Wynnchurch Capital has promoted Chris O’Brien and Ian Kirson to Partner. Both have been long-time contributors to the firm with Mr. O’Brien joining Wynnchurch in 2000 and Mr. Kirson in 2004.
In November 2014, Wynnchurch closed its fourth private equity fund, Wynnchurch Capital Partners IV, LP, with $1.2 billion of capital commitments. The fund, which had a target of $900 million, was oversubscribed and closed at its hard cap. Fundraising was completed quickly after its initial launch in September 2014.
“The closing of our most recent investment fund at $1.2 billion is a testament to the team we have built and the consistent returns we have generated for our investors,” said John Hatherly, President and Managing Partner of Wynnchurch. “Chris and Ian have been leading contributors to these results for over ten years, playing integral roles in a significant number of Wynnchurch’s most successful investments. They have demonstrated outstanding leadership skills and character and, on behalf of Frank Hayes, Terry Theodore and myself, it gives me great pleasure to announce their promotions to Partner.”
Mr. Kirson, prior to joining Wynnchurch, was a founding partner of Crossroads Capital Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm that invested in underperforming companies in the lower middle market. He was a Vice President with the private equity firm Willis Stein & Partners, a Vice President with Goldman Sachs & Co.’s Investment Banking Division, and an attorney in the private equity group at the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis. Mr. Kirson has served on the Boards of SafeWorks, Highway Technologies, Henniges, Senco, JAC Products, Northstar Aerospace, IronForm and US Manufacturing. He earned his JD from Harvard Law School and his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois. He also serves as Wynnchurch’s General Counsel.
Mr. O’Brien focuses on manufacturing and general industrial businesses and has served on the Boards of SafeWorks, Webex, Pro-Fab, Humanetics, Wolverine, US Manufacturing and US Pipe. Before joining Wynnchurch he worked in consulting at Deloitte & Touche and IPC Group. He has over 16 years of private equity investing and corporate advisory experience, including sourcing, executing and managing equity investments. Mr. O’Brien earned his MBA from the University of Chicago and his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame.
Wynnchurch Capital makes investments of $10 million to $90 million in middle-market companies that have revenues of $5 million to $500 million. Sectors of interest include niche manufacturing, business and industrial services, energy and power services, logistics, transportation and value-added distribution. Wynnchurch manages a number of funds with total capital under management in excess of $2.3 billion. The firm was founded in 1999 and is located in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont with additional offices in Detroit and Toronto (www.wynnchurch.com).
© 2015 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 6-12-15
