Michael P. Wise, Owner and Partner

Michael P. Wise, Owner and Partner

Michael P. Wise, Owner and Partner

  • After holding positions as COO and CFO in several businesses, from start-ups to emerging growth to turnarounds, Mike along with Bob Silhacek founded Turning Point Management Advisors LLC (TPMA) in 2009 to provide management consulting services to help companies turn the corner for success with an attitude of strong and decisive leadership.  Mike has a passion for helping companies be successful.
  • As COO and CFO for companies in several different industries, Mike led initiatives to secure, new and follow-on, equity and debt financing, in both public and private markets; manage cash in varying stages of growth or retraction, and increase/restore profitability.
  • Mike graduated from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN, with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and began his career with Arthur Andersen & Co, a big eight public accounting firm.  Mike also received his master’s in business administration degree from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN.
  • TPMA and Mike have led numerous engagements whereby they act as true operating partners with clients helping them and their stakeholders restore value and achieve the financial results/success they desire.
 [email protected]
 612.349.2745

Mike is an executive management consultant with over 40 years of financial and executive leadership experience. While being a Co-Founder/Owner and Partner of Turning Point Management Advisors LLC, Mike has also served as the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Restructuring Officer of several client companies. Mike is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Academy of Holy Angels, a private parochial high school in Richfield, MN.  He is also a member of the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees and chairs the Audit Committee.  Mike also served on the board of directors of the Turnaround Management Association, Upper Midwest Chapter, for six years.

After graduating from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN with a B.A. degree in accounting in 1979, Mike started his career as a Staff Auditor at Arthur Andersen & Co, a. big eight public accounting firm, in Des Moines, IA. He passed the CPA exam in 1981 and rose to Senior Auditor before leaving the firm in 1982.

In 1982, Mike joined Jostens, Inc., a Fortune 500, publicly held (NYSE – JOS), international manufacturing company based in Minneapolis, MN as a Senior Internal Auditor. In 1984, Mike accepted an Assistant Controller role at Jostens’ Artex Manufacturing Division based in Overland Park, KS and held that position until early 1986.

In March 1986, Mike joined National Computer Systems, Inc., a $250 Million, publicly held (NASDAQ – NLCS), software and information systems company based in Minneapolis, MN as Manager, Accounting & Financial Administration for the Education Group. Mike served in this role until 1989 when he accepted a promotion to Division Controller for a recently acquired education software business based in Mesa, AZ. In 1992, at the suggestion of senior leadership to pursue his goal of running a division within NCS, Mike made a career move into sales and marketing by accepting the role of Manager, Complementary Channels, a newly created position, responsible for the development and management of a national business partner program. Mike ran the business partner program for two years and exceeded the sales expectations set for the program in year one.

In April 1994, Mike followed his entrepreneurial instincts and made a career move accepting the CFO position with The Sled Dogs Company, a start-up manufacturer and distributor of snow skates for the newly created sport targeting the nearly 10 million inline skaters who did not participate in a winter sport. During his 3 and ½ year tenure, Mike successfully completed three private placements of equity and debt, post initial public offering (IPO), raising $5.5 million; restructured $1.8 million in creditor obligations to ensure continuing operations and negotiated a $2 million asset-based line of credit with Norwest Credit, Inc., (now Wells Fargo Business Credit).

In December 1997, Mike accepted the Vice President & Corporate Controller position with Health Fitness Corporation, a $40 million, publicly held (NASDAQ – HFIT), preventive and rehabilitative healthcare company that managed Fortune 500 corporate campus fitness centers and owned over 20 physical therapy clinics. During his tenure, Mike participated in the successful completion of a $12.5 million credit facility and $3.3 million private placement of equity that allowed the company to pursue its aggressive growth plans through acquisition and was involved in the completion of two physical therapy clinic acquisitions.

In March 1999, Mike accepted the role as Vice President, CFO and Secretary to the Board of NETRADIO Corporation, a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation, and a startup Internet radio webcasting company delivering 120 channels of originally programmed music to over 3 million monthly unique listeners, the largest Internet radio audience as measured by Arbitron. Mike was hired to complete an initial public offering of the company’s stock which was successfully completed in October 1999, raising $35 million in gross proceeds. In Mid-2001, Mike added the Chief Operating Officer role to his responsibilities.

In December 2003, Mike joined Distribution Dynamics, Inc., a $75 million, privately held, fastener distribution company that provided vendor-managed inventory services to large OEM’s, as their Senior Vice President and CFO. The company was financially distressed and in need of a turnaround. Along with senior leadership, Mike successfully completed a Bankruptcy Chapter 11, section 363, sales of assets to Anixter International, an industry competitor, maximizing the value obtained for secured creditors and preserving most of the existing jobs.

In January 2005, Mike accepted the Vice President, CFO role for Homecrest/HC Holdings, LLC, a $50 million, privately held, family-owned (for over 50 years), manufacturer and marketer of outdoor furniture for the residential and contract markets. The company was financially distressed and in need of a turnaround and refinancing. In mid-2005, Mike led the successful Article 9 foreclosure and sale of the company assets to a new investor group, assisted in the formation and capitalization of a new entity, HC Holdings, LLC that began operations under the Homecrest brand in October 2005. Through this process, Mike was also able to eliminate $4.5 million in predecessor company fixed costs and the manufacturing floor bargaining unit (union) contract. In December 2007, Mike completed a successful sale of the assets of the company to a new investor group.

Mr. Wise is a member in good standing with the Turnaround Management Association and Minnesota Society of CPAs, and a past member of Enterprise Minnesota, Manufacturing Alliance, The Collaborative and The Collaborative CFO Work Group.

Mike has a passion for helping companies turn the corner for success while preserving jobs and providing clients with strong and decisive leadership. Along with his Turning Point partner, Bob Silhacek, Turning Point Management Advisors has been awarded the “Turnaround of the Year” in 2012 for Centerline Tank and Trailer in Minnesota, the “Transaction of the Year” in 2014 for Mansfield Castings in Ohio, and the Turnaround of the Year in 2019 for Sivyer Steel Corporation in Iowa. These awards were presented by the Upper Midwest Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association.

Experience

  • Audit Senior, Arthur Andersen & Co – focus manufacturing, distribution, financial services.
  • CFO, Treasurer and Secretary of publicly held start-up manufacturer and distributor. Completed IPO.
  • VP, Corporate Controller of publicly held preventive and rehabilitative healthcare company
  • COO, CFO, Secretary of publicly held Internet radio webcasting company.  Completed IPO.
  • SVP, CFO of privately held fastener distributor and vendor managed inventory services company. Helped lead a Bankruptcy Chapter 11, section 363 sale of the company.
  • CFO of privately held manufacturer of outdoor furniture for the residential and commercial markets. Led a successful Article 9 foreclosure and sale of the company assets.
  • Founding partner and owner, Turning Point Management Advisors LLC.
  • Led turnarounds and transitions working as an operating partner of several manufacturing, distribution, retail, and service companies over the past 14 plus years.

Articles & Presentations

Honors & Education

  • University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN, BA Accounting, 1979
  • Passed Uniform CPA Exam, 1981
  • University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN, MBA, 1988
  • State of Minnesota, licensed CPA 1981 (Inactive)
  • Turnaround of the Year 2012 for Centerline Tank and Trailer, MN by Upper Midwest TMA
  • Transaction of the Year 2014 for Mansfield Castings, OH by Upper Midwest TMA
  • Turnaround of the Year 2019 for Sivyer Steel Corporation, IA by Upper Midwest TMA

Professional Activities

  • Partner and Founding Owner of Turning Point Management Advisors LLC 2009-Present
  • Board of Trustees, Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield, MN, 2018 – present; Member of Finance Committee, Audit Committee Chair
  • Board of Directors Upper Midwest Chapter, Turnaround Management Association
  • Member of TMA (Turnaround Management Association) present
  • Past Member of AICPA
  • Past member of the Collaborative and Collaborative CFO workgroup