The Partners are highly skilled and experienced in launching new businesses and developing successful concepts from inception to ultimate success. The Partners set the overall strategy for Ignite and for our clients and companies.

Landon Pollack
Managing Partner

Landon Pollack is a veteran entrepreneur of 20 years, whose drive and dedication for hard work was set after several years of training to play professional baseball.  Pollack has been a founder or founding investor for more than a dozen companies. Before turning 20, he had started four businesses, earning his first million at the age of 13 selling sports memorabilia by mail order. An unabashed entrepreneur,  Pollack went on to start a sports memorabilia and apparel store at 14, a personal training company at 16 and an exotic animal business at 18. In subsequent years, his ventures have included a chain of health clubs, a beverage company, a multi-media company, a robotically-controlled exercise system, a chain of yoga studios, a telecom company, a social networking company and various other consumer product, retail and Internet companies.  

As the founder and Managing Partner of Ignite Venture Partners, Pollack has brought together consulting, capital, and concept incubation under one comprehensive organization. His diverse entrepreneurial experience spans roles as a strategic entrepreneur, coach, and consultant to a variety of organizations of all sizes and across a variety of industries. Pollack¹s specific areas of expertise include corporate strategy, business planning, human capital, new product development and innovation, business development, and team and board building.  

Pollack is currently writing two books, Click: Making the Connections that Get You Everything You Desire and Building an Early Fortune: Be a Millionaire Before 30.

Pollack is a passionate animal and environmental advocate and now spends much of his time on Zoe, a hybrid integrated media organization that seeks to be the preeminent global provider of content for a mainstream audience who care about animals and the world of nature, and StubbyDog, a non-profit transmedia organization (501c3 pending), whose purpose is to change public perceptions of pit bulls. In addition, Pollack serves on numerous for-profit and non-profit boards.

Cary Pollack
Partner

Cary Pollack has earned an excellent reputation over his 40-year career in finance for integrity, honesty, and results. Most notably, his relationship-building skills have been successfully applied in mentoring and coaching senior executives, raising capital, negotiations, sales, and asset gathering. He also excels at strategy development for early stage and mature companies. Pollack has held positions with Bear Stearns, Credit Suisse First Boston, and Lehman Brothers. For the past fifteen years, he has been a private investor. He has also served on the boards of both public and private companies.  

Pollack has a BA from Lehman College of New York (formerly Hunter College) and a Masters of International Affairs/Diplomacy from Columbia University.

Eric V. Trappen
Partner

Eric V. Trappen has 20 years of distinct professional experience and demonstrated expertise in strategic planning and corporate leadership across all functions. Trappen's background includes a deep and diverse academic career, hands on experience across many industries, and collaboration with all levels of corporate citizens, including extensive work at the "C-level." Trappen has assisted companies from initial concept to the Fortune 5. His previous experience includes positions with Salomon Smith Barney, Deloitte Consulting, Tpresence; a technology start-up, and GenXL; a boutique Venture Capital firm and in addition, Trappen has also operated an independent consulting practice.  

Trappen has Bachelor Degrees in Mathematics, Finance, Business and Econometrics, as well as a Masters Degree in Business (MBA) and a MS in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon, University of Pittsburgh and Robert Morris University.