Last week, we were selected as a finalist for Ernst and Young’s New York Entrepreneur of the Year Award. As you may or may not know, this award focuses on high-growth companies that are at the leading edge of their industries, which range from male clothing (Tommy John) to revolutionary office management for the digital age (Managed by Q).
Needless to say, this is an incredible honor, not just for me personally, but also for GreenOak. EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award is simply the most visible part of their Strategic Growth Forum, an annual conference of world-class, rapidly growing companies that are seen as redefining the market. The forum features a wide range of fascinating, exciting events; just last year, the forum featured talks with Barbara Corcoran of the Corcoran Group (and Shark Tank fame) and Olympic medalist Gwen Jorgensen, talks on the future outlook of IPOs and M&A, and how to take control of your company’s cyber-agenda.
To say that I am proud of GreenOak is an understatement. Alongside John Carrafiell and Fred Schmidt, I founded the company in 2010; to qualify for such a prestigious award only seven short years later is a testament to the skill and savvy of my partners and associates.
Thanks in large part to my hardworking, dedicated, and experienced staff, as well as John and Fred’s leadership, GreenOak has grown exponentially, establishing international offices in London, Los Angeles, Luxembourg, New York, Milan, Madrid, Seoul, and Tokyo. Today, we manage $6.8 billion of assets, and have raised over $5 billion of equity to invest in global markets.
On a side note, one interesting resource for companies to consider is EY’s Growth Barometer. This comprehensive, research-backed survey effectively outlines the business landscape, delineating the challenges and disruption wrought by technology, as well as the different successful strategies that set high-growth, leading companies apart. Its insights are sure to be helpful for all leaders, from CEOs struggling to turn around a failing company to executives unsure about how to encourage growth in their organization.
