Rich Kracum

Co-Founder

Rich Kracum joined Wind Point in 1985 and was part of the leadership team that transitioned Wind Point from an investment firm primarily funded by the S.C. Johnson family to an institutional private equity firm. Beginning in the 1990s, Rich was instrumental in establishing Wind Point’s current investment strategy and developing the firm’s first group of Executive Advisor Partners. Rich was also responsible for recruiting and mentoring Wind Point’s current leadership team. 

Prior to joining Wind Point, Rich was a Principal in the Chicago office of the strategy consulting practice of Booz, Allen & Hamilton, where he led numerous strategic consulting assignments for major industrial, consumer and financial firms. In 1990, Rich acquired Prange Way, a $150 million discount retailer based in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in partnership with one of Wind Point’s limited partners. As Chairman and lead investor, Rich was responsible for all activities of Prange Way, which operated 24 stores in Wisconsin and had 2,500 employees. In early 1996, Rich successfully exited Prange Way and re-joined Bob Cummings to launch Wind Point Partners III, L.P.  

Rich is a BA graduate from Carleton College, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He received both an MS in chemistry and an MBA from the University of Chicago, Beta Gamma Sigma. 

In addition to providing counsel and assistance to the Wind Point team, Rich is an avid  fisherman, skier, hunter, and golfer. Rich currently resides in Miami beach and northern Wisconsin. Rich and his wife Laurie have two sons and one granddaughter.