Alumni Spotlight - St. Louis Office

I met Polly, my wife (soon to be of 25 years), at Peper Martin. Although she didn’t like me at first, I was persistent and persuasive. Husch Blackwell had quite the group of characters back then, and we had some fun along the way. I am bound by non-disclosure agreements so cannot share stories of firm retreats, particularly the one at Innsbrook. (It’s showtime!)

Describe your current role/practice outside of Husch Blackwell.

I left Peper Martin in 1998 to go in-house at Bunzl, whose North American headquarters are in Creve Coeur, Missouri. I am executive vice president, corporate development & general counsel for Bunzl North America, the largest business unit of Bunzl plc, a FTSE 100 company traded on the London Stock Exchange (LON:BNZL). I am privileged to lead the legal and acquisition teams for Bunzl North America and am a member of the senior leadership team. On April 1, 2023 I celebrated my 25th Anniversary.

As general counsel, I established the legal department and now work with four talented attorneys, including former Husch Blackwell attorneys Ryan Fehlig and Elise Senti, assistant general counsel and senior counsel, real estate, respectively. My success supports the notion that you hire people smarter than you.

I completed the Master of International Business program at Saint Louis University in 2004. In 2005, Bunzl invited me to also lead the acquisition team for North America. Now I spend the majority of my time pursing strategic acquisitions. Since I joined Bunzl, we have acquired nearly 70 companies with aggregate revenue approaching $4 billion. We continue to engage Husch Blackwell for key areas of legal work. A Husch Blackwell corporate team handled a large, complex, competitive and rapid acquisition for us in 2021.

How has your experience at Husch Blackwell been useful to your current role?

Husch Blackwell prepared me well for my role at Bunzl. I was fortunate to work with many talented attorneys on significant matters for sophisticated clients while at the firm and was able to work with multiple departments to broaden my experiences and skill set. I enjoyed learning about various areas from knowledgeable colleagues, which put me on a path as a generalist as opposed to concentrating in any one area. The firm also introduced me to Bunzl and afforded me considerable autonomy with Bunzl matters early in my career. This allowed me to hit the ground running with the support of the Husch Blackwell attorneys whose practice areas touch the business.

What attracted you to in-house practice?

As I expanded my practice with Bunzl matters, I learned more about the company, its people and its strategy. I admired Bunzl’s growth aspirations and strategic execution. As outside counsel, you only see part of the inner workings of a client. When Bunzl decided to hire an in-house counsel, the possibilities intrigued me. In large part due to my representation of Bunzl at Husch Blackwell, I was invited to interview for the new position. The opportunity to create a legal department for a relatively young, growing business with significant runway compelled me to leave the firm. I continue to work with the great attorneys and support team at the firm so I enjoy the best of both worlds. I have made lifelong friends at Bunzl and consider Bunzl (as well as Husch Blackwell) my extended family.

With which Husch Blackwell attorneys are you still connected, and how?

I remain connected with many Husch Blackwell attorneys, some of whom are at the firm and some who are fellow in-house counsels at St. Louis companies. Bob Tomaso, a friend, neighbor and colleague, is the Husch Blackwell relationship lead for Bunzl, principally because he still has pictures from my bachelor party. Mike Annis, who joined the firm at the same time as I did (and also attended my bachelor party), handles several matters for Bunzl. Matt Perlow handles our estate planning. Dan Cohn, Kris Kappel and Amy Wachs, who took over for the legendary Brad Hiles after his retirement, handle recurring matters. Emily Lyons is handling a significant project for Bunzl, and Katesha Long interned at Bunzl before joining Husch Blackwell. I often encounter Terry Potter, Joe Glynias, Greg Minana, Craig Adoor, Alan Kandel (in the wind), Jeff Jensen and Blake Armstrong, Matt Geekie (general counsel at Graybar and former fellow associate at Peper Martin) and cross paths with Errin Braddock, Scott Jarboe and Rebecca Kujawa. Of course, Neil Huber and I remain in contact. We attended a Blues Stanley Cup Finals win in 2019. Husch Blackwell also handles several matters for my alma mater, McKendree University, where I currently chair the Board of Trustees.

What hobbies/activities do you enjoy outside the office?

Outside of Bunzl, I enjoy spending time with Polly and our three kids. I have been fortunate to travel to nearly 30 countries and plan to travel more within and outside the United States. I enjoy the outdoors, hiking, hunting and fishing, and am active in the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC), having served as president in 2020. At the MAC, I play basketball, exercise, dine and enjoy social events. My family and I also spend time at Innsbrook and our farm nearby. Of course, I enjoy St. Louis sports and banging on the glass with Tomaso at the Blues games. I am also an outside direct of SN Partners.

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