Leadership

Managing Principal and Ecosystem Leader.

Pacific Performance Group is led by Len Cuoco — 35 years as CEO, President, and CFO of middle-market companies, with operating experience across packaging, food, manufacturing, and franchise systems. The ecosystem he commands — North American Corrugated, Potenza Food Group, and Donato Capital Partners — pairs sector-specific operating depth with the capital and ownership platform that backs it.

Len Cuoco
Founder, Managing Principal & Ecosystem Leader

Len Cuoco

Operator, turnaround executive, and strategic intervention leader with operating experience across packaging, food, franchise systems, manufacturing, and middle-market services.

Over 35 years, Len has served as CEO, President, and CFO for middle-market companies navigating performance challenges, ownership transitions, acquisitions, recapitalizations, and operational transformation. Packaging roots include President at Bay Cities and General Container, CFO of Corrugated Synergies International, and CEO at Costello Brothers. Restaurant and franchise engagements span Burger King, IHOP, Del Taco, and Palenque Group, and include the acquisition of a distressed 11-unit restaurant chain where Len served as both President and equity participant.

Len has been engaged to restore value and recover capital for principals including Tomio Taki (co-founder of Donna Karan, former Chairman of Anne Klein), Joe Taub (co-founder of ADP), and John Horne (former co-manager of Mike Tyson). He has also advised AIG.

Serves as Managing Principal of:
  • Pacific Performance Group — the strategic platform
  • Donato Capital Partners — capital & ownership platform
  • North American Corrugated — packaging operating platform
  • Potenza Food Group — food & multi-unit operating platform

California CPA (inactive). Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Monmouth University. Dual U.S. and Italian citizen. Based in Pasadena, California.

The Operating Bench

Senior operating partners — added selectively.

PPG platforms are being built deliberately — operating credibility first, headcount second. Senior operating partners across packaging, food and multi-unit operations, and capital are being added on a fractional basis. The fractional model is a feature, not a constraint: it preserves the seniority of every engagement and the discipline of the work.

The right operator. The right platform. The right conversation.

Reach Pacific Performance Group when the situation is unclear or spans more than one platform. We engage from the platform that fits.

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