Mr. Gembala is an Associate with Azure where he focuses on opportunities in software, internet, mobile, and related infrastructure technologies. Ryan joined Azure full time in September 2010 after interning with Azure and portfolio company Cooking.com in the summer of 2009. Mr. Gembala worked as the Lead Associate for Hyde Park Angels (HPA), an early stage angel investment group focused on the Midwest where he helped evaluate deals in the consumer internet, digital media, SAAS, and education spaces. Also while in business school, Ryan and his team won the International Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC), and he received the Vijay Vashee “Promising Entrepreneur” Award and 2010 Leadership Award of Distinction. Before business school, Ryan co-founded and served as an executive director of H.E.R.O. for Children, Inc. raising more than $2M and collaborating with celebrities from the Food Network, Miss Universe Organization, and NCAA Football to build the only non-profit in the U.S. solely dedicated to improving the quality of life for children affected by HIV/AIDS. For his success with H.E.R.O., Ryan was named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “40 Under 40” and has been featured by CNN and Business Week Online. He continues to serve on H.E.R.O.’s Board of Directors.