John R. Peterson
Mr. Peterson joined Cleary Gull in 1995 and is a Managing Director and member of the firm’s Board of Directors. He shares responsibility for leading the investment banking department, as well as actively supervising transactions and business development. With 30 years of transaction experience, Mr. Peterson has advised numerous clients in a variety of industries and has significant experience in the Manufacturing, Consumer, Wholesale Distribution, Healthcare, Technology, Automotive, and Staffing industries.
Mr. Peterson previously held investment banking positions with Tucker Anthony Sutro where he was co-head of Investment Banking. Prior to this, Mr. Peterson practiced corporate law and was a shareholder in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, law firm of Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., where he represented buyers, sellers, lenders, investors, intermediaries, executives and owners of privately and publicly held businesses in numerous transactions including mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, private placements of debt and equity, senior credit facilities, management and leveraged buyouts, joint ventures and strategic alliances.
Mr. Peterson is a member of the Boards of Directors of Krueger International, Inc., a privately-held contract furniture manufacturer, Spacesaver Corporation, a privately-held manufacturer of high density storage solutions, and TCI, LLC, a privately-held manufacturer of drive peripherals. Mr. Peterson earned a BA in Accounting with high honors from Michigan State University, earned a CPA designation in Illinois, where he was a tax accountant with Arthur Young, and obtained his JD (Order of the Coif) from the University of Wisconsin.