SVOBODA CAPITAL PARTNERS - Key Persons
Ana joined Svoboda Capital Partners ("SC") in March of 2017 and manages the daily office operations while also providing high-level support to the SC team. In addition, Ana is responsible for fund-related communications to investors and assisting with Compliance and IT projects.
Ana has over 16 years of administrative professional experience working for large organizations such as the University of Chicago Crime Lab, Discover Financial Services and Deloitte & Touche, LLP. Ana holds a BS degree in Business Administration from Lewis University.
Andy joined Svoboda Capital Partners ("SC") as a Managing Director and Operating Partner in February 2007 after serving on SC's Advisory Board since 1998. As Operating Partner, Andy works with SC's portfolio companies as well as focusing on underperformance, operational improvements and supply chain efficiencies throughout SC's portfolios and serves on the board of Reliable Parts Holdings, LLC and Cigars Accessories Holdings, Inc.
Andy was formerly CEO of Nashua Corporation, a $300 million publicly traded NASDAQ company that converted, coated and printed paper for a wide variety of business applications. He joined Nashua in April 2000 and became its Chairman/CEO in December 2000. Andy stepped down as CEO in May 2006 and remained Chairman of Nashua's Board of Directors until September 2009.
David joined Svoboda Capital Partners ("SC") in 2015 and is responsible for sourcing and evaluating potential investment opportunities, leading due diligence, structuring and negotiating transactions, and managing portfolio company investments. David serves as a board member at Marcus Thomas and Kenway Consulting and as a board participant at Sonoma Creamery. Previously, David was intimately involved with SWC Technology Partners and served on the board of One North Interactive.
Prior to joining SC, David spent a number of years in middle market private equity and beforehand was an Investment Banking Analyst with Harris Williams & Co. ("HW") in Minneapolis, Minnesota. During his tenure at HW, David focused the majority of his time on mergers and acquisitions in the business services and consumer sectors.
David holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance with honors from George Washington University and an MBA with concentrations in Accounting, Finance and Organizational Management from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
John co-founded Svoboda Capital Partners ("SC") in January 1998 with Michelle Collins. John serves on the boards of SC portfolio companies BPI Media, Sonoma Creamery, Kenway Consulting, Clarion HealthCare, Marcus Thomas and The Variable. Prior to co-founding SC, John worked in the Corporate Finance Department of William Blair & Company LLC (1983-1997), where he managed Business Development and became a Partner in 1988. John graduated from Williams College with a BA in 1979 and received his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1983.
John serves as a trustee of the University of Chicago Medical Center as well as for the Otho S. A. Sprague Memorial Institute. He is a Board member of the Pat Tillman Foundation and the Better Government Association, and is an honorary trustee of Marwen and a life trustee of the Francis W. Parker School. John previously served on the Advisory Council of Stanford's Graduate School of Business, served on the Steering Committee for the Stanford Campaign, and recently served on the GSB's Racial Equity Task Force. John is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, serves on the Global Council of the American Ballet Theatre and is former Board Chair of Chicago's Auditorium Theatre.
John joined Svoboda Capital Partners ("SC") as a Managing Director in June of 2021. John worked as the Chief Executive Officer of One North Interactive, a leading digital marketing consultancy which SC had an investment in until its successful sale in December of 2018 to TEKSystems Global Services. As Managing Director, John sources and evaluates potential investment opportunities, and works with the executive teams of portfolio companies to enhance results and create value.
Prior to joining SC, John held a variety of executive-level growth and general management roles within Hubbard One, a Thomson Reuters business, before leading the management buyout of the business to create One North in 2012. John began his career as a management consultant with Andersen Consulting (now Accenture).
John holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Neuropsychology from Vanderbilt University and an MBA with concentrations in Strategy, Finance and Marketing from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Advisory Board
- President
Partner, President and the Chief Executive Officer for Harris Associates, and President of The Oakmark Funds
Joined Harris Associates in 1986 where he served as a research analyst, became Director of Research in early 1998
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- CEO of Dot Foods
Dot Foods is the leading master distributor of food and ingredients in the U.S.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Member of the Investment Committee
- Founder and Retired Chairman and CEO of CDW
Mr. Krasny is the Founder and Retired Chairman and CEO of CDW
Mike joined Svoboda Capital Partners ("SC") in March of 2022 and is responsible for investment evaluation, transaction execution, and portfolio management.
Prior to joining SC, Mike worked as a senior associate at Tilia Holdings ("Tilia"), a food and beverage-focused private equity fund in Chicago. During his tenure at Tilia, Mike was responsible for leading diligence on new investment opportunities. Previously, Mike was an investment banking analyst in the Industrial group of Robert W. Baird ("Baird") in Chicago. Prior to Baird, Mike co-founded and operated a healthy snack food business.
Mike holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Co - Founder and Managing Director of Svoboda, Collins LLC, 1998 - 2006 / Director of SC Companies PNA Holdings, Cigars International, and Strategic Marketing
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Advisory Board
Former EVP and CFO and currently a Director of The Scotts Company
The Scotts Company is the world's leading producer and marketer of products for do-it-yourself lawn care and gardening and professional horticulture
Former CEO and President of Barefoot, Inc., a leading professional lawn care service company
Ryan joined Svoboda Capital Partners ("SC") in March of 2022 and is responsible for investment evaluation, transaction execution, and portfolio management.
Prior to joining SC, Ryan spent three years as an associate at CapX Partners ("CapX"), a Chicago-based alternative debt provider for private equity sponsored companies. During his tenure at CapX, Ryan evaluated and executed debt financing transactions and managed a portfolio of companies across the consumer, technology, and industrial sectors.
Ryan serves on the Auxiliary Boards of One Heart Uganda and Christ the King College Prep. Ryan holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of Illinois.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Director of Reliable Parts
Tom joined Svoboda Capital Partners ("SC") as a Managing Director and Operating Partner in April of 2015. Tom worked as the President & CEO of GPA, a specialty substrates distribution company serving the printing industry which SC owned until its successful sale in April of 2015. As Operating Partner, his broad managerial and leadership skills is used to assist the SC team in the evaluation of potential acquisition candidates. Tom also works with the executive teams of portfolio companies to enhance results and create value.
Prior to joining GPA as CEO, Tom served as CEO of Nashua Corporation from 2006 until its successful sale in 2009, and as Group President of Forms, Labels and Office Products for Moore Wallace, which he joined as a sales representative in 1981.
Tom serves as a director of Reliable Parts, Strategic Marketing, Vision Integrated Graphics and Community Bank of Oak Park and River Forest. Tom is the Chairman of the finance committee for Ascension Church in Oak Park. He earned a BA in Business from St. Mary's University of Minnesota in 1981.
Will joined Svoboda Capital Partners ("SC") in April 2018 and is responsible for investment evaluation, transaction execution, and portfolio management.