Brian R. Gaister
Co-Founder and Partner

Brian Gaister co-founded Pennington Partners & Co., SaaS Ventures, and PTM Partners. A financial entrepreneur, he is passionate about building and investing in companies and tireless in the pursuit of innovation.

As the co-founder and CEO of Pennington Partners & Co., a private investment and strategic advisory firm for like-minded founders and entrepreneurs, Brian leads the strategy and vision behind the firm. Founded in 2016, Pennington’s mission is to create the leading entrepreneurial ecosystem for successful entrepreneurs and their families helping them navigate the challenges of complex wealth and maximize their greatest potential. SaaS Ventures, founded in 2017, has invested in over 45 B2B early stage enterprise technology companies in 2nd and 3rd-tier cities (markets outside of New York, Silicon Valley, Boston, and Seattle) throughout North America. PTM Partners, founded in 2018, is a real estate and development firm focused. The firm closed on an Opportunity Zone Fund in 2019 and is currently developing projects in St. Petersburg, FL, Miami, FL, and Washington D.C. 

Brian grew up in an entrepreneurial family where he learned the importance of hard work and giving back to one’s community. He is an active member of the Jewish Federation National Young Leadership Cabinet, the premier leadership development program of The Jewish Federations of North America.  He serves on the investment committee for the Bender JCC of Greater Washington and serves as a committee member for the Holocaust Museum Tribute Dinner. Most recently, as a third-generation Holocaust Survivor, Brian launched a podcast series interviewing second-generation Holocaust survivors who share a similar passion for entrepreneurship and Tikkun Olam (improve the world), and have overcome great odds to make the world a better place. He has also taught economics as a volunteer at the Academy of Finance in Howard County.

Previously, Brian was a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch.  He earned a Bachelor of Science in International Business from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. Brian holds Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) and a Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) certifications. Both certifications are awarded by the Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA®) in conjunction with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Booth School of the University of Chicago.