David started his career at DuPont, after earning his engineering degree from Clemson University. He served in various capacities for 6 years, including process engineer, corporate engineering recruiter, and marketing and sales for the consumer packaging product division. He left DuPont in 1991 to pursue his MBA at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he was awarded a fellowship from the Consortium for Graduate Studies in Management. During his MBA studies, David worked for Conoco Ltd. in London, serving as part of a team responsible for the privatization of oil & gas retail and distribution facilities in Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. He also spent his 2nd year of MBA studies on exchange at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium. After completing his MBA, Mendez joined General Electric Plastics in San Francisco, managing sales and distribution for engineering thermoplastics into the consumer electronics, automotive and medical device industries. After growing his territory from $6M in sales to over $26M in sales, David was awarded MVP of Sales for the Western Region. He then served as regional quality manager, and was involved in the early stages of GE's adoption of Six Sigma Quality initiatives.Using his experience in supply chain management from the plastics industry, David co-founded Supplybase.inc, a supply chain software company. After 2 rounds of VC funding (NEA, lead investor), Supplybase was sold to i2 Technologies in 2000. After the acquisition, David joined Katalyst Venture Partners as Managing Director for the New York City office. Katalyst invested in and advised startups in the consumer software, digital media and cable technology industries. After a few years in the New York City office, David moved to London to assist with Katalyst’s European portfolio.David left Katalyst in 2003, and formed DPM Resources and has been investing and advising through DPM prior to forming Capital A Partners. At DPM, David invested in and consulted with a variety of companies in the technology, infrastructure/cleantech, industrial, digital media, film & television, consumer products and services, and B2B services. While at DPM, he co-founded Menuez Archive Projects, a multimedia company based on the photographic portfolio of Doug Menuez. After 11 years in NYC, David relocated to Charleston, SC with his wife and 2 children, where he co-founded Capital A Partners in 2013. David is involved in the community and in academia. In academia, he serves on the dean's advisory board of Clemson University’s School of Business and Behavioral Sciences, and as Vice-Chairman of Clemson's Spiro Institute of Entrepreneurship. He also guest lectured at NYU's Stern Business School, and continues to guest lecture at Clemson University and the College of Charleston. David's community involvement includes participation in entrepreneurial programs, including DIG SOUTH, where he served as panelist and judge for the Wild Pitch, and the Harbor Entrepreneurship Center, where he serves on the advisory board. He also was chosen as a judge in the 2014 Charlotte Venture Challenge, and will be judging at the Charleston Startup Weekend in September 2014. David also recently agreed to serve as a panelist at Charleston's Startup Grind, also in September.David and his wife also are involved with various charities and philanthropic efforts. In addition to supporting their children's schools with contributions and services, they also have recently become involved to support Charleston's Meeting Street Academy. While in NYC, their charitable activities included involvement with the Children's Aid Society, The Washington Market School (where they served as co-chairs for the capital campaign committee), and the Marymount School.