profits.  I've invested in and helped mentor somewhere between a dozen and two dozen entrepreneurs, where in most cases I was one of the first people to believe in what they were building.  I've traveled to 87 countries, and sat on too many boards.  Those are the highlights.  I've also got plenty of arrows sticking out of my back, and have dug a couple enormous holes in the ground.  My second startup was a moon shot in the early days of online commerce that went from 0-250 employees in 18 months, burned through close to $90 million of venture funding, and died on the doorstep of an IPO when the first internet bubble burst in early 2000.  I've led teams through crazy growth pushes and also through massive layoffs.  I've inspired people, and let a few of those same people down.

    Today, I spend most of my time trying to be a good husband, father, son and community volunteer.  Here in CT, I helped start Social Impact Partners for Connecticut, AdvanceCT, 4-CT, and SimplifyCT.  I’ve served on 9 non-profit boards in Connecticut.  I’ve also had the privilege of working closely with Governor Lamont and his senior team, particularly during the early days of the COVID pandemic when we raised and quickly distributed $20 million in philanthropic aid through 4CT.  Finally, I’m a certified EMT and have been an active Member of Weston Volunteer EMS for 13 years.