Martin Sumichrast is an entrepreneur, investor, merchant banker, and capital markets executive with over 35 years of experience helping companies raise capital, execute strategic transactions, and build long-term enterprise value. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of American Capital Partners, Inc. and serves as Chairman of the Board of Hawkeye Systems, Inc. His career spans founding and building a global investment bank, leading public companies, executing NYSE IPOs, and advising businesses across multiple sectors on capital formation and strategic growth.
An introduction to Martin's career, focus, and approach to building enterprise value
Martin Sumichrast founded Global Capital Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ: GCAP) in 1993 and built it into a global investment bank with over 500 employees and 27 international offices before 2002. This formative experience gave him deep expertise in equity capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, and international finance. Following Global Capital Partners, he co-founded and led cbdMD, Inc. (NYSE: YCBD) as Chairman, CEO, and President from April 2015 to June 2023, guiding the company through a successful IPO in November 2017, a $135 million brand acquisition in December 2018, and growth to a $400 million market capitalization with over $250 million in aggregate sales and more than one million customers.
Key considerations
In February 2022, Martin led Adara Acquisition Corp.'s $115 million IPO on the NYSE, subsequently guiding the SPAC through a $600 million acquisition of Alliance Entertainment in June 2023. He has also served as a Trustee and Chairman of Nominating and Governance Committees for the Barings Global Short Duration High Yield Fund, Inc. (NYSE: BGH) and Barings Capital Funds Trust, Inc. from 2012 to 2022. Today, through American Capital Partners, he focuses on investing in and growing American businesses, bringing decades of capital markets and operational experience to his portfolio companies.
What this means in practice
Beyond his business career, Martin Sumichrast is a published author and community leader. He co-authored "Opportunities in Financial Careers" and "The New Complete Book of Home Buying," both published by Dow Jones Irving Books. He is also co-authoring "Getting Sheared," a forthcoming book about his experience navigating significant external fraudulent activity at Stone Street Capital, written with 13-time New York Times Best Selling Author Don Yeager and award-winning investigative journalist Jason Cole. Martin resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and has four adult children. He brings the same values of integrity, discipline, and long-term thinking to his personal life that have characterized his professional career.