Star Mountain Capital, a specialized investment manager focused exclusively on investing in private small and medium-sized businesses (lower middle-market), announcee that Bob Shettle has joined as a Managing Director. With thirty years of experience investing senior debt, junior debt, private equity and making lower middle-market fund investments, Shettle brings a diverse skill set and a vast network to Star Mountain's focus on value-added debt and equity investing in established U.S. small and medium-size businesses that generally have between $15 million and $250 million in annual revenues as well as Star Mountain’s LP investments in lower middle-market funds.
“Bob brings tremendous experience, insights and relationships to further benefit us as we continue to scale our business adding more value to business owners and investors in an aligned manner,” said Brett Hickey, Star Mountain Capital Founder & CEO. “Bob is another great cultural fit with a roll up the sleeves, detail-oriented personality from having personally led over 70 private investments, coupled with leadership experience from chairing investments committees for a $325 billion institution and overseeing approximately $10 billion in private credit, mezzanine and private equity investments.”
"Having invested in the private markets for approximately 30 years, I find the lower middle-market to be the most compelling bridge between the risks of start ups and the more commoditized larger markets,” said Bob Shettle. "Star Mountain has built a differentiated business including its origination platform, underwriting and value-added capabilities coupled with deep investments in team, culture and technology that induced me to join a firm I believe will continue delivering compelling results for investors and the businesses we invest in.”
Shettle spent the bulk of his career, 22 years, at Barings, the $325+ billion AUM investment manager owned by insurance group MassMutual.
At Barings, he was named the Chairman of both the North American Mezzanine and the North American Private Finance Investment Committees. Shettle was also the Co-Head of North American Private Finance Group co-managing a team of 35 private credit professionals across 3 U.S. offices and overseeing a $10 billion senior loan and junior debt portfolio. He also helped advise on, analyze and manage lower middle-market private equity fund investments. Shettle was also President of two publicly traded New York Stock Exchange closed-end funds focused on private debt securities.
Prior to Barings, Shettle was a Vice President in commercial lending at Fleet Bank (now part of Bank of America).
Shettle started his career in management consulting at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) in the late 1980s.
Mr. Shettle is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and has an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Shettle also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.