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Our People

Team

Built Around Clients

Expertise shaped by experience & grounded in partnership.

Our team is comprised of entrepreneurial individuals with diverse financial and operational experience, enabling us to view transactions from all angles

Josh Curtis

Josh Curtis

Managing Partner
Greg Bickett

Greg Bickett

Managing Director
Janice Guo

Janice Guo

Director
Christian Olson

Christian Olson

Director
Richard Barnhart

Richard Barnhart

Senior Director
Michael Butler

Michael Butler

Senior Director
Kimberly Dennis

Kimberly Dennis

Senior Director
Ken Weixel

Ken Weixel

Senior Director
Wade Kozich

Wade Kozich

Senior Advisor
Ben Curtis

Ben Curtis

Vice President
A.J. Mark

A.J. Mark

Vice President
John Wilson

John Wilson

Vice President
Katie Smith

Katie Smith

Senior Associate
Aaron Crawford

Aaron Crawford

Associate
Ally Crawford

Ally Crawford

Associate
Natalie Lo

Natalie Lo

Associate
Erica Boston

Erica Boston

Administrative Coordinator

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

Bio

At Footprint, Christian is primarily responsible for leading deal execution and business development efforts focused on transportation and logistics, distribution, industrials, and B2B software. He brings over 15 years of diverse experience, having held roles in both M&A and operations.

Relevant Experience

  • Managed $100m global P&L of specialty adhesives division of Ashland, Inc. (NYSE: ASH)
  • Led the formulation and execution of Ashland's M&A growth strategy for the $300m global adhesives division, including strategic analysis, target identification and outreach, ongoing sourcing efforts, and activity reporting to senior leadership
  • Earlier in his career, Christian held a role in Strategy and Corporate Development at Pacer International, a publicly traded transportation and logistics company evaluating M&A, capital investments and other strategic initiatives
  • BS, University of Findlay
  • MBA, The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business
  • Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)

Bio

At Footprint, Richard devotes his time to supporting deal origination efforts and advising on sell-side, buy-side and corporate finance transactions. As an experienced M&A and finance lawyer, he brings over 40 years of experience focusing on developing creative solutions to take transactions across the finish line. In addition, as a lawyer he regularly advised boards of directors and business owners on strategies and tactics to achieve their business objectives and to navigate complex business decisions.

Relevant Experience

  • Richard began his legal career at Schottenstein, Zox and Dunn and in 2012 led the merger of the Firm into Ice Miller LLP, creating a 350 lawyer, multi office law firm
  • Richard led the combined firm’s finance practice group until his retirement in 2021. During his tenure at Ice Miller, he also served as a firmwide managing partner and the managing partner of the Columbus office
  • Founding member and past Chairman of the Columbus Franklin County Finance Authority, a public agency that provides creative financing solutions to central Ohio private, public and non-profit sectors
  • BA, Youngstown State University
  • JD, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
  • Formerly ranked in Chambers, Best Lawyers, and Super Lawyers
  • Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)

Bio

At Footprint, Michael cultivates relationships with clients, prospects, centers of influence, private equity firms, and family offices. His diverse background as an investor and executive offers a unique perspective when advising sell-side and buy-side clients. His network and calling ability is often leveraged in buy-side engagements to augment traditional deal flow.

Relevant Experience

  • Partner of NCT Ventures, a venture capital firm based in Columbus, Ohio, where Michael was responsible for fundraising activities, evaluating investment opportunities and providing strategic guidance to portfolio companies
  • Michael spent 20 years at Nationwide where he held multiple key roles, ultimately leading him to be the President and Chief Distribution Officer of Nationwide Fund Distributors, LLC, where he was the functional leader in the distribution of all Nationwide funds
  • Prior to Nationwide, Michael served as CFO for an Ohio based manufacturing and distribution business
  • BS, The Ohio State University
  • MBA, Ashland University
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA), inactive
  • Young Presidents' Organization (YPO)
  • Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA)
  • Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA)
  • Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)
  • Big Brothers/Big Sisters
  • United Way

Bio

Kim supports the firm’s deal origination efforts through engaging CPA’s, wealth advisors, attorneys and other centers of influence. She brings 30 years of experience in commercial banking where she worked closely with middle market, mid-corporate and large corporate companies.

Relevant Experience

  • Most recently, Kim was Managing Director and Ohio Market Executive for BMO. She managed a team of sales and portfolio management professionals covering all of Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The target market for the team was companies with revenue between $ 20 million and $ 5 billion. She and the team provided solutions including traditional debt, sourcing alternative capital in conjunction with the debt capital markets and advising on multiple other business needs including business transition strategies.
  • Kim has worked with companies across multiple business segments including retail, general and specialty contractors, manufacturing/distributing, and food/consumer.
  • BA, Franklin University
  • MBA, University of Dayton
  • Vistage Worldwide
  • Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)
  • Chair, The Salvation of Central Ohio

Bio

Wade Kozich contributes to transactions and marketing as GBQ’s chief liaison in its affiliation with Footprint Capital. With more than 40 years of expertise working with middle market business owners, Wade brings invaluable and relatable experience to sell-side, buy-side, and succession planning engagements.

Relevant Experience

  • Wade is Senior Director at GBQ Partners, where he focuses in the firm's Transaction Advisory Services practice
  • As Managing Director of GBQ from 1996 to 2010, Wade's vision and leadership helped the firm become the largest independent accounting and consulting firm in central Ohio
  • His more than 40+ year career has been spent working passionately with owners of closely held businesses
  • BS, California State University-Hayward
  • U.S. Naval Academy
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
  • Certified Merger and Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA)
  • Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA)
  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
  • Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)
  • The Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants (OSCPA)
  • Alliance of Merger and Acquisition Advisors (AM&AA)
  • Pelotonia

Bio

At Footprint, Ben plays an integral role in deal execution for sell-side and buy-side engagements. Ben brings over 20 years of broad commercial lending experience working with business owners in a variety of industries.

Relevant Experience

  • Managed and developed new client relationships as a Commercial Lender at WesBanco Bank, with responibilty for new loan origination for clients across a wide range of industries including healthcare, professional services, specialty contractor, manufacturing, landscape services, auto dealers, and municipalities
  • Prior to WesBanco, Ben spent eight years as a Portfolio Manager at Fifth Third Bank where he managed relationships, structured loan facilities, and underwrote commercial loans
  • A portion of Ben's experience was in the Special Assets Group at Fifth Third, which provided him unique perspective working through distressed situations
  • BS, Ohio University
  • Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA)
  • Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (AM&AA)
  • Ohio Real Estate Sales Person’s License
  • Columbus Chapter of The Risk Management Association
  • Salvation Army

Bio

At Footprint, A.J. provides quantitative and analytical support in deal execution. He brings over 7 years of experience in working on M&A transactions and over 10 years of experience in various financial service industries including auditing, corporate banking, and leveraged finance.

Relevant Experience

  • A.J. spent over three years as a Relationship Manager in First Commonwealth Bank’s Sponsor Finance Group. His responsibilities included both new business development and management of an active customer portfolio. During his time at First Commonwealth, A.J. directly sourced many new relationships from a diverse group of private equity and other financial sponsors that resulted in over $100m of direct exposure for the bank
  • Prior to First Commonwealth, AJ spent four years in Wells Fargo’s Middle Market Banking group. He started as a Credit Analyst and was promoted to a Portfolio Manager. A.J. was responsible for a portfolio with over $400m in credit exposure
  • A.J. began his career by working in public accounting as an auditor for KPMG. He gained experience in a variety of industries including financial services, healthcare, and food products
  • BSBA, University of Pittsburgh
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA), inactive
  • Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)

Bio

At Footprint Capital, John plays an integral role in deal execution. He brings over eight years of experience in working on M&A transactions and over 10 years of experience in various financial service industry roles including institutional asset management and trading.

Relevant Experience

  • Prior to Footprint, John was a Vice President with Capstone Partners for eight years. At Capstone, he successfully advised and closed M&A transactions for entrepreneurs, private equity clients, and public companies. John was a part of the Industrials team at Capstone with a specific sector focus in chemicals, environmental services, distribution and food ingredients
  • John spent nine years prior to Capstone with Goldman Sachs and Dwight Asset Management assisting instiutional defined contribution clients in the management of their Stable Value portfolios
  • John began his career with Morgan Stanley as a trading assistant on the FX options desk
  • BS, University of Vermont
  • MBA, University of Vermont
  • FINRA Series 79
  • Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)

Bio

At Footprint, Katie provides quantitative and analytical support on sell-side and buy-side engagements. She brings over 10 years of financial experience to the team.

Relevant Experience

  • Katie began her career in public accounting at GBQ Partners, working closely with partners on both audit and tax engagements for middle-market clients across a diverse set of industries including manufacturing, restaurants, venture capital, and non-profits
  • Prior to joining the team at Footprint, Katie spent over 5 years with IGS Energy. She started on the corporate accounting team where she was responsible for natural gas financial reporting and analysis before transitioning to the FP&A team where she led the natural gas forecasting and budgeting processes including ad-hoc modeling projects, valuations, and acquisition integrations
  • BSBA, The Ohio State University
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
  • Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA)
  • Ohio Society of CPAs (OSCPA)
  • Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)
  • Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (AM&AA)
  • Career mentor in the Columbus State Mentorship Program

Bio

At Footprint, Aaron provides analytical support on sell-side and buy-side engagements. He brings over 4 years of M&A transaction experience to the team.

Relevant Experience

  • Prior to Joining Footprint, Aaron spent two years at First Commonwealth Bank in the Sponsor Finance Group where he focused on private equity transactions. In this position, Aaron managed relationships while also providing due diligence and underwriting of new deals. Aaron worked closely with business owners and private equity customers to achieve senior debt financing
  • Aaron began his career in the Credit Department at First Commonwealth Bank where he focused on underwriting M&A deals. This experience gives Aaron a unique perspective of corporate financial analysis and operating performance of high value loan portfolios
  • BSBA, The Ohio State University
  • Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)
  • Board Member of Future Corporate Leaders (FCL) for the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Pittsburgh

Bio

At Footprint, Aly provides analytical support on sell-side and buy-side engagements. She brings over 6 years of accounting experience to the team.

Relevant Experience

  • Ally began her career in audit at Deloitte where she served both public and private clients
  • In her six years at Deloitte, Ally gained experience in various industries with a focus on healthcare and retail. She also participated in a fellowship where she assisted with multiple internal projects, which included launching a new AI scheduling tool and a large IT transition
  • BSBA, Miami University
  • MBA, Miami University
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

Bio

At Footprint, Natalie provides analytical support on sell-side and buy-side engagements. She brings over 5 years of accounting experience to the team.

Relevant Experience

  • Prior to joining Footprint, Natalie spent 3 years in public accounting at GBQ Partners, working closing with partners and clients in both audit and tax engagements
  • Natalie began her career in accounting at a group of related mid-sized manufacturing and engineering companies, managing the books of these five companies and working directly with the CFO and Owner to provide financial reporting and analytical support
  • BSBA, The Ohio State University
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA), inactive