DealMAX

Rocky Pontikes is a Senior Managing Director and Co-Head of Mesirow Investment Banking, where he sets strategic direction for the group, oversees its day-to-day operations, and leads deal teams through the full transaction lifecycle. He also plays a lead role in developing key client relationships and advising on middle-market M&A assignments.

Rocky brings more than 29 years of investment banking experience, having led transactions across a range of industries, including business services, distribution and supply chain, and industrials. Before joining Mesirow in June 2001, he was a member of the global investment banking division at Merrill Lynch & Co., advising middle-market and growth-oriented companies on corporate finance, M&A, and public and private capital raises.

Over his career, Rocky has led or played an integral role in numerous notable M&A and capital markets transactions with an aggregate value exceeding $20 billion, including several industry award-winning deals in recent years.

Rocky was named a winner of The M&A Advisor's 40 Under 40 Awards (Central Region) in 2012. He is an active member of The Economic Club of Chicago, the Association for Corporate Growth, and the Turnaround Management Association, and serves on the national board of directors for the Parkinson's Foundation.

Rocky earned a Bachelor of Science from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and holds FINRA Series 7, 63, and 79 licenses.