making a difference
THE KEYSTONE
GROUP
A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIRM
OUR SERVICE
LINES
PROFITABLE GROWTH STRATEGY
Helping companies identify and prioritize top line growth strategies and align their organizational structure for accelerated growth.
OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENT
Driving operational excellence and performance improvement in manufacturing, supply chain, sales and operations planning, logistics and sourcing.
RESTRUCTURING & TURNAROUND
Helping companies improve profitability, generate cash, and develop a solid operating foundation for future growth.
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
Working on the buy side with strategic and financial buyers to improve the success rate of deals—from operational diligence through integration planning and execution.
ABOUT US
The Keystone Group is a results-oriented management consulting firm serving mid-market manufacturing and distribution clients and their stakeholders. Our small, experienced teams create value for clients through growth strategy, operational improvement, financial restructuring, and acquisition integration. With active Partner engagement, our teams develop and implement recommendations to address our clients’ most complex business challenges. Since 1991, Keystone has been working side-by-side with clients, fostering long-term relationships and delivering tangible, sustainable results.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
We've worked hard to foster a culture that attracts top-notch clients and employees. Four guiding principles have helped us maintain our focus on what’s important over the last twenty-five years.
BE THE BEST
Simply put, we want to be the best choice our clients can make. This means we have to have the best people and only work in situations where we can demonstrate our unique capabilities.
GROW YOUR SKILLS FASTER
If we want the best, we have to provide the best opportunity to grow. This means our talented people will be able to grow their skills faster than anywhere else.
ATTAIN FINANCIAL SUCCESS
Our people and our clients need to know we’ll be around for the long term.
HAVE FUN
We spend too much time at work to not love what we do. Further, clients want to work with people that they both respect and enjoy.
OUR TEAM
BRET JACOBS
SENIOR PRINCIPAL
ALYSSA BUTLER
PRINCIPAL
MATT HINKAMP
PRINCIPAL
ANDREW HAMMOND
SENIOR ASSOCIATE
ALEX STEILEN
SENIOR ASSOCIATE
SAM DION
ASSOCIATE
LIZZY ETTLESON
ASSOCIATE
JACK ZIMMERMANN
ASSOCIATE
KAY ADAMS
SENIOR ANALYST
RYAN BUDICIN
SENIOR ANALYST
JAKE GORDON
SENIOR ANALYST
KURT GUTWEIN
SENIOR ANALYST
NIHAR KANDIMALLA
SENIOR ANALYST
PAIGE O'PIELA
SENIOR ANALYST
RYAN BLUM
ANALYST
AARON KNOPMAN
ANALYST
HAARIS MALIK
ANALYST
JAMES SQUILLANTE
ANALYST
MIKE GALLICK
OFFICE MANAGER
JEN ANTOLINI
LEAD RECRUITER
OUR FOUNDER
Andy Rolfe founded The Keystone Group in 1991. His goal was to create a firm that placed service to its clients above its own interests. He believed that if we always strove to do what was best for our clients, it would in turn end up working out well for our firm. Since that time, the firm’s efforts have been shaped around that ideal; and, almost thirty years later, so far the experiment seems to be working! Andy stepped back from his day to day responsibilities at Keystone at the end of 2016 and has served as an advisor to the firm since then. Prior to founding Keystone, Andy worked at Andersen Consulting, ultimately helping to form the Strategic Services Division. He earned a B.S. in Finance from Indiana University and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago.
OUR TEAM
MATT HINKAMP
PRINCIPAL
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ANDREW HAMMOND
SENIOR ASSOCIATE
ALEX STEILEN
SENIOR ASSOCIATE
SAM DION
ASSOCIATE
RYAN BUDICIN
SENIOR ANALYST
WALTER SIMMONS
ASSOCIATE
JAKE GORDON
SENIOR ANALYST
JACK ZIMMERMANN
ASSOCIATE
KURT GUTWEIN
SENIOR ANALYST
NIHAR KANDIMALLA
SENIOR ANALYST
PAIGE O'PIELA
SENIOR ANALYST
YUSEF TAHAWI
SENIOR ANALYST
SARAH BINDON
ANALYST
RYAN BLUM
ANALYST
AARON KNOPMAN
ANALYST
KAYLA JORDAN
ANALYST
CECILIA WELSH
ANALYST
HAARIS MALIK
ANALYST
MIKE GALLICK
OFFICE MANAGER
JAMES SQUILLANTE
ANALYST
JEN ANTOLINI
LEAD RECRUITER
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
Keystone is proud to be recognized as a top consulting firm to work for in Vault's 2021 Consulting Firm Rankings. Among other honors, Keystone was recognized as #13 Best Consulting Firm, #4 Best Boutique Consulting Firm, and #1 Best Firm Culture. Vault rankings are based on consultant survey responses and are evaluated across eight different criteria including prestige, culture, work-life balance, and ability to challenge. READ MORE
OTHER AWARDS
2020 SMALL TRANSACTION OF THE YEAR
2020 #1 CONSULTING FIRM FOR FIRM CULTURE
2020 #5 BOUTIQUE CONSULTING FIRM
2020 #19 CONSULTING FIRM
2019 BEST BOUTIQUE CONSULTING FIRMS TO WORK FOR
2016 BEST BOUTIQUE CONSULTING FIRMS TO WORK FOR
2016 TRINITY'S PREMIER SUPPLIER AWARD FOR OPERATIONAL CONSULTING
2015 NATIONAL LARGE TURNAROUND OF THE YEAR
2015 CROSS BORDER TURNAROUND OF THE YEAR
2007 CHICAGO/MIDWEST LARGE TURNAROUND OF THE YEAR
