American Industrial Partners (“AIP”) is an operating and engineering-focused private equity investor focused on building industrial businesses serving domestic and global markets. The firm invests in middle-market businesses, and to date has made over 130 acquisitions since inception and currently manages approximately $17 billion in assets under management. Through internships at AIP’s portfolio companies, LGO students have an immediate impact on product-to-business transformation. AIP’s strategy relies heavily on improving operations in collaboration with a company’s management team. AIP is eager to recruit LGO graduates and provide internship opportunities.
Nick Esposito (LGO ’23)
Title: Make vs. Buy Optimization for Industrial Manufacturing & Distribution Business
Engineering Department: Mechanical Engineering
Connor Stehr (LGO ’22)
Title: Accelerating Adoption of Large-format Additive Manufacturing in Aerospace Tooling
Engineering Department: Aeronautics and Astronautics
Kunal Sanghani (LGO ’22)
Title: Early Stage Rollout and Advanced Functionality of Digital Mining Analytics & Insights Platform
Engineering Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering
AIP and its Portfolio Companies are looking for LGO students in all engineering disciplines. A number of the companies have a need for talent in a range of positions. Both opportunities are designed to provide upward mobility and career development that will give each LGO the opportunity to meaningfully impact their organizations.
Rotational and Leadership Development: AIP believes in vesting LGOs with significant levels of responsibility upon joining the firm. Leadership development takes place through the highly collaborative nature of the operations team who have decades of shared experience solving complex operational issues to improve the performance and value of companies across a wide range of industrial sectors. The firm has a hands-on learning environment, and gives its operating professionals the opportunity to lead significant aspects of Operating Agendas in collaboration with company management teams.
LGOs at AIP Portfolio Companies have joined in important roles and have progressed rapidly within those organizations to positions of increased leadership. They typically report to C-level management and continue to have connectivity to their LGO colleagues at AIP.
Recent Post-Graduation Job Titles: Associate, Director, Operations Associate
Jessica Wu (LGO ’19)
Partner, American Industrial Partners
While at LGO: MBA and SM Mechanical Engineering
Previous Studies: Harvard University, Mechanical Engineering
Jessica first learned of the LGO program as an intern at UTC when LGO students toured her factory. She started her career at Axon, then after LGO transitioned to private equity with AIP. She was named a Partner in 2021.
Kaitlyn Nealon (LGO ’18)
Partner, American Industrial Partners
While at LGO: MBA and SM Mechanical Engineering
Previous Studies: MIT, Mechanical and Biological Engineering
After graduating from LGO, Kaitlyn joined AIP as an Operations Associate, supporting AIP’s portfolio companies in a myriad of different initiatives. Most of her first two years were in support of AHF Products, the leading hardwood manufacturer in the United States, leading operating agenda development, onboarding, and special project activities. She also served as assistant plant manager at AHF’s Beverly, WV solid wood flooring plant for five months in 2020 to fill in a temporary management gap. In late 2020, Kaitlyn was promoted to partner and has most recently been serving as Chief of Staff to AIP’s first Fund VII company, Commonwealth Rolled Products, a leading aluminum rolling mill serving the industrial and automotive segments.
Danny Davis (LGO ’08)
Partner, American Industrial Partners
While at LGO: MBA and SM Mechanical Engineering
Previous Studies: The University of Michigan, Mechanical Engineering
Danny started his career at Intel. After graduating from LGO, he joined AIP, and was instrumental in forging the partner company relationship between AIP and LGO. He serves on LGO’s Governing Board.