making a difference

In September, Keystone hosted its Annual Charity Softball Tournament benefiting The Cities Project. The tournament raised money to support research and programs that benefit Chicago Public School students living in low-income neighborhoods. This organization is doing impactful work to address how children are negatively impacted by stressful and traumatic life experiences. If you’d like to learn more about the organization, click the link below. Congratulations to CIBC for once again taking home 1st place!

Keystone is thrilled to have recently welcomed six new team members, growing our presence in Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Dallas! They each bring diverse industry experiences that are directly applicable to Keystone's four service lines, positioning them to make a difference for our clients. Welcome aboard Mike, Chris, Derek, Nathan, Sam, and Jansyn!

In February, we completed our latest homebuilding trip to El Salvador where we built our 18th, 19th, and 20th homes for families in need with the help of Homes of Hope. It was our first time completing three homes--a testament to our firm's growth! We are fortunate to continue this tradition, which allows the Keystone team to build camaraderie, inspire each other, and give back while further fostering our culture and values!

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To learn more about the Homes of Hope organization, click the link below.

2023 was another successful year for The Keystone Group! The firm completed a combined 49 projects across its four service lines and interim executive positions. Keystone added five new team members and was recognized again as a top consulting firm by Vault. The firm also hosted a successful charity softball tournament to give back to local families in need. Keystone is looking forward to another year of making a difference!
 
For an overview of projects in 2023, see the infographic linked below.

Keystone is proud to be recognized as a top tier consulting firm to work for in Vault's 2023  Consulting Firm Rankings.​ Among other honors, Keystone was recognized as the #17 Best Consulting Firm, #10 Best Boutique Consulting Firm, and #1 for Firm Culture - for the fourth year in a row! Vault rankings are based on consultant survey responses and are evaluated across numerous criteria including prestige, culture, work-life balance, and ability to challenge.

Keystone is proud to be recognized as a 2023 top ranked consulting firm by Management Consulted.​ This is Keystone's first year being recognized by the platform and our company profile provides a comprehensive summary of the work, culture, and career progressions available at the firm.

2022 was another successful year for The Keystone Group! The firm completed a combined 48 projects across its four service lines. Keystone was recognized again as the #1 firm for firm culture and received additional recognition from the TMA. Keystone also added ten new members to the firm and completed a service trip to Tijuana to give back to families in need. We're looking forward to another year of making a difference!

For a complete overview of 2022, see the infographic linked below.

Brian Stewart was named the 2022 Chicago TMA’s CTP of the year (Turnaround Management Association’s Certified Turnaround Professional of the year). As last year’s President, Brian led the 800+ members of the Chicago TMA to one of its strongest financial years in history. As a Keystone Partner, Brian leads Keystone’s Turnaround Practice and is actively involved in the firm's training and development programs. Congratulations, Brian! Well deserved!

Click the link below to see the TMA announcement.

Make a difference, strengthen the team, and have fun! In September, we completed our latest homebuilding trip to Tijuana, Mexico where we built our 16th and 17th homes for families in need with the help of Homes of Hope. We are fortunate to continue this tradition, which allows the Keystone team to build camaraderie, inspire each other, and give back. This year's trip coincided with Keystone's 31st anniversary and served as a great opportunity to further foster our culture and values!

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To learn more about the Homes of Hope organization, click the link below.

The Keystone Group has successfully worked with clients across multiple industries to manage and reduce inventory. Check out the infographic linked below to learn more about how we can help your business using a multi-faceted approach!

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Over the past 10 years, Keystone has worked with over 50 private equity firms. Project scope has ranged from supporting pre-close efforts to maximizing return on exit and opportunities to enhance value during the ownership period through operational improvement, interim management, and growth strategy, for example.

Read more in our infographic linked below!

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Keystone is proud to be recognized as a top tier consulting firm to work for in Vault's 2022  Consulting Firm Rankings.​ Among other honors, Keystone was recognized as the #16 Best Consulting Firm, #8 Best Boutique Consulting Firm, and #1 for Firm Culture! Vault rankings are based on consultant survey responses and are evaluated across numerous criteria including prestige, culture, work-life balance, and ability to challenge.

2021 was another successful year for The Keystone Group! The firm completed a combined 58 projects across its four service lines while continuing to adapt to a hybrid work environment. Keystone was recognized again as the #1 firm for firm culture and received additional recognition from the TMA for the work and involvement of two of our team members. On top of it all, Keystone celebrated 30 years of making a difference!

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​For a complete overview of 2021, see the infographic linked below.

Our own Amar Shah recently served as a panelist on the Turnaround Management Association’s CRO Panel. The panelists shared their thoughts on the roles and responsibilities of a CRO, factors to consider when determining whether a CRO is needed, and best practices for working alongside a management team. Thanks to TMA Atlanta for hosting a great event!

For more information on Keystone's restructuring and turnaround practice, follow the link below.

We're growing! The Keystone Group is excited to officially announce the opening of our L.A. office. Keystone Principal Emily Harig has been leading the charge in L.A. and she is joined by Senior Principal Bret Jacobs, a new member of the Keystone team with years of financial executive and restructuring consulting experience. We are excited to have Bret onboard and look forward to continuing our West Coast growth! 

Keystone Senior Principal Evan Farrell has been recognized as TMA's Emerging Leader--a national award won by one individual each year for "going above and beyond" for the Turnaround Management Association. Evan applies his same passion for the work we do to his role within the TMA, giving back and leading the NextGen(eration) of restructuring professionals. Congratulations Evan, well deserved!

TMA Chicago President Brian Stewart sat down with Steve Baker of the TMA for a Platinum Sponsor 10-spot interview on behalf of The Keystone Group.  As a partner at the firm, Brian discusses Keystone's role during the pandemic, the current prevalence of M&A transactions, upcoming TMA events, and the benefits of TMA to Keystone's business. To watch the full interview, click the link below.

In a recent webinar, Keystone Senior Principal Evan Farrell taught TMA Chicago/Midwest Chapter the importance of improving visibility into a company's near-term liquidity situation through 13-week cash flow forecasting. Check out the link below for the recorded presentation. Great work, Evan!

Keystone is proud to be recognized as a top tier consulting firm to work for in Vault's 2021  Consulting Firm Rankings.​ Among other honors, Keystone was recognized as the #13 Best Consulting Firm, #4 Best Boutique Consulting Firm, and #1 for Firm Culture! Vault rankings are based on consultant survey responses and are evaluated across numerous criteria including prestige, culture, work-life balance, and ability to challenge.

It’s hard to believe that Keystone’s team has been working from home for ten months. The team is fortunate to work remotely and has been encouraged by their continued ability to develop solutions [figuratively] alongside clients. Even with the ability to WFH, it’s been necessary for Keystone to adjust normal business practices. One of the largest adjustments made was moving the entire recruiting process to be virtual. While each step of the transition was a bit different, a few specific adaption strategies helped Keystone through it all:

1. Using frequent, transparent communication

2. Planning for uncertainty

3. Adhering to our guiding principles

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Read more about the challenges the recruiting team faced and how they adapted at the link below.

In a year full of challenges, thank you to all of our clients and partners for a successful 2020! The firm completed a combined 36 projects, 75% of which included implementation initiatives. Keystone opened a new office in Los Angeles and was recognized nationally as a top consulting firm by Vault, ranking 15th across all firms and ranking 1st for firm culture! In addition, we launched 10 new diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. For a complete overview of 2020, see the infographic linked below.

We are pleased to announce the following promotions: Emily Harig to Principal, Alyssa Butler to Senior Associate, Guillermo Tinoco to Senior Associate, Andrew Hammond to Associate, Alex Steilen to Associate, Jack Zimmermann to Associate, Abby Huelfer to Senior Analyst, and Paige O'Piela to Senior Analyst. Congratulations to all! View the link below for our official announcement.

Keystone is the proud recipient of the Turnaround Management Association's 2020 Small Transaction of the Year Award for Confluence Outdoor! The project team, composed of Brian Stewart, Evan Farrell, and Kurt Gutwein, will be recognized at TMA's 12th Annual Executive Speaker Forum on November 12th at 4:00 P.M. For more information on how to sign up, click the link below. Congrats to the team for their hard work and achievement of this prestigious award!

Keystone Senior Principal Anthony Urbaites teamed up with Axion to share his insights with midmarket executives working toward manufacturing recovery and a successful 2021. Topics included managing  cash, restructuring the organization, productivity & efficiently, evaluating the physical footprint of operations, opportunistic acquisitions, re-evaluating product lines, and business strategy. Special thanks to Axion RMS, Ltd. for hosting the event!

We have built our name around our work in the manufacturing, distribution, and transportation spaces. But, did you know that we also have experience in several other industries? Check out the graphic below to learn more about our breadth of experience in the US and Internationally!

Keystone Partner Joe Zito participated as a panelist in a virtual webinar for ACG titled “Manufacturing: Changes To Adapt To Current Forces”.  The discussion was centered around the impacts of COVID-19 on the manufacturing industry and the focus of companies going forward. Topics included observations in domestic and international plants, reshoring, and logistics. View the webinar using the link below.

2020 has been full of new challenges for Keystone and our clients as we learn to navigate the landscape of COVID-19. That said, we are more committed than ever to helping clients develop strategies, improve operations, restructure finances, and integrate acquisitions that deliver the desired results. See the infographic below for examples of current projects and more information about how we are helping the COVID-19 economy.

In February, Keystone traveled to San José, Costa Rica where the team built two houses for families in need with the help of Homes of Hope. Keystone has built 15 homes since 2004; however, this was the company's first trip to Costa Rica. Previous build sites have included locations in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Panama. We are fortunate to continue this tradition, which allows the Keystone team to build camaraderie, inspire each other, and give back to the community.

2019 was a great year at The Keystone Group! The firm completed a combined 45 projects across the U.S. and internationally for both new and existing clients. Keystone was recognized as a top consulting firm by Vault, ranking 19th across all firms and ranking 1st for firm culture! In addition, new members joined the team and Keystone made a difference by raising money for charity during its 9th annual softball tournament. For a complete overview of 2019, see the infographic.

Keystone is proud to have introduced six new members in 2019: Doug Allen, Paul Giorgi, Kurt Gutwein, Abby Huelfer, Paige O'Piela and Guillermo Tinoco! These talented individuals come from various universities and academic backgrounds, and are eager to help our clients in solving their most difficult challenges. To learn more about our new hires, click on the link below.

September 2019 marked Keystone's ninth time hosting the Annual Chairty Softball Tournament benefiting Camperships for Nebagamon.  The tournament raises money to help deserving boys and girls to enjoy life-changing experiences while diversifying and enriching the camp community.  CIBC fought hard against Keystone's team to take home the trophy for the third year in a row. Thank you to all of the teams, donors, and volunteers for helping to make this tournament our most attended and successful one to date! We look forward to making a difference in the lives of these children for years to come.

On this episode of the M&A Unplugged podcast, Keystone Director Jeff Alvis talks about the firm's involvement in mergers and acquisitions, from the diligence and planning phases all the way through realization of synergies. The discussion also covers the role of culture and the importance of planning. Jeff conveys to listeners that integration should never be an afterthought.

Keystone is proud to be recognized as a top tier consulting firm to work for in Vault's 2020 Consulting Firm Rankings.​ Among other honors, Keystone was recognized as the #19 Best Consulting Firm, #5 Best Boutique Consulting Firm, and #1 for Firm Culture. Vault rankings are based on consultant survey responses and are evaluated across eight different criteria including prestige, culture, work-life balance, and ability to challenge.