Middle Market Monikers

One of the great things about the NCAA Tournament—other than the chance to beat your co-workers in the office pool—is that every year, without fail, a few players who you’ve never heard of become household names overnight. Based on their upset of Wisconsin this past weekend, for example, many of you now know Kevin Kruger, the UNLV guard who happens to be the coach’s son. Kruger’s fame is largely the result of his accurate three-point shooting. But Kruger is even more recognizable for something he had nothing to do with: His first and last name begin with the same letter. Players like Aaron Brooks (Oregon) and Jeff Green (Georgetown) are having good tournaments as well, but unless you’re an avid college basketball fan, you’re less likely to remember them than you are Kevin Kruger. This got me thinking about name recognition in the middle market, which has its share of illiterative stars as well. While a recognizable name obviously doesn’t guarantee success, in today’s ultra-competitive, increasingly brand-conscious market, a more memorable moniker can only be a good thing. So, at the risk of giving these folks more branding than they deserve, we came up with a quick list of the Middle Market’s Most Illiterative Names. This list is anything but exhaustive, so please don’t get offended if you missed the cut. But if you hear of any middle market pros changing their name in the coming weeks, you can thank Merger Mogul. Enjoy. The Top 5, in no particular order, along with some trivial musings: Hiter Harris, Co-Founder, Harris Williams: Arguably the most recognizable name in the middle market, Hiter is one of the only people I know who can answer his phone without saying his last name. That speaks to his reputation, as well. Kurt Kaull, Partner, Gryphon Investors. I haven’t seen his bracket, but my guess is Kurt is rooting hard for Georgetown, where he played basketball and baseball in the early 1980s. Glenn Gurtcheff, Managing Director, Harris Williams. You remember Glenn because of the two Gs and because of his long tenure in the middle market (previously with Piper Jaffray). I remember him because he’s a fellow Jersey guy. Jay Jester, Managing Director, Audax Group. I see Jay at virtually every ACG conference, which only enhances his memorability factor (and makes me wonder if Jay has a twin brother who is covering for him.) Bobby Blumenfeld, Managing Director, Bryant Park Capital, and Chairman of ACG New York. As a card-carrying member of ACG New York, I get Bobby’s emails (and open them) frequently. Due to his relentless promotion of the chapter, Bobby’s name recognition—among the New York middle market crowd, at least—has now surpassed that of Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla and WNBC sports anchor Bruce Beck. Adam Reinebach