Jack co-founded Pathfinder Companies in 2012 alongside longtime colleagues Mike McFadden and Bill Sharpe with the purpose of serving as a source of long-term capital and unique strategic insight for privately held businesses. Previously, Jack was a partner with Goldsmith Agio Helms (“GAH”) beginning in 1987, a Minneapolis-based boutique sell-side mergers and acquisitions advisory firm. Jack served as President, Managing Partner and CEO of the firm from 1991 to 2007, and helped build the firm to more than 150 employees with offices in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York (along with partner affiliations across the globe). GAH was acquired by Lazard in 2007 (and subsequently renamed Lazard Middle Market), after which Jack served as the Chairman for several years before formally departing to form Pathfinder Companies. Jack began his career as a corporate attorney at Fredrikson & Byron, where he focused on partnerships, tax, syndications and mergers and acquisitions.
Via Pathfinder as well as outside family investment initiatives, Jack has overseen multiple control investments as well as non-control investments in more than 40 privately-held businesses as well as more than 60 private equity and debt funds. Jack currently serves as a board member at each of the Pathfinder portfolio companies and has served on numerous private and public company boards throughout his career as well as the boards for the University of St. Thomas Law School and the Basilica of St. Mary’s Landmark Foundation.
Jack is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, where he graduated magna cum laude as a member of the Order of the Coif. He is also a graduate of Iowa State University, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a member of the Minnesota Society of CPAs.
Joe joined Pathfinder Companies in 2021 to continue the firm’s investment activities in and focus on privately held businesses. In addition to working closely with business owners and the management teams in Pathfinder’s active and prospective partner companies, Joe also leads the Pathfinder 360 investment platform and is responsible for all fund selection and underwriting as well as the day to day administration of the related vehicles. Prior to joining Pathfinder, Joe spent 10 years at Goldner Hawn, a Minneapolis-based lower middle market private equity firm. Before joining Goldner Hawn, Joe also spent time at Chicago-based lower middle market private equity firm Prospect Partners as well as in the Chicago office of the middle market investment bank, Lincoln International, where he focused on both buy- and sell-side merger and acquisition advisory.
Joe lives in Edina, MN with his wife and three young children.
Joe is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in History.
Mike McFadden is a Co-Founder of Pathfinder Companies. In 2014, Mike was the endorsed Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota. Prior to running for Senate, Mike was the Co-CEO of Lazard Middle Market (previously Goldsmith Agio Helms, where Mike served as a Partner for many years until the firm’s acquisition by Lazard in 2007). Mike began his career as an attorney with Cravath, Swaine & Moore.
Mike is a past President of the Minnesota Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth. He is a current or former board member of each of the Pathfinder portfolio companies as well as Allen Edmonds, The Schwan Food Company, Premier Restaurant Company, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Tesfa International School, and the University of St. Thomas Law School. Mike is also a member of the Investment Committee at Carlson Private Capital Partners.
Mr. McFadden received a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University, where he was a John M. Olin Fellow. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of St Thomas with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. He also attended the London School of Economics.
Bill Sharpe is a co-Founder of Pathfinder Companies and Pathfinder Consulting. Prior to founding Pathfinder, Bill was Partner with Quetico Partners (now Hennepin Partners) from 2009-2015 where he completed a number of middle market merger and acquisition transactions. Prior to Quetico, Bill was a shareholder with Lazard Middle Market and its predecessor company Goldsmith Agio Helms from 1998 – 2009 where he held a variety of leadership positions including its Chief Operating Officer.
Bill began his professional career on Wall Street with the investment banking firm Kidder, Peabody & Co. in New York City. He also worked with the merchant banking subsidiary of US Bank (FBS Merchant Bank), Kurt Salmon Associates, and DataCard Corporation where he held a variety of line management and corporate strategy roles.
In addition to his Director duties with Pathfinder, Bill currently holds outside Board positions with Delta ModTech, Malco Products, and Corval Group. He lives in Excelsior, Minnesota with his wife of over 35 years and has three adult children.
Bill received his undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota and his MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
