Staff

Senior management across the Bright Star family of businesses — operators focused on strategy, growth, guest experience, and day-to-day excellence.

Blair Sterling
CAO · BrightStar Investments

Blair Sterling

Leads BrightStar Investments strategy, portfolio oversight, and capital allocation across the group’s investment interests. Known for discreet judgment and a numbers-first approach to risk and opportunity.

Education: B.S. Finance, Pennsylvania State University; M.B.A., Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper School of Business).

Hobbies: Distance running, chess, collecting first-edition business biographies, and quiet weekends on Lake Shenango.

Flint Reynolds
IT Director · Infrastructure & Systems

Flint Reynolds

Owns group infrastructure health — servers, network, VPN, and systems monitoring across BrightStar and affiliated operating companies. Calm, precise operations mindset with an allergy to mystery outages and green dashboards that lie.

Education: B.S. Information Technology, Pennsylvania State University; industry certifications in systems and network operations.

Hobbies: Home lab builds, long-distance cycling, coffee roasting, and reading post-mortems for fun (yes, really).

Meryll Vance
Investment Advisor · BrightStar Investments

Meryll Vance

Private-client investment advisor and retirement consultant for BrightStar — markets, portfolio construction, and plain-English risk guidance. Coordinates with Blair on firm strategy while staying focused on client outcomes.

Education: B.S. Economics, University of Pennsylvania; M.B.A., Finance concentration; Series credentials as applicable to advisory practice.

Hobbies: Fly fishing, jazz vinyl, weekend markets, and long walks that double as market-thinking time.

Ishka Renn
General Counsel · BrightStar Investments

Ishka Renn

In-house General Counsel for BrightStar and assigned group legal matters — contracts, regulatory/DEP risk, and clear-eyed counsel without fluff. Partners with Blair, Meryll, and Flint on staff matters that touch capital, ops, and infrastructure.

Education: A.B., Princeton University; M.A., Columbia University; J.D., Yale Law School.

Hobbies: Trail running, espresso, legal history podcasts, and meticulous to-do lists.

Mira Vale
CAO · North Star Marina

Mira Vale

Runs marina operations, guest experience, and waterfront growth for North Star Marina. Brings warm hospitality energy with a practical eye for docks, events, and seasonal demand.

Education: B.A. Hospitality Management, Kent State University; Certificate in Marina Management, Association of Marina Industries coursework.

Hobbies: Kayaking, birdwatching along the shoreline, community farmers’ markets, and classic wooden-boat shows.

Dahlia Croix
CAO · Dock Side Cellars Winery

Dahlia Croix

Guides winery brand, hospitality, and revenue performance at Dock Side Cellars — with a special focus on memorable events, club growth, and tasting-room excellence.

Education: B.S. Food Science, Cornell University; WSET Level 3 Award in Wines.

Hobbies: Pairing dinners with local chefs, garden-to-glass cocktail experiments, yoga, and collecting vintage vineyard maps.

Sable Quinn
CAO · Star Tech Inc

Sable Quinn

Owns Star Tech’s technology services strategy — managed IT, VoIP, cybersecurity, web, and AI/automation delivery — with a COO mindset around SLAs, systems, and clean execution.

Education: B.S. Computer Science, University of Pittsburgh; M.S. Information Systems Management, Carnegie Mellon University.

Hobbies: Home lab tinkering, trail running, sci-fi novels, and mentoring local STEM students.

Nessa Ryder
CAO · Northstar Power Sports and Marine

Nessa Ryder

Leads dealership performance, sales operations, and marine/power-sports growth for Northstar Power Sports and Marine — inventory turn, floor traffic, and customer experience front of mind.

Education: B.B.A. Marketing, Ohio University; NADA Dealer Academy coursework.

Hobbies: ATV trail rides, waterskiing, car and boat shows, and coaching youth softball.

Cassia Wren
CAO · C & S

Cassia Wren

Directs Cedar and Stone as an event center and wedding venue — ceremony and reception flow, vendor partnerships, seasonal calendars, and guest experience standards that protect the brand’s reputation on every big day.

Education: B.S. Hospitality Management, Indiana University of Pennsylvania; Certified Wedding Planner (WPIC) coursework; event production certificate.

Hobbies: Floral design practice, vintage tableware collecting, outdoor ceremony scouting, and dancing at friends’ weddings (when she’s not working one).