Grain Management LLC, announced Chad Crank joined the firm on Friday, December 1 as Managing Director on its investment team. The hire expands Grain’s capacity and expertise in the firm’s sector-focused investment strategy.
Chad Crank worked at Stephens Inc. from 2003 to 2016 and was Head of Stephens’ Telecom, Media, and Technology investment banking group. While at Stephens, he advised on M&A and capital markets transactions in excess of $100 billion, including more than 50 completed M&A transactions.
Additionally, he helped evaluate and manage several successful Stephens principal investments totaling approximately $1 billion in value.
Prior to joining Stephens, Mr. Crank worked in strategic planning at Alltel and served as an Armored Cavalry Officer in the U.S. Army after graduating from West Point. He has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and holds graduate degrees in Economics from Harvard University and Engineering from Northwestern University. Chad serves on the boards of Clearwave Communications, Republic Capital Access, and the MacArthur Museum of Military History.
“Chad has an exceptional combination of technology, media, and telecom experience, proven leadership skills, and personal core values that make him an excellent fit for the firm,” said David Grain, Founder and CEO of Grain Management. “Our history of working together on multiple portfolio investments over the last six years makes him an ideal addition to Grain’s investment team.”
Grain Management is known for expansive sector knowledge, dedicated in-house operating and financial professionals; deep quantitative and analytical proficiency; and regulatory expertise. The firm has partnered with the country’s leading academic endowments, foundations, and public pension plans to generate outsized returns through the deployment of capital across three institutional funds and two co-investment vehicles.
“Working across the table on multiple industry transactions over several years, I have been very impressed by Grain Management’s reputation, approach, and results,” Chad Crank said today. “As a communications industry sector expert, Grain is strongly positioned to creatively acquire assets and partner with industry executives to generate significant value. I’m looking forward to building on the firm’s history and strong track record of sourcing proprietary investment opportunities in the ever-changing communications industry.”
In addition to Chad Crank, Grain also hired Sida He as an Associate on the investment team. A graduate of Cornell University, Mr. He was recently a Financial Analyst at Moelis & Company in Mergers & Acquisitions and Restructuring Groups with a focus on Telecom, Media and Technology.
Grain Management LLC has been a leading innovative private equity transactions in the Communications industry since 2007. As an asset owner, operator, and capital partner, Grain has a unique information advantage enabled by relationships in industry, government, and academia. Grain has managed $1.2 billion in assets across three funds and two co-investment vehicles. It raised its third fund focused on investing in the Communications sector in 2016.
