A Nationally Recognized – Top 5 Angel Group

Based in Tucson, Desert Angels is a network of accredited investors who invest in early-stage scalable companies across multiple industries. We offer national connections, education and best practices, group syndication, and vetted deal flow. View our updated 2024 “Who is Desert Angels” infographic!

Desert Angels has consistently been ranked among the top ten most active angel groups in the country, currently listed at #1 in the Southwest Region and #4 in the Nation based on the number of deals done per the 2021 ARI HALO report (www.angelresourceinstitute.org). Between 2010 and 2022, our members have invested $60m into over 100 new companies and 12 Sidecar funds.

Angel Capital Association

Desert Angels is a charter member of the Angel Capital Association, the trade association of angel investment groups in North America, Founded by angel investment groups in the United States and Canada to help maximize the success of group-based angel investors, ACA accomplishes its mission by providing professional development, best practices, networking, and collaboration opportunities for angel investors who belong to member angel groups. More than 220 angel groups are members of ACA, and those groups represent about 12,000 accredited angel investors.

Angel Syndication Network

Desert Angels is an active member of the Angel Syndication Network, now representing over 60 angel groups and $1 billion in direct investment. ASN is comprised of prominent angel group leaders who actively engage in collaborating for deal syndication. Each month each participating angel group nominates their best deals to share with other angel groups for syndication. The purpose of deal syndication is to fill a funding round, expedite a closing, and save the CEO from extended road shows. Over 50 groups from across the country comprise the ASN.

Our members are as diverse as our portfolio. From entrepreneurs to engineers, from surgeons to scientists, our membership consists of domain experts who add important value beyond capital to our companies.

BOARD MEMBERS

Joann MacMaster - CEO

JoAnn MacMaster – CEO

Board Member & Chief Executive Officer

Jeffrey Lang – Chairman

Chairman of the Board

Mike Sember

Mike Sember

Board Member

Base Horner – Treasurer & Secretary

Treasurer & Secretary

Larry Hecker

Larry Hecker

Legal Counsel

Brian Ellerman

Brian Ellerman

Board Member

Kevin Gebert Board Member

Kevin James

Board Member

Jeff Koenig Board Member

Jeff Koenig

Board Member & Due Diligence Chair

Nannon Roosa

Nannon Roosa

Board Member

Crystal Royce, CPA

Crystal Royce, CPA, CFE

Board Member

Carol Stewart Board Member

Carol Stewart

Board Member

Francis Wick - Board Member

Francis Wick

Board Member

FEATURED & PAST MEMBERS

Jeffrey Lang

Member & Chairman

Jeffrey Lang is the Chairman of the Board and an active member of the Desert Angels. His career includes more than 30 years in roles including executive management experience as CEO, COO, CFO & CTO of companies from $10MM to $200MM turnover. For more than 10 years, Jeff has been actively involved in startup to mid-level angel and private equity investment, board level and advisory efforts. As a member of Desert Angels he has invested in more than 35 businesses involved with industries ranging across consumer products, medical instrumentation, software development and healthcare research and product development.

Joann MacMaster - CEO

Joann MacMaster

Member & CEO

Prior to taking on the CEO role with Desert Angels, MacMaster served as the Sr. Director of Venture Development for the University of Arizona’s TLA team, focused on the commercialization of university research through the development of startup companies. She’s served as a startup founder, mentor, investor, and educator, and is a recipient of the Larry Hecker and Sherry Hoskinson Lasting Community Builder Award. She is an AUTM board member and UA Academic Leadership Institute Fellow and previously served as President of the Arizona Business Incubation Association. She returned home to Tucson in 2000 after living and working in Europe for over a decade and holds an MBA from Edinburgh University Scotland.

Base Horner

Secretary / Treasurer

Mr. Horner serves as Treasurer for the Desert Angels. Previously, he was the Screening Panel Chairman for ten years until 2020. He is a co-founder of Arch Partners LLC, a seed capital fund investing in very early-stage entrepreneurial ventures. Mr. Horner was a co-founder of US Capital Partners LLC, a boutique investment banking firm. Prior to founding USCP, he was a senior member of the Corporate Finance Division of EVEREN Securities, Inc. and Smith Barney, Inc. Mr. Horner received his B.A. from the University of California at Santa Barbara and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago.

Harry George

Harry George

Emeritus Board Member

Harry has more than 35 years’ experience in founding, operating, and investing in successful rapid growth technology‐related companies. He co‐founded Solstice Capital. Previously, from 1981 to 1989, Mr. George was co‐founder, Director, and Vice‐President of Finance for Interleaf Inc. During this time, Interleaf, a pioneer in electronic publishing, grew to be a publicly-traded company with $100 million in annual revenue. From 1996 to 2003, he was a Trustee of the Arizona‐Sonora Desert Museum, and he currently serves as its Vice-Chair of Treasure the Desert Capital Campaign. He is also a Trustee of the Tucson Museum of Art and serves as secretary‐treasurer for the museum. He received an AB from Bowdoin College. Harry has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Desert Angels for more than 10 years.

Curtis Gunn

Emeritus Board Member and Ex-Chairman

Curtis Gunn is a member of the Desert Angels. Curtis served as the Chairman and principle operating officer of Desert Angels for 10 years through the end of 2019. The group is a very active angel investment group of accredited investors in Tucson, AZ that review presentations from early stage startup companies looking for potential funding. Prior to this role, Curtis traveled the world competing as a professional cyclist riding for both US and Australian-based Professional Cycling teams. Previous to competing as a professional athlete, he was an entrepreneur founding & operating companies based in retail, Internet, healthcare and real estate. As an angel investor, Curtis has invested in over 40 different companies across a broad spectrum of industries, technologies, and geographies. Curtis served on the board of Startup Tucson and was formerly on the board of the Angel Capital Association.

Calline Sanchez

Calline Sanchez

Past Board Member

Paul Winandy Board Member

Paul Winandy

Past Board Member