Andy and Taylor Moore launched the Carlson Private Capital platform for the Carlson family in late 2018. He has spent over twenty-five years as an investor in the private investment industry; primarily focused on private equity and family capital investing. Prior to leading Carlson Private Capital, Andy was Partner at Norwest Equity Partners, a middle market private equity firm headquartered in Minneapolis that has raised over $7.0 billion in capital. Andy has worked closely with founders, management teams and served on numerous boards of private companies across a variety of industries including industrial, distribution, consumer, building products, and business and tech-enabled services. Andy worked earlier in his career at Northwestern Mutual Capital and ABN AMRO Bank.  Andy graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and received his M.B.A from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Early jobs and what did you learn most/like best? Paperboy, dishwasher, retail, cleaning golf clubs/picking the driving range. You name it, I probably did it. My favorite story is toting Coca-Cola through Camp Randall stadium (the Badgers were terrible then) when I was a kid wearing a triangle paper hat. The students loved throwing marshmallows stuffed with pennies to try and knock the hat off my head as I walked up and down the stairs in the student section.

Where did you grow up? I lived in a small farm town (at least back then), outside of Madison, called Waunakee. No stop lights then and only the Waun-a-Bowl, O'Malley's Farm Café, and a Hardee’s restaurant. My family moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin before my freshman year at Aquinas High School. Both great places to grow up, test the boundaries of youth, and keep you humble.

Perfect Saturday? Easy. With my wife, Molly, watching a subset of my five kids play sports, hopefully coaching them in some regard in the morning. A Badger football game victory in the Big Ten Championship over Ohio State or Michigan in the evening following Wisconsin basketball beating Marquette or some highly ranked ACC team in the non-conference that afternoon. Probably a Spotted Cow or two sprinkled in. Likely early December to be exact.

What word best defines you? Passionate

What life event best defines you? Losing my father to a heart attack at age 17. He was my best friend and instilled in me a positive attitude no matter what and still gives me the motivation to try to be the best dad and person I can be.

History with your own family businesses? My great, great grandfather who immigrated from Ireland and fought in the Civil War started the Cantwell Printing Company in Madison, Wisconsin in 1867 that was in our family for multiple generations. Sadly, the family lost the business (and almost everything) in the 1950’s and my father and his nine siblings grew up in dire financial straits. I still hear the stories about the business to this day from my uncles and aunts. My older brother owns a bar/restaurant in Madison called the Oakcrest Tavern; always voted a top Fish Fry in Madison.

Most influential person to you — personally and professionally? Personally, my dad. Professionally, John Lindahl, the founder of Norwest Equity Partners. He was a great mentor and embodies to me what it means to be a successful business person but an even better, or more successful, person.

What experience or thoughts translate best to a family/founder business? I think an ability to relate. Not only to the owners but also to the employees and their families. My parents worked two jobs; I was a 1980's “latch key” kid. My dad was a traveling, route-based salesman and my mom was an assembly-line factory worker and retail clerk. I was fortunate to be the first one in my family to graduate from a four-year college and I paid my own way. I think I understand it’s about the people, their families and communities, not just about quarterly financials.