Kevin Kenealey, managing director, Mason Wells Private Equity
Name: Kevin Kenealey
Title: Managing Director
Company: Mason Wells Private Equity
City of Residence: Whitefish Bay
Family: Wife and two sons
How does the market look to you? "With banks and other lenders tightening the availability of debt, it should be a busy year for private equity to help companies seeking capital for growth or to recapitalize their balance sheet. There are also a large number of family-owned businesses reaching a stage where private equity can provide liquidity to the family on their ownership interests and also help with succession planning. Uncertainty regarding capital gain rates after the election may also cause business owners to consider a private equity transaction this year."
What are you working on now? "We recently invested in a business services firm providing accounts receivable management and collection services to national credit card issuers, retailers and debt buyers. We see significant growth opportunities for the business as late payments and delinquencies on consumer debt continue to rise dramatically. We are helping the company invest further in its IT systems to improve efficiency and add capacity to handle the current growth opportunities in its market."
What was the best deal you’ve been involved in? "Our investment in General American Corporation (GAC), a provider of outsourced mortgage fulfillment services. During our five years with GAC, we helped management grow the top line from $50 million to $120 million and to triple EBITDA margins to 25 percent."
What was most interesting moment of your career? "Having the owner of a business start our first meeting with him by asking everyone do impressions. He then insisted on play charades."
