# Dean Mihas

> Dean Mihas is Co-CEO and Managing Director of Chicago-based private equity firm GTCR. A former McKinsey consultant and co-founder and CEO of specialty food retailer Delray Farms, he joined GTCR in 2001 and serves as executive sponsor of its Strategic Growth Fund strategy. He graduated from UIC and Harvard Business School and has supported UIC and Chicago Public Media.

- **Role:** Co-CEO and Managing Director at GTCR
- **Organizations:** GTCR, Delray Farms, McKinsey & Company, Chicago Public Media, University of Illinois Chicago
- **Education:** BS in finance and economics, with high distinction, University of Illinois Chicago, MBA, with distinction, Harvard Business School
- **Known for:** Co-founded and led specialty food retailer Delray Farms., Became Co-CEO and Managing Director of GTCR after joining in 2001., Serves as executive sponsor of GTCR’s Strategic Growth Fund strategy.

## Career timeline

- **1988** — Graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago with a BS in finance and economics.
- **—** — Earned an MBA at Harvard Business School and worked at McKinsey & Company.
- **—** — Co-founded and led specialty food retailer Delray Farms before joining GTCR.
- **2001** — Joined GTCR.
- **2024** — Identified as GTCR Co-CEO and Strategic Growth Fund executive sponsor in public pension investment materials.
- **2025** — His family established an endowed professorship in finance at UIC through a $1 million gift.
- **2026** — Spoke at the Milken Institute Global Conference on private equity liquidity.

## Achievements

- Co-founded and led specialty food retailer Delray Farms.
- Became Co-CEO and Managing Director of GTCR after joining in 2001.
- Serves as executive sponsor of GTCR’s Strategic Growth Fund strategy.
- Together with his family, committed $1 million to establish an endowed finance professorship at UIC.
- Served Chicago Public Media for more than a decade as a board member and chair of the finance committee.

## Latest updates

- **2026-07** — GTCR, co-led by Mihas and Collin Roche, closed its inaugural Capital Solutions Fund and affiliated vehicles with approximately $1.25 billion in aggregate commitments.
- **2026-05** — Participated in the Milken Institute panel Navigating Liquidity Challenges in Private Equity on May 4.
- **2025-05** — UIC announced the Mihas family’s $1 million gift establishing an endowed finance professorship.
- **2025-02** — GTCR announced the approximately $3.6 billion close of Strategic Growth Fund II.

## Links

- Website: https://www.gtcr.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-mihas-4477376/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/dean-mihas
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-10