Curran Companies

Curran Companies

Curran Companies was founded in 1990 by Pat Curran after his leveraged buyout of Cooks Paint and subsequent creation of Cook Composites & Polymers. Wiley Curran, Pat’s son, serves as principal and co-founder alongside family member Janet Curran. The office continues to operate from Kansas City with a mandate centered on long-term ownership rather than exit-driven strategies. The firm executes management buyouts, recapitalizations and growth investments through direct co-investments and SPVs. Asset classes include private equity, infrastructure and fractional aircraft ownership. Portfolio positions span Airshare in mobility, Sporting Kansas City in sports, and additional holdings in advanced materials and energy transition. Activity remains concentrated in North America with primary focus on the United States. The approach avoids fund commitments in favor of direct ownership alongside operating partners such as Dave Murfin and Bradley Berger. No public headcount or AUM figure is disclosed. Additional vehicles include Curran Companies Real Estate, LLC and Antoine’s Fund. In 2025 Wiley Curran was inducted as a Laureate in the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame. The office maintains membership in YPO and the Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program. Operations center on the headquarters at 1511 Baltimore Avenue in Kansas City. Ownership rests with the Curran family and aligned entrepreneurs who enforce a no-leverage acquisition policy. This structure separates the office from typical leveraged buyout funds and ties decision-making directly to family principals rather than external limited partners.