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Independent M&A Advisory

Your Legacy, Our Priority

A Trusted Partner in Guiding Middle Market Business Owners

2014
Founded
100%
Founder Focused
$3B+
Transaction Value
$10–250M+
Deal Size
Footprint Capital partners meeting with a client

Who We Are

A different kind of investment bank.

Footprint Capital is an independent investment bank focused on advising owners and operators of privately held, middle market companies. Our team is a high-touch, energetic group of entrepreneurial individuals exclusively committed to achieving the strategic and financial objectives of our clients. We take a long-term partnership approach to guiding business owners at each distinct stage in their company’s life cycle, which enables us to provide differentiated, tailored solutions that are specific to each client.

Our Approach

What We Do

Senior advice, purpose-built for founders.

Services tailored to your transaction goals, with every engagement led by a senior banker from start to finish.

01

Sell-Side Advisory

Outright Sale, Partial Sale (Private Equity/Recap), Management Buyout, and ESOP Transactions

02

Buy-Side Advisory

Strategy, Target Identification & Evaluation, Structuring and Diligence

03

Strategic Advisory

Exit & Succession Planning, Sale Readiness, Value Enhancement, and Strategic Initiatives

04

Corporate Finance

Debt, Equity, Dividend Recapitalization, Capital Provider Liaison

Our People

Expertise built through experience.

Our team is comprised of talented individuals with diverse operational and financial backgrounds, enabling us to provide genuine, objective advice to our clients

Josh Curtis

Josh Curtis

Managing Partner
Greg Bickett

Greg Bickett

Managing Director
Janice Guo

Janice Guo

Director
Meet the Full Team

Bio

Josh leads the strategic direction of the firm as Founder and Managing Partner. He enjoys working closely with internal deal teams, clients, and third parties to ensure successful client outcomes. Josh thrives in navigating the complexities of buy-side and sell-side transactions from inception to completion while building strong relationships along the way.

Relevant Experience

  • Facilitated transactions for more than 100 private companies with revenues from a few million to over $1 Billion across various industries
  • Led Insource Spend Management's strategic growth plan, including acquisitions, industry partnerships, and alliances. Josh led Insource through two synergistic acquisitions and ultimately, through the sale of Insource to AFS Logistics, Inc.
  • Prior to Insource, Josh was Director at GBQ Capital, a boutique investment bank owned by GBQ Partners where he was an essential contributor to the formation, development, and success of the practice
  • Josh started his career with Fifth Third Bank, where he held several positions throughout the Commercial Bank
  • BA, Wittenberg University
  • FINRA Series 7, 79, and 63 Licenses Registered with KCOE Capital LLC
  • Certificate in Private Equity Investing and Creating Value, Wharton Executive Education
  • Certificate in Private Capital Markets, Pepperdine University Graziadio Business School
  • Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA)
  • Board Member, Modular Assembly Innovations
  • Board Member, Westinghouse
  • Board Member, Westwater Supply
  • Board Member, Apprisen

Bio

At Footprint, Greg is primarily responsible for leading sell-side and buy-side engagements with business owners. He brings over 25 years of M&A and financial planning and analysis experience with public and private companies focused on automotive, retail services, chemicals manufacturing and distribution. Greg has successfully led both buy-side and sell-side projects ranging in value from a million to a billion with experiences throughout the M&A process of strategy development, economic analysis, diligence, negotiation, and integration/separation.

Relevant Experience

  • Developed and led acquisition process at Valvoline completing over 60 transactions that acquired over 450 automotive service centers across the U.S. and Canada; developed strong relationships with small business owners resulting in Valvoline being the acquiror of choice
  • Led finance workstream in standing up new independent finance organization as part of Valvoline’s separation from Ashland and subsequent IPO
  • Led multiple carve outs from Ashland and Valvoline which resulted in non-core businesses being acquired by financial sponsors
  • Greg most recently served as CFO for JEGS Automotive, a family-owned business for sixty years acquired by private equity in 2021
  • BS, University of Kentucky
  • MBA, The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA), inactive
  • Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)

Bio

At Footprint, Janice plays an integral role in deal execution for sell-side and buy-side engagements. She brings over 10 years of accounting experience with expertise in audit, reporting and analysis across a variety of industries.

Relevant Experience

  • Managed financial reporting team at IGS Energy, a billion-dollar energy retailer
  • Prior to IGS, Janice spent four years in public accounting at GBQ Partners as an auditor, managing engagements for middle market businesses in manufacturing & distribution, services, and non-profits
  • Janice began her career in middle market business underwriting at First Merchants Bank
  • BSBA, The Ohio State University
  • Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
  • Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA)
  • Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)
  • Ohio Society of CPAs (OSCPA)
  • Board Member of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Columbus
  • Board Member Inner City Catholic Parishes/Nazareth Tower

Client Perspective

Relationships that outlast the transaction.

Russ Meyer

“The Footprint team was diligent and thoughtful every step of the way. Their full immersion in our divestiture strategy allowed us to achieve optimal results.”

Russ Meyer CFO, White Castle Systems, Inc.
Jim Vannelle

“Footprint Capital took the time to understand our culture and philosophy in order to align us with the financial partner that shared the same. Josh and Wade provided us with the necessary resources and advice every step along the way. We are excited about our partnership with Stonehenge and the future of Queen City Hospice Holdings, LLC. I wish to send a heartfelt thank you to Footprint for making this come together.”

Jim Vannelle President, Queen City Hospice
Stephen & Jessica Rose

“As an entrepreneur, finding a trustworthy partner at your biggest inflection point is always a journey. We couldn’t be happier to have found Footprint Capital to walk alongside us in our investment journey. They worked tirelessly to find us the right partner with the right terms, and we couldn’t be more grateful. More than that, they did what they said they were going to, time and time again.”

Stephen & Jessica Rose The Peach Truck
Billy Vickers

“As a past client of Footprint Capital, I had confidence that Josh would be the right person to lead this acquisition of NAA. Footprint coordinated all aspects of this challenging transaction and I am confident it would not have been possible without the knowledge of Josh and his team. They exceeded my expectations.”

Billy Vickers President & CEO, Modular Assembly Innovations

Industry Experience

Depth across the sectors we serve.

Manufacturing & Distribution

  • Automotive
  • Building Products
  • Food
  • Metals & Plastics
  • Packaging

Business Services

  • Business Process Outsourcing
  • Consulting Services
  • Engineering Services
  • Facilities Services
  • Staffing

Healthcare

  • Home Health & Hospice
  • Medical Products & Supplies
  • Mental & Behavioral Health
  • Physician Practices
  • Outsourced Services to Providers

Consumer

  • Durable Products
  • eCommerce
  • Food
  • Residential Services
  • Specialty Franchise Services

Tech-Enabled Services & SaaS

  • Digital Marketing
  • IT Consulting
  • Managed Services
  • SaaS & Customer Experience
  • Vertical Market Software

Transportation & Logistics

  • Asset Light/Brokerage
  • Logistics Technology
  • Specialized Trucking
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Warehousing & Fulfillment

Track Record

Recent transactions.

has been acquired by

a portfolio company of

Manufacturing

Manufacturer of precision measurement solutions for cryogenic temperature, magnetics, material characterization, and cryostats

Footprint Capital
Exclusive Sell-Side Advisor

has been acquired by

Distribution

Dealer & installer of liquid storage tanks

Footprint Capital
Exclusive Sell-Side Advisor

has been acquired by

a portfolio company of

Manufacturing

Provider of custom corrugated and protective packaging solutions

Footprint Capital
Exclusive Sell-Side Advisor

has acquired

a divestiture of

Business Services

Provider of licensing services to consumer and industrial manufacturers

Footprint Capital
Exclusive Buy-Side Advisor
View All Transactions