Piedmont Investment Advisors, LLC (http://www.piedmontRIA.com), through its affiliate Militello Capital, is pleased to announce it made a venture capital investment in Washington, D.C. based Venga. In conjunction with its investment, Piedmont's Managing Director, Matthew Brady will be joining Venga's board of directors.

Venga revolutionizes the way restaurants connect with their customers. For the first time, restaurants can know their customer's habits and preferences. With this knowledge, they can build true customer loyalty and significantly improve profitability. Venga is already being used by international restaurant groups and backed by restaurant industry executives, celebrity chefs, and technology entrepreneurs.

"We are thrilled to have Piedmont as an investor in Venga and sitting on our Board. Bill Militello (Founder and Managing Principal of Piedmont) and Matt Brady bring much more than just capital to the table and have a proven track record both as entrepreneurs and investors," says CEO and Co-Founder Sam von Pollaro. Winston Bao Lord, Venga's other Co-Founder and CMO adds, "Piedmont has very quickly established themselves as a leader in early stage venture capital in the mid-Atlantic region based on their level of activity, founder-friendly mentality, and the strategic value they bring."

"We are extremely excited about our investment in Venga. Sam and Winston form the core of a dynamic team that has the opportunity to revolutionize guest management in the restaurant industry," says Matthew Brady.

Piedmont Investment Advisors, LLC

Piedmont Investment Advisors, LLC, located in Lansdowne (Leesburg) Virginia, is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. When Bill Militello, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, founded Piedmont Investment Advisors in 2003, he set out to create not just another financial advisor or boutique investment firm, but rather to create a new "category" in financial services.