Wolverine Partners is led by managing partner John W. Kemp. Mr. Kemp has over three decades of experience as an operating and financial executive, including providing turnaround consulting, financial advisory, growth strategy and investment banking services. He has worked with both healthy and distressed middle market and large companies across a wide range of industries, including manufacturing and distribution, the automotive aftermarket, healthcare, retail (including e-commerce), consumer, industrial, business and financial services (including leasing). Mr. Kemp has also represented creditors as a Financial Advisor to Creditors’ Committees.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Kemp helped open and later headed the Chicago office for a Detroit-based middle market investment bank and turnaround firm, and subsequently led the restructuring practice for a Chicago-based financial services firm. As the #2 executive at Sears Automotive early in the last decade, he helped drive a $150 million profit improvement over three years, anchored on a comprehensive turnaround and growth program. Mr. Kemp launched Wolverine Partners in 2010 to provide top-tier professional services at cost effective rates.
Mr. Kemp is a member of the Chicago chapters of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA), Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and Commercial Finance Association (CFA) and has served on the Governing Board (since 1999) of the Chicago Zoological Society (Brookfield Zoo).
Mr. Kemp was elected president of the TMA Chicago/Midwest Chapter for 2017.
Wolverine Partners is led by managing partner John W. Kemp. Mr. Kemp has over three decades of experience as an operating and financial executive, including providing turnaround consulting, financial advisory, growth strategy and investment banking services. He has worked with both healthy and distressed middle market and large companies across a wide range of industries, including manufacturing and distribution, the automotive aftermarket, healthcare, retail (including e-commerce), consumer, industrial, business and financial services (including leasing). Mr. Kemp has also represented creditors as a Financial Advisor to Creditors’ Committees.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Kemp helped open and later headed the Chicago office for a Detroit-based middle market investment bank and turnaround firm, and subsequently led the restructuring practice for a Chicago-based financial services firm. As the #2 executive at Sears Automotive early in the last decade, he helped drive a $150 million profit improvement over three years, anchored on a comprehensive turnaround and growth program. Mr. Kemp launched Wolverine Partners in 2010 to provide top-tier professional services at cost effective rates.
Mr. Kemp is a member of the Chicago chapters of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA), Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and Commercial Finance Association (CFA) and has served on the Governing Board (since 1999) of the Chicago Zoological Society (Brookfield Zoo).
Mr. Kemp was elected president of the TMA Chicago/Midwest Chapter for 2017.