Investment Banking and Capital Market Contacts

Mr. Aslesen joined Craig-Hallum in 2020 and is based in Chicago, IL. He has extensive merger and acquisition, strategic advisory and capital markets experience across a range of industries including industrials – manufacturing and distribution, food and beverage, transportation and logistics, healthcare, consumer, technology and business services. Mr. Aslesen’s client experience includes working with founder/family owned businesses, private equity firms and their portfolio companies as well as larger corporations to complete corporate divestitures and sales. Prior to joining Craig-Hallum, Nathan was a founding member and Managing Director at FINNEA Group and was also previously with Macquarie Capital performing both merger and acquisition advisory as well as principal investing activities for Macquarie’s direct investment strategy. His transaction background is comprised of sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory transactions, capital markets transactions, and debt and equity principal investment transactions. Nathan received his BBA with a double major in Finance and Accounting from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Joe joined Craig-Hallum in 2019 and is based in San Francisco. He has over 20 years of investment banking experience with leading companies in the technology, energy tech and industrial tech sectors, and has completed over 100 strategic and financing transactions. Prior to joining Craig-Hallum, Joe was focused on M&A at AGC Partners, and completed a broad range of financing and strategic transactions at Think Equity, Needham and Dain Rauscher Wessels. Joe also worked as VP Business Development in the software industry at Versata and as a Field Applications Engineer in the semiconductor industry at Cirrus Logic KK in Tokyo, Japan, and received a B.S. in Applied & Engineering Physics from Cornell University.

Mr. Hartfiel joined Craig-Hallum as the Director of Investment Banking in 2005. He brings over 20 years of investment banking experience focused on emerging growth companies. At Craig-Hallum, Rick has managed over 100 equity offerings (IPOs, follow-on offerings, registered directs and PIPEs) and M&A transactions. Prior to joining Craig-Hallum, Rick was a Managing Director at Dain, Rauscher, Wessels — a national investment banking firm covering technology, consumer, and healthcare companies. Previously, Rick was an investment banker at Credit Suisse First Boston. Mr. Hartfiel has a B.A., magna cum laude, from Amherst College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Mr. Hodgson joined Craig-Hallum’s Mergers and Acquisitions Group in 2015. He has nearly 10 years of transaction experience in the restaurant and food retailing, industrial products and services, manufacturing, consumer products, healthcare and business services sectors. Mr. Hodgson has completed approximately 20 transactions with an aggregate value of over $700 million. Prior to Craig-Hallum, Hodgson was with the M&A Advisory Group at Geraty Investments, focusing primarily on the restaurant, foodservice and food retail sectors advising public and private companies and financial sponsors. Prior to his investment banking career, Mr. Hodgson was an analyst with a Wells Fargo derivatives group, where he gained exposure to securities and derivatives markets and investment processes. Mr. Hodgson received a M.B.A. from the University of St. Thomas, and a B.S. from the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Mr. Knopick joined Craig Hallum in 2004 and is a Managing Director in the investment banking group. Previously, Alex was on the institutional Sales team at Dougherty & Company and on the on the software sales team at Cap Gemini Ernst & Young. Mr. Knopick received a B.A. cum laude from the University of St. Thomas.

Mr. Lipman joined Craig-Hallum in 2012 and has more than 15 years of investment banking experience advising growth companies in the healthcare, industrial and technology sectors.  Mr. Lipman has completed over 125 equity, convertible and debt offerings and advisory assignments for growth companies, including over 75 since joining Craig-Hallum.  Prior to joining Craig-Hallum, Mr. Lipman was a Managing Director at Rodman & Renshaw LLC, and Carter Securities LLC, a firm he founded that specialized in raising equity, equity-linked, and debt capital for growth companies.  Mr. Lipman has over 20 years investing experience in small capitalization companies, and started his career in venture capital and investor relations.

Mr. McCarthy joined Craig-Hallum in 2011 and has significant investment banking experience across a variety of sectors. Jack has executed over 100 transactions spanning M&A advisory and capital raising engagements. He received a B.S.B. from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.

Mr. Sletten joined Craig-Hallum in 2019 and has significant investment banking experience focused on M&A advisory transactions across a variety of sectors. Prior to joining Craig-Hallum, Mr. Sletten spent time in M&A advisory, corporate M&A, and private equity. Mr. Sletten received his B.S.B., summa cum laude, from the University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management.

Mr. Wambeke joined Craig-Hallum in 2007 and is a Managing Director in the investment banking group. He has been involved in numerous public equity financings, private placements, and M&A advisory assignments across a wide variety of industries. Prior to joining Craig-Hallum, Mr. Wambeke was enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as an artilleryman and military police officer. During a deployment in Baghdad, Iraq, Mr. Wambeke was wounded in combat and awarded the Purple Heart. Mr. Wambeke received a B.S. from the University of Minnesota.