About Us
About Ashland Capital Advisors
Ashland Capital Advisors is headquartered in the Chicagoland area with deep experience in a variety of industries across a wide range of engagement types.
We collaborate with small and medium-sized business owners to strategically plan for a smooth and fruitful exit from their business. We help you increase wealth and value in your business by providing strategic support, exit planning, business valuation, wealth engineering, transactional services, and supportive partnership along the way.
Ashland prioritizes listening and learning as a crucial starting point for all planning. We serve as a sounding board over time and are here for you long-term as a collaborator and strategic partner throughout your business endeavors.
Meet the Team
Paul Pappageorge
Principal / Founder
Paul Pappageorge is a Certified Exit Planning Expert known for his thoughtful approach to business. His 30+ years in business started in public accounting and migrated to business ownership, successful exits, and now helping others to do the same. Paul has been designated as a home care industry expert by Business Brokerage Press, a leading publisher in the brokerage sector. Paul is a curious lifelong learner with degrees in finance and accounting from Northern Illinois University and two MBAs from DePaul University and The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Paul is also a member of the American Institute of Public Accountants, the Exit Planning Exchange, and the Exit Planning Institute, which has certified him as a Certified Exit Planning Advisor. In his free time, Paul enjoys vegetarian cooking, travel, and playing all racquet sports, especially platform tennis.
Kevin Porter
Home Care Sector Partner
Kevin Porter has been deeply involved in the home care space for nearly 20 years. His diverse roles in the industry have revolved around franchised home care operational excellence, strategic growth, and performance group management. Kevin’s depth of knowledge, dedication to client education, and approachable style make him a favorite of many home care company owners. With a Master’s degree in Health Administration from Capella University, executive education from Rutgers University, and an undergraduate degree from Chicago State University, Kevin’s educational credentials are well aligned with his participation in the home care industry. In his free time, he loves to spend time with his active teenage daughters, enjoy live music, work out, and travel.
This is what Ashland Capital is all about
About Ashland
Let’s Talk Business
If you’re interested in setting up a 30-minute introductory call, please select a time on Paul’s calendar.
Paul’s Story
The Little Professor
Curiosity has always been my defining trait. I remember helping my dad fix the washing machine at the age of four and taking apart my parent’s phone when I was five. I was always reading and always learning, which earned me the title of “The Little Professor” from family and friends.
Years later, after earning my degrees and working in public accounting, I worked for my family’s dry cleaning business started by my grandfather in 1919. The industry was in a time of great turmoil, requiring us to be especially nimble. It was a time to innovate, so that’s what we did. I’m very proud to have recast the business, transitioning it from a dry cleaning company to a full-fledged industrial laundry company offering uniform rental services as well.
Ashland Capital Origins
In 2004, I was the last of the family members around and decided to sell to the Aramark Corporation. I handled all the details from getting the business ready, to working on integration with my buyer, and all the nitty gritty in between. The process was thrilling to me.
That exhilarating experience captured my imagination and led me to the work I do now at Ashland Capital. Understanding how machines work, taking things apart, and putting them back together – that’s how I help business owners now. There’s no such thing as a perfect plan – it’s a process that requires continuous learning and optimization. One thing I know for certain is that not planning is planning to fail.
The Future
I feel immense gratitude for the kind of work I get to do every day. I love learning and passing on my learnings to help others. I look forward to focusing my energy on your unique circumstances and finding a great path forward for you and your family.