The Gridley & Company Difference

  • Industry Focus

    Our specialization in the Information Services industry gives our clients a competitive edge. We develop and nurture relationships with an extensive group of industry leaders, emerging growth companies and private equity firms within this market segment. This broad network and our targeted industry focus allows us to:

    • Discern important trends early in their development
    • Advise clients on the best strategy to profit from those trends
    • Execute highly successful transactions
  • Strategic Insight

    Our strategic insight and judgment is honed through extensive research. This includes:

    • Conduct research to identify market opportunities
    • Host leading industry networking events
    • Attend and participate in industry conferences
    • Meet with over 300 companies a year
    • Develop comprehensive industry overviews
    • Research, write and distribute our quarterly newsletter
    • Consult with senior industry relationships
    • Draw upon our extensive 25 years of transaction experience

    We share our insights through our quarterly newsletter The Compass.

  • Extensive Experience

    Our team members are seasoned bankers who were trained at major Wall Street firms including Lehman Brothers, Citigroup, JP Morgan, Credit Suisse, and ING Barings and are passionate about our targeted industry sectors. This means that our clients get bankers with tremendous transaction experience in a focused, intimate relationship. It also means that attention to quality is inherent in everything we do.

Home > Who We Are > William M. Kearns, Jr.
Gridley & Co Team Leaders
Gridley & Co Advisors

Experienced Industry Professionals Offer Keen Insights

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William M. Kearns, Jr.

Mr. Kearns became Chairman and Co-CEO of Keefe Managers, LLC, a money management firm, in 2002 after serving as Vice Chairman for four years.  He has also served as President of W. M. Kearns & Co., Inc., a private investment company, since 1994.

Mr.  Kearns has served as Director of  Selective Insurance Group, Inc., Transistor Devices, Inc., and U. S. Shipping Partners L.P. since 1975, 1991 and 2002, respectively. He has been the Senior Advisor to Proudfoot Consulting, PLC, since 1996, as well as a Trustee of EQ Advisors Trust (AXA Equitable Life Insurance Co.) and AXA Enterprise Funds Trust (AXA Financial). He is also a member of the Advisory Board for Private Client Resources and the Executive Advisory Committee of the William E. Simon School of Business Administration at the University of Rochester.

Mr. Kearns earned a B.A. degree from the University of Maine and received his M.A. degree from New York University.