Keith Olson

Keith Olson is associated with Granite Partners (formerly Granite Equity Partners), a St. Cloud, Minnesota–based private investment and holding company founded in 2002 by Rick Bauerly. His LinkedIn profile lists Granite Partners as his employer and Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business as his education. The firm's own contact record and third-party investor databases list him on the investment side of the organization with the title "Director of Investments."

It is worth flagging a verification limit: as of this research, Keith Olson does not appear on Granite Partners' current public team roster (which names investment professionals such as Meg Hickey McGuire, Managing Director, Investments; Natalie Peikrishvili, Investment Director; and investment managers Jacob Rice and Jack Schneeman). His association with the firm is supported by his firm email ([hidden]), his LinkedIn, and investor aggregators, but his exact current title and tenure could not be independently confirmed from a primary firm source. The "Director of Investments" title should therefore be treated as reported rather than firm-verified.

The firm itself is a distinctive, mission-driven organization. Rather than the traditional "buy to sell" private-equity model, Granite pursues "private, local, long-term, and stakeholder-oriented ownership," explicitly targeting retiring Minnesota business owners who want to preserve their company's legacy and protect employees. Founder Rick Bauerly has summarized it as: "We aren't interested in buying to sell, we are interested in partnering with companies for the long term." Granite describes itself as a community of 300+ invested members, 140+ advisory/service partners, and roughly 39 platform and add-on businesses, organized around a stated goal of "100-year sustainability."

*(Note: a stated personal investment thesis attributable specifically to Keith Olson could not be located; the above reflects Granite Partners' firm-level thesis.)*

• Buy-and-hold, not buy-to-sell. The core thesis is permanent or very long-term ownership of established companies, positioned as an alternative to conventional PE flips or strategic/corporate consolidation.
• Succession-driven deals. Granite targets retiring owners of established, Minnesota-connected companies who care about legacy, employees, and community continuity — the firm markets itself as the buyer that keeps the company local and intact.
• Established companies over startups. Investments are control positions in mature, cash-generating B2B businesses — manufacturing, engineered/industrial products, medical and life-science tools, and public-safety technology — rather than seed or early-stage venture bets.
• Stakeholder orientation. The firm's stated mission is "We grow companies to create value for all stakeholders," emphasizing growth in leadership, team engagement, revenue, productivity, and overall enterprise value.
• Minnesota-first geography. Deal sourcing centers on Minnesota-connected companies, with operations run out of St. Cloud and St. Louis Park.