Kevin P. DeSanto

Kevin P. DeSanto Co-Founder and Managing Director, KippsDeSanto & Co.  Mr. DeSanto is a Co-Founder and Managing Director of KippsDeSanto & Co. (www.kippsdesanto.com), a premier investment banking firm headquartered in metropolitan Washington, DC. KippsDeSanto’s senior bankers have advised on over 100 M&A transactions worth over $10.0 billion in value over the past 10 years. Mr. DeSanto has personally worked on over 30 transactions with a total value over $2.0 billion during the past decade. KippsDeSanto is focused on providing comprehensive transaction advisory services – primarily M&A, financing and strategic consulting – to leading, growth-oriented defense and technology companies. The firm’s areas of expertise include Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Government Services, Aerospace & Defense, IT Services and Software. Mr. DeSanto is currently responsible for overall engagement management and execution for KippsDeSanto clients, in addition to the firm’s regulatory compliance, information technology, human resources, finance/accounting and staffing models. Mr. DeSanto has a broad base of experience in providing corporate transaction advisory services. He has been personally involved in advising shareholders, boards of directors and management teams of over 100 companies in connection with strategic alternatives assessments, acquisitions, sales and divestitures, going-private transactions, raising of private debt and equity financing, fairness opinions, solvency opinions and general corporate planning. His experience and expertise is generally focused on government and commercial technology companies. In 2012, Mr. DeSanto was recognized as a finalist at the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Corporate Citizenship Awards (Emerging Influential of the Year) and as a “40 under 40” award winner by The M&A Advisor. He was recognized in 2011 on Washington Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list of outstanding regional business leaders and as the Dealmaker of the Year – Investment Banker by the Association for Corporate Growth’s National Capital Chapter. He was recognized as a finalist for the same ACG award in 2009. In addition, Mr. DeSanto and KippsDeSanto & Co. were recognized as #28 on Bisnow’s 2009 Federal IT Power 50 list. He is Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of MissionLink (http://www.missionlinkdc.org/), a DC-based, invitation-only technology industry CEO forum. He is a member of Young Business Leaders (YBL), a group of entrepreneurs focused on enhancing philanthropic efforts in the Northern Virginia region. Mr. DeSanto is highly involved with the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, where he serves on the Board of Directors, as Board Secretary and as past Co-Chair of The Future Fund. With respect to technology companies and Merger & Acquisition trends, Mr. DeSanto has been a frequent speaker, including the 2012 Aspen Security Forum and 2013 AFCEA DC Emerging Technologies Symposium, and is often quoted in various publications, including The Washington Post, Washington Technology, Washington Business Journal, Government Computer News, FederalNewsRadio.com and Fortune Magazine. Prior to founding KippsDeSanto, Mr. DeSanto was a Senior Vice President in Houlihan Lokey’s Washington, DC office and a member of the Aerospace∙Defense∙Government industry investment banking group. Mr. DeSanto received a B.S. in business administration with a concentration in finance from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. He was intimately involved in many extra-curricular activities while attending Georgetown, including as a member of the Division I-AA Varsity Football and Division I Varsity Baseball (2-year captain) programs. He has remained engaged in campus activities, including participating in the Alumni Admissions Program, MSB Young Alumni Mentor program and serving as a member of the Board of Directors for Hoyas Unlimited and the Baseball program. In addition, Mr. DeSanto is a member of the Fundraising Committee for the non-profit NextStep Fitness. He is registered with FINRA as a General Securities Principal (Series 7, 24 and 63), Limited Representative – Investment Banking (Series 79) and Operations