Hometown heroes

Hometown heroes

Dealmakers love March Madness, and many middle-market firms have roots in the same communities as the teams that made it to the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four.

The city of Chicago, home to the Loyola University Chicago Ramblers, hosts dozens of middle-market companies, from private equity firms like GTCR to investment banks like William Blair and lenders including Madison Capital and Twin Brook.

As a No. 11 seed, Loyola ties the record for the lowest seed to ever reach the Final Four. Like the Ramblers' 98-year-old chaplain Sister Jean, middle-market firms based in Chicagoland may be urging Loyola-Chicago to “worship, work and win,” in keeping with the university’s identity as a Catholic university, founded by the Jesuits in 1870.

Meanwhile, the other regions represented by the Final Four – Michigan, Pennsylvania and Kansas – boast their own share of companies doing business in the middle market, as you’ll see on the following slides.

Sweet Home Chicago: Loyola University Chicago Ramblers

Sweet Home Chicago: Loyola University Chicago Ramblers

Dozens of middle-market firms call Chicagoland home, including: GTCR, Industrial Opportunity Partners, Madison Capital, Monroe Capital, Twin Brook and William Blair. We imagine they’ll be cheering on guard Ben Richardson and his Loyola-Chicago Rambler teammates.

Pure Michigan: University of Michigan Wolverines

Pure Michigan: University of Michigan Wolverines

Michigan is home to many middle-market firms, including: Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn, Huron Capital, Venture Michigan Fund, Wolverine Venture Fund, and Quarton International. We envision them applauding guard Charles Matthews and the rest of the Michigan Wolverines.

You’ve got a friend in Pennsylvania: Villanova University Wildcats

You’ve got a friend in Pennsylvania: Villanova University Wildcats

Pennsylvania, especially Philadelphia, hosts many companies doing business in the middle market, including: Berwind Corp., Ballard Spahr, Inverness Graham, Larsen MacColl Partners and LLR Partners. We figure they’re rooting for guard Phil Booth and the rest of the Villanova Wildcats.

There’s no place like home in Kansas: University of Kansas Jayhawks

There’s no place like home in Kansas: University of Kansas Jayhawks

Among the middle-market firms headquartered in Kansas are: Apex Business Advisors, O’Keeffe & O’Malley, Valgard Capital Partners and Vista Business Group. We picture them rooting for guard Lagerald Vick and his Kansas Jayhawks teammates.