Peter Bennett is the founder and Chairman of Liberty Partners, a private equity investment firm which provides capital for middle market leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations and growth financings. Liberty currently has over $500 million under management. Mr. Bennett is a member of the boards of directors of several of Liberty’s portfolio companies including EdisonLearning Co. and Avenues, the World School, and is serving his third term as a member of the Board of Trustees of Lehigh University. He is also a member of the advisory board of the New York chapter of New Leaders for Schools. Prior to forming Liberty Partners, Mr. Bennett spent 21 years with Merrill Lynch & Co., most recently as a Senior Vice President of Merrill Lynch Interfunding, Inc. Mr. Bennett received his B.S. from Lehigh University in 1963, after which he served for two years as a Lieutenant in the United States Army Signal Corps., including an assignment as Commanding Officer of the 28th Signal Detachment, U.S. Army Vietnam. He received his MBA from Columbia University in June 1967.