William Vogelgesang

Bio

As co-founder of South Franklin Street Partners, Bill works with our portfolio company partners to help build long-term value for their customers, employees, suppliers and shareholders. With a passion for employee-owned businesses, Bill has a focus within the ESOP community and is a frequent speaker on the subject of employee ownership. While his focus is on employee-owned enterprises, Bill has experience in a broad array of businesses including distribution, manufacturing and business services. Having spent time as an officer in a material processing business and having been involved in the startup of a number of other companies, Bill understands the struggles of building a successful business. All companies encounter difficult times; the successful ones find the seed of opportunity that is present in all of them. Having the right partner can make all the difference. Bill was a Managing Director and Principal of Brown, Gibbons, Lang & Company, L.P. (BGL), a middle-market investment banking firm with offices in Chicago and Cleveland, where he worked for seven years. He served as Chairman of the Brown, Gibbons, Lang & Company's Management Committee. He was active in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and restructurings. He also spent three years as a principal and the Chief Financial Officer of a hazardous waste acquisition and management company. Prior to joining BGL, Bill served as President of Colonial Capital, Inc., a NASD broker-dealer specializing in corporate development engagements for corporate and investment fund clients. He also worked for several years as a banking officer at Ameritrust (now part of KeyCorp) and Citicorp.