This week, Cascadia Capital welcomed its Class of 2026 First-Year Analysts to the firm. It is a moment we look forward to each year: a new group of talented young professionals joining our team, ready to learn the craft of investment banking and contribute to the work we do for our clients.
Cascadia has always believed that the strongest working relationships start early. That belief shapes how we bring on and develop new talent, and it reflects who we are as a firm: independent, collaborative, and committed to growing careers from the ground up.
We are proud to invest in the next generation of bankers, and we look forward to the energy, curiosity, and hard work this class will bring to Cascadia in the years ahead.
This week, Cascadia Capital welcomed its Class of 2026 First-Year Analysts to the firm. It is a moment we look forward to each year: a new group of talented young professionals joining our team, ready to learn the craft of investment banking and contribute to the work we do for our clients.
Cascadia has always believed that the strongest working relationships start early. That belief shapes how we bring on and develop new talent, and it reflects who we are as a firm: independent, collaborative, and committed to growing careers from the ground up.
We are proud to invest in the next generation of bankers, and we look forward to the energy, curiosity, and hard work this class will bring to Cascadia in the years ahead.
We are thrilled to welcome our 2026 summer analysts to the Cascadia team. Over the summer, they will be jumping headfirst into real transactions, working alongside our deal teams, and getting a firsthand look at what makes Cascadia a different kind of investment bank.
At Cascadia, we genuinely invest in the folks who come through our doors, and we love watching them grow over the course of a summer. To our new summer analysts: we are glad you are here. We cannot wait to see what you bring to the team.
At Cascadia Capital, we are deliberate about how we grow our team and how we invest in our people over time. Developing a strong, values-aligned team is foundational to how we serve our clients—and to the culture we foster across offices and practices.
Over the last 18 months, Cascadia has welcomed 12 senior hires and promoted 4 team members to the senior leadership team at year-end 2025. Full bios and announcements are linked below for additional detail.
As our platform expands, we remain focused on developing leaders from within while thoughtfully adding senior talent to deepen our sector expertise and expand our advisory capabilities.
Watch this short video to learn more about how we think about partnership, collaboration, and long-term growth at Cascadia.
Over the last 18 months, Cascadia has welcomed several senior leaders whose experience strengthens our sector coverage and expands our ability to serve clients across industries and transaction types.
Jonathan Cantwell — Head of Technology Investment Banking
Jonathan’s appointment signals the expansion of Cascadia’s Technology practice and the formal launch of a Silicon Valley office. As Head of Technology Investment Banking, he brings deep experience and leadership to support innovative growth companies across the technology ecosystem. He brings deep domain knowledge across enterprise software, including transaction experience with artificial intelligence (AI) companies.
Michael Del Pero joined Cascadia’s Industrials team, bringing two decades of M&A and financial advisory experience. His particular expertise lies in advising companies in specialized industries serving technically advanced OEM customers and applications where highly-engineered products and manufacturing processes are required, such as high-reliability electronics and components, mission-critical systems, materials technology, and engineered solutions.
Jordan Finkler— Managing Director | Business Services
Jordan Finkler joined as Managing Director in the firm’s growing Business Services group. Based in the New York office, he will focus on the Technology Services sector, leveraging his extensive experience and expertise to deliver value for clients. He brings over 19 years of transaction experience, primarily advising IT Services and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies.
Aarti Kapoor — Managing Director | Consumer, Retail & E-Commerce
Based in New York, Aarti brings 18 years of experience across private equity investing and advisory, with deep expertise in health, wellness & beauty services, restaurants, and pet products & services. Her addition meaningfully expands Cascadia’s Consumer practice and further strengthens our presence in high-growth consumer verticals.
Bill joins Cascadia as Managing Director leading the Plastics, Print & Packaging practice within Industrials. His addition deepens sector expertise and enhances Cascadia’s ability to deliver tailored M&A and capital markets solutions across critical industrial sub-verticals.
Sim Ketchum — Managing Director & Co-head | Equity Capital Solutions
Simeon Ketchum joined Cascadia to launch a new Equity Capital Solutions practice focused on deal-by-deal capital formation and advisory for independent sponsors and fund sponsors. He joins Cascadia from Houlihan Lokey, where he most recently led its EMEA region Directs & Co-Investments business, bringing more than two decades of experience advising middle-market businesses, financial sponsors, and institutional investors across global markets.
Muizz Kheraj— Managing Director | Business Services
Muizz Kheraj joins Cascadia’s Business Services team with more than 20 years of experience, both as a software engineer and as a trusted advisor to middle-market entrepreneurs. His career has been defined by a focus on innovation and capital market solutions for fast-growing technology companies. Muizz advises clients within the digital marketing, media & entertainment, and tech-enabled business service sectors
Thomas Mills joined the firm as a Managing Director and Head of the Capital Markets Advisory Group. He brings more than 20 years of experience in debt capital markets, raising capital for clients in a wide variety of industries and transactions, including recapitalizations, growth financings, and management buyouts.
Connor Owens joined as Chief Financial Officer at Cascadia where he oversees the finance, strategic planning, human resources, technology, and operations functions, supporting the firm’s ongoing growth.
Pete Purcell — Managing Director & Co-Head | Equity Capital Solutions
Pete Purcell joined Cascadia to launch a new Equity Capital Solutions practice focused on deal-by-deal capital formation and advisory for independent sponsors and fund sponsors. He was previously with Houlihan Lokey, where he was a part of the leadership team of its Directs & Co-Investments business in the U.S.
Nathan Gordon — Director | Technology Investment Banking
Based in Los Angeles with significant time spent in Silicon Valley, Nathan focuses on M&A and capital-raising transactions for enterprise software and technology companies. His addition strengthens Cascadia’s Technology Investment Banking team and enhances coverage for growth-oriented technology clients.
Michael Kahn — Director | Equity Capital Solutions
Michael Kahn is a Director in Cascadia Capital’s Equity Capital Solutions Group, bringing more than 12 years of experience advising independent and funded sponsors on complex direct and secondary capital raises. He connects sophisticated investors with differentiated middle-market opportunities, drawing on prior roles at Houlihan Lokey, Triago, and leading global investment firms.
Promotions
We are pleased to have announced the following senior team promotions, recognizing leadership, and impact across the firm. These individuals continue to support our clients and contribute to Cascadia’s long-term growth.
Kerri Hagen — Managing Director | Financial Sponsors Group
Kerri has been promoted to Managing Director in the Financial Sponsors Group. Kerri has been an exceptional contributor to Cascadia since joining the firm, and this promotion reflects both the impact she has had on our platform and the trust she has built across the private equity community. Our private equity relationships and transaction activity have grown meaningfully in recent years, and Kerri has been a key part of that growth—bringing strong sponsor-side perspective, exceptional market connectivity, and a highly collaborative approach with our banking teams.
Kayla Cartoski — Director | Capital Markets
Kayla has been promoted to Director in Cascadia’s Capital Markets group. Kayla has been instrumental in building a platform designed to deliver consistent, high-quality outcomes for clients. She has led execution on eight closed transactions over the past 18 months and has been instrumental in developing the processes and team that support efficient, disciplined execution.
Tyler Howard — Director | Food, Beverage & Agribusiness
Tyler has been promoted to Director in Cascadia’s Food, Beverage & Agribusiness group. Since joining the firm, Tyler has been a meaningful contributor, supporting clients across four Ingredients transactions over the past 12 months. He has delivered consistently strong execution and brings valuable prior experience that has meaningfully strengthened the group.
Phil Sheridan — Director | Business Services
Phil has been promoted to Director in Cascadia’s Business Services group. He has played a critical role in strengthening deal execution practices and supporting the build-out of the Facilities Services practice. He is a trusted partner to deal teams, known for driving high-quality execution and contributing to the development of thoughtful, differentiated client materials
As part of Cascadia Capital’s Closed Deal Video Series, Michael Del Pero shares his perspective on Cascadia’s advisory role to Global GRAB Technologies, a portfolio company of Plymouth Growth, on its sale to Gladstone Investment Corporation.
The transaction reflects increasing investor interest in perimeter security and hostile vehicle mitigation solutions as protecting critical infrastructure becomes an increasingly global priority.
We’re pleased to highlight Managing Director Katie Bellows in our latest Meet Our Team video.
Katie leads our Investment Banking Services group and brings a relationship-driven approach to connecting with clients, prospects, and referral partners. She collaborates across our industry teams to strengthen the client experience and elevate how we show up in the market.
Watch the video to learn more about Katie—and stay tuned until the end to hear something that may (or may not!) surprise you about her.
In this special fireside discussion, Cascadia Chairman & CEO Michael Butler and Managing Director & Head of the Financial Sponsors Group Scott Ames share an inside look at the firm’s continued growth and the shifting dynamics shaping today’s private equity landscape.
Cascadia Capital was pleased to advise TGG Accounting on receiving a strategic investment from DLA, LLC, a portfolio company of Orangewood Partners.
This transaction underscores growing investor interest in platforms that support the Office of the CFO and highlights how specialized accounting and financial services firms are creating scalable, tech-enabled solutions for middle-market clients.
Watch Managing Director Hugh Campbell’s perspective on what made this partnership unique and how it reflects broader trends shaping the business services landscape.
We’re excited to launch our new Cascadia Conversations:Meet Our Team video series, highlighting the people who make our firm unique. At Cascadia, we believe our greatest value to clients comes from our people—their experience, perspectives, and passion for what they do.
We’re kicking off the series with Managing Director Billy Susman, who shares his path to Cascadia, his most memorable deal, and the values that guide his work with clients. He also shares a few fun facts you might not expect.
Watch the video to get to know Billy and stay tuned for more conversations with our team.
We’ve recently advised on a series of notable transactions across industry sectors—each one reflecting the trust our clients place in our team and the strength of today’s market.
We have just wrapped up one of the strongest intern classes we’ve ever had at Cascadia. Their curiosity, drive, and fresh ideas left a big impression, and through our hands-on, apprenticeship approach, we believe they gained valuable experience working alongside our bankers. We can’t wait to welcome many of them back next year as part of our 2026 full-time analyst cohort.
Moments like these remind us why culture matters. It’s the foundation for how we work together, how we develop our people, and how we create impact for our clients.
We captured that spirit in a new video featuring voices from across our team, sharing what it’s like to build a career at Cascadia.
As we wrap up our Summer 2025 Internship Program, we're reflecting on the energy, curiosity, and impact our interns brought to Cascadia Capital.
This year's class joined us across multiple offices and practice groups, contributing meaningfully to live deals, research initiatives, and team culture.
To mark the close of the program, we sat down with a few interns — as well as Managing Director Firdaus Pohowalla and Co-Founder & Vice Chairman Kevin Cable — to talk about what makes the intern experience at Cascadia unique.
Watch the video and hear directly from our interns and leadership:
Projected growth of the U.S. Facilities Services market to $380B by 2029
Increasing consolidation and PE activity across fragmented sub-sectors
Recurring revenue models and regulation-driven demand fueling investor interest
Technology innovation and sustainability reshaping operations and value creation
Sector-specific insights across HVACR, MEP, elevators, fire & life safety, and more
We are confident that this report will not only keep you well-informed but also provide actionable insights to enhance your strategic planning. Should you have any questions or require further clarification on specific points, our team is readily available to assist. Additionally, we welcome the opportunity to discuss any potential collaborations or specific business opportunities that align with your goals.
We’re proud to welcome 38 investment banking interns from 38 universities across our 5 offices. This class represents a diverse group of future leaders already making their mark at Cascadia.
We look forward to a summer of meaningful contributions, professional growth, and lasting connections!
On March 12–13, Cascadia hosted the Cascadia Connect Advanced Manufacturing & Industrial Technology (AMIT) conference in Santa Monica, California at Hotel Casa del Mar. The event brought together investors and company executives to build 1:1 connections in a relaxed and convivial atmosphere while gaining actionable insights and timely perspectives.
The conference welcomed over 200 attendees, including more than 40 companies in the Advanced Manufacturing & Industrial Technology ecosystem and more than 60 private equity firms. The two-day program featured 9 panels, 3 breakfast speakers, and a keynote from Ryan Kelly, Vice President of Technology at The Association of Manufacturing Technology. Attendees also enjoyed curated meals and receptions, participated in 140+ one-on-one meetings, and took advantage of numerous networking opportunities.
Watch the recap video below to experience the highlights.
The last 12-24 months has been a time of meaningful progress for Cascadia. During this time, we have focused on expanding our reach, deepening expertise, and building new capabilities to drive impactful outcomes for the clients and partners we serve.
Key milestones of our recent growth include:
15 New Managing Directors
We have added leadership across multiple industry practices, bringing deeper sub-vertical industry expertise and relationships to help our clients navigate complex markets and unlock opportunities.
Built OutSponsor Coverage Practice
We have built a dedicated practice focused on working with financial sponsors to facilitate more organized and meaningful relationships and connections, support portfolio growth, and source investment opportunities.
ExpandedCapital Markets Practice
Our growing practice ensures we can deliver comprehensive debt and equity capital raising and advisory services, providing clients with access to a broader range of financing solutions.
Scaled Consumer and Business Services Groups
As market leaders in these sectors, we have grown our consumer and business services teams to better serve clients navigating rapid shifts in consumer behavior and business model evolution.
Enhanced Technology and Industrials Coverage
We have grown these practices by adding Managing Directors with deep sub-vertical expertise, further expanding our ability to serve clients in rapidly evolving industries.
Strategic Office Expansions
We opened a New York City office last year, further solidifying our presence in the country’s financial hub. We expanded our Minneapolis office to better serve our growing Midwest client base and established a rapidly scaling office in Austin, a leading tech and innovation hub. Additionally, we strengthened our Southern California capabilities by amplifying our presence in Los Angeles with the addition of multiple senior and junior professionals.
Junior Team Enhancements
We have invested heavily in building a stronger junior team to enhance deal execution and client service, ensuring best-in-class team support across every engagement.
Partnering for Success
We are proud to have partnered with business owners and financial sponsors to deliver exceptional outcomes across industries. Thank you for trusting us with your business.
Cascadia was pleased to host the 3rd annual Top Shot experiential networking event at DealMax 2024 in Las Vegas. For this unique event, we partner with 51 Vets, a non-profit organization that helps veterans network and land jobs in the financial services industry after active duty. This year's event was also supported by IMB Partners and Wiggins and Dana, LLP.
At this event we give 50+ Private Equity funds attending DealMax an opportunity to take a short break from the conference activities to join Navy SEALS, Green Berets, Rangers, and other veterans instruct in battle against each other through an indoor "shoot house" with simulated rounds. The camaraderie and competition make for an unforgettable experience.
If you are attending DealMax 2025 and would like to receive information on next year's event, please contact ajohnson@cascadiacapital.com.
Cascadia has established itself as a market leader in the Robotics, Automation & AI (RAAI) sector hosting an annual conference, publishing thoughtful research, and sponsoring events nationally.
The Cascadia Connect RAAI 2023 conference was one of the premier events in the sector bringing together founders and investors from all over the world.
PBS was on site for this year’s event interviewing participants and put together this informative video that nicely summarizes the market opportunity in RAAI—it’s definitely worth a few minutes of your time if you want to get up to speed on the sector quickly.
We are excited to share that Cascadia Capital’s strategic growth equity investment from an investment fund affiliated with Atlas Merchant Capital LLC has officially closed following routine regulatory approval. With the additional resources from the investment and the Atlas team's support, Cascadia will continue its geographic, product, team, multi-industry, and sponsor coverage growth nationwide.
Cascadia Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO Michael Butler and Co-Founder & Managing Director Kevin Cable sat down with Atlas Founding Partner & CEO Bob Diamond to discuss how the investment is already adding exciting momentum to the firm’s growth, client services, and team expansion plans.
To speak with our team or learn more about how this partnership will further enable us to achieve successful outcomes for the businesses and capital providers we serve, please reach out.
This week, Cascadia Capital welcomed its Class of 2026 First-Year Analysts to the firm. It is a moment we look forward to each year: a new group of talented young professionals joining our team, ready to learn the craft of investment banking and contribute to the work we do for our clients.
Cascadia has always believed that the strongest working relationships start early. That belief shapes how we bring on and develop new talent, and it reflects who we are as a firm: independent, collaborative, and committed to growing careers from the ground up.
We are proud to invest in the next generation of bankers, and we look forward to the energy, curiosity, and hard work this class will bring to Cascadia in the years ahead.
