mHUB Industry Disruptors - Suzanne Yoon

mHUB Industry Disruptors is an event series featuring some of the best and brightest innovators, founders, and thought leaders in the hardtech and product development space.

On Thursday, June 13, mHUB will welcome Suzanne Yoon, founder and managing partner of Kinzie Capital Partners, to be its Industry Disruptor. The conversation will be moderated by Ellen Havdala, Managing Director, Equity Group Investments.

Thursday, June 13

mHUB - 1623 W. Fulton Street, Chicago, IL 60612

5:30 – 6:00pm – doors open and registration

6:00 – 7:00pm – fireside conversation

7:00 – 8:00 pm – beer and wine reception

Thank you program sponsor: Grant Thornton

About Suzanne:

2017, Suzanne launched Kinzie as part of her long-standing vision to advance the use of technology and innovation to help companies unlock value. The Chicago-based private equity firm is focused on control investments in lower middle market companies in the manufactured products, business services and consumer industries.

Suzanne has over 25 years of experience investing in and advising middle market companies. Before founding Kinzie, she held senior roles at Versa Capital Management, CIT Group and LaSalle Bank/ABN AMRO. She also held positions in the Special Assets Group and Restructuring Advisory at LaSalle Bank and Ernst and Young’s Corporate Finance group, respectively. Suzanne serves as the Chair of the Investment and Executive Committees for Kinzie. In 2020, Kinzie was recognized by the Private Equity Women Investor Network as the North American Female Founded Firm of the Year.

A recognized leader in both the business and civic spheres, Yoon serves on several private company and civic boards. She currently serves as the Board Chair of Kinzie portfolio companies Colony Display, Chelsea Lighting, GT Golf Holdings and Arctic Industries. She is a current member and former Chair of the National Philanthropic Trust Board of Trustees, the largest independent donor advised fund manager in the world with approximately $37B under management, and is a member of the first-ever Women’s Advisory Board for the Chicago Bears. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Chicago’s John G. Shedd Aquarium, the University of Iowa Center for Advancement, The Economic Club of Chicago and the Chicago Public Library Foundation. Yoon is on the Steering Committee of the Women’s Association of Venture & Equity (WAVE) and is active with the Private Equity Women’s Investor Network (PEWIN). Additionally, she is a member of the Illinois Venture Capital Association and The Chicago Network.

About Hellen:

Ellen has worked in a variety of capacities for Sam Zell’s affiliated companies for more than 33 years. As a managing director, she represents EGI in finding and evaluating potential investments and serves on the boards of Ardent Health Services, a provider of hospital and healthcare services; and Lanter Delivery Systems, an asset-light dedicated delivery service provider. In addition, Ellen helped establish the Zell Global Entrepreneurship Network (ZGEN), an organization that provides continuing education and mentorship for students and alumni of three entrepreneurship education programs sponsored by the Zell Family Foundation.

She has served on the boards of Equity Distribution Acquisition Corp. (EDAC), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) targeting opportunities to apply technological advancement within the industrial sector; SIRVA, Inc., a provider of moving and relocation services; Rewards Network, a dining rewards company; WRS Holding Company, which specializes in environmental construction and remediation; East Mediterranean Gas Company SAE, an Egyptian natural gas transmission business; National Patent Development Corporation, a holding company focused on pharmaceutical and home improvement products; and Home Products International, a global consumer products company. She also held the roles of Executive Vice President at Equity International and Vice President of Scott Sports Group.

Previously, Ellen was a financial analyst with The First Boston Corporation in New York City. She graduated magna cum laude with a BA from Harvard College and earned her Master of Divinity degree from the University of Chicago in 2016.