KSM Launches Investment Banking Practice With Addition of Charter Capital Partners’ Investment Banking Team

INDIANAPOLIS – KSM (Katz, Sapper & Miller), a leading advisory, tax, and audit firm, today announced the launch of its new investment banking service line with the addition of Charter Capital Partners’ investment banking team.

This addition expands KSM’s capabilities to include a full suite of M&A advisory and succession planning services, strengthening the firm’s ability to support clients at critical points in their business lifecycle.

Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Charter Capital Partners’ investment banking team is a highly respected middle-market M&A advisor with decades of experience spanning the entire M&A lifecycle, from initial sourcing through final execution. With the addition of the Charter team, KSM establishes an investment banking platform on par with those offered by the top CPA firms nationwide.

Charter’s Mike Brown and Mark Streekstra join KSM as partners and managing directors and will lead the 13-member investment banking team, which will transition to the name KSM Corporate Finance. Eligible Charter Capital Partners employees will become employee-owners through participation in KSM’s employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), gaining a direct stake in the firm’s ongoing success.

The team will continue to operate from its office in Grand Rapids. Over time, KSM plans to grow its presence in West Michigan, with the goal of establishing a full-service regional office in Grand Rapids.

“We are thrilled to have Charter Capital Partners join forces with KSM,” said Tim Cook, KSM’s CEO and president. “As our clients face increasingly complex decisions, they expect advisors who can see the full picture. Expanding into investment banking strengthens our ability to serve as a long-term strategic partner.”

According to Brown, the alignment between the two firms was clear from the outset. “Charter and KSM share a common mindset and culture. Both firms are grounded in the Midwest, value long-term relationships, and prioritize people – both clients and employees. Joining KSM allows us to expand our capabilities while continuing to serve clients with the same approach and values that have defined our work.”

Streekstra added, “Becoming part of KSM gives our team access to deeper resources and broader expertise, which enhances our ability to deliver thoughtful, high-quality advice to business owners navigating important transition decisions. Furthermore, KSM’s deep Midwest presence provides the ideal geographic footprint to accelerate our strategic expansion and serve clients in the Midwest and beyond.”

KSM continues to grow by diversifying its service offerings and expanding its geographic footprint. In 2025, the firm launched an information technology advisory practice, which provides businesses with strategic IT consulting and solutions that enhance efficiency, security, and innovation. Chicagoland CPA firm MichaelSilver and its 70-plus employees also joined KSM in July, establishing KSM’s Chicago office.

Charter Growth Capital, Charter Capital’s mezzanine debt and minority equity investment fund, is not part of the transaction and will remain independent. John Kerschen, Mike Palm, and Hector Bultynck will continue to lead Charter Growth Capital, maintaining its focus on partnering with exceptional lower middle-market companies.