About
Karen has been a part of the Financo team since 1994. She focuses her time on M&A transactions, with emphasis on the Apparel and Specialty Retail arenas. Throughout her career, Karen has been involved in a wide variety of transactions, including M&A, restructuring, capital raises, general corporate advisory and fairness opinions. Many of these transactions have involved businesses that were owned and managed by the original founder or founder’s family.
Karen received an MBA with honors in Finance from The Ohio State University, and a BSE cum laude from Tufts University.
How has Financo’s culture impacted you?
After 25+ years with the firm, Financo’s culture and leadership drive is engrained in my soul. Colleagues are considered friends. The mutual respect demonstrated by everyone enables our deal teams to work collectively toward a common goal: success for our clients. And, we actually have fun throughout the process.
What have you learned from a client that has had a lasting impact?
I was lucky enough to be a part of the deal team that represented Stuart Weitzman in multiple situations. Aside from Stuart’s natural talent as a designer, his discipline and attention to detail were second to none. His work ethic, dedication to his team and perseverance were only some of the keys to his success. He has a true passion for footwear, but it is superseded by his passion for life, his family and philanthropy.
What was your first job, and how has it influenced you today?
After college, I worked as a buyer in the merchandising program at Bloomingdale’s, which at the time was run by Marvin Traub – one of the original American merchants. During my short tenure, the company that controlled Bloomingdale’s filed for bankruptcy. While I was interested in the fashion and management decisions within my department, I was much more intrigued with the bankruptcy process and understanding the finances of the parent company. This led me to business school and, eventually, to Financo, where my interests in fashion and finance could merge.
Where can we find you when you’re outside the office?
When not at work, I am inevitably with (or doing something for) my two children and/or my husband. I cannot count the number of fields I have visited or games I have watched. When I’m lucky enough, I’ll be on a yoga mat, out for a run or eating candy for breakfast!
Select Clients and Transactions
