Joe Kondrup Jr. is widely recognized as the equipment rental industry’s top M&A advisory expert. Joe has spent 25 years working in the rental industry, first as a co-founder of United Rentals in 1997 and then as the founder and CEO of Catalyst Strategic Advisors from 2008 through today.
Starting with United Rental’s formation, through its IPO and during the remarkable growth phase from 1997-2001, Joe personally managed over 100 of the company’s acquisitions. Following United Rental’s formative growth period, in addition to ongoing mergers and acquisitions, Joe was also responsible for the identification and development of new specialty rental segments, market planning and penetration, as well as management of the company’s real estate portfolio across the US and Canada.
Earlier in his career, he spent nearly two decades in the waste and environmental services industry. His first experience was a teenage summer job working for his dad at Superior Sanitation, a private waste company that was run by his father. Joe learned a lot from busting tires, servicing trucks and working route collection. From the mid-1980s, Joe served as general manager, and later as division president, for Waste Management where he experienced an M&A-driven culture. He saw the company achieve its first $1 billion and then $2 billion revenue years. At Waste Management, he learned to cultivate, negotiate and close transactions and integrate them into his operation. In the mid-1990s, Joe joined United Waste Systems where he focused exclusively on making acquisitions, as well as opening new territories and markets.
Through his decades of buy-side M&A experience, Joe learned first-hand what attributes virtually all buyers look for and value in a transaction. After years of executing acquisitions, Joe was inspired to start an M&A advisory firm dedicated to championing the goals of business owners. Joe applied his decades of experience and insights into creating plans and processes to help owners successfully navigate the market and transaction complexities necessary to monetize their businesses on their terms and for the best value.
Today, Joe is Catalyst’s CEO. He oversees a skilled team of M&A professionals that customizes a world-class transaction process for each and every client. Joe’s unmatched experience and deep industry connections still play an active role in helping clients maximize business value, attract multiple qualified buyers and complete win-win transactions.
