The Naval War College Foundation (NWCF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Gregory J. Annick and the Honorable Erik Bethel to three-year terms on its Board of Trustees. Both individuals bring a wealth of experience from the public and private sectors.
Annick became a Life Member of the Foundation in 2021. He is the founder of Pasadena Capital Partners LLC, a private investment and consulting firm, and has focused on venture and private equity investing on behalf of institutional and family-office investors for 35 years. He has been responsible for all aspects of due diligence, structuring, financing, and management of portfolio investments in a wide variety of businesses at various stages of development and maturity.
Annick received a B.S. in Business Administration, magna cum laude, from Georgetown University. He has served on numerous public, private, and charitable boards, including the Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and the Board of Regents of Georgetown University. His charitable efforts have focused on his belief in the power of education and mentorship to make a difference at every stage of life and career.
The Honorable Erik Bethel is an accomplished global finance professional with over 25 years of experience. He currently serves on the leadership team at America’s Frontier Fund, a non-profit enterprise committed to reinvigorating American innovation in sectors such as critical minerals, battery technologies, and semiconductors. Bethel is also a Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and Senior Advisor at White Oak, a $10Bn private credit firm. In 2020, Bethel was the U.S. Ambassador-Designate to the Republic of Panama. Prior to this, he was nominated by the President and confirmed unanimously by the Senate to represent the United States at the World Bank, where he played a pivotal role in the analysis and deployment of over $100 billion of capital through grants, loans, equity investments, and other financial products. While at the World Bank, Bethel also spearheaded several technology initiatives, including artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the tokenization of World Bank loans.
Bethel currently serves on other boards, including Oxford Analytica, Largo Physical Vanadium, and Republic. He graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy with a B.S. In Economics and Political Science. He also received an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of Business.
Both new Trustees also have extensive international experience. Annick has worked in Hong Kong, London, and Australia, while Bethel has worked in Shanghai, China, and Mexico City, Mexico, and speaks Mandarin, Spanish, and Portuguese.