Bob Gray brings more than four decades of successful business experience as an entrepreneur, negotiator, and corporate executive in several industries to his M&A practice. Mr. Gray has a highly successful track record in senior operating roles with several public and privately held companies.  Mr. Gray joined Kensington as Principal in 2007.  His role with the firm is to initiate and execute M&A sell and buy-side transactions.

Mr. Gray has an extensive background in acquiring companies on behalf of shareholders and for personal investment purposes. His M&A specialty is identifying right-fit acquisition opportunities on behalf of Kensington’s buy-side clients His many years of direct experience in implementing corporate growth strategies provides for a practical perspective and value added benefits in managing buy-side engagements.

Mr.Gray’s corporate M&A experience includes analysis of hundreds of businesses for operational and valuation purposes. In addition, Mr. Gray can also effectively assist business owners in determining the best strategy to execute in situations that entail the sale of their business. His many years of operational “hands on” experience gives him a unique understanding of the deal issues confronting sellers in disposition assignments, and buyer challenges involved in targeting acquisition opportunities. 

Currently he is Chairman of the Board of two privately held companies headquartered in Naperville, Illinois. Mr. Gray’s business accomplishments also includes being President of Federal Signal Corporation’s Sign Group.  Federal Signal, a New York Stock Exchange company, was one of the oldest and largest on premise graphics communications companies in the United States. While at Federal Signal, Mr. Gray played a leading role in developing and implemented a successful business strategy to grow this business group through acquisitions and organic growth. In addition, he has served as CEO of several different companies ranging in size from 25 to 1,000 employees.

During his years in the sign industry, Mr. Gray also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Electric Sign Association (now known as the International Sign Association), a trade association, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, representing the $30 billion sign industry with over 1,900 members.

Mr. Gray received a BA at Lewis University and subsequently attended the Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Michigan, where he completed the Executive Management Program.