The Frontenac Company is a Chicago-based private equity

Private equity

Private equity, in finance, is an asset class consisting of equity securities in operating companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange....

 firm founded in 1971.

The firm manages over $1 billion in investor capital with a focus on investments in the business-to-business services, information technology services, and communications services sectors. The Frontenac Company typically invests $15-75 million in management buyouts and expansion capital investments.

History

The firm was originally backed by the Laird Norton Company, a large family enterprise operating in the Western United States. The firm was named for the Frontenac,a paddle steamer

Paddle steamer

A paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...

 that transported logs up and down the Mississippi River

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...

, which in turn was named for Louis de Buade de Frontenac

Louis de Buade de Frontenac

Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac et de Palluau was a French soldier, courtier, and Governor General of New France from 1672 to 1682 and from 1689 to his death in 1698...

, the Governor of New France

New France

New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...

 in the central part of the US.

Current and prior investments have included DeVry University

DeVry University

DeVry University and DeVry Institute of Technology are divisions of DeVry Inc , a proprietary, for-profit higher education organization that is also the parent organization for Keller Graduate School of Management, Ross University, American University of the Caribbean, Apollo College, Western...

, DVC Worldwide

Aspen Marketing Services

Aspen Marketing Services is a privately-held marketing services agency in the United States. Aspen Marketing is headquartered in West Chicago, IL, with offices in Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Dallas, New York City, Phoenix, Morristown, NJ, Rosemont, IL and Tampa and has more than 640 employees...

, Levy Restaurants

Levy Restaurants

Levy Restaurants is a restaurant company based in Chicago specializing in providing premium-quality vending and food services to major entertainment and sports venues. It is a unit of Compass Group, and was founded in 1978....

, Rasmussen College

Rasmussen College

Rasmussen College is a 110-year old for-profit private college offering Bachelor's and Associate's degrees at multiple campuses in Minnesota including Blaine, Brooklyn Park, Eagan, Bloomington, Lake Elmo, Mankato, Moorhead and St...

and Steris .