Team

Brad Johl

Partner

Brad Johl founded Acacia Partners in 2011. Over the course of Brad’s career, he has closed and managed investments in companies with an aggregate enterprise value of over $900MM. Brad has diverse industry experience including consumer products, business services, niche manufacturing, IT, specialty retail, and healthcare services. Prior to founding Acacia Partners, Brad worked for the Esping Family Office, where he focused on equity investments in the lower-middle-market. Previously Brad worked at Fortress Investment Group, American Capital and Bear Stearns.

Brad currently sits on the board of A&A Global and Vision Radiology. Brad is also a member the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and The University of Texas Chancellor’s Council Centurions program.

Brad graduated with high honors from The University of Texas at Austin with a BBA in Finance and Business Honors.

Jeff Sokol

Partner

Jeff Sokol joined Acacia Partners as a partner in 2013. Prior to joining Acacia, Jeff was a Vice President with Vaughan Nelson Investment Management, a value-oriented investment firm in Houston, TX with $8 billion in assets under management. Jeff worked with the firm’s equity team to source, diligence, and monitor investments across a broad set of industries. Prior to Vaughan Nelson, Jeff was an analyst at Fayez Sarofim & Co., where he served with a team of industry specialists in managing a $20 billion equity portfolio.

Jeff currently sits on the board of A&A Global and Vision Radiology.

Jeff graduated with high honors from the University of Texas at Austin with a BBA in Finance and Business Honors.

Greg Maletsky

Partner

Greg Maletsky joined Acacia Partners as a partner in 2015. Prior to joining Acacia, Greg was a Principal with Waveland Investments, a lower-middle market private equity firm in Chicago. Over the course of Greg’s career, he has closed and closely managed investments in companies in numerous sectors including consumer products, business services, e-commerce, food manufacturing and aerospace. Prior to joining Waveland Investments, Greg worked at the investment bank Leerink Swann & Company and Deloitte & Touche.

Greg currently sits on the board of A&A Global.

Greg graduated from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University with an MBA and from the University of Texas at Austin with a BBA in Finance.

Billy Duffy

Principal

Billy Duffy joined Acacia Partners as a Principal in 2021. Prior to joining Acacia, Billy was a Director with KPMG Corporate Finance LLC and a Vice President with M&T Investment Banking Group, where he advised clients on mergers, acquisitions, and capital raising transactions. Billy has diverse industry experience including business services, niche manufacturing, transportation and logistics, and healthcare services. Prior to investment banking, Billy worked in the audit practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Billy graduated with high honors from Bucknell University with a BSBA in Accounting.

Evan Kearns

Senior Associate

Evan Kearns joined Acacia Partners as an Associate in 2022. Prior to joining Acacia, Evan was an Investment Banking Analyst in the Global Industrials Group at Baird, a middle market investment bank based in Milwaukee, WI. At Baird, Evan provided analytical support on equity offerings, mergers and acquisitions and other financial advisory services. Prior to joining Baird, Evan interned with Invenergy, a leading global developer of sustainable energy solutions in Chicago, IL.

Evan graduated with high honors from Milwaukee School of Engineering with a Bachelor of Business Administration – Finance. While attending MSOE, Evan served as a two-year captain of the NCAA ice hockey team.