Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Bill Conway

Bill Conway is one of the three co-founders of The Carlyle Group, a Washington-based private equity investment firm that focuses on leveraged buyouts, growth capital, real estate, and leveraged finance investments. The company is one of the largest private equity firms in the world with nearly $50 billion under management.

Born William E. Conway Jr. in 1949 in McLean, VA, this business powerhouse led a pretty conservative life. His genius shone through early on as he received his undergraduate education at Dartmouth College and later on, his M.B.A. at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

Bill Conway, who has 20 years of experience in the industry under his belt, always had an uncanny knack for business and finance. Before founding Carlyle with Dan A. D'Aniello and David M. Rubenstein, Bill Conway spent almost ten years with The First National Bank of Chicago. There he served an array of positions dealing with corporate finance, commercial lending, workout loans, and general management.

In 1981, after his time at The First National Bank of Chicago, Bill Conway served at MCI Communications, the second largest long-distance provider in the United States. At MCI, Bill Conway was instrumental in several of the company’s most significant acquisitions and divestitures. He served as a Vice President and Treasurer of MCI from 1981 to 1984. He then spent as three years the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

In 1987, Bill Conway founded The Carlyle Group. The company continues to broaden its scope for potential investment opportunities. They also constantly improve their level of expertise in order to provide superior returns to investors. Presently, Bill Conway serves as Managing Director The Carlyle Group and chairman of Carlyle's investment committees.

Constant in his reserve, Bill Conway continues to support several local charities, especially those that support the causes of education and the Catholic Church.