Spire Capital Advisors LLC, a new investment banking and mergers and acquisitions brokerage service that will have offices in Milwaukee, Madison and Wausau, opened its doors this week.
Spire is a venture between Christopher Zuzick, former managing director of Cornerstone Business Services’ Milwaukee office; Greg Larson, managing partner of Cedar Tree LLC Investments of Madison; and Terry Sivesind, a founder of MetaBiologics Inc. in Madison.
Zuzick left Cornerstone Business Services, headquartered in Green Bay, last week. He declined to say why he left the firm.
Larson also sits on the board of directors of Madison-based Anchor Bank SSB and is a director of The Wisconsin Cheeseman, a mail order snack gift business. In addition, Larson is a director of the enterprise education group for the Wall Family Enterprise.
Sivesind also has worked with biotech companies such as Promega, PanVera and Mirus corporations.
Sprire Capital Advisors will raise capital for and sell privately held firms in and around Wisconsin that have $2 million to $20 million in annual revenues, Zuzick said.
"This is not going to be a commodity-focused listing service," he said. "The common denominators between myself and (my partners) is that we’ll all have been owners and operators of companies. We understand what these companies are going through."
With the recent economic slowdown putting a damper on high-profile acquisitions, smaller-end deals have become more popular – which Spire Capital Advisors can use to help spur additional economic development in and around Wisconsin.
"There are areas of growth (in M&A and private equity activity), especially with the smaller end private equity funds," Zuzick said. "We can get capital to companies that are on the cusp of taking it to the next level."
The new investment banking firm will focus on manufacturers, as well as companies that deal in distribution, packaging, service and specialty products, Zuzick said.
Zuzick will build and operate the Milwaukee office of Spire Capital Advisors, while Larson and Sivesind will work in the Madison office. A separate person, who Zuzick declined to name, will operate the Wausau office.
"We’re in negotiations with someone there," he said. "It’s a former banker and business operator. (That arrangement) will be finalized in the first week of March.”
Zuzick will decide later this week where Spire Capital Advisors’ Milwaukee office will be located. He said he’s leaning toward finding space in downtown Milwaukee, but would be open to a Waukesha County location as well.
The Milwaukee-area location will house Spire Capital Advisors’ administration and support staff, Zuzick said. There will be three employees in the Milwaukee office, two in Madison, and at least one in Wausau.
For more information, visit www.spirecapitaladvisors.com.
