Nick Clementi – Managing Director
nclementi@peakstone.com
(763) 478-1777 

Nick Clementi is a Managing Director at The Peakstone Group, where he is responsible for transaction origination and execution with an emphasis on Consumer Packaged Goods. Nick’s sector focus is on branded and private label products, packaging, printing, multi-media publishing, tabletop, decor and entertainment products, and other similar industries which market through mass market and specialty retail, food service and educational channels. Nick has 30 years of consumer goods experience in CEO operating roles, private equity transactions, corporate development, marketing and strategy consulting. He also serves as Managing Partner of Sandhill Consulting Group, a team of senior level consulting executives serving the consumer goods, publishing, packaging and related markets.

Prior to joining Peakstone, Nick led two private equity sponsored entities through successful buyouts as CEO and Chairman of the Board, for InnoWare Paper Inc. and InnoWare Plastics, Inc. developing new strategic direction, assembling strong management teams, launching a new brand, revamping product offerings, installing new ERP systems, and ultimately leading successful liquidity events. InnoWare Paper and Plastics were consumer and packaging oriented firms serving customers such as Sam’s Club, Safeway, Costco, Cracker Barrel, Cheesecake Factory and other national chains with branded and private label offerings.

Similarly, in another private equity sponsored transaction in the printing and stationery space, he served as an advisor, board member and divisional president, and led the development of a new sales capability, launched the product offering into new retail markets, launched a new brand and entered the private label market, and undertook an overhaul of the distribution and hand-assembly operations. Largest customers of this enterprise included Target and Staples.

Previously, Nick was a Group President of American Greetings, Inc.(NYSE: AM), a $1.6 billion manufacturer and marketer of Greeting Cards, Party Goods, Educational Publishing and related products where he led the management of five key consumer brands and business units, facilitated the sale of the company’s flexible packaging operation and the acquisition of its plastics’ retail business. He also performed corporate and business unit strategic planning. The largest customers of these businesses included Wal-Mart, Target, Party City, Dollar Tree, Rite Aid and Kroger.

Earlier in his career, Nick was CEO of Contempo Colours and Beach Products, where he initially gained his experience in management operations, leveraged transactions and labor relations. Prior to Contempo, he served as Vice President of Marketing for Western Publishing Group (NYSE: WPGI) where his experiences included Pictionary, Little Golden Books, Betty Crocker Cookbooks, Sesame Street Music and Golden Video. He also performed corporate business planning and led several acquisitions at WPGI. Largest customers in these roles included national and regional discount chains (Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Shopko), toy chains (Toys ‘R’ Us), grocery chains (Publix, Winn Dixie), Drug (Walgreens), and book chains (Barnes and Noble).

Nick holds a Master of Science in Marketing degree from the University of Wisconsin Graduate School of Business, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education, conferred With Distinction, from the University of Wisconsin.