Bio

Steven E. Karol is the Managing Partner and Founder of Watermill Group. He has over 40 years of experience leading the acquisition activity for portfolio and client companies, strategy development and management of diverse operations from growth companies to turnarounds. Additionally, Steve is Chairman of the Board and CEO of HMK Enterprises, Inc., a privately held investment company. Steve is currently a member of the Board of Directors for Carpenter Technology Corporation (NYSE: CRS) and a member of the Board of Advisors for J. Walter Company. He has also served as Chairman of the Board of Mooney Aircraft Company, Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of StockerYale, and as a Director of Jeepers! Inc., Intelligent Energy Limited and Inter-Tel Corp. Steve is also strongly involved in a variety of non-profit organizations. He is currently a member of World President’s Organization (WPO) and has served as a member of the leadership team for the Young President’s Organization (YPO). While with YPO, Steve served on the International Board of Directors (1991- 2001), Chairman of Strategic Planning (1993 – 1996), and as International President (1999 to 2001). He is the outgoing Chairman of the Board of Advisors for the School of Engineering of Tufts University, a member of the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee for Tufts University, and is a recipient of the 2009 Tufts Distinguished Service Award. He is Past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Vermont Academy where he served as Chairman from 2004 to 2012, and was awarded the prestigious Condict Cup in May of 2012. He is Director Emeritus of the Brain Tumor Society and as Director he led the original strategy development process at its beginning. In addition, Steve is a co-founder and President of the Herbert M. Karol Cancer Foundation. He formerly served as a member of the Board of Overseers of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and as a Trustee and member of the Executive Committee of the Boston Ballet, where he is now a Trustee Emeritus. He also serves as the Chairman of the Louisburg Square Proprietors, and as a member of the Wings Neck Trust Finance and Investment Committees. Steve received his B.S. from Tufts University, and he is a graduate of the Presidents’ Program on Leadership (PPL) at Harvard Business School. Steve is married with three children and resides in Boston’s Beacon Hill. He likes tennis and golf and is an avid pilot, horseback rider, cyclist, sailor, reader and wine collector.