Jan 25, 2023
Kian Capital Partners (“Kian”), a middle-market focused private investment firm, is proud to announce the promotion of Caldwell Zimmerman and Carter Fields to Principal and Senior Associate, respectively. The promotions were made effective January 1, 2023.
In Caldwell’s new capacity, he will be pivotal in continuing to source, execute and manage new and existing investments while taking a greater role in shaping Kian’s strategic direction and mentoring the firm’s expanding group of professionals. “Caldwell’s contributions to the firm and our portfolio have been clear since his first day at Kian,” said Rick Cravey, Co-Founder and Partner at Kian. “He has earned this promotion through his ability to consistently source key transactions, demonstrate solid investment judgment, develop constructive relationships with our portfolio’s management teams and provide leadership and mentorship to our junior team members. And no matter the situation, Caldwell has always acted with integrity combined with intelligence, passion and an incredible work ethic.”
Caldwell has over a decade of experience working in the private equity world, developing genuine partnerships with middle-market companies to ignite growth and build enduring value. Prior to joining Kian, Caldwell was an Associate at Harvest Partners in New York. Before Harvest, he was an Associate at Arsenal Capital Partners, where he completed private equity transactions in the healthcare and industrial sectors. Caldwell started his career as an Analyst in the investment banking division of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions, debt financings and equity issuances for public and private companies across multiple sectors within the Global Industrials Group.
When asked what differentiates Kian from other firms, Caldwell said, “Our culture is our most precious asset, and every business decision we make is mindful of its impact on our stakeholders. My colleagues and I, along with our portfolio management teams, are motivated to work their hardest because they can tangibly feel the support and genuine care from Kian. We have been able to preserve and protect our culture while doubling in size since I joined the firm—a testament to its importance. I have a clear view of our strategic direction and look forward to helping carry out our mission in a greater leadership capacity.”
Carter joined Kian in July 2019 and is primarily responsible for evaluating, underwriting and monitoring new and existing investment opportunities. “In a short period of time, Carter has become an indispensable member of several of our portfolio companies’ management teams, regularly punching above his weight,” said Kevin McCarthy, Co-Founder and Partner at Kian. “His commitment to their success, strong analytical skills and experience executing robust acquisitive strategies have garnered unparalleled respect from their teams and ours.”
Before joining Kian, Carter was an Analyst at Wells Fargo Securities in the Industrials Coverage Group, a group dedicated to mergers and acquisitions, debt financings, equity issuances and other financial advisory services. “The exposure Kian provides junior team members in terms of taking on deal responsibility and gaining visibility with management teams is unique and a huge differentiator. I’ve learned a lot in the past three and a half years, which has much to do with the firm’s ‘check your egos at the door’ mentality and culture of support. The impact Kian makes is abundant and I am excited about the trajectory of our firm.”
The two promotions are a continuation of Kian’s focus on strengthening its bench following last year’s addition of Jordan Lee as Principal, along with several other new hires. "We are proud of the team we have built and believe developing talent and promoting within our organization is fundamental to our culture and long-term success," continued Kevin. “2023 is set to be a historic one for Kian. We couldn’t be more excited to have Caldwell on the leadership team and Carter take on additional responsibility as we embark on our next chapter of growth.”
We are proud of the team we have built and believe developing talent and promoting within our organization is fundamental to our culture and long-term success. 2023 is set to be a historic one for Kian. We couldn’t be more excited to have Caldwell on the leadership team and Carter take on additional responsibility as we embark on our next chapter of growth.
