Larry W. Gies, President and CEO

Mr. Gies is the President and CEO of Madison Capital Partners, a corporation he founded in 1994 to focus on the acquisition, operation and growth of industrial manufacturing and service concerns throughout the world (www.madisoncapitalpartners.net). Madison has purchased companies in the filtration, heat transfer, industrial equipment, process improvement, instruments & controls, advertising, service outsourcing, oil & gas and plastic industries with combined revenues well in excess of $4 billion.

Under Mr. Gies’s leadership, Madison has acquired 30 branded, market-leading companies, most with significant overseas operations and 4 based in Europe. Madison has further expanded the geographic reach of these enterprises, including the opening of numerous facilities in China and Eastern Europe. Mr. Gies has guided many operational restructurings focusing on new product introduction, lean manufacturing initiatives, cash flow generation and customer centric solutions.

Of the 30 companies purchased, 18 have been sold and 12 are still in the build stage (10 of which have been purchased over the last 18 months). Of the 18 investments sold, Madison's equity investors have enjoyed an internal rate of return (net of all fees, expenses, equity appreciation rights and carried interest) of 91% and 6.5 times return on capital invested.

Prior to forming Madison, Mr. Gies assisted investor Michael Heisley of The Heico Companies in numerous investments including the assumption of a senior management role with a manufacturer of capital equipment.

Mr. Gies serves as the President of The Gies Foundation, is a lecturer at the University of Illinois and coaches youth sports. He holds degrees from the University of Illinois and Northwestern University.