Yale School of Management - Michael R. Eisenson '81

"My years at Yale SOM provided an essential foundation both for my business career and for my nonprofit interests. In our firm, we are constantly seeking companies where value is not easily recognized by others and then collaborating with the operating managers to build their businesses. At Yale SOM, I learned a set of approaches to thinking about complex business, management, and financing problems that I rely on every day. Equally valuable to me, Yale SOM helped encourage a conviction that contributing to society is an important complement to business accomplishment and provided the groundwork for a number of nonprofit involvements that have been wonderfully rewarding."

Prior to co-founding Charlesbank in 1998, Michael was the president of Harvard Private Capital Group, the firm's predecessor. He began his tenure at Harvard Management Company in 1986 as managing director. Before joining Harvard Management, Michael was with the Boston Consulting Group, a corporate-strategy consulting firm.

Michael serves on the boards of several public and private portfolio companies, including Blueknight Energy Partners, CIFC, DEI Holdings, Montpelier Re, Penske Automotive Group and StoneCastle Partners. In 2011, he was recognized by the Outstanding Directors Exchange for his significant boardroom contributions. He is a summa cum laude graduate of Williams College, with a BA in economics, and holds MBA and JD degrees from Yale University.

Michael's philanthropic involvement includes serving on the boards of trustees of Berklee College of Music, The Boston Foundation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Williams College. He is also a founding director of Horizons for Homeless Children. Michael and his wife, Barbara, have four children and live in Wayland, MA.