Bryce Stirlen Joins FOCUS Investment Banking as Managing Director
Washington, DC (March 13, 2025) – FOCUS Investment Banking, a premier middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce that Bryce Stirlen, will join FOCUS’s Advanced Manufacturing Group as Managing Director. With decades of experience, Mr. Stirlen brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the firm. He has advised on multiple mergers, acquisitions, restructuring and capital markets transactions. Providing customized solutions on complex transactions, Mr. Stirlen has worked for multinational clients across several sectors such as aerospace, defense, automotive, transportation, consumer, healthcare, and general manufacturing and industrials.
Prior to joining FOCUS, Mr. Stirlen held investment banking roles at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, J.P. Morgan, and Houlihan Lokey. Throughout his career, he has advised a distinguished roster of clients, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Collins Aerospace, Textron, ATK, Azimuth Technologies, Chrysler/Fiat (Stellantis), CNH, Dana, Magna, Shiloh, Windsor Quality Foods, Helen of Troy, Michael Foods, Pinnacle Foods (Pinnacle/Blackstone), Weber, Mattel, ICON Health & Fitness, Brunswick, Pepsi, Sigma Alimentos, and Bar-S Foods.
“We are excited to welcome Bryce to the FOCUS team,” said Stan Gowisnock, Chief Strategic Advisor of FOCUS Investment Banking. “His deep financial expertise and strategic insight across a wide range of sectors make him an invaluable resource for our clients.”
Mr. Stirlen brings a unique skill set to the FOCUS clientele with real world experience advising middle market firms on strategic, operational and financial management, as well as turnarounds. He was also a business owner and operator bringing exceptional understanding and insight on business challenges and opportunities.
“I’m excited to join the FOCUS team and collaborate with such a talented group of professionals,” commented Mr. Stirlen. “I look forward to leveraging my experience to deliver strategic solutions and drive exceptional results for our clients.”
FOCUS’s addition of Mr. Stirlen reinforces the firm’s commitment to delivering exceptional strategic guidance and financial expertise to its clients. His deep industry knowledge and proven track record will further strengthen FOCUS’s ability to drive successful outcomes for companies in the advanced manufacturing industry.
Mr. Gowisnock has helped businesses thrive through industry ups and downs by continuously challenging what’s expected and by identifying opportunities to stand out in a crowded marketplace. He helps companies create customer experiences, digital strategies, and rapid innovations by combining design methods and emerging technologies and data that excite and retain Fortune 100 clients. In addition, he is highly skilled in cross border transactions both on the buy and sell sides.
He also helps deliver marquis customer acquisition and retention solutions by connecting and unifying disciplines, diverse mindsets, and organizational functions in pursuit of customer satisfaction and corporate values.
Before joining FOCUS, Mr. Gowisnock was President and CEO of Cardone Industries, a leading global automotive manufacturer with more than 45,000 products and 6,000 employees in the U.S., China, Canada and Mexico. He helped engineer the sale of Cardone to Brookfield Asset Management, a private equity group with more than $500 million in assets. Prior to Cardone, Mr. Gowisnock was President and CEO of DST Inc., where he directed the digitalization of the company’s automotive supply chain prior to its sale to Solera Holdings, Inc.
Mr. Gowisnock earned a degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Bridgeport.
