Hi, I’m John Fox.  After spending my formative years on my family’s farm and in the Coast Guard, I led dozens of acquisitions and learned that business owners are often unsatisfied with traditional business buyers.  Unfortunately, most owners do not figure it out until it’s too late, so I formed Semper to create a better option for business sellers.

Many owner-operators have difficulty finding a capable successor to replace everything they do.  People with business and military leadership experience perform very well in this role given their history leading in challenging environments.  I’ve screened hundreds of veterans to find several excellent leaders who want to be your successor.

Over the past 15 years, I led the purchase or sale of dozens of founder-led businesses while working at Novanta, Boeing, and Morgan Stanley.  Before that, I spent seven years as a Coast Guard officer and voluntarily deployed for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM as the Executive Officer of the Coast Guard’s patrol boat forces.  I graduated from the Coast Guard Academy (BS), Princeton (MEng), and Dartmouth (MBA).  I plan to spend the next 25 years taking great care of the handful of businesses Semper acquires.

Semper comes from the Coast Guard’s motto, Semper Paratus, which is Latin for Always Ready.  It’s also part of the motto of the Marine Corps (Semper Fidelis), Navy (Semper Fortis), as well as Army and Air Force units.  Semper is our name given the importance of the Coast Guard in my life, our veteran focus, and our desire for long-term ownership.