Recognition honors women whose brilliance lights the path for others.
LOS ANGELES, September 24, 2026 — Avante Capital Partners announced today that Ivelisse Rodriguez Simon, Managing Partner, has been selected to receive the National Association of Investment Companies (NAIC) 2026 Women in Alternatives Beacon Award. The award will be presented at NAIC’s Amplifying Alternatives Forum, held September 29 to 30, 2026, at The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C.
The Women in Alternatives Beacon Award honors women whose brilliance lights the path for others, recognizing leaders who excel at the highest levels while inspiring and opening doors for those who follow. NAIC is the largest industry association for diverse-owned alternative investment firms. Across seventeen years and five funds at Avante, Rodriguez Simon has helped build a $1.6 billion private credit platform and trained a generation of investors along the way. She also helped found the Small Business Investing Scholars Program, which has placed first-generation and underrepresented students at nearly thirty firms across the country.
“This recognition is a testament to the exceptional team we have built and the purpose that has guided Avante from the beginning. We believe the strongest investment decisions are made when different perspectives, experiences, and voices have a meaningful seat at the table. I am deeply proud to carry that conviction forward in every fund we raise, every partnership we form, and every company we support,” said Ivelisse Rodriguez Simon, Managing Partner of Avante Capital Partners.
“People see the funds and the track record. What I see is every young person she quietly talked into believing this business was for them,” said Jeri Harman, Founder and Chairman of Avante Capital Partners.
Avante provides senior debt, unitranche, subordinated debt, and equity co-investment to companies generating $3 million to $30 million in EBITDA. The firm partners with private equity firms, independent sponsors, and business owners across the United States, delivering both junior and senior capital tailored to each borrower’s needs. Avante has deployed more than $1.6 billion across five funds since its founding. As an SBIC licensee, the firm brings institutional discipline and flexible structuring to the lower middle market.
No compensation, cash or non-cash, was provided in connection with the award.
About Avante Capital Partners
Avante Capital Partners is an award-winning private credit and equity firm in the lower middle market. Since 2009, Avante has been successfully providing flexible capital solutions to growing businesses generating at least $3 million in EBITDA across numerous industries. Avante is a value-add partner to private equity firms, independent sponsors, and business owners throughout the United States. For more information, please visit avantecap.com.
Past performance is not indicative of future results. This announcement is intended for institutional investors only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security.
Media Contact:
Jesse Beck
jesse@avantecap.com
Insurance allocators aren't only asking whether a fund is a good investment. They're asking whether the exposure can sit on…
Final Close Marks Continued Momentum for Firm’s Lower Middle Market Private Credit Platform LOS ANGELES – May 20, 2026 –…
The real test of a lending partner shows up after the deal closes, not before. When I moved into private…