Calder Capital is proud to announce that its Founder and Managing Partner, Max Friar, has been recognized as a Crain’s Grand Rapids Business 2025 Notable Leader in Finance.
The Crain’s Grand Rapids Notable Leaders in Finance list honors senior financial professionals in West Michigan who have made a lasting and measurable impact. To be considered for this prestigious award, nominees must hold a senior leadership role, have at least five years of experience in the profession, and demonstrate a clear track record of success. This must include advancing their firm’s performance and contributing to industry innovation. Honorees are also recognized for mentoring others and actively participating in professional or civic leadership roles.
This prestigious distinction by Crain’s Grand Rapids highlights finance professionals across West Michigan who demonstrate exceptional leadership, impact, and integrity in their organizations and communities.
With 20 years in the local mergers and acquisitions industry, Max has shaped Calder Capital into the successful M&A Advisory Firm that it is today. Since its founding in 2013, he has grown Calder Capital to over $15M in annual revenue with a team of ~60 professionals serving clients nationwide with offices in 8 states. Max also serves as Co-Founder of Small Business Deal Advisors (SBDA), which serves as Business Brokers to Main Street entrepreneurs with businesses valued under $1MM in enterprise value. Calder/SBDA have completed more than 330 transactions nationwide under his leadership.
Crain’s selection of Max as a Notable Leader in Finance specifically celebrates Calder’s explosive growth since 2020, achieving a 48% CAGR in revenue, more than doubling its team size, and closing over 222 deals in just 5 years. More notably, this success has been accomplished while maintaining a strong commitment to work-life balance, ethics, and company culture. The firm has received multiple recognitions from Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, Inc 5000s Fastest Growing Private Companies, and the Better Business Bureau for workplace excellence and ethics.
Beyond professional achievements, Max actively contributes to the broader Grand Rapids community and to other entrepreneurs. He regularly volunteers with Home Repair Services of Kent County, supports multiple West Michigan nonprofits through Calder’s philanthropy efforts, and is an engaged member of Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) and YPO West Michigan.
“This recognition from Crain’s Grand Rapids is humbling and exhilarating,” said Friar. “This recognition would not be possible without our incredible team at Calder Capital, which I am privileged to work with every day. Together, we have broken growth records year after year and achieved success together, while staying true to our values. Thank you to Crain’s, our clients, and the Calder team for your trust and confidence in me.”
The full list of Crain’s 2025 Notable Leaders in Finance honorees is available on the Crain’s Grand Rapids Business website.
About Crain’s Grand Rapids Notable Leaders in Finance
Crain’s Grand Rapids Notable Leaders in Finance recognizes exceptional financial professionals in West Michigan who demonstrate leadership, innovation, and commitment to excellence in their field. Honorees are selected based on career accomplishments, impact on their organization and industry, and dedication to community service. The list is published annually by Crain’s Grand Rapids Business, a leading source of business news and insights for the West Michigan region. To learn more, please visit https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com.
About Calder Capital:
Founded in 2013, Calder Capital is a lower middle market investment bank providing mergers and acquisitions advisory services to business owners, entrepreneurs, family offices, and investors across the United States. Our dedicated team of professionals combines extensive industry experience, technological innovation, negotiation savvy, and key relationships to exhibit exceptional execution. Calder’s services include mergers and acquisitions advisory, private funds and capital markets advisory, and business valuations. To learn more, please visit https://stage.caldergr.com.