Leo Helmers enrolled in the MBA program at Temple University’s Fox School of Business while he was working as an estimator for a Philadelphia construction company. “One of the things I always did as a young professional was to keep my options open in other fields,” he says. “Because I just wasn’t really sure, is this what I want to do?” A brief stint with a mid-size bank offered valuable credit training, but he recalls, “I was more entrepreneurial and hungry, and I wanted to work harder. I wanted to have little bit more control over my destiny.” Since then, Mr. Helmers’ career has been devoted to the private equity investment field. He is co-founder and group head of Susquehanna Private Capital, which was founded in 2016 to make private investments in mid-size companies. The bruising recession that began in 2008 was a difficult time for private equity, although there were bargains to be found in the aftermath. “The easy days are over now,” Mr. Helmers adds. “I think our world is much more competitive today and in so many ways you have to be nimble, resilient, adaptable, and flexible.” Mr. Helmers stresses the importance of relationships in private equity. “If you’re good to people,” he says, “it’s going to come around and take care of you in the long-term.” In staffing up his young firm, Mr. Helmers says, “We always like to find people who are team players and humble. We’re not looking for the big egos.” Private equity requires building trust with company owners and managers, he says. “It’s a differentiator in our business when you can demonstrate your value add and establish mutual trust which are critical success factors to a long-term partnership dedicated to value creation.”

Temple University Degree
Master of Business Administration ’93, Fox School of Business

Temple University Awards & Affiliatons

• Dean’s Council, Fox School of Business
• Owl Fund Advisory Board

What I wanted to be when I was 20 years old
Real estate developer

Best piece of advice anyone ever gave me
Listen first