Artisan Investment Banking
Hands-on, high service
M&A advice to family
and privately-held
businesses.
Unique Insight and Experience
Who We Are
Credibility is our Craft.
We are not your typical investment bank. We are not a high-volume firm, nor are we a broker. We are a trusted partner and steward to family and privately-held businesses who have a story to tell. We advise our clients on achieving liquidity or preparing for future growth through M&A, private capital formation, capital structure advisory, as well as family business / board consulting and shareholder engagement.
We advise entrepreneurial, family and privately held clients throughout the transaction process continuum, whether to achieve liquidity through the partial or majority sale of a business or scale through acquired growth, our job is to tell your story and optimize shareholder outcomes.
We provide our clients with flexible institutional and private financing solutions including debt, equity and hybrid capital for liquidity or growth. We assist in identifying potential investors, developing terms unique to our clients’ needs, and structuring the transaction.
We provide clients with comprehensive capital structure, liquidity and liability management in connection with distressed or other unique balance sheet situations.
We provide advice to management teams, family stakeholders and Boards of Directors on critical operational and strategic matters that require intimate shareholder advocacy, interaction and support.
Our Expertise
Specialists in Veterinary Services, Consumer and Business Services Transactions
Consumer and Business Services transaction generalists with deep expertise in veterinary services and other multi-unit consumer concepts
Stewards of your Story
Our team of investment banking professionals are true experts at telling our clients’ stories. We bring unique and uncompromised perspective to each engagement and are trusted and personally committed to client success.
John Pollock
John is a founding member of Artisan. John has built an extensive career in middle-market investment banking advising public and privately-held businesses across a broad range of industries, notably franchising, consumer, and healthcare. In his 30+ years of transaction experience, John has completed hundreds of M&A, capital formation, and shareholder engagement assignments.
Previously, John held senior-level leadership roles across several prominent middle-market investment banks, including his role as Managing Director and Group Head for Fifth Third’s Healthcare M&A business. John also has unique entrepreneurial investment banking experience, having been a founding member, partner, and selling shareholder with notable middle-market M&A firms Edgeview Partners and Bowles Hollowell Connor & Co. as those firms went through acquisitions by larger banks.
John started his career in the publishing industry, working for Fortune and Sports Illustrated magazines. He received a B.A. from Hampden-Sydney College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Professional Credentials:
FINRA Registered Representative: Series 24, 79, 63,
jpollock@artisanib.com 
(704) 808 0235 Ashley Colmenero
Ashley is a founding member of Artisan. Ashley has 15+ years of transaction advisory experience and has worked extensively with founder-owned businesses as well as Fortune 500 companies across multiple industries, including franchising, consumer, and healthcare.
Previously, Ashley has held roles with several middle-market investment banking firms, including leadership positions with Fifth Third’s Healthcare Investment Banking Group as well as The McLean Group where she provided M&A and growth capital advisory services to middle-market healthcare and franchising business owners.
Ashley received her B.A. from The Ohio State University and formerly served in the military as a Staff Sergeant in the Ohio Air National Guard.
Ashley currently serves on the board of the Cincinnati Health Department’s Primary Care Centers.
Professional Credentials:
FINRA Registered Representative: Series 79, 63
Will Lichtenfels
Will is a founding member of Artisan. Will leverages 5+ years of M&A and capital raising transaction execution experience across various industries, including consumer and retail, business services, healthcare services, and defense and government services. Prior to Artisan, Will was a founding member of a Washington D.C.-based boutique financial advisory firm focused on middle-market M&A and private capital formation.
Will holds bachelor’s degrees in Finance and Music from the College of William and Mary.
Professional Credentials:
FINRA Registered Representative: Series 79, 63
Ian Moritz
Ian joined Artisan in January 2023. Prior to Artisan, Ian was an Analyst with PNC Capital Markets, where he advised on numerous public and private financings and strategic alternative mandates for large financial institutions. Ian is also a passionate graphic designer and avid golfer.
Ian holds a bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Trinity College in Hartford, CT.
Professional Credentials:
FINRA Registered Representative: Series 7, 79, 63
John Pollock
John is a founding member of Artisan. John has built an extensive career in middle-market investment banking advising public and privately-held businesses across a broad range of industries, notably franchising, consumer, and healthcare. In his 30+ years of transaction experience, John has completed hundreds of M&A, capital formation, and shareholder engagement assignments.
Previously, John held senior-level leadership roles across several prominent middle-market investment banks, including his role as Managing Director and Group Head for Fifth Third’s Healthcare M&A business. John also has unique entrepreneurial investment banking experience, having been a founding member, partner, and selling shareholder with notable middle-market M&A firms Edgeview Partners and Bowles Hollowell Connor & Co. as those firms went through acquisitions by larger banks.
John started his career in the publishing industry, working for Fortune and Sports Illustrated magazines. He received a B.A. from Hampden-Sydney College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Professional Credentials:
FINRA Registered Representative: Series 24, 79, 63,
Ashley Colmenero
Ashley is a founding member of Artisan. Ashley has 15+ years of transaction advisory experience and has worked extensively with founder-owned businesses as well as Fortune 500 companies across multiple industries, including franchising, consumer, and healthcare.
Previously, Ashley has held roles with several middle-market investment banking firms, including leadership positions with Fifth Third’s Healthcare Investment Banking Group as well as The McLean Group where she provided M&A and growth capital advisory services to middle-market healthcare and franchising business owners.
Ashley received her B.A. from The Ohio State University and formerly served in the military as a Staff Sergeant in the Ohio Air National Guard.
Ashley currently serves on the board of the Cincinnati Health Department’s Primary Care Centers.
Professional Credentials:
FINRA Registered Representative: Series 79, 63
Will Lichtenfels
Will is a founding member of Artisan. Will leverages 5+ years of M&A and capital raising transaction execution experience across various industries, including consumer and retail, business services, healthcare services, and defense and government services. Prior to Artisan, Will was a founding member of a Washington D.C.-based boutique financial advisory firm focused on middle-market M&A and private capital formation.
Will holds bachelor’s degrees in Finance and Music from the College of William and Mary.
Professional Credentials:
FINRA Registered Representative: Series 79, 63
Ian Moritz
Ian joined Artisan in January 2023. Prior to Artisan, Ian was an Analyst with PNC Capital Markets, where he advised on numerous public and private financings and strategic alternative mandates for large financial institutions. Ian is also a passionate graphic designer and avid golfer.
Ian holds a bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Trinity College in Hartford, CT.
Professional Credentials:
FINRA Registered Representative: Series 7, 79, 63
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