April 14, 2022 – Blue River Financial Group promoted four outstanding team members in the first quarter of 2022 to support its ongoing growth.
Chris Caron and Rich Phillips have been promoted to Segment Leaders in Blue River’s Buy-side Division. They will bring Blue River’s considerable resources to bear on every buy-side engagement in order to deliver steady streams of proprietary deal flow to acquisitive clients. Their responsibilities include coordination of industry research and target identification, project setup and launches, target outreach, team performance, client communications, and other essential roles. Chris and Rich will build on Blue River’s never-ending pursuit to identify and incorporate best practices into every element of its buy-side practice area.
Chris Caron’s new title is Managing Director and he now leads one of Blue River’s Buyside Segments. Chris has been with Blue River for 3 years and brings over 20 years of finance and operational leadership experience. He has a special aptitude for understanding business complexities and identifying highly pragmatic solutions. Chris leads a team of seven buy-side M&A advisors.
Chris commented, “I believe we are building the foundation to make Blue River a premium buy-side firm now and long into the future, and I am most excited to continue working with our excellent client base.”
Connect with Chris on LinkedIn or reach out @ ccaron@goblueriver.com.
Blue River’s second buy-side Segment Leader is Rich Phillips, Managing Director. Rich brings deep transactional and multi-faceted C-level operational experience. He has led high-performance teams in medical and software companies that sold at high multiples of revenues. Blue River knows Rich as a driven executive who exceeds performance targets while delivering outstanding outcomes to clients. Rich leads a team of seven buy-side M&A advisors.
Rich commented, “I am excited to be part of the next chapter in Blue River’s story and look forward to the opportunities we’ll create and the impact we’ll have on the industry.”
Connect with Rich on LinkedIn or reach out @ rphillips@goblueriver.com.
Blue River promoted Josh Baran from Research Analyst to Director of Research. Josh has been with Blue River for 3 years and brings over 10 years of expertise in data management, client relationship development and retention, and communications. His diverse background includes experiences in management, non-profits, marketing, and customer service. Josh now leads two research analysts at Blue River.
“Our team has worked hard to efficiently and effectively service our clients. As we grow, our clients’ needs will continue to drive our intentional and continuous improvements.” said Josh.
Connect with Josh on LinkedIn or reach out @ jbaran@goblueriver.com.
Kyle Rutz was promoted from Vice President to Director. Kyle has successfully led multiple buy-side transactions and engagements for Blue River. Besides his proven M&A capability, Kyle brings rich experience in the technology and software industries. Before joining Blue River, he supported several private equity and venture capital backed portfolio companies.
“Our significant growth has expanded our capabilities and extended our reach. I am grateful to support this incredible process in my new role.” said Kyle.
Connect with Kyle on LinkedIn or reach out @ krutz@goblueriver.com.
I am thrilled to recognize each of these leaders for their outstanding work. Chris, Rich, Josh and Kyle have proven to be remarkable contributors. They epitomize the commitment, passion, and innovation that we strive to bring to every aspect of our services.
At Blue River, the people we have been fortunate to attract are making us all better. Despite geopolitical events, inflation, and other threats to our economy, I have never been more optimistic about Blue River’s future than I am today.
About Blue River
Blue River Financial Group is a middle market merger and acquisition advisory firm headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. It assists corporations, private equity groups and individuals in the sale and acquisition of businesses, and has completed assignments in multiple business segments. With over 20 years of experience spanning across 50 global industries, Blue River provides a suite of services to middle market clients including corporate development, private equity support, valuations and transaction consulting, placing a premium on relationship-centered transaction counsel and client focus.
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