Charter

Charter Capital Partners is a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based investment banking firm that provides mergers and acquisitions advisory, capital raising, and business valuation services to middle-market companies. The firm also operates private equity vehicles, including Charter Growth Capital, which provides mezzanine debt and non-controlling equity investments to lower middle-market businesses operating in the Great Lakes region. Across its advisory and investment arms, the organization has led more than 200 transactions worth over $2 billion and currently manages $111 million in assets under management through its second growth capital fund. Its private equity portfolio includes direct investments in regional companies such as All Star Driver Education, Chicago Switchboard, Schepers Irrigation, and Traverse City Products. The firm was originally founded in 1989, with current President and Managing Partner John Kerschen assuming full ownership of the business in 2006.

High-Level Overview

Charter Capital Partners is a Michigan-based investment banking and private equity firm founded in 1989, specializing in M&A advisory, capital raising, business valuations, and growth capital investments for middle-market companies.[1][2][3][4] Its mission centers on delivering personalized advisory and investing solutions with an entrepreneurial mindset, drawing on over 30 years of transactional expertise across industries like Business Services (B2B), Healthcare Services, Industrial, Consumer Products, Financial Services, and Fintech.[1][2][4] The firm manages funds such as Charter Growth Capital Fund II (launched March 2025, $5-10M size, $111M AUM), targeting Series B and late-stage investments in North America, while providing operating support through a network of former operators, advisors, and investors.[1][5]

With a focus on the Midwest but investing across the U.S., Charter influences the startup and middle-market ecosystem by facilitating acquisitions, growth capital, and exits, backed by professionals holding FINRA registrations and credentials from ASA, AICPA, and NACVA.[1][4]

Origin Story

Charter Capital Partners was established in 1989 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as one of the Midwest's premier investment banking firms serving middle-market companies.[1][3][5] Key partners include John Kerschen (President and Managing Partner), Hector Bultynck (Partner), Debbie Kolar (Partner and Chief Operating Officer), and AJ Ebels (Vice President), whose collective experience spans national investment banks, CPA firms, family offices, commercial banks, and M&A firms.[1][5]

The firm's evolution reflects a shift from pure advisory services—covering capital raises for startups, growth capital, valuations, and exits—to integrated private equity investing, including private debt and equity across the U.S.[2][4][5] Over 30+ years, it has completed hundreds of deals, launching funds like Charter Growth Capital Fund II in 2025 and closing four prior funds between 2016 and 2025, adapting to middle-market needs with hands-on, relationship-driven support.[1][4][5]

Core Differentiators

• Personalized M&A and Advisory Model: Offers senior-level attention for transactions across the capital continuum, from startup funding to exits, with tailored strategies informed by deep industry insight.[2][4]
• Proven Track Record and Expertise: Hundreds of successful deals over 30+ years, supported by FINRA-registered professionals with ASA, AICPA, and NACVA credentials, ensuring regulatory compliance and high-quality valuations.[1][4]
• Investment Flexibility: Deploys growth capital via funds like Charter Growth Capital Fund II ($111M AUM), focusing on Series B+ stages in B2B, healthcare, industrial, fintech, and consumer sectors with $5-10M tickets.[1][5]
• Network and Operating Support: Extensive relationships from former operators and advisors provide long-term collaboration, alignment, and hands-on guidance beyond dealmaking.[2][4][5]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Charter Capital Partners rides the wave of middle-market consolidation and growth financing in a maturing U.S. private equity landscape, particularly in fintech, B2B services, and healthcare amid rising demand for flexible capital post-2020s economic shifts.[1][2] Timing aligns with increased M&A activity in the Midwest and nationally, where family-owned businesses and regional players seek exits or scaling amid inflation and interest rate normalization.[4][5]

Market forces like abundant dry powder in PE funds and a push for operational efficiency favor Charter's hybrid advisory-investment model, enabling quicker deployments for underserved middle-market firms.[1][3] It influences the ecosystem by bridging startups to late-stage companies, fostering regional innovation hubs in Michigan and beyond through targeted investments and networks.[5]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Charter Capital Partners is poised for expansion with its fresh Charter Growth Capital Fund II mandate, likely doubling down on high-growth sectors like fintech and industrials amid 2025's stabilizing markets.[1][5] Trends such as AI-driven efficiencies in B2B services and healthcare digitization will shape its portfolio, potentially leading to more cross-border deals as Midwest firms globalize.[1][2]

Its influence may evolve toward deeper operating partnerships, leveraging its operator-alumni network to boost portfolio exits in a competitive PE environment—positioning Charter as a go-to for sustainable middle-market success, much like its 30-year track record of trusted, impact-driven advisory.[4]