Mr. Harding is Chairman & CEO of Cygnus Manufacturing Company (“CMC”).  He assumed the role of Chairman and CEO on May 1, 2017.  Previously he was Chairman of CMC for 11 years.  Mr. Harding is the Founder, Chairman & CEO of The Harding Group and has over 40 years of experience in the private equity industry, specializing in niche middle market manufacturing companies.  He is a pioneer in private equity utilizing his seasoned operating, financial and strategic experience since 1980.  He has been an active leader in all of the firm's portfolio companies.  Prior to founding The Harding Group, Mr. Harding helped start and was Chief Operating Officer of the Private Equity business of General Electric Capital Corporation (GECC) where he pioneered direct investments in companies.  Prior to these Private Equity responsibilities, he ran the Strategic Planning and Business Development Operation for GECC, reporting to the President and Chief Executive Officer.  While in this position, he started two businesses for GECC and closed several major strategic acquisitions.

Before joining GECC, Mr. Harding was Corporate Vice President of PaineWebber specializing in corporate development and mergers and acquisitions.  His previous operating experience includes (1) starting and running an importing business for United Fruit Company in Latin America and (2) was responsible for turning around a large agribusiness operation in the United States.  Before Business School, he was with a predecessor of J.P. Morgan Chase as an Assistant Vice President in Corporate Lending.

Mr. Harding received his MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he served on the Board of Overseers.  Previously, he was Chairman of the Graduate Executive Board overseeing the MBA program, is past Chairman of the Wharton Fund, and is also a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award of the Wharton Alumni Association for his service to The Wharton School.

He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a BA in Economics and a minor in Mathematics.

In addition, Mr. Harding currently serves on the Advisory Board of Trustees of the Greenwich Council of the Boy Scouts of America where he received a national distinguished service award for service to youth.  He is also a former Trustee of the Eagle Hill School, and is currently a member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO Gold).