Terrapin Palisades Logo
 

Jason Weiss is the founder of Terrapin Palisades Ventures LLC. Prior to founding Terrapin Palisades, Mr. Weiss was the co-founder and managing member of Terrapin Partners LLC and Terrapin Asset Management LLC. Terrapin Partners LLC is a private investment entity founded in 1998 with a focus on private equity and venture capital. Terrapin Asset Management LLC is an asset management company founded in 2001. As of Mr. Weiss' departure in 2009, it managed almost $400 million of institutional and high net worth client assets in hedge fund strategies. In 2005 it implemented one of the first hedge fund strategies dedicated to the global water sector (e.g., water filtration, infrastructure, utilities).

Mr. Weiss was the CEO of Aldabra 2 Acquisition Corp., a blank check company which raised $414 million of gross proceeds in its June 2007 initial public offering. In February 2008, Mr. Weiss became a director of Boise Inc. (NYSE: BZ) when Aldabra 2 acquired the paper and packaging assets of Boise Cascade LLC in a transaction valued at approximately $1.6 billion. Mr. Weiss served as a director, including as a member of Boise's corporate governance and compensation committees, through October 2013 when Boise was sold to Packaging Corporation of America in a transaction valued at approximately $2 billion. For an investor who purchased Aldabra 2's units at its initial public offering and re-invested all dividends as well as exercised their warrants in May 2011, such an investor would have earned a return of approximately 96% (and 114% if the contingent value rights issued to the vast majority of investors is included), versus a total return of approximately 34% for the S&P500 during the same time period. Aldabra 2's investment track record places it well within the upper 5% of the approximately 200 special purpose acquisition corporations ("SPACs") raised between 2003 and 2013.

Prior to that, Mr. Weiss was the CEO of Aldabra Acquisition Corporation, a blank check company which raised $55.2 million of gross proceeds in its February 2004 initial public offering. In December 2006, Aldabra merged with Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (NASDAQ: GLDD), the largest provider of dredging services in North America, in a transaction valued at more than $400 million. Since December 2006, Mr. Weiss has served as a director of Great Lakes. He currently serves on Great Lakes’ compensation as well as nominating and governance committees.

At various times between 1997 and 2004, Mr. Weiss served as CEO of PaperExchange.com Inc. and COO of e-STEEL LLC, both Internet-based business- to-business exchanges, and the Managing Member of American Classic Sanitation LLC, a temporary site services business focused on the construction and special event industries.

Mr. Weiss received his JD degree, cum laude, from Harvard Law School, and graduated with highest distinction and honors in economics from the University of Michigan. Mr. Weiss serves as Vice Chairman of the Humane Society of the United States ("HSUS"), the largest animal protection organization in the world. He is the Chairman of HSUS' Investment and Pension Trust Committee (which has more than $200 million of assets), the Chairman of HSUS' Risk Management Committee, and he serves on HSUS' Executive Committee. He is a member of Young Presidents' Organization. Mr. Weiss is married and has two children.