Interview with Joe Golden, Managing Director, Mufson Howe Hunter

Joe Golden is a managing director at Philadelphia-based Mufson Howe Hunter & Co. LLC, an investment bank founded in 2004 by a group of investment bankers with the goal of providing unbiased strategic guidance to middle-market companies. The firm has focused on sell-side M&A, creating liquidity events for family-held companies and enabling private placements of growth capital.

“We are focused primarily on second-, third- generation owner-founders who want to move their business so that they can monetize all their hard work over the years,” Golden, an industry veteran, told citybiz.co Editor and Publisher Edwin Warfield in an interview.

Golden has had notable stints at The McLean Group and Arthur Andersen, which later morphed into present-day Accenture. He is one of Mufson Howe’s top investment bankers, each of whom has over 25 years of professional experience. An alumnus of Virginia Tech and McDaniel College, Golden previously founded middle market investment bank BGX Advisory LLC in 2020. Mufson Howe is led by managing partner Michael Mufson and has built a practice focused on four areas — Business Services; Consumer Products Services; Industrial & Specialty Distribution; and Technology &IT Services.

In the interview, Golden spoke about a range of subjects including GovCon, or government contracting, and potential challenges and opportunities emerging under the second Trump presidency. He cited the firm’s role in the sale of Westford, Mass.-based Verocel to Wisk, a Boeing subsidiary, saying it was “emblematic” of the government contracting marketplace.

Donald Trump’s second term as president is notably roiling GovCon, mainly on account of the widespread and massive cuts carried out by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under billionaire Elon Musk. The bid to slash government spending has raised serious concerns among GovCon companies, and it is not clear what the future might hold. Still, Golden says, there is opportunity as much as challenge in the emerging environment.

“Change is inevitable,” Golden asserted, adding that the volatile market is certain to throw up ample opportunities for both buyers and sellers. Mufson Howe is itself positioned well to identify opportunities for GovCon companies, especially those in intel and defense, he added.

Connect with Joe on LinkedIn

Interview questions:

Introduction |In November 2023, you joined Mufson Howe Hunter in the DC/Northern Virginia area. Prior to joining, you were the founder and Managing Partner of BGX Advisory. Tell us about the decision to join Mufson Howe Hunter.

Mufson Howe Hunter | Can you introduce Mufson Howe Hunter and how they compete in the middle market investment banking space.

Deals | What are some of the recent deals that you had led for Mufson Howe Hunter?

Government Services | Given your location in Northern Virginia, how important is government services?

Industries | What industry sectors are Mufson Howe Hunter focused on?

Manufacturing Update | Mufson Howe Hunter recently published a Q4 2024 Manufacturing Update. Can you share some of the highlights of the update?

Team | Who are the other key Mufson Howe Hunter team members?

Philadelphia-based Mufson Howe Hunter & Co. LLC was formed in 2004 by a group of like-minded investment bankers with the goal of providing unbiased strategic guidance to middle-market companies. The firm has focused on sell side M&A, focusing on middle market liquidity events for family held companies as well as private placements of growth capital. Led by managing partner Michael Mufson he and each of the firm’s senior investment bankers has over 25 years of professional experience. The firm’s practice, broadly, consists of four industry areas of focus: Business Services; Consumer Products Services; Industrial & Specialty Distribution; and Technology &IT Services.

Recent articles:

Mufson Howe Hunter – Manufacturing Update – Q4 2024

Mufson Howe Hunter – Mergers & Acquisitions Update: The Middle Market Year End 2024

Mufson Howe Hunter & Co. Advises Straub Metal International in Acquisition by Norfolk Iron & Metal

Mufson Howe Hunter’s Consumer Products Update – December 2024 Issue

Mufson Howe Hunter – Manufacturing Update December 2024