Paul Gillette

About Paul

After a decade in investment banking, private equity, and corporate development, Paul noticed a gap in the market for ownership seeking liquidity and alternatives to traditional buyers. With the support of his financial partners, he formed Stonebriar Capital. The partnership’s goal is to search for, acquire, and grow one software or GRC/TICC services business to $100+ million in revenue over the next decade.

“I enjoy building high-potential software and services companies because it offers a unique opportunity to drive meaningful change, foster close-knit relationships, and create a lasting impact on the business and its key stakeholders.”
— Paul Gillette

  • Paul was recently VP, Corporate Development for FoodChain ID, a private equity-backed regulatory and compliance software and TICC services company serving global food safety markets.

    Additionally, Paul served as interim General Manager for 15 months in one of the company's data services businesses with PnL responsibility of $9 million and 35 people. Under his leadership, they grew the business from $5 million to $9 million of ARR by adding structure and maturity to commercial processes, clarifying the go-to-market strategy, focusing the product development roadmap and optimizing the organizational structure.

    Collectively, he and the executive leadership team grew FoodChain ID from $75 million to $140 million in revenue between 2020 and 2024.

    FoodChain ID is a portfolio company of Berkshire Partners.

  • While VP, Corporate Development, he led the acquisition and integration of 8 companies, investing $126 million of debt and equity capital and adding $13 million of EBITDA through those acquisitions and synergies.

    Paul has a deep understanding of executing successful corporate M&A strategies and is well-versed in identifying and avoiding pitfalls during post-closing integration.

    Over the past decade, Paul has completed 26 M&A transactions, 18 of those being on the buy-side and 7 of those being cross-border (Australia, Belgium, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Singapore and UK).

  • While at FoodChain ID, Paul built a vast professional network in regulatory and compliance, testing, inspection, and certification industries while conducting business internationally and traveling to 15 countries.

    Paul also co-led a technology pilot with FoodChain ID's Chief Technology Officer to test the application of natural language processing (“NLP”) and optical character recognition (“OCR”) technology within FoodChain ID’s internal data processing function supporting our regulatory and compliance data products. The pilot resulted in a comprehensive understanding of how to deploy technology to automate portions of the process, improve resource efficiency, reduce errors made by humans, and reduce costs of goods sold.

  • At both FoodChain ID and GenNx360 Capital Partners, Paul worked closely with founders and family-owned businesses throughout the entire exit process, maintaining close personal relationships with several of these individuals and families to this day.

    He possesses a deep understanding of the emotional and financial considerations sellers face while selling their company and collaborates with his counterparts to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. Paul views the M&A process as more than a 'zero-sum game,' having a deep appreciation for both the human and technical elements of completing a transaction successfully.

  • Paul began his career at Jefferies as an analyst supporting senior bankers on a variety of M&A advisory engagements.

    He received a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

The Early Days

Born and raised in Indiana, Paul ran a small lawn mowing business, which he sold before heading to college. Despite its modest scale, this experience made a lasting impression on him.

Rather than shutting down the business before college, Paul listed the company for sale on Craigslist. To his surprise, he received several inquiries. He carefully evaluated potential buyers, considering their business history, location of existing operations, potential price increases, and how buyers would treat his long-time customers. It was important to find a buyer who would reflect well on him and maintain the level of service his customers expected. Despite the modest transaction size, this process provided Paul with a tangible and relatable understanding of the many factors a seller considers before selling a company — something he’s carried with him throughout his career in M&A, private equity and corporate development.

Why the name Stonebriar?

The headquarters and original operations for Gillette Lawn Care were based on Stonebriar Road, the street where Paul grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This humble beginning on Stonebriar became a personal symbol of hard work and entrepreneurial spirit. When it came time to name the investment partnership, Paul chose Stonebriar Capital as a tribute to those early days. The name reflects on his journey and embodies the same principles of dedication and growth that he aims to bring to the company he will build over the next decade. Stonebriar Capital stands as a testament to his roots and the entrepreneurial path he continues to follow.