As social media promises to become increasingly important in the middle market, here are a dozen dealmakers worth following on Twitter for their insights, news and entertainment value. The list was compiled by long-time Twitter users Mary Kathleen Flynn, the editor-in-chief of Mergers & Acquisitions (@TheMiddleMarket) who tweets as @MKFlynn, and Sumeet Shah, the director of client relationships at Gist Digital LLC who is known as @PE_Feeds.
(Please note: The list is in alphabetical order by Twitter ID.)
Twitter Account: @Darrensnyder
Real Name: Darren Snyder
Day Job: Partner, Prairie Capital
Why Follow: Perspectives on small business plus updates on the Cubs and other Midwest events and teams from Chicago private equity investor who serves as chairman of the Illinois Venture Capital Association.
Twitter Account: @devinmathews
Real Name: Devin Mathews
Day Job: Managing partner, Chicago Growth Partners
Why Follow: Portfolio news, plus the occasional Steve Martin joke, from the Chicago private equity investor who “dislikes mean people.”
Twitter Account: @FAquila
Real Name: Frank Aquila
Day Job: Co-head, general practice group, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
Why Follow: Personal observations about everything from the global economy to U.S. politics from the veteran M&A attorney whose clients include Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, which is buying the second half of Mexico City’s Grupo Modelo S.A.B. de C.V., maker of Corona beer.
Twitter Account: @fredwilson
Real Name: Fred Wilson
Day Job: Co-founder, Union Square Ventures
Why Follow: Opinions and insights about investing in startups and entrepreneurs from the legendary New York venture capitalist who was a co-founder of Flatiron Partners back in the dot-com day and more recently was an early backer of blogging service Tumblr Inc., which was sold to Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO) for $1.1 billion.
Twitter Account: @JeffOlsick
Real Name: Jeff Olsick
Day Job: Associate, McNally Capital
Why Follow: A steady stream of quirky stories about dealmaking, such as Business Insider’s assertion that “Trading Places” is the best movie ever made about Wall Street, from the Lemont, Ill., private equity investor.
Twitter Account: @kmkovacic
Real Name: Karin Kovacic
Day Job: Vice president, BNY Mellon-Alcentra Mezzanine Partners
Why Follow: News of middle-market events and trends from biz dev pro who serves as the president of ACG Connecticut.
Twitter Account: @MoHossain
Real Name: Mo Hossain
Day Job: Founder, Ennovance Capital
Why Follow: Detailed developments in sectors, such as chemicals, materials and health care that you might otherwise miss, from the Philadelphia private equity investor.
Twitter Account: @palatinepe
Real Name: Jonathan Massey
Day Job: Director of business development, Palatine Private Equity
Why Follow: News on the firm’s investments, portfolio companies and meetings, peppered with entertaining weather reports and other observations from Manchester, England.
Twitter Account: @Rich_Lawson
Real Name: Rich Lawson
Day Job: Co-founder, HGGC LLC (formerly known as Huntsman Gay Global Capital)
Why Follow: Insights – such as predicting that Bain Capital and Golden Gate would succeed in winning BMC Software – written by tech-focused PE investor who counts former San Francisco 49ers QB Steve Young among his partners. Lawson's firm recently invested in MyWebGrocer Inc. and sold Hybris Software to SAP AG (NYSE: SAP).
Twitter Account: @smcalaine
Real Name: Stephanie McAlaine
Day Job: Executive director, ACG Philadelphia; director, Wharton Private Equity Partners
Why Follow: Deal flow data plus news of golf outings from (always sunny) Philadelphia.
Twitter Account: @TheoOBrien
Real Name: Theo O’Brien
Day Job: Managing director, Richard Wilson Capital Partners LLC
Why Follow: News and updates about private equity folks, firms and trends from the Portland, Ore., marketer who focuses on connecting family offices to fund managers. He is also the author of “The Free Private Equity E-Book.”
Twitter Account: @WatermillGroup
Real Name: Watermill Group
Day Job: PE firm
Why Follow: Portfolio news alternating with charming behind-the-scenes peeks of life at the Boston PE firm, where dogs are known to reside, and where interns produce training videos -- including one that teaches “old timers” how to use a modern conference room.