“Stephen Jeschke stands out in many ways, including his ability to develop relationships with management professionals and to identify and assess deal opportunities quickly within the technology, media and telecommunications sector,” says GTCR managing partner Craig Bondy. Jeschke combines sector expertise, a keen analytical approach and exceptional understanding and experience of the fundamental drivers of business to see opportunities that others don’t. He asks the right questions at the right times to formulate an informed perspective about businesses. Expand profile
Jeschke joined the Chicago private equity firm as a vice president in 2011 and was promoted to principal in 2016. Prior to joining the firm, he was a vice president at Bain Capital, and he worked as an associate consultant at Bain & Co. Jeschke holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS in finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.
At GTCR, Jeschke has led the completion of seven deal transactions with approximately $6 billion of enterprise value. Jeschke is currently a director of Lytx and Mega Broadband Investments, or MBI, and is actively involved with CommerceHub. He was previously a director of past GTCR investments AssuredPartners, Avention and Rural Broadband Investments.
Initially, Jeschke learned about technology from senior members of GTCR’s TMT team. Jeschke has also learned a lot from GTCR’s portfolio company CEOs. “Each of their leadership styles has been unique, but has provided me with insights into how successful executives build and lead great companies,” he says.
Leveraging the firm’s relationships and expertise in the cable industry, Jeschke led the firm’s investment in MBI in 2017. As part of the deal, GTCR and MBI acquired Northland Communication, a company that provides high-speed data, TV and voice services. Since investing in MBI, the company has upgraded its network and has seen improvements in its growth path.
Jeschke is drawn to the businesses in GTCR’s portfolio that serve less populated areas. “I really like the rural broadband industry, and we are bringing connectivity to rural America at the same time,” he adds.
Jeschke led the acquisition of Lytx, a provider of video safety telematics for commercial fleets. Using his analytical skills to understand industry dynamics, Jeschke identified a number of growth opportunities for Lytx.
“I’m very proud of Lytx,” Jeschke says. “The company has grown like a rocket ship, has one of the best customer value propositions I have ever seen and a tremendous management team led by a tremendous leader. They also help to make our roads safer and save lives, which is pretty awesome.”
“I very much believe this is an apprenticeship business,” Jeschke says. “You start learning the day you arrive, and it never stops. My biggest contribution to my firm and the industry is to foster other’s development in the same way that my development has been fostered by others. This starts by helping with recruiting, but is much more about helping our young associates to develop the skills they need to be successful long term.”
