Our Team
Leading the way.
The Fortune Group team brings integrity and passion to every engagement. We’re a highly collaborative team joined by shared beliefs: that authenticity and candor are essential for bringing value to our clients, that confidentiality is of the utmost importance, and that our cross-industry and cross-border experience gives us unique perspective that will fuel results for our clients. These beliefs continue to be the source of our success.
Paul C. Schnoebelen III
Managing Director and President
Paul’s investment banking career spans over 40 years and includes advising both public and private companies in the evaluation and completion of merger, acquisition, restructuring and financing transactions. He has represented clients across a wide range of industries, with special expertise in industrial, consumer products, manufacturing, distribution, and business services companies.
Since joining The Fortune Group in 1995, Paul has focused exclusively on advising family-owned, founder-led, and entrepreneur-owned businesses. He works closely with owners and management teams to achieve their strategic and financial objectives through mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and recapitalization transactions.
Prior to The Fortune Group, Paul held senior investment banking positions at U.S. Bank (formerly First Bank System) and Lehman Brothers. He is registered with FINRA as a Series 24 General Securities Principal, Series 82 Limited Representative-Private Securities Offerings, and Series 63 Uniform Securities Agent.
MBA, Harvard Business School
BS, Civil Engineering, University of Missouri–Rolla, summa cum laude
John H. Hull
Managing Director
John has devoted his career to advising middle-market companies on a wide range of transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and strategic recapitalizations. For more than 25 years at The Fortune Group, he has partnered with owners of privately held businesses to navigate complex transactions and achieve successful outcomes. Earlier in his career, John practiced transactional law and worked as a commercial banker, giving him a well-rounded foundation in both the legal and financial aspects of deal-making.
John is recognized for his results-driven approach, grounded in integrity, sound judgment, and a deep commitment to his clients’ objectives. He brings energy, creativity, and disciplined execution to every engagement, earning the trust and long-term respect of clients, counterparties, and professional advisors.
In addition to his advisory work, John has held leadership roles in M&A industry organizations, authored articles for trade publications, and spoken at business forums on transaction-related topics. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Washington University in St. Louis. John is registered with FINRA and holds Series 24, 82, and 63 licenses.
An active member of his community, John has served in volunteer leadership roles with several nonprofit organizations, including his church, youth sports programs, and local business groups.
JD, Washington University in St. Louis, Order of the Coif
MBA, University of Kansas
BA, Mid-America Nazarene University, cum laude
David B. Mueller
Managing Director
Prior to joining The Fortune Group in 2001, David was active in mergers and acquisitions for 25 years, most recently as Chief Operating Officer and Director of Spartech Corporation, a leading plastics company listed on the NYSE.
During his tenure with Spartech, David helped grow the company from a ten plant U.S. operation with $160 million in sales to an international operation with more than fifty plants and sales approaching $1 billion due in part to an aggressive acquisition strategy. Prior to Spartech, David worked at Arthur Andersen LLP and served as the Corporate Controller of Apex Oil Company. David is a certified public accountant.
BS, Accounting, University of Missouri–Columbia
Matthew R. Krieg
Managing Director
Matt has extensive investment banking and consulting experience that spans across CPG and retail, industrial products, energy, healthcare products and services, and business services.
Matt joined The Fortune Group from a boutique St. Louis investment banking group where he advised on sell-side and buy-side transactions as well as debt and equity capital raises for early-stage growth companies. Prior to his boutique banking experience, Matt launched the Stockholm, Sweden office of Fahrenheit 212, a growth strategy consulting firm dedicated to product and service innovation. He has worked in both investment banking and private equity for Harris Williams & Co. and BW Forsyth Partners, respectively.
Matt is an avid squash player and enjoys playing music with his jazz quintet and in his church band.
MBA, University of Virginia Darden School of Business
BA, Washington & Lee University, cum laude
Nicola Pipoli
Senior Associate
Nicola comes from 5 years of investment banking experience, with exposure to business services, industrials, healthcare devices and consumer/B2B IT. Prior to joining The Fortune Group, Nicola worked at a boutique St. Louis investment banking group where he focused on sell-side and buy-side engagements as well as debt and equity capital raises for early-stage companies. Nicola is originally from Italy, and played Division 1 tennis at Monmouth University, where he was captain of the tennis team and nationally ranked in single, doubles as well as with his team in the NCAA D1 tennis rankings. Nicola is an avid fan of Italian soccer team F.C. Internazionale.
BSBA – Finance and Economics | Monmouth University.
M.S. Applied Financial Economics | Saint Louis University