Valerie Gaydos, President of 51st Associates, LLC, has been involved with many start-up companies in the operational development, government relations and strategic planning for more than 20 years.

Valerie’s company, Fifty-First Associates, LLC specializes in business & organizational development, government relations and association management. She is also the founder and president of Capital Growth, Inc. (CGI) which was founded in 1994 as a venture capital data and information publishing company. CGI currently specializes in business building and angel and venture investing for early stage companies.  Valerie served as Executive Director of the Private Investors Forum (Philadelphia), a non-profit organization of accredited private investors in the Mid-Atlantic region, which produces the Annual Angel Venture Fair. From 2004-2008 she served as President of the Pennsylvania Angel Network, a statewide angel investor network designed to assist in the creation and support of Pennsylvania angel investor groups. She is a member of the Lancaster Angel Network (LAN).  Additionally, Valerie serves on the Policy Committee of the Angel Capital Association, is a member of the PEG PAC Political Action Committee Board of the Pennsylvania Business Council and serves as Chairman & Treasurer PiPAC which is a Federal Political Action Committee established to preserve and encourage the stability and growth of American emerging businesses. She is currently producing the Angel Venture Forum - DC. 

Prior to launching Capital Growth, Inc., Valerie was Assistant Director of the Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC) Technology Council.  In that capacity she was instrumental in connecting emerging technology companies with sources of financing.  She drafted, garnered support for, and successfully lobbied passage of key technology business legislation in the state of Maryland and established the Tech Council’s first newsletter and quarterly journal called “tech@work.”

Valerie previously served as Legislative Research Analyst for Pennsylvania State Senate Policy Development & Research Offices, The Office of Member Services and Majority Whip D. Michael Fisher (Pennsylvania Attorney General 1996-2004, member of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit 2004 to present). She also interned as Staff Assistant for Pennsylvania U.S. Senator H. John Heinz, III, Harrisburg, PA.

Valerie was the owner and publisher of various business and political publications including the Commonwealth Register, a daily summary of activities in the Pennsylvania General Assembly which was sold to PLS in 2006, the Pennsylvania Report, a candid bi-weekly review of Pennsylvania politics which was sold to the Pennsylvania Business Council in 2010 and The Annual Guide to Entrepreneurial Venture Financing (1998-2007), an annual compilation of business and financial contacts, advice and venture information.