Marcus Investments LLC promotes Nolte to president

Marcus Investments LLC has promoted Christopher Nolte to president. Nolte joined the Midwest-based investment firm in 2006.

PRESS RELEASE

MILWAUKEE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Marcus Investments, LLC today announced the promotion of Christopher Nolte to president. In his new position, he will provide strategy and oversight for Marcus Investments’ current portfolio of companies and pursue opportunities to further grow the business and its core brands. Nolte has been with the company since its formation in 2006.

“Chris has played an integral role in the growth and success of Marcus Investments, from our initial team of just three employees to now 40 employees in our corporate office and nearly 500 among our core businesses. We have reached the point where we need to grow our leadership team to take Marcus Investments to the next level. Chris is the leader who can help us achieve future goals,” said David Marcus, chief executive officer of Marcus Investments.

Over the past 11 years, Marcus Investments has invested in and grown a variety of successful businesses including Berengaria, a real estate business that has developed and/or managed more than $300 million of retail developments nationwide since its inception in 2008, Hospitality Democracy, the company’s restaurant operation, which includes Zaffiro’s pizza, AJ Bombers, Smoke Shack and Holey Moley (Doughnuts), among others, as well as Verlo Mattress, which the company successfully transformed into a nationally recognized, vertically integrated consumer brand concept.

“Our businesses are in a variety of industries, but what ties them all together is our philosophy of creating exceptional experiences with a careful attention to what the customer really wants. We align ourselves with talented people and groups that share this commitment and the endless pursuit for excellence. Patient capital and our experience with blocking and tackling in business allow us to align our incentives toward building healthy, vibrant organizations,” said Nolte.

Nolte added that he is excited to lead the next chapter of Marcus Investments. “Until now, we grew Marcus Investments with internal capital. Our go-forward strategy is to open up our investment platform to outside investors and step-up our growth, both in our existing businesses and attractive new platforms. At our core, we are entrepreneurial financiers. We find opportunities to take something small and grow it big – using our know-how, contacts and capital to make that happen. This puts us somewhere between venture capital and middle-market private equity, a ‘sweet spot’ for entrepreneurs and investors alike.”

Prior to joining Marcus Investments in 2006, Nolte was director of real estate for The Marcus Corporation for three years. His career also includes positions with Pritzker Realty Group in Chicago and First Manhattan Consulting Group in New York City. He received a bachelor’s degree with honors in economics from the College of William & Mary and an MBA in finance, real estate and organizational behavior from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

About Marcus Investments, LLC
Marcus Investments is a Midwest-based investment firm formed by the Marcus family of Milwaukee to build and grow the next generation of great companies in Wisconsin. The company focuses on long-term value creation and looks to attract like-minded institutions and individuals.