A Sit-down with our President, Craig Speed

Time truly does fly when you’re having fun, because it’s somehow already been six months since our President, Craig Speed, joined FortéOne.

Craig has more than 25 years’ experience leading sophisticated organizations, building high-performing teams, and consulting for well-known global brands. His expertise will be invaluable to our clients at FortéOne, and we look forward to sharing his big ideas with you.

He’s excited to meet with our clients and trusted advisors as more in-person activities restart. But until then, we wanted to give you the opportunity to get to know him.

 Tell us a little bit about your professional background

My background spans a number of roles and industries, but I most recently served as the Founding Partner and CEO of a private equity firm. I have been the CEO for several manufacturing organizations, so I deeply understand the challenges and pain points of FortéOne’s clients. I’ve also consulted many Fortune 1000 companies as well, so I’ve stood in the shoes of our talented consultants and understand what it takes to add value to an organization through consulting.

What drew you to FortéOne?

There is a great need in the market for the services FortéOne provides, and I find that to be very exciting. It’s rare to find a company that so perfectly answers an existing market need. I also think FortéOne is unique in the way we provide services. Our consultants are not fresh out of college, learning on the job. They are experienced executives that have a deep background in building, growing, and selling businesses. They know how to turn a middle market business around because they’ve done it themselves—several times.

What’s the one thing you want FortéOne clients to know about you?

I have sat at every seat at the table. I cut my teeth in some of the largest, most respected corporations in the world. I ran a human capital and strategic consulting firm. I’ve consulted some of the largest companies in the country at an operational consulting firm. And I led a private equity firm.

I’ve played all the different parts—the operator, the consultant, the investor—so I know how this process works from every perspective. I understand what it takes to buy, run, and sell a business, so I can lead the FortéOne team in way that puts your best interests front and center.

I think FortéOne is the best story not widely told. So, I want to make sure companies know how to best take advantage of our skills, and my hope is that we’ll be able to positively impact far more middle market companies who could really benefit from the expertise of our consultants.

When you’re able to step away from the office, how do you enjoy spending your time?

I grew up playing sports and I still really enjoy being active—especially now that the winter is (maybe, hopefully) coming to a close. I love to run, golf, and play tennis. I also love spending time with my family. My oldest is a sophomore at Loyola in Chicago and participates in ROTC. She’s going to be commissioned as an officer in U.S. Army after graduation. My youngest, Caroline attends Pepperdine University in the Theatre and Screen Arts Programs. She’s destined for Broadway and the Big-screen  one day.

Stay tuned for more insights from our new President and reach out to see how he and the team can help your middle market business excel.

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At FortéOne, we’ve been on the forefront of change as thought and implementation leaders for more than 20 years. Our mission is to help Family and Privately Held Business owners as well as Private Equity and Family Office investors become performance leaders in their respective industries. We are more than consultants—we are problem solvers who work side-by-side with you to deliver a business transformation that improves performance and accelerates change in your middle market company.