Ben Eakes

Managing Partner

Pickleball Court

As a co-founder and managing partner of Crossplane Capital, Ben is responsible for sourcing and closing transactions with significant cash and profitability improvement opportunities and overseeing the lifecycle of the portfolio.

Experience

Prior to co-founding Crossplane Capital, Ben was a managing director with the middle market private equity firm Prophet Equity. During his nine years at Prophet Equity, Ben was responsible for sourcing and managing acquisitions with significant value creation upside. He served on the boards of directors for Public Safety Supply Resources, CID Resources, Ace Asphalt of Arizona, and Brown Brothers Asphalt and Concrete.

Prior to Prophet Equity, Ben was a principal with lower middle market private equity firm, SunTx Capital Partners. He joined the firm in 2002 and was responsible for all stages of the investment process including sourcing, analyzing and closing new investment opportunities and overseeing the implementation of post-closing operational initiatives. Ben began his career as a senior associate consultant with Bain & Company. There he focused on business unit strategy, turnaround strategy, and M&A due diligence for clients in the aerospace, automotive, IT services and specialty manufacturing industries.

Board Positions

Education

  • Southern Methodist University, BA, Public Policy, BBA, Finance

Personal

Born and raised in Nebraska, Ben comes from a family of entrepreneurs and small business owners. His personal and professional experiences align well with the lower middle market businesses that Crossplane Capital targets. Ben is a board member of the SMU Mustang Club and is a former board member and Chairman of Interfaith Family Services. Away from the office, Ben enjoys spending time with his family, cycling and playing pickleball. He is allergic to chicken.