# Wind Point Partners

> Wind Point Partners is a Chicago middle-market private equity firm founded in 1984 that buys businesses valued between $100 million and $500 million across business services, consumer products, and industrial products. Its distinctive move is to line up a seasoned CEO - often someone who has run a billion-dollar P&L - before it acquires a company, then back that operator with capital, a network of former chief executives, and a multi-year plan it calls Vision. Talent. Transformation. In July 2026 the firm closed its largest fund ever at $3.2 billion.

- **Founded:** 1984
- **Headquarters:** Chicago, Illinois, United States
- **Founders:** Robert Cummings (Co-founder), Richard Kracum (Co-founder), S. Curtis Johnson (Founding backer / financier)
- **Team size:** Roughly 50-85 employees, led by five managing directors
- **Products:** Middle-Market Control Buyouts, Vision. Talent. Transformation. (VTT), Executive Advisor Partner (EAP) Program, Chief Executive Pipeline (CEP), Add-On Acquisition (Buy-and-Build) Program
- **Notable:** Closed Fund XI at $3.2 billion in July 2026 - its largest fund ever, oversubscribed above its hard cap, raised in under nine months., Raised approximately $4 billion in total investor commitments across eleven funds since 1984., Completed 90+ platform investments and 400+ add-on acquisitions.

## Products & services

- **Middle-Market Control Buyouts** — Acquires controlling stakes in companies with enterprise values between $100 million and $500 million across business services, consumer products, and industrial products.
- **Vision. Talent. Transformation. (VTT)** — The firm's proprietary value-creation strategy, pairing a multi-year transformation plan with a recruited CEO and operational execution rather than financial engineering alone.
- **Executive Advisor Partner (EAP) Program** — A network of 40+ senior executives - largely former public and private company CEOs - who help source deals, advise portfolio companies, and often invest their own capital alongside the fund.
- **Chief Executive Pipeline (CEP)** — A program that identifies and cultivates CEO-caliber operators ahead of transactions so a proven leader can be installed at the moment of acquisition.
- **Add-On Acquisition (Buy-and-Build) Program** — Systematically acquires complementary businesses to scale platform companies; the firm has completed more than 400 add-on acquisitions.

## Achievements

- Closed Fund XI at $3.2 billion in July 2026 - its largest fund ever, oversubscribed above its hard cap, raised in under nine months.
- Raised approximately $4 billion in total investor commitments across eleven funds since 1984.
- Completed 90+ platform investments and 400+ add-on acquisitions.
- Built an Executive Advisor Partner network with C-suite access to a large majority of S&P 500 companies in its target sectors.
- One of the oldest continuously operating private equity firms in Chicago, at 42 years.
- Fund XI drew commitments from 65+ institutions across 17 countries - its most global investor base to date.

## Latest updates

- **2026-07** — Announced the final close of oversubscribed Fund XI at $3.2 billion, the firm's largest fund, with 65+ institutions across 17 countries.
- **2026-01** — Acquired Hiller and portfolio company Sigma Companies International acquired Masonry Supply, continuing an active buy-and-build pace.
- **2025-12** — Acquired Enviromatic and a building automation / energy-management provider.
- **2025-11** — Acquired Buske Lines, an Illinois-based contract warehousing and supply chain provider.
- **2026-10** — Set to relocate its Chicago headquarters to 333 Wolf Point Plaza.

## Links

- Website: https://www.wppartners.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wind-point-partners

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/wind-point-partners
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-15