About The Founder

Tom Courtney is an entrepreneurial investment banker and private equity investor. He has been providing investment banking advice since 1986 and making private equity investments since 1999. Prior to forming The Courtney Group in 1995, Tom worked at Morgan Stanley, Alex Brown, Wolfensohn and Peers & Co.

The Courtney Group’s core values today are a reflection of Tom’s desire to take the best from his past experiences: his commitment to clients and to doing the best job possible; to helping entrepreneurs form a culture of teamwork; to addressing the complex challenges of business strategy through an intellectually rigorous approach; and to negotiating successfully across borders and cultures.

Tom was born in Jacksonville, Florida and raised in Boston, Massachusetts and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Growing up, his love for sports led him to well-rounded athleticism in soccer, basketball, tennis, track & field, cross country, skiing, baseball, football and lacrosse. In college, Tom competed on the track and cross country teams. Today, he stays active by running, biking, swimming and playing tennis. His other hobbies include reading, traveling and studying languages (French, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese and Vietnamese, so far).

Tom’s early interest in business and economics would lead him to a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Princeton University in 1986 and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1990.

“I love helping companies assess their options and find the best solution,” Tom says. “This is true for companies for which I am an advisor as well as companies in which I am an investor. At Courtney Group, we have developed a tremendous number of relationships with many leading financing sources over the past 20 years. Those relationships are available to our clients and our portfolio companies.”

“Some of my most rewarding experiences have been helping companies grow, create jobs and provide career development for their employees, and develop new and better products and services for their customers,” reflects Tom. “We have an excellent record of helping companies reach the next level of success focusing on fine tuning company strategy, pursuing acquisitions and financings, and by recruiting and developing talented managers.”

As for the future, Tom has a passion for, and commitment to, making a positive contribution in several areas: the environment, education, and economic opportunity.

“It has been a great ride so far, and I can’t wait to see who we can help reach their goals and dreams next."