Careers at Livingstone's Chicago Office: An interview with Patrick Kilrea, Vice President
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Patrick Kilrea is Vice President at Livingstone in Chicago. With a degree in Finance, he started his career as an underwriter before joining Livingstone in March of 2022.
How long have you been at Livingstone Partners? Can you talk a little bit about your background?
I was born and raised in the western suburbs of Chicago and was the oldest of five Kilrea kids. Growing up, I enjoyed playing sports, especially golf, basketball, and volleyball, spending time with friends and family, and spending time in Northern Michigan. Upon graduating high school, I attended the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University, where I graduated with a degree in Finance. After 10 years as an underwriter in the direct lending industry, I joined Livingstone in March of 2022 as a member of the firm’s Debt Advisory Group.
Why did you choose Livingstone? What expectations has Livingstone lived up to?
Over the course of my career, I became familiar with Livingstone as I had participated in several debt processes that were run by the Livingstone team. Based on those experiences, I got to know several members of the team and was extremely impressed with the caliber of the talent. When I was looking for a new opportunity and saw that Livingstone was hiring, I immediately reached out to the team as I knew Livingstone was a place where I wanted to build my career.
Since I started in March, Livingstone has lived up to all the expectations that I had. It has provided me with the opportunity to work on interesting opportunities across a broad range of sectors, work with hard-working and unbelievably intelligent colleagues, and most importantly, the entrepreneurial spirit that was discussed throughout the interview process.
How has Livingstone impacted your career?
Since joining the team, Livingstone has provided me with endless opportunities to take on significant responsibility in a very short period. I am intimately involved in all aspects of the transaction process and work directly with senior members of the Livingstone team and our clients.
I was told there is a strong culture here, and that’s proven true. I came in with a solid group of analysts and was immediately welcomed by the bullpen. I probably hang out with my work colleagues as much as my non-work friends – and I’m talking outside of work. It’s a regular occurrence; we’re not faking it.
“One of the biggest differences I’ve noticed in my time at Livingstone is the entrepreneurial spirit that extends from the top down. The Partners have encouraged me to take on additional roles and responsibilities which creates a constant cycle of creativity and learning, which is one of the most exciting parts of my job.”
What was the most challenging deal you worked on and why?
The first deal that I worked on was a capital raise for a family-owned manufacturer of dairy and dairy alternative fluid sold to a broad base of blue-chip customers across the U.S. The Company was experiencing liquidity issues driven primarily by labor shortages and supply chain issues which were the direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the middle of the capital raise, a strategic buyer reached out to the team and offered to buy two of the Company’s manufacturing facilities. This was difficult for me as I didn’t have experience with a sell-side process but was provided the opportunity to learn on the go and the Livingstone team was able to achieve a successful outcome for our client.
What is your most memorable moment working at Livingstone?
Thus far, it would have to be our International offsite in Boston. I was able to meet Livingstone teammates from across the world and it was an invaluable experience to bond with both colleagues in the U.S. and from our international offices.
“I couldn’t recommend Livingstone more!”
What do you consider to be a successful deal and why?
I think that a successful deal is anytime that you help your client achieve their desired result because as advisors, that is at the heart of what we do.
Share any advice you have for someone considering joining Livingstone
I think that Livingstone is a great fit for anybody with an entrepreneurial spirit that is willing to learn from some of the brightest minds in the business.