Gary Varney

Chris Caldwell is a local entrepreneur who launched, led and grew The Common Wheel, a social enterprise that delivered on its mission of changing lives through the power of bikes while also delivering sustainable revenue. Chris was the winner of the first Great Social Enterprise Pitch and also was a member of the American Express 50 Under 40 Cohort of Social Entrepreneurs. Chris grew up in Lancaster City and has a deep network of local contacts. Chris has gained a deep appreciation for the powers of small business and looks forward to working with other entrepreneurs as they realize their dreams of buying a business or looking to plan their exit. Chris’ family was in the local construction industry and he spent his summers humping drywall, carrying bricks, and pouring concrete while learning the business from the ground up. Construction, manufacturing, specialty retail, and e-commerce will be the industries that he will focus on. Chris is currently continuing his entrepreneurial journey as he launches another business, Hush Money Bikes. He lives in Lancaster with his wife, son, and baby on the way.

Sloan Caplan is an executive and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of leading strategy and operations with mid-size companies in highly competitive, fast-changing markets. As president of the Dwell America companies, he leads the various entities covering the development, distribution, and manufacturing of products, consulting services, and various real estate holdings. Sloan is an “outside-of-the-box” thinker with a broad base of skills crucial in boosting operational resilience and value creation for small to mid-sized businesses. Sloan spent the majority of his early career in the manufacturing industry. After receiving an MS in Textile Engineering, Sloan joined Keystone Weaving Mills where he led the marketing and manufacturing strategy as well as the merger and integration of product lines and equipment. As president and CEO, with full P&L responsibility, he redesigned the company metrics enabling better cross-functional engagement and transparency of operational and financial positions. Sloan positioned the company for an increased understanding of customer value proposition and strategies and actions required to deliver it. He led a transformation of company branding with media campaigns, a new website with an interactive portal, and a major renovation of the facility and offices. Ultimately, this transformation led to a multimillion-dollar valuation when the company was sold. Sloan is a graduate of F&M and resides in the Lancaster area with his wife, three daughters, and various four-legged children. When not in the office, he enjoys activities with his family and golf or racquet sports when time allows.