Our mission is to buy, build, and hold great businesses for the long-term

CPC is a company, not a traditional private equity fund

Our perpetual structure enables us to implement the best strategies to create defensible long-term value without regard to time horizon.

Sustainable competitive advantage derives from long-term investments in innovation, workforce development, adoption of new technologies, and supply chain improvements.

CPC believes deeply in the power of compounding return, and that the best way to grow wealth over time is by investing in great businesses.

Our Flywheel for Perpetual Value Creation reflects our approach to building durable, capital efficient businesses.

Source durable, capital efficient businesses to acquire and grow
Ensure management teams share our values on culture, perpetual value creation, and successful team integration
Support management to win the Five Key Battles
Reinvest investment returns into our growing businesses and diversify into new businesses

CPC seeks to invest $50 million to $100+ million into control investments with many of the following:

BUSINESS CHARACTERISTICS

  • Non-cyclical
  • Sustainable secular growth drivers
  • Niche market dominance or path to it
  • High barriers to competitive entry
  • Mission critical products
  • Recurring customer relationships
  • High return on assets
  • Flexible cost structures

MANAGEMENT DYNAMICS

  • Alignment on long term wealth creation
  • Continuous operational improvement
  • Constant talent development
  • Understanding of fixed vs variable cost
  • Partners with a strong reputation
  • Solid communication and feedback

BUSINESS CHARACTERISTICS

  • Non-cyclical
  • Sustainable secular growth drivers
  • Niche market dominance or path to it
  • High barriers to competitive entry
  • Mission critical products
  • Recurring customer relationships
  • High return on assets
  • Flexible cost structures

MANAGEMENT DYNAMICS

  • Alignment on long term wealth creation
  • Continuous operational improvement
  • Constant talent development
  • Understanding of fixed vs variable cost
  • Partners with a strong reputation
  • Solid communication and feedback

We strive to partner with world class people to build exceptional places to work. We believe that businesses that deliver great products and services have long-lasting positive impacts on the customers and communities that they serve.

Five Key Battles

Our team has decades of experience investing in lower middle market businesses. We believe that strong, sustainable financial performance is driven by consistent success across the Five Key Battles.

The Five Key Battles are never fully won or lost; waging them is a constant, evolutionary challenge as businesses grow and industries change. Our goal is to support and challenge management to build businesses that continually improve in these areas over time.

People

  • Culture, mission, and communication
  • Align, measure, celebrate success

Operational Systems

  • Technology investment and adoption
  • Timely, reliable, information management

Execution Capabilities

  • Multiple methods of excellent product/service delivery
  • Alignment of the right team for the right situation

Customer Intimacy

  • Target customer sets and distinct value propositions
  • Customer lifetime value

Product Leadership

  • Constant improvement
  • Product development as a distinct organizational “muscle”

Our Heritage

After working together for many years, the partners of Curran Companies and C3 Capital created CPC with the shared vision of becoming world class partners for great companies.

Curran Companies

  • Perpetual equity value creation strategy
  • Invested in 14 companies since 2009

C3 Capital

  • Subordinated Debt and Equity
  • $600+ million invested across 3 SBIC funds
  • 87 investments since 2003

Our Principals' Experience Includes The Following Industries:

Consumer

CPC’s partners have a successful history of investing in consumer businesses, particularly those with unique products and that are category leaders within a chosen niche. We target data-oriented brands.

Healthcare

We target niches in this sector where there is innovation to reduce costs and increase efficiency or speed to market for new therapies. We will generally avoid businesses that have significant payor reimbursement risks.

Aerospace

Aerospace components and services present regulatory and capital intensive dynamics which our teams have consistently managed as key barriers to entry. Our experience in aerospace provided mission critical, highly specialized, products and services ranging from hydroform precision machining to day-based B2B general aviation operations. Ultimately, our category-leading market presence in these niche areas of the aerospace industry have resulted in recurring customer relationships

Manufacturing

Our successful experiences matched low cyclicality and secular growth with modern assets and high contribution margins to deliver strong sustained return on assets. We seek niche market leaders that deeply understand their customers’ needs and respond with product improvements as they arise.

Environmental Services

CPC’s partners have significant experience building successful niche environmental firms. We seek to make investments in environmental companies that are niche oriented and successfully manage specific elements required by the long term trend of increasing local and national environmental operating requirements.

  

Portable Power

Our experience in the portable power industry spans across market leaders from the automotive aftermarket spaces to highly specialized medical, marine, and industrial. In all instances, our products were best-of-breed within their niche resulting in strong market positioning where customers needed our products for mission critical use. Our management teams utilized global supply chains to create flexible cost structures which allowed for consistent product improvements over time for the customer and high return on assets for the business.

Facility Services

Facility Services is a critical aspect of our customers’ asset ownership. We have invested in businesses participating in all parts of facility management in the education, commercial, health care, industrial and special use industries. Our teams have had strong success in niche areas that generate recurring, predictable revenues and profits, and require specialized knowledge of particular facility types.  In addition, the global pandemic and demand for sustainable sanitization has added new growth drivers for these businesses.

Critical Infrastructure

Critical infrastructure services install, calibrate, maintain, and replace industrial equipment that our customers use to provide service to the end user. Arenas such as telecommunications, wind, solar, power generation, and broadband all require responsive and specialized capabilities where niche leaders can differentiate. Our experience in infrastructure services focused more on non-installation oriented services where high return in assets, lower cyclicality, and overall deeper customer loyalty exists.

Professional Sports

The Professional Sports industry is an area where high customer satisfaction transfers to exponentially stronger customer lifetime value. Our team believes deeply in the benefits of sports on communities, and the economic activity generated from well-run world class sports facilities. As the industry has progressed, fan engagement data is becoming more and more important to creating exceptional in-stadium, streaming and broadcast, and non-game day fan experiences.

B2B Automation

Our experience in B2B Automation spans from telematics to hardware and software installation, to process automation and visualization. These companies deliver critical operational value to our customers who are using our solutions in their operation every day. Ultimately, our best outcomes in these areas are tied to consistent improvement of a recurring customer relationship.

Food & Restaurants

Our team’s experience in Food & Restaurants spans from fast food to fine dining to traditional food distribution. We have partnered with teams that deeply believe in operational excellence & measurement to be their most critical barrier to entry. Most importantly, these teams firmly believe they are in the customer and employee experience businesses. Strong culture, incentives, and communication lead to lower employee turnover which directly correlates to best-in-breed customer experiences.

Real-time Distribution

CPC’s partners have had prior success investing in distribution businesses where technology and innovative logistics and fulfillment strategies proved to be differentiators. We seek niches where a distribution company can drive significant value to a supply chain. 

Chemicals

CPC’s principals have a deep set of experiences within the specialty chemicals industry.   We have had strong success marrying engineering, manufacturing, and distribution to create and sell innovative products that provide differentiated outcomes for our customers. Our experience has shown that focusing on niche, specialty products and markets, with consistent investments in product improvement and healthy balance sheets can result in very attractive businesses over time.

Education

There are both huge and growing needs and massive innovation taking place within the education industry today, and the pandemic has only accelerated these trends. We seek growing businesses in small niches that have substantial room to run. Past partner investments have included a publisher of children’s books, a SAAS business focused on university graduate recruitment, and a SAAS business for elementary and secondary schools to manage special education requirements.

The investments shown above were not made by CPC, but rather were made by Companies affiliated with some of the Principals of CPC Management, LLC.
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Pat Curran

Principal

Pat Curran

Principal

Pat Curran is a Principal and co-founder of CPC. Based in Kansas City, Pat has been an active and successful private equity investor since 1979 and was a co-founder of C3 Capital, which has invested over $600 million in 86 businesses across 3 funds since 2003, and C3 Holdings, which sponsored control equity investments from 1994-2001.

Prior to this, he served as CEO of Cook Composites & Polymers, a $1 billion chemicals business that he helped create through a joint venture between Cook Paint and Total Chimie of France. He spent nearly 20 years at Cook Paint, working his way up to CEO, before executing one of the first ever leveraged buyouts on the company in 1979. He has served on the board of numerous highly successful Midwestern companies, including Applebee’s International, Gold Banc, Lockton Companies, Unitog, Sealright, JPS Packaging, and American Safety Razor.

He has a MBA from the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University and a BA in Economics from Stanford University.

Pat resides with his wife, Janet, in Kansas City, home of their favorite team, Sporting KC.

Pat Healy

Principal

Pat Healy

Principal

Pat Healy is a Principal and co-founder of CPC. He has been an active private equity investor since 1985 and was a co-founder of C3 Capital, a Kansas City-based mezzanine and junior capital fund manager which has invested over $600 million in 86 portfolio companies since 2003. He was also a co-founder of C3 Holdings, which sponsored control equity investments from 1994-2001.

Prior to this, Pat sponsored and structured equity investments in real estate. He gained extensive workout and restructuring experience as chair of the creditors committee of a $1-billion-bankruptcy. He also served as CFO for a public company where, upon the founder’s death, management discovered a major fraud. Pat led a successful restructuring and sale of the company, involving the SEC, FBI, and public debt and equity holders. Pat was a senior tax partner at Mayer Hoffman McCann, a regional CPA firm, for eleven years. He currently serves on the boards of BP Express, Clore Automotive, A5, Team 44, National Power, Coast to Coast Circuits, and Wise Connect.

He received a BS in Accounting from the University of Kansas.

Pat is passionate about his family, his golf buddies, and the KU Jayhawks.

Rob Smith

Principal

Rob Smith

Principal

Rob Smith is a Principal and co-founder of CPC. In 2001, he moved to Kansas City and co-founded C3 Capital, which has invested over $600 million in 86 portfolio companies. Rob has helped grow more than 20 of these business as an active board member. Prior to this, he spent 14 years with Koch Industries in a variety of roles, including engineering, chemicals, corporate mergers and acquisitions, and commodity trading. Ultimately, Rob led Koch’s North American crude oil gathering and trading and became President of Koch’s Producer Services. He brings a unique perspective on integrating Koch’s Market Based Management methodologies into CPC’s investments.

Rob grew up in Wichita and graduated from KU with a degree in Engineering and received a MBA from the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business.

Rob is the married father of six children and a long-time board member of the Kansas Policy Institute.

Steve Swartzman

Principal

Steve Swartzman

Principal

Steve Swartzman is a Principal and co-founder of CPC. Previously, as a co-founder of C3 Capital, he helped originate and manage over 35 investments, including national brands such as American Apparel, Traeger Grills, and Grunt Style. Steve’s chief focus remains consumer brands and e-commerce enablement businesses, and he currently serves on the boards of Grunt Style, Accel Clinical Research, Spoke Custom Products, Warne Scope Mounts, and New World Natural Brands.

Prior to C3, Steve structured and managed subordinated debt investments at KC Venture Group, and he spent 7 years as a Vice President with Citibank in New York, managing client relationships for emerging markets clients and structuring over $1 billion in complex trade financings. He is a past President of the Midwest chapter of the Small Business Investment Alliance, and he serves on the board of the International Center for Music at Park University in Kansas City.

Steve received a MBA from Columbia Business School and an AB in History and Literature from Harvard College.

He resides in Kansas City, where he was raised, with his wife Evelina and two sons, Harrison and Zandy. When he’s not working, his favorite activities are fishing, golfing, and eating.

Wiley Curran

Principal

Wiley Curran

Principal

Wiley Curran is a Principal and co-founder of CPC. Prior to forming CPC, he led the asset consolidation of the Curran family umbrella of businesses, creating Curran Companies, a family office with a buy, build, and hold strategy. As President, Wiley has led Curran Companies in investments in 14 businesses in a variety of different industries. Today, these businesses employ nearly 3,000 people across the US and touch industries, including aerospace, manufacturing, industrial field services, and professional sports. Wiley serves on the boards of Clore Automotive, Brado, Airshare, Pearce Services, Precision Aerospace, Studentreasures, and Heartland Fasteners.

Wiley graduated from Miami University of Ohio and earned a MBA from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University in Texas.

He now lives in Kansas City with his wife, Caroline, and two children, Freya and Smith. Wiley’s an avid (but average) golfer and runner, and a huge rescue dog lover (Grace and Grover).

Jared Poland

Principal

Jared Poland

Principal

Jared Poland is a Principal and co-founder of CPC. Prior to CPC, Jared joined C3 Capital in 2006 as a Portfolio Manager. After 18 months in this role, he transitioned to the investment team and was involved in the sourcing, due diligence, and management of numerous C3 investments. He serves on the boards of National Power, BP Express, GradLeaders, Scrap Partners, Wise Connect, and Spoke Custom Products.

Prior to C3, Jared was a Senior Securities Analyst at Kansas City Life Insurance Company and an Auditor at Deloitte & Touche.  He was a member of Ingram’s 40 under 40 in 2015 and graduated with a degree in Accounting from Rockhurst University, where he played baseball.

He lives in Olathe with his wife, Lori, and his son, Logan.

Jared enjoys working out, reading and biking on his Peloton, and attending Logan’s baseball games.

Harold M. Goss

Principal / General Counsel

Harold M. Goss

Principal / General Counsel

Harold Goss is a Principal and General Counsel of CPC. He practiced law in Kansas City, MO for 46 years until he retired from his firm, Rouse Frets White Goss Gentile Rhodes, P.C., in 2021 after serving for 21 years as its Managing Director, to join CPC. His practice focused on business transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, sales, restructurings, financings, and succession planning. Representative clients included companies in the transportation, insurance, banking, and capital market industries, including C3 Capital.

Hal graduated with business and accounting degrees from the University of Kansas in 1970 and received his law degree in 1974.

Hal lives in Leawood, KS with his wife Joan. He loves to fish and play golf.

Dennis Ehrich

Chief Information Officer

Dennis Ehrich

Chief Information Officer

Dennis is CPC’s Chief Information Officer, overseeing a wide range of initiatives and projects at CPC and its operating businesses involving operations, diligence, product offerings, and technologies. He leads the Excellence Group responsible for continuous improvement of CPC’s acquisitions across the Five Key Battles™.

 

Prior to joining CPC, Dennis spent 3 years as COO and CTO at Attane, where he oversaw daily operations while redefining the company’s digital vision. From 2007 to 2019, Dennis served as CTO of Service Management Group, a multimillion-dollar experience management firm. He led the company’s conversion to a SaaS solutions provider and increased product offerings 7-fold. Prior to that, Dennis worked for H&R Block in multiple mid-level management roles from 2002 to 2007.

 

Dennis received an MBA from the University of Missouri and a BA in Economics from Denison University in Granville, OH. 

 

Dennis is currently the President at US Lacrosse (Great Plains) and has 2 patents for innovations in technology. He and his wife live in Kansas City, where they raised their two daughters. He can sometimes be seen on the greens around Kansas City sharpening his golf game.

David Lin

Chief Operations Officer

David Lin

Chief Operations Officer

David is the Chief Operations Officer at CPC. He and his team support CPC’s operating company management teams on the development of continuous improvement processes and the implementation of a range of operational initiatives. David joined CPC from Next Level Apparel, a leading blank apparel manufacturer and brand, where he served as Chief Operating Officer. Prior to Next Level, David held various leadership roles at General Electric, 3M, Danaher, Oakley, and Owens and Minor. Over the course of his career, David has led teams in a wide variety of industries in solving complex operational, process, and supply chain issues.

David received an MBA from the University of Southern California and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

David grew up in Naperville, a suburb of Chicago, and he now lives in Orange County, CA with his wife, Lindsey, and their two daughters, Natalie and Naya. He enjoys reading, fishing, and spending time with family.

Julie Webb

Chief Financial Officer

Julie Webb

Chief Financial Officer

Julie Webb is the Chief Financial Officer at CPC, overseeing financial reporting and modeling as well as tax compliance. Prior to the formation of CPC, Julie served as the Finance Manager at C3 Capital for ten years. Before joining C3 in 2011, Julie was the Finance and Budget Manager at Bushnell Outdoor Products, constructing the company’s global budget and analyzing and monitoring financial performance. She also served in accounting and analyst roles at both Bartlett Cattle Company and the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.

She has a MBA in Finance and Human Resources from the University of Missouri and a BS in Finance and Real Estate, also from the University of Missouri.

Julie and her husband, Jeremy, have two children and reside in the Platte City area. She enjoys spending time outdoors, hunting, reading, and time with family and friends.

Sarah Street

Finance Manager

Sarah Street

Finance Manager

Sarah Street is the Finance Manager at CPC. Since 2017, Sarah worked on the finance team at C3 Capital, where her duties included cash management and financial reporting and modeling. Prior to this, Sarah spent 9 years at Lansing Trade Group in several accounting and treasury roles. She began her career as a tax associate at KPMG and spent a year as an accountant at AVI Systems.

Sarah graduated from the University of Kansas with a BS in Business Administration and Accounting and then earned a Masters in Accounting.

Sarah lives in Leawood with her husband and two sons.  She enjoys spending time with her friends and family, traveling and cooking.

Tiffany Nielsen

Finance Associate

Tiffany Nielsen

Finance Associate

Tiffany Nielsen is a Finance Associate at CPC.  Prior to the formation of CPC, she began working at C3 Capital, LLC in July 2005.  While at C3, she transitioned from an Executive Assistant into a Finance Associate.

During her time at C3, she also graduated from the University of Missouri- Kansas City with a BS in Accounting.

Tiffany lives in Smithville with her husband and four children.  When she isn’t busy with all the kid’s activities, she loves to travel and relax, preferably around a lake or ocean.  She will be working remotely most of the time.

Andy Butler

Director

Andy Butler

Director

Andy Butler is currently a Director at CPC. He joined the C3 Capital team in March 2016 as an Associate Director. Andy has broad experience across many areas of finance and accounting, specializing in mergers and acquisitions. He spent 7 years in public accounting prior to joining C3, working in KPMG’s audit practice for 3 years and BKD’s transaction services group for 4 years.

He holds a Master of Accountancy from the University of Missouri-Columbia and is a Certified Public Accountant. He was named to Ingram’s 40 under 40 in 2023.

Andy currently lives in the Crossroads area of Kansas City but has rural Missouri farm roots. He is an active Big Brother in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, a water ski enthusiast, and he still uses his height to his advantage on the basketball and volleyball courts.

Kyle Stewart

Associate

Kyle Stewart

Associate

Kyle is currently an Associate at CPC, joining the team in September 2021. He has broad experience across many areas of finance and investing. Prior to joining CPC, Kyle worked at CrossFirst Bank on their Enterprise Finance team, focusing on transaction financing and sponsor-backed companies. He also spent time at Insphere Capital, a long/short equity hedge fund, covering industries ranging from automotive to advertising technology.

Kyle holds degrees in Economics and Finance from the University of Iowa and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Kyle currently lives in Prairie Village with his wife, Rachel, and 1-year old daughter, Kate. When he isn’t chasing Kate around the house, he enjoys spending time at Table Rock Lake and taking long walks through the woods looking for his golf ball.

Brad Ballou

Senior Analyst

Brad Ballou

Senior Analyst

Brad joined CPC as a Senior Analyst in June of 2022. Prior to joining CPC, Brad spent 4 years at Cerner in a variety of different roles, including software adoption and implementation, data engineering, report consulting, and financial planning and analysis.

Brad received an MBA from the University of Missouri – Kansas City, and he has a BS in Supply Chain Management and Entrepreneurship from the University of Kansas.

Brad and his wife, Ellie currently live in Roeland Park with their Goldendoodle, Walter. He is a loyal season ticket holder to his beloved KU Football team and in his free time enjoys golfing and spending time at the lake with family.

Danny Ryan

Senior Analyst

Danny Ryan

Senior Analyst

Danny joined CPC as a Senior Analyst in September 2021. He spent three years in banking prior to joining CPC, first at Great Southern Bank in their real estate division and then at CrossFirst Bank on their Enterprise Finance team. At Great Southern, he underwrote loans for the acquisition and development of commercial real estate, with a focus on multifamily and industrial properties. At CrossFirst, Danny worked with private equity firms, family offices, and other financial sponsors to finance acquisitions and recapitalizations of lower middle market companies.

Danny received a degree in Finance from the University of Missouri-Columbia and is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Danny resides in Kansas City, where he likes to read, golf, exercise, spend time with friends and family, and watch the Kansas City Chiefs.

Matt Clary

Senior Analyst

Matt Clary

Senior Analyst

Matt joined CPC as a Senior Analyst in September 2021. Prior to this, Matt spent two years in public accounting at Deloitte, working in both the audit and transaction services practices. He specialized in mergers and acquisitions, with a focus on technology, media, telecom and manufacturing.

He holds a Master of Accountancy from the University of Missouri-Columbia and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Matt currently lives in the River Market area of Kansas City but was raised in Springfield, MO. In his free time, he enjoys snow skiing, fishing, basketball, and taking trips to Table Rock Lake.

William Reintjes

Analyst

William Reintjes

Analyst

William joined the CPC team as an Analyst in September 2021. Prior to this, he was an Associate in the Valuation and Business Analytics group at BDO USA in Dallas, performing valuations related to goodwill impairment, purchase price allocation, and business enterprise and stock-option grants.

Will graduated from the University of Kansas with a BA in Finance and Accounting.

He currently lives in Prairie Village, KS, just eight blocks from his parents (providing convenient access to free meals). When William isn’t working, he enjoys skiing, whether down the mountain or après at the base.

Harrison Swartzman

Analyst

Harrison Swartzman

Analyst

Harrison Swartzman joined CPC in 2023 as an analyst, working on continuous improvement and operational programs within the Excellence Group for CPC’s operating companies. Prior to CPC, he held several internships, including at Reynolds Polymer, a C3 Capital portfolio company, and Pulse Needlefree Systems.

Harrison graduated from Lehigh University with an Integrated Degree in Engineering, Arts, and Sciences, with a focus on mechanical engineering. He enjoyed augmenting his technical curriculum with classes in the social studies and humanities fields.

Harrison is an enthusiastic eater who is passionate about travel. His hobbies include participating in pick-up sports, skiing, and reading. He is an avid follower of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Bailey Yost

Analyst

Bailey Yost

Analyst

Bailey joined the CPC team as an Analyst in September 2023. Before that, she spent three years in public accounting at KPMG, working in their audit practice. Her specialization included debt and derivative instrument transactions, as well as business combinations, primarily within the retail, consumer goods, and manufacturing sectors.

She holds a Master of Accountancy from the University of Missouri-Columbia and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Bailey currently resides in the Waldo area of Kansas City but was raised in Warrensburg, MO. In her free time, she is a Big Sister in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. She also enjoys golfing, traveling, and reading, but dedicates her Sundays to cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs.

Sara DeCoursey Marketing Manager

Sara DeCoursey

Marketing Manager
Sara DeCoursey Marketing Manager

Sara DeCoursey

Marketing Manager

Sara DeCoursey joined CPC in 2022 and serves as the company’s Marketing Manager. Prior to CPC, she held marketing, communications, and business development roles within several professional services companies including legal, accounting, and wealth management firms.

Sara graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a Bachelor of Journalism and a double major in advertising and broadcasting.

Although originally hailing from the Missouri side, Sara now lives in Lenexa, KS with her husband, Eric, and stepdaughter, Allie, and their lab/golden retriever crosses, Gus and Marvin. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking and baking, travel and Peloton. She serves as a volunteer and leadership team member for the Heartland Chapter of Canine Companions for Independence.

Janice Priddy

Executive Assistant

Janice Priddy

Executive Assistant

Janice Priddy is the Executive Assistant at CPC. She joined the CPC Management team in April 2022.  Prior to this, Janice spent 8 years at H&R Block in the Kansas City area performing various roles from office management to tax preparation, and 6 years as an Executive Assistant for CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP in Overland Park, Ks.

She graduated from Park University and holds a BA in Accounting.

In her free time, Janice is passionate about painting, photography, fitness and watching Kansas City sports. She has been blessed with two sons Jake and Jaret that she thoroughly enjoys along with a dog named Bella.

Jennifer Robertson

Executive Assistant

Jennifer Robertson

Executive Assistant

Jennifer Robertson is an Executive Assistant at CPC. Previously she has supported executives at a local university as well as at various corporate offices.

She received a BA in Elementary Education before stepping into the corporate world for a change of pace.

Jenn loves to make time for her foster dogs and cats, spend time with friends, and find a cozy corner to read a good book.