John R. Ettelson

John R. Ettelson is the president and chief executive officer of William Blair & Company. He joined the firm in 1984 as an associate in the Corporate Finance Department. John became a principal in 1989, was head of Mergers and Acquisitions from 1999-2000, and served as chief financial officer from 2001-2002 and president and chief operating officer from 2002-2003. John has been the lead banker on many deals, including J.M. Smucker's acquisition of Jif and Crisco from Procter & Gamble, which was recognized as Investment Dealers’ Digest’s "2001 Breakthrough Deal of the Year." John received his Sc.B. from Brown University in 1980 and his J.D. and M.B.A. from the University of Chicago in 1984. John serves on the boards of The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, The Economic Club of Chicago, The Executives' Club of Chicago, Francis W. Parker School, and the Lincoln Park Zoo. He is chairman of the investment committee at the Francis W. Parker School and is a member of The Commercial Club of Chicago and serves on the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club. He resides in Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

William Blair & Company, L.L.C. is a global investment firm offering investment banking, asset management, equity research, institutional and private brokerage, and private capital to individual, institutional, and issuing clients. Since 1935, we have been committed to helping clients achieve their financial objectives. As an independent, employee-owned firm, our philosophy is to serve our clients' interests first and foremost. We place a high value on the enduring nature of our client relationships, the quality of our products and services, and the continuity and integrity of our people. William Blair & Company is based in Chicago, with office locations including Boston, London, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Zurich. For more information, please visit www.williamblair.com.

Back to top