Historic storefronts along King Street in downtown Charleston, South Carolina

About Us

Senior-level attention, middle-market expertise, and plain-spoken advice to help business owners achieve their goals.

The Union Pier Advantage

Focus

We serve one market exceptionally well: family-owned businesses earning $1M-$20M in EBITDA. These companies are too sophisticated for generalists but too small to get attention from bulge bracket banks. We exist to change that.

With decades of experience, our Southeast-based team has national reach. Our senior team provides the expertise and dedicated attention that middle-market business owners deserve.

Specialties

With over 129 transactions across the Defense, Government, & Manufacturing space, and with managing directors having had direct experience as security industry professionals, government program managers and owner operators of Aerospace & Defense manufacturing firms we have unrivaled expertise in how to represent and transact companies within the ADGS market. No investment banking service provider comes close to the relationships we bring to the table across ADGS and the global security market.

Name

Map of the Charleston peninsula with Union Pier marked on the waterfront

Union Pier Capital takes its name from Charleston's historic waterfront crossroads, a place where partnerships were forged and commerce thrived for over two centuries. Like the original Union Pier, we connect business owners to opportunity.

PIER Core values

Two hands shaking

Partnership

We're not vendors; we're partners. Your success is our success. We bring senior-level expertise and treat every client relationship as a long-term commitment.

Shield with a check mark

Integrity

We do what's right, even when no one's watching. Straightforward advice. Transparent processes. No surprises. Your trust is our most valuable asset.

Gold star on a podium

Excellence

We deliver exceptional results through deep industry expertise, meticulous preparation, and relentless attention to detail. Your business deserves nothing less.

Two people seated at a table in conversation

Respect

We respect your business, your decisions, and your timeline. We listen more than we talk, and we never forget that this is your company, your legacy, your choice.

Significant Experience

318+

Transactions

$11.09B

Deal Value

8+

Core Industries

Our Team

Portrait of Kendall Holman, Senior Managing Director at Union Pier Capital

Senior Managing Director

Kendall Holman

Kendall Holman has over 35 years of experience in investment banking, advisory, and corporate finance, having participated in more than 300 transactions with a combined value exceeding $11 billion.

He has held senior investment banking roles at SouthTrust Corporation, Synovus Corporation, Protective Securities, and Oberon Securities, where he managed the aerospace and defense group. He also served as Senior Advisor to Ironwood Capital, a private equity fund specializing in mezzanine transactions. Earlier in his career he held positions at Chemical Bank and Credit Suisse.

He holds an MBA from Columbia University and a BA from Birmingham-Southern College.

Portrait of Sam Havelock, Managing Director at Union Pier Capital

Managing Director

Sam Havelock

Sam Havelock brings over 15 years of experience in investment banking, venture development, and strategic advisory, with deep expertise in aerospace, defense, and advanced manufacturing sectors.

He has held senior roles at Industrica, Inc., Federated Precision, and Pegasus Steel. He also served as a Major Program Manager at United States Special Operations Command, overseeing technology portfolios valued at over $1 billion.

He is the founder of SOFX Media, the world's largest industry-specific media property covering the global security and defense market.

Prior to his civilian career, he received his MBA from Duke University and served as a U.S. Navy SEAL and Marine Corps Officer.

Portrait of Emily Benjamin, Deal Manager at Union Pier Capital

Deal Manager

Emily Benjamin

Emily Benjamin has a strong foundation in deal execution, strategic outreach, and transaction management. She has direct experience managing the full lifecycle of a sell-side M&A engagement, including the development of marketing materials, buyer identification, and coordinating communications across a pipeline of over 200 prospective acquirers.

Drawing on her background in project management and business development at SOFX Network, Emily applies a disciplined approach to keeping complex transactions on track and clients well-served from first outreach through closing.

Emily graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of South Carolina.