Matt Uhl, a financial services professional with more than 25 years of experience in banking, finance and mergers and acquisitions, launched Ridge Trail Capital. Uhl is the founder and managing partner of the firm with offices in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Fort Myers, Florida.
The firm has been developed and is evolving to create and execute unique opportunities for business owners who are looking for strategic advice, counsel, and execution services when buying or selling a company. The firm is well-suited to serving companies valued from $5 to $50 million, with its sweet spot being in the $10 to $25 million range.
“This is an exciting next step in my career, for me and many of the companies I have worked with along the way,” Uhl said. “I’ve always been entrepreneurial and always had the desire to build something on my own, for clients and other professionals. I’ve learned from a lot of good people over the years. Now it’s time to put it all to use.”
Based on the experiences and expertise of Uhl and others who have joined the firm, Ridge Trail Capital will largely be industry and geographically agnostic. In more than 25 years in banking, finance, and mergers and acquisitions, a high concentration of Uhl’s business has been conducted in the Midwest, in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois, among other states where manufacturing firms continue to be located.
“We’ve done very well and been successful in the Midwest,” Uhl said. “But opportunities occur everywhere, especially in high-growth markets like Florida and in other sectors where the business climate is positive; we’ll go with clients where they can be successful.”
In launching Ridge Trail Capital, Uhl is designing and building a company that will leverage and harness technology and artificial intelligence, giving sales-oriented people a platform that didn’t exist when Uhl started in the business. That includes being a producer-focused organization that can be more responsive and effective, and produce more with technology and AI.
Uhl said it’s all about data and speed to market.
“Ridge Trail is building out a vision of a team, building a better version of the mousetrap we’ve grown accustomed to using for decades,” Uhl said. “I’m leveraging technology and the strengths of key people.”
Helping to build the technology and AI platform for Ridge Trail Capital is Data Consultant Catie Welsh, PHD. She is aggregating data and then designing multiple databases, and then overlaying AI on top of those to provide greater access to data and information for those buying or selling businesses. The model provides a new way to support a top-producing sales force so they can be more successful.
Other members of the team Uhl is building include Jeff Royce, Director of Real Estate, and Andy Uhl, Director of Marketing and Research.
Immediately prior to launching Ridge Trail Capital, Uhl spent more than 7-1/2 years as a Mergers & Acquisitions Advisor at Calder Capital. Previously, he held executive, business-banking positions with Huntington National Bank and PNC. Uhl is a Business Management graduate of Central Michigan University.
