May 2014
Gina Cocking has returned to Colonnade Advisors as a Managing Director. Gina has broad experience in private equity, investment banking, financial services and business services. Gina was “Employee #1” at Colonnade Advisors in 1999, and she returns to the firm with experience as CFO of two entrepreneurial enterprises and director of finance for a significant division of a major financial services firm.
“Gina’s broad experience as CFO of a growing equipment finance firm and CFO/HR director of a private equity-owned healthcare laundry services firm complements her experience in larger organizations. Her financial services expertise, excellent planning and analysis skills and deep transaction experience will greatly strengthen Colonnade’s advisory practice,” said Chris Gillock, Managing Director of Colonnade. “We are delighted Gina decided to join us.”
“Gina’s experience at Discover Financial Services’ banking, personal lending and student lending businesses is especially applicable to our commercial banking practice at Colonnade,” said Willard Bunn, Managing Director of Colonnade. “She is going to be a great help to our clients.”
“Gina has a unique set of experiences and a great tool kit. I am looking forward to working with her,” said Stan Calderon, Chairman of Colonnade.
“I couldn’t be more pleased that Gina is coming back to Colonnade. We helped to launch the practice together and have known each other for our entire careers,” said Jeff Guylay, Managing Director of Colonnade. “This is a reunion for us.”
Gina began her career at Kidder Peabody in 1992. She worked at Madison Dearborn Partners as an LBO analyst and J.P. Morgan & Co. as an investment banking associate before joining Colonnade as Vice President in 1999. She joined Cobalt Finance as Chief Financial Officer in 2003 and then joined Healthcare Laundry Systems (“HLS”) as Chief Financial Officer in 2009. Gina led the re-structuring of HLS in conjunction with its majority shareholder, Blue Wolf Capital, and oversaw the successful sale of the company to a strategic acquirer. Most recently, Gina served as Director of Finance – Consumer Banking and Lending at Discover Financial Services. Gina received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and M.B.A. in Finance and Accounting from the University of Chicago.
Contact info:
Gina Cocking
Managing Director
Colonnade Advisors LLC
125 South Wacker Drive, Suite 3020
Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: 312.425.8145
Email: gcocking@coladv.com