Mary Josephs is the Founder and CEO of Verit Advisors. She has over 35 years of expertise in ESOPs for middle-market companies and has closed over 500 transactions worth more than $7 billion in senior credit and $30 billion in enterprise value, mostly supporting ESOPs. Mary established the ESOP group at LaSalle National Bank and co-founded an ESOP advisory practice at ABN AMRO LaSalle Corporate Finance, later leading the ESOP Solutions Group at Bank of America-Merrill Lynch.
In 2009, she founded Verit Advisors in Chicago, combining investment banking capabilities with a focus on ESOPs, debt and equity markets, M&A, and valuation services. Verit’s notable clients include Dansko, Clif Bar & Company, and Manson Construction Company.
Mary frequently speaks at conferences and writes on succession and liquidity for closely held businesses. She holds a BA in Economics and French from Marquette University and an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She serves on several boards and advisory committees and has received numerous awards, including the Women Leaders & Top Dealmakers Award 2020 and recognition as one of Chicago’s Notable Entrepreneurs by Crain’s Chicago in 2019.
