The Root3Pointers Podcast

Andrew Busch is an economic futurist who helps businesses navigate change through clear, research-driven insight. With a career rooted in daily analysis and a focus on uncovering positive trends often overlooked in the news, he guides clients toward smart, forward-looking decisions.

His background includes hosting the Politics and Money show across major networks, advising the US Treasury, serving as Global Currency and Public Policy Strategist for the Bank of Montreal, co-hosting CNBC’s Money in Motion, and becoming the first Chief Market Intelligence Officer for the US government.

Today, he leads BPI, an economic and policy research firm in North Carolina, working with clients that include Exxon, BNSF, and ADM.

Gian Ricco has more than twenty years of experience advising privately held, family-owned, public and growth-stage companies through major transactions including sales, acquisitions and capital raises. Before joining City Capital Advisors, he was a Managing Director at Stout focused on the Consumer and Industrial sectors, and he began his investment banking career at Wachovia Securities. Earlier in his career, Gian worked as a licensed civil engineer on large-scale infrastructure projects.

He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MBA with Distinction from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Matt Phillips has more than 25 years of legal and corporate finance advisory experience, working with both public companies and privately held middle-market businesses on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and capital markets transactions. Before joining City Capital Advisors, he led the Family Business Group at Dresner Partners and held roles at Houlihan Lokey, KPMG Corporate Finance, Unilever and Bell, Boyd & Lloyd.

He is a graduate of Princeton University, Northwestern University School of Law and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Victor LaGroon is an executive strategist committed to building partnerships that advance equity, empowerment, and opportunity in underserved communities. As the Head of Global Health Equity Strategy at Assurance Health Data, he helps organizations navigate the disconnect between what businesses need and what today’s workforce expects, focusing on belonging, flexibility, and the changing realities shaped by AI and shifting career paths.

A U.S. Army veteran with a background in military intelligence, Victor served as a soldier, junior NCO, and team leader before being medically discharged. He has since dedicated his career to advocating for service members, veterans, and their families and highlighting the unique strengths veterans bring to any team. His leadership and community impact have led to appointments on multiple boards and advisory councils across Chicago and Illinois, where he continues to champion meaningful change and collaborative solutions.