CSG Partners Expands ESOP Advisory Team

NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- CSG Partners, a national leader in employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) investment banking, has expanded its senior team to meet the growing demand for employee ownership strategies. The company has promoted Nate Grow and Doron Saraf to the position of managing director, and welcomed Gene Kennedy as a new managing director to its industry-leading advisory team. The appointments reflect CSG Partners' singular commitment to ESOP transaction advisory and its unique depth of expertise in the field.

The firm, which was named the 2025 ESOP Investment Bank of the Year by The M&A Atlas Awards, has added three new managing directors to its team. In his first year with the firm, Nate Grow has closed ESOP formations for two Midwest-based construction companies and is currently finalizing transactions for manufacturing, industrial supply, and contracting firms across the region. Grow previously led Capstone Partners' ESOP advisory practice and spent nearly a decade at Houlihan Lokey and Lincoln International, advising clients on complex mergers and acquisitions.

Gene Kennedy, a seasoned commercial banking executive with extensive employee ownership experience, has joined the firm from Customers Bank, where he served as Market Executive for New York and Boston. Over a 12-year period, Kennedy built out a corporate and specialty banking practice for the top-performing mid-size bank. He previously held senior banking and credit roles at First National Bank of New York and JPMorgan Chase, where he worked across corporate client banking, middle-market, and small-business financial services. Kennedy is a lifelong New Yorker and currently resides in New York City.

Doron Saraf, who joined CSG Partners as an analyst in 2019, has been promoted to managing director. During his tenure at the firm, Saraf has advised on ESOP transactions representing more than $3.5 billion in cumulative enterprise value and has raised nearly $1 billion in transaction financing. His professional journey underscores CSG Partners' emphasis on cultivating specialized ESOP expertise and developing talent internally. Saraf began his career at Sterling National Bank, where he evaluated and executed strategic transactions ranging from mergers and acquisitions to portfolio acquisitions and divestitures. He is a Long Island, New York native and currently resides in New York City.

The appointments reflect CSG Partners' approach to building a best-in-class team with the discipline and judgment to lead middle-market companies successfully through the ESOP transaction process.

The expansion of CSG Partners' senior team underscores the growing importance of employee ownership strategies in the business world. Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) allow companies to provide their employees with a stake in the company, which can improve employee engagement and loyalty, and can also provide tax benefits for both the company and the employees. As more companies seek to implement ESOPs, CSG Partners is well-positioned to provide the necessary expertise and support to help them navigate the process.

The appointments of Grow, Kennedy, and Saraf come at a time when the demand for ESOP advisory services is on the rise. According to a recent report by the Employee Ownership Association, the number of companies with ESOPs has increased by 10% in the past year, and the number of ESOP transactions has also risen. CSG Partners' expansion of its senior team is a clear indication of the firm's commitment to this growing market.

CSG Partners' promotions and hires are a testament to the firm's commitment to excellence in the field of ESOP investment banking. The appointments of Grow, Kennedy, and Saraf are a clear indication of the firm's dedication to providing the best-in-class service to its clients. As the demand for ESOP advisory services continues to grow, CSG Partners is well-positioned to continue to provide the support and expertise needed to help companies successfully implement these plans.