GLASSBORO, N.J., June 12, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Rowan Innovation Venture Fund (RIVF) today announced the appointment of Garden State Venture Partners (GSVP) as its new management team, marking a significant milestone in the fund’s evolution. This leadership expansion brings together a seasoned group of investment and institutional professionals to lead the fund into its next phase of innovation and impact.
The GSVP leadership team is comprised of three Rowan alumni, including Michael Connallon, Jr., who brings 24 years of experience in global financial services, including leadership roles at JPMorgan Chase, where he advised highly sophisticated institutional investors, following years at Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank. Shawn Hill has two decades of venture capital and private equity management positions, including Partner at Moderne Ventures, Venture Partner at Polymath Ventures, and management positions at Constellation Software, one of Canada’s largest private equity firms. Connallon and Hill join Ernie Holtzheimer, a distinguished corporate and securities attorney and partner at Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC, who has managed RIVF since 2020.
Connallon says, “this team brings deep venture experience and industry operational expertise with plans to scale the fund’s value and strengthen commercial pathways for university-led research and technology. Through GSVP’s global network, we will attract new co-investment partners for RIVF portfolio companies who are mission-aligned and impact-driven, engaging businesses and investors in a soon-to-be-announced Fund that will allow for larger, later-stage funding rounds.”
