Cary Hess, an Associate on the Industrials & Energy team at FOCUS brings a wealth of expertise in working with privately held companies and high net worth individuals. Cary began his career at Merrill Lynch in 2015, joining Merrill Lynch’s Private Wealth Management division after completing the Financial Advisor Development Program. As a partner on the Leven Team, he led efforts in advising privately held companies in the Houston area and provided specialized services to corporate executives of publicly traded firms.

At Merrill Lynch, Cary managed his team’s investment banking initiatives, coordinating with Merrill Lynch’s middle-market advisory group and external partners to offer comprehensive investment banking solutions. His experience includes guiding business owners through complex transactions such as mergers, acquisitions, capital raises, ESOP strategies, and recapitalizations. Cary has also worked with C-suite executives to design concentrated stock and diversification strategies, leveraging his skills to meet the needs of both private and public company stakeholders.

Cary is active in his community, having served on the board of the Fort Bend History Association and volunteers with the Alzheimer’s Association of Houston. He was a board member of Houston Young Professionals Against Alzheimer’s and contributed to the Houston ‘Walk to End Alzheimer’s’ Committee. In his free time, Cary enjoys skiing, fishing, hunting, and exploring American and world history.

Cary holds a BSBA in Finance with a specialization in Banking and Financial Institutions from the University of Nebraska and an MBA from Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business.