Chip founded Franklin Partners in 1994 to guide owners through the process of selling their companies. By working for larger companies on the buy-side, he experienced first-hand the mistakes business owners make when selling their businesses - mistakes that result in lost value and lost opportunities. His goal was to use his skills to level the playing the field in favor of smaller company owners, and to bring integrity and transparency to a complex process.

Today, Franklin Partners is a tight team of senior people with shared values and complementary experiences, and who are dedicated to success of closely-held business owners.

Prior to Franklin, Chip worked for Owen-Illinois, Inc., Econotherm Energy Systems Corporation, and was a founder of an acquisitive, private holding company. He has served on boards of public and private companies and not-for-profit organizations.

Chip is a graduate of Grinnell College (B.S.) and the Booth School of Business of the University of Chicago (M.B.A.).

Joe began his career as an analyst in advanced energy research at Argonne National Laboratory. After more than 20 years in investment and commercial banking, Joe Caruso became a partner at Franklin Partners in 2001. While at Piper Jaffray, General Electric Capital Corporation and The First National Bank of Chicago, Joe led transaction teams in sell-side and buy-side M&A engagements and in the underwriting, sale and placement of several billion dollars of public and private equity and debt securities.

Joe’s transaction experience by sector includes the technology, healthcare, telecommunications, consumer products, specialty retail, energy and utility industries. He has advised public and private companies as well as family offices.

Joe is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University (B.S.) and the Booth School of Business of the University of Chicago (M.B.A.).

Joel Fischer joined Franklin Partners in 2011 and has 15+ years of experience in the investment and commercial banking sector. During his time with Franklin Partners, Joel has advised privately-held companies on a variety of M&A transactions, including sell-side, buy-side, leveraged buyouts, and corporate divestiture assignments.

Prior to joining Franklin Partners, Joel spent six years with The Marshall Group/BankFirst where he originated, syndicated, and managed the restructuring of a wide range of commercial debt. His responsibilities included restructuring strategies for a $350 million portfolio of non-performing corporate debt and commercial/multi-family real estate projects involving more than 500 syndicate lenders.

Joel is a graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College (B.A.) and the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota (M.B.A.).