Our Team

H.E. “Bud” Scruggs played a key leadership role as a senior executive at Leucadia National Corporation for over a decade. He has an extensive background advising high-net-worth families and their respective companies.

Mr. Scruggs is currently a director of Crystal Peak Minerals, Linkem (an Italian internet provider) and Snowbird Ski Resort. He has extensive experience as a director of both public and private companies, including American Investment Bank, Barbados Light & Power, Conwed Plastics, Fortescue Metals Group (one of the largest mining companies in Australia), Poseidon Nickel, Deseret Morning News, Empire Insurance, and MK Gold – including experience on multiple audit and executive committees.

Previously, Mr. Scruggs served as Chief of Staff to Governor Norman Bangerter and was a co-founder and partner with Governor Michael Leavitt of the Public Affairs Advisory Group. He received his JD from BYU’s J. Reuben Clark Law School and a degree in Political Science from Brigham Young University.

Keith Taylor comes to Cynosure from The Carlyle Group in Washington, DC, where he was a Managing Director, having spent nine years with Carlyle’s Global Financial Services Fund Group, helping manage two private equity funds. While at Carlyle, he was responsible for a number of the firm’s financial services investments and led the firm’s sourcing of investments in the asset management and wealth advisory industries. Before joining Carlyle, Mr. Taylor was an investment banker with Goldman Sachs, working in Goldman’s Financial Institutions Group, and he worked in a similar capacity for JPMorgan Chase and J.P. Morgan.

Mr. Taylor serves as a Director of Brand Group Holdings, Inc., Avalon Advisors and Conifer Securities. He received an M.B.A. from The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a B.S. in Accounting from Washington and Lee University.

David Hunter joins The Cynosure Group as Managing Director and Head of Investor Relations. Prior to joining Cynosure, Mr. Hunter spent 11 years with Partners Group in the New York, San Francisco, and Denver offices as a member of the Investment Solutions team, most recently as a Senior Vice President.

While at Partners Group, Mr. Hunter was responsible for managing the Western Region U.S. institutional sales efforts, where he set the strategy for managing existing client relationships and sourcing new investments. Mr. Hunter was responsible for building the U.S. Consulting Relations team.

Before joining Partners Group, Mr. Hunter was a consultant with Connecticut-based Evaluation Associates where he advised institutional clientele on investment policy development, asset allocation, manager search and selection, and performance and attribution analysis. Prior to that, Mr. Hunter was an investment advisor at Bear Stearns, where he advised high-net-worth families and small institutions.

Mr. Hunter received his MBA from Brigham Young University’s Marriot School of Management and his BA in Finance from Brigham Young University, where he also played on the baseball team. He is an outdoors enthusiast, and is an avid cyclist, tennis player, golfer, and father.

Andrew Braithwaite comes to Cynosure from The Carlyle Group in New York, NY where he spent five years with Carlyle’s Global Financial Services Fund helping source, evaluate and manage investments across two private equity funds. While at Carlyle, Mr. Braithwaite was associated with a number of the firm’s financial services investments and focused on the firm’s investments in asset and wealth management, financial technology, insurance brokerage, specialty finance / depositories and business services.  Before joining Carlyle, Mr. Braithwaite was an investment banker with Barclays Capital, working in its Financial Institutions Group.

Mr. Braithwaite has served as a director or observer on numerous company boards including Brand Group Holdings, Inc., Avalon Advisors, Conifer Financial Services and Xenith Bankshares.  Mr. Braithwaite graduated summa cum laude from Merrimack College where he received a B.S. in business administration – finance and economics.

Chris Neddo began his investment career in 1998 with First Security Investment Management (a subsidiary of First Security Bank).  While at First Security Investment Management, Mr. Neddo held several different positions, including Compliance Officer, Performance Specialist and Equity Analyst.  Following the merger between First Security Investment Management and Wells Fargo in 2000, Chris worked for Wells Capital Management, a global institutional investment manager with over $350 billion in assets under management.  Mr. Neddo was an Equity Analyst and Portfolio Manager on the Premier Growth Equity Team, which managed over $4 billion in large cap growth stocks through a mutual fund, collective funds and separately managed accounts.  In addition to performing investment analysis and research, Chris helped formulate investment strategy and provided communication to portfolio managers with client assets invested the Premier Growth strategy.  Following his involvement with the Premier Growth Equity team, Mr. Neddo assumed responsibility for separately managed institutional client portfolios.  As a Portfolio Manager/Relationship Manager, Mr. Neddo was responsible for developing investment policies, asset allocation strategies, portfolio construction and tactical asset allocation disciplines for his clientele and for client reporting and interfacing.  Mr. Neddo left Wells Capital Management in 2015 to join The Cynosure Group and assist in forming the firm.  As a Client Advisor, Chris utilizes his diverse background in investment management to formulate investment strategies and construct investment portfolios to meet the investment objectives of high-net-worth clients and institutions.

Chris has earned the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst designation (CFA) and has held numerous leadership positions in the CFA Society Salt Lake, including President and Past President.  Mr. Neddo currently serves as a member of the Utah State University Endowment Investment Advisory Committee and Director on the Board of the Utah High School Activities Association Foundation.  He is also a former Adjunct Professor at the University of Utah.  He earned a B.A. in Finance from Weber State University and an MBA from BYU’s Marriott School of Management.

Richard Lee joined Cynosure in 2016 and currently leads the firm’s finance department.  Richard is responsible for the accounting and financial reporting of Cynosure and its fund entities, and is also involved with the firm’s operations.

Prior to joining Cynosure, Richard worked as a tax professional at Jones Simkins, LLC, a regional accounting firm based in Northern Utah.  Richard’s work focused primarily on tax planning and compliance for privately-held mid-sized businesses and their owners.  Richard served clients across a variety of industries, including professional services, manufacturing, retail, and consumer products.

Richard received a B.A. in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy from Utah State University’s Jon M. Huntsman School of Business.  He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Utah.

Alyson Paxman works with the client advisory and operational activities of the firm.  Prior to joining The Cynosure Group, Alyson spent seven years with Goldman Sachs where she was a Vice President in Private Wealth Management Operations.

Alyson graduated Magna Cum Laude from Brigham Young University where she received a B.A. in Communications.

Quentin Smith is responsible for sourcing, evaluating and executing new investment opportunities.  Prior to joining The Cynosure Group, Quentin worked as an investment banking analyst at Goldman Sachs in New York City.  His transaction experience includes mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts and debt and equity offerings.

Quentin received his B.S. in Business Management with an emphasis in Finance, from Brigham Young University.  While attending Brigham Young University, Quentin was a member of the NCAA Division I men’s volleyball team, where he was a team captain.

Cindy Bennett joined The Cynosure Group’s finance department in 2018.  She is responsible for the accounts payable and general bookkeeping duties.  Prior to joining Cynosure, Cindy was the co-owner of a cabinet manufacturing business for 18 years where she executed the bookkeeping, payroll, and HR for the company.  She is also a published author.

Mindy is an Executive Assistant at The Cynosure Group and provides support to Spencer P. Eccles. Mindy graduated from the Legal Assistant Program at Westminster College and began her career as a Paralegal in the Litigation Division at the Utah Office of the Attorney General, where she worked for eight years.  In 2013, she was recruited to the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development, where she served as Executive Assistant to Spencer P. Eccles.

Megan is an Executive Assistant at The Cynosure Group and provides support to Herbert E. “Bud” Scruggs.  Prior to joining Cynosure, Megan was as an Executive Assistant at Rose Printing Company where she worked for four years.  She also spent three years working for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where she was an Administrative Assistant and Project Coordinator.

Megan graduated from Brigham Young University – Idaho where she received a B.S. in Communications.

Emily is an Executive Assistant at The Cynosure Group and provides support to Keith Taylor, David Hunter, and Andrew Braithwaite.  Prior to joining Cynosure, Emily worked at The Vanguard Group as a personal investment associate.  Before that, she worked for the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, DC., where she served as a research assistant for the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee.  

Emily graduated from Brigham Young University where she received a B.A. in Political Science.  She is also fluent in French and enjoys traveling, reading and skiing.