GTCR

Founded in 1980 as Golder Thoma & Co., GTCR is one of the oldest and most established private equity firms in the United States. The firm was built on the legacy of Stanley Golder, a pioneer in the industry who helped relax federal laws to allow pension funds to invest in private equity. In 1998, the firm split from partners Carl Thoma and Bryan Cressey (who formed what is now Thoma Bravo) to become GTCR Golder Rauner, led by Bruce Rauner.

The firm is recognized for popularizing the roll-up strategy, which involves executing multiple acquisitions of smaller companies within a specific industry to create a market leader. GTCR focuses on partnering with experienced executives to identify, acquire, and build companies through its Leaders Strategy. Since its inception, the firm has invested over $30 billion in more than 290 companies.

GTCR operates primarily in high-growth sectors such as financial services, healthcare, and technology. It manages capital for a diverse group of institutional investors, including major public pension funds and endowments. Headquartered in Chicago, the firm continues to raise multi-billion dollar funds, with its fourteenth fund closing at $11.5 billion in 2023.