MEET THE TEAM

Blue Water's team is comprised of a diverse group of professionals with backgrounds in finance, consulting, engineering, project management, accounting, and tax.

Benjamin Griswold

Founder, Managing Partner

Benjamin Griswold

Founder, Managing Partner

Benjamin founded Blue Water in 2007.

He leads the firm’s investment strategy, capital allocation, and portfolio company operational engagement. Since founding the firm, he has led the sourcing, acquisition, and development of businesses across construction aggregates, equipment dealerships, and infrastructure-related sectors utilizing an industry specialized and operationally engaged investment approach.

Previously, Benjamin was Partner and Co-Founder of Nexstar Capital Partners, an emerging markets hybrid fund focused on distressed debt and equity investments.

Benjamin received an A.B. from Princeton University.

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Diego Ayala

Partner, President

Diego Ayala

Partner, President 

Diego oversees the firm’s investment, financial, and operational functions, including the day-to-day management of the investment team. He works alongside the Managing Partner in setting firm direction and priorities, and driving strategy and operational engagement at portfolio companies.

Diego joined Blue Water in 2014. Previously, he worked in the Audit, Litigation, and Forensic Accounting departments at Mallah Furman, a PCAOB-registered public accounting firm.

Diego received a B.B.A. in Accounting from Florida Atlantic University and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF), and Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA).

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Alexander Griswold

Head of Real Estate

Alexander Griswold

Head of Real Estate

Alex oversees the firm’s real estate investment portfolio and serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Blue Water Property Management.

Alex joined Blue Water in 2021. Previously, he was the Founder and Managing Partner of Armata Holdings, a real estate investment partnership based in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Alex currently sits on the Real Estate and Infrastructure Board at the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School, as a Commissioner on the Landmarks and Preservation Board in the Town of Palm Beach, and on the Board of Archbold Expeditions, one of the preeminent biological research and ecological conservation centers in the United States. Alex is involved in several professional organizations, including the International Council of Shopping Centers and The Urban Land Institute. Alex previously sat as a town commissioner on the Architectural Review Board in the Town of Palm Beach.

Alex received an M.S. in Real Estate from The Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School and a B.A. from Southern Methodist University.

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Brian Mahavier

Director, Investments

Brian Mahavier

Director, Investments

Brian focuses on the sourcing, evaluation, diligence, and execution of construction aggregates investment opportunities.

Brian joined Blue Water in 2026. Previously, he was a Vice President of Corporate Development at Knife River Corporation, Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions at COLAS USA, Vice President of Strategy and Development at U.S. Concrete and Manager of Corporate Development at CRH Americas Materials.

Brian received a M.B.A. from Texas Christian University and a B.B.A. in Finance from The University of North Texas.

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Ignacio D'Odorico

Vice President, Investments

Ignacio D'Odorico

Vice President, Investments

Ignacio focuses on the evaluation, diligence, and execution of investment opportunities.

Ignacio joined Blue Water in 2015. 

Ignacio received a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the Argentine Catholic University.

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Ben Seiden

Vice President, Finance

Ben Seiden

Vice President, Finance

Ben manages the finance function of the firm and supports other functions of the operations of the firm.

Ben joined Blue Water in 2026. Previously, he served as outsourced CFO for Alterna Equity Partners through Blue Ribbon CFOs, spent over a decade as part of KKR’s finance team as an employee and later as a consultant for the firm, and began his career as an Assurance Associate at PwC.

Ben received a M.S. in Accounting from St. John’s University, a B.S. in Finance from University of Central Florida and is a C.P.A.

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Juan Pablo Trevino

Senior Associate, Investments

Juan Pablo Trevino

Senior Associate, Investments

Juan Pablo focuses on the evaluation, diligence, and execution of investment opportunities.

Juan Pablo joined Blue Water in 2022 as a Summer Senior Associate and in 2023 as a Senior Associate. Previously, he was a Senior Associate Consultant at Bain & Company.

Juan Pablo received an M.B.A. from Stanford University Graduate School of Business and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering with a Minor in Systems Engineering from Tec de Monterrey.

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Daniel Crossan

Senior Associate, Investments

Daniel Crossan

Senior Associate, Investments

Daniel focuses on the evaluation, diligence, and execution of investment opportunities.

Daniel joined Blue Water in 2022. Previously, he was a Private Equity Investment Associate at Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, a mutual insurance company with $90.2 billion AUM.

Daniel received a B.B.A. in Finance from Temple University.

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Alberto Sanchez

Senior Associate, Investments

Alberto Sanchez

Senior Associate, Investments

Alberto focuses on the evaluation, diligence, and execution of investment opportunities.

Alberto joined Blue Water in 2023. Previously, he was an Investment Banking Associate at Citigroup Global Markets and an Analyst at MIRA, a Mexican real estate private equity firm.

Alberto received a B.A. in Finance from Tec de Monterrey.

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Hristo Plasheski

Analyst, Investments

Hristo Plasheski

Analyst, Investments

Hristo focuses on the evaluation and diligence of investment opportunities.

Hristo joined Blue Water in 2026. 

He received a M.S. in Finance from Fordham University and a B.S. in Political Science from Mercyhurst University. Hristo played on the NCAA Division II men's tennis team at Mercyhurst University.

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Vasakan Mahesan

Analyst, Investments

Vasakan Mahesan

Analyst, Investments

Vasakan focuses on the evaluation and diligence of investment opportunities.

Vasakan joined Blue Water in 2026.

He received a B.A. in History from Dartmouth College.

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Reed Carroll

Managing Director, Head of Capital Solutions & Investor Relations

Reed Carroll

Managing Director, Head of Capital Solutions & Investor Relations

Reed is responsible for capital solutions and investor relationships across the firm’s investment strategies. 

Reed joined in 2026. Previously Managing Member of SRC Advisors, a capital advisory firm supporting specialized investment managers. Co-Founder of Steelcreek Manufactured Housing Communities. Earlier roles include Business Development at Becker Drapkin Management, Managing Director at Butler Capital Partners, and Investment Representative at Lehman Brothers.

Reed received a B.A. in Economics from St. Lawrence University.

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Abby Harman

Senior Associate, Capital Solutions & Investor Relations

Abby Harman

Senior Associate, Capital Solutions & Investor Relations

Abby focuses on the capital solutions and investor relations activities of the firm.

Abby joined Blue Water in 2025. Previously, she held various roles in investor relations at Rialto Capital, Sun Capital, CD&R, and Blackstone.

Abby received a B.S. in Accounting and Finance from Fordham University.

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Esteban Fernandez

Vice President, Financial & Investor Reporting

Esteban Fernandez

Vice President, Financial Reporting & Investor Reporting

Esteban manages the financial reporting for the firm and its funds and supports related platform company reporting as well as valuation and investor reporting.

Esteban joined Blue Water in 2014. Previously, he was an Audit Manager at Deloitte.

Esteban received a Public Accountant degree from National University of Central Buenos Aires.

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Ron Fisher

Manager, Accounting and Tax

Ron Fisher

Manager, Accounting and Tax

Ron manages the tax and accounting functions for the firm and supports the platform company tax compliance functions

Ron joined Blue Water in 2019. Previously, he was a Tax Manager at Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra LLC, a PCAOB-registered public accounting firm.

Ron received a B.S. and M.S. in Accounting from the University of Florida. He is a Certified Public Accountant.

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Kristina Rankovic

Senior Associate, Valuations & Investor Reporting

Kristina Rankovic

Senior Associate

Kristina focuses on the firm’s fund and platform company valuation and investor reporting as well as supports investor relations department.

Kristina joined Blue Water in 2019. 

Kristina received an M.B.A. from Lynn University and a B.B.A. in International Business from Florida Atlantic University. Kristina played on the NCAA Division I women's volleyball team at Florida Atlantic University.

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Travell Louis

Staff Accountant

Travell Louis

Staff Accountant

Joined in 2026; provides accounting support for the firm and its funds and platform companies

B.B.A. in Accounting from Florida Atlantic University

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Kim Singer

Executive Assistant

Kim Singer

Executive Assistant

Kim is the Executive Assistant to Blue Water Advisors Founder and Managing Partner, Benjamin Griswold. 

Kim joined Blue Water in 2025. Previously, she was an Executive Assistant at a global private equity firm to several members of the executive team and provided a range of administrative and operational support. Prior to that, she was the Business Office Manager at Gemdale USA Corporation, a real estate investment and development company. 

Kim has more than two decades of experience in C-suite executive and administrative support and business operations.

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Milly Buie

Administrative Assistant

Milly Buie

Administrative Assistant

Milly provides administrative and organizational support for the firm.

Milly joined Blue Water in 2025. Prior to joining Blue Water, Milly supported grants and program management as an Entrepreneurship Specialist for Broward College's BCEx initiative. 

Milly received a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Leadership and HR Development from Florida Atlantic University.

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