Private Equity Club

At University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business FT MBA Program

Are the private markets calling?

The Private Equity Club (PEC) is Booth’s student community for those interested in exploring private equity

Technical Trainings and Workshops

Get access to modelling and financial trainings put on through PEC and partnerships with Training the Street and Elevate

Family groups

Learn from those in the field and second year students who have recruited for and worked in PE

Explore firms through PE City Treks

Meet with firms in New York, San Francisco, and our hometown of Chicago

Learn from industry veterans

Attend lunch-and-learns with firms and guest speakers visiting campus

Booth’s Annual Private Equity Conference

Join us March 6th, 2026 for the Booth Annual PE Conference. Speakers in past years have included Pete Stavros (KKR) and Carl Thoma (Thoma Bravo)

Join the community of Booth PE

Join an amazing community of students and alumni in private equity

Meet the 2026-2027 Co-Chairs

Programming & Career Services

Eno-Obong Okon

Programming || Communications || Career Services

Eno Okon is one of two PEC co-chairs primarily responsible for Programming and Career Services.
Eno began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Deutsche Bank’s Financial Sponsors group in New York City, working primarily on debt financing in support of new platform acquisitions and sell-side M&A for sponsor clients.
After his time in investment banking, Eno worked as a Private Equity Associate at Golden Gate Capital. In this role, he worked on new platform investments and add-on acquisitions, while also supporting portfolio companies across the Consumer and Software sectors.
He participated in the Winter session of the Private Equity Lab with Uncommon Equity in Chicago and will continue with the firm as an MBA Summer Intern, focused on investing in companies across the Consumer sector.
Eno was a member of the the winning team at the 2025 Water Street Private Equity Case Challenge (PECC).
Eno graduated with a B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University, where he also completed a triple minor in Business, Applied Economics, and Law & Society.

Zack Spear

Programming || Communications || Career Services

Zack Spear is one of two PEG co-chairs primarily responsible for Programming and Career Services
After beginning his career in the Consumer & Retail investment banking group at Wells Fargo, Zack worked as buyside analyst for Columbia Threadneedle covering small and mid-cap stocks before transitioning to private equity where he spent a couple of years at Silver Oak Services Partners completing deals in the healthcare services, consumer services, and business services sectors. While at Silver Oak, Zack also served on the Private Equity Association of Chicago’s board
Zack studied at Washington and Lee University where majored in Accounting & Business Administration and graduated magma cum laude and was a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma and Alpha Beta Psi honor societies
Currently Zack is an MBA Candidate at Chicago Booth where he is an 1898 scholarship recepient and is completing concentrations in finance and entrepreneurship. In addition to being a private equity co-chair, Zack is also a co-chair of the golf club and career advisor for private equity

Conference Leads

Ned Moreland

2027 Booth Private Equity Conference Co-lead

Ned Moreland is one of two PEC co-chairs primarily responsible for the 2027 Booth Private Equity Conference
Ned began his career at The Vanguard Group, later moving into corporate development and ultimately serving as chief of staff for the firm’s investment operations. Across these roles he partnered closely with senior leadership on M&A execution, strategic planning, and operational improvement, driving growth initiatives and building the operational infrastructure needed to scale.
Ned received his undergraduate degree from Bates College, with a focus in Economics / Japanese.
This summer, Ned will be interning with Thompson Street Capital Partners partnering with founder-led, middle-market businesses across the life sciences & healthcare, software & technology, and business & consumer services and products sectors, working with management teams to accelerate growth both organically and through complementary acquisitions. There, Ned will support the firm’s value-creation and operations efforts across the portfolio.
After Booth, Ned aims to continue in a value-creation / portfolio-operations role within private equity, with a sector interest in founder-led business services / software / healthcare, and a long-term goal of stepping into an operating leadership role within a portfolio company.

Adam Reed

2027 Booth Private Equity Conference Co-lead

Adam Reed is one of two PEG co-chairs primarily responsible for the 2027 Booth Private Equity Conference.
Adam began his career at Holleway Capital Partners, focused on investments in North American manufacturing and distribution firms, before joining RBC Capital Markets where he executed M&A transactions for Fortune 500 food and beverage firms.
Following RBC, Adam returned to private equity investing at Thompson Street Capital Partners where he completed control investments in software, healthcare, manufacturing, and business services companies. During his time at Thompson Street, Adam covered 9 portfolio companies as an Associate and Senior Associate.
At Booth, Adam participated in the spring section of the PE lab with The Stephens Group, and will be a summer intern at Vista Equity Partners, focused on investing in leading enterprise software businesses.
Adam led a team for the 2026 Booth Investment Thesis Challenge, in partnership with senior investment team members at a US mega-cap buyout fund, evaluating investments in engineering software.
Adam graduated with a BSBA from Washington University in St. Louis with a double major in Economics and Finance.

Trek Leads & Alumni Relations

Alonso García

New York Trek || East Coast Alumni Relations

Alonso Garcia is a PEC co-chair primarily responsible for planning the New York PE Trek and assisting with East Coast alumni networking and relations
Alonso started his career as an analyst at VACE Partners, a leading boutique investment banking firm in Mexico City, before moving to Rothschild & Co. During that time, he executed transactions accross M&A and debt restructurings
After spending time in investment banking, Alonso moved to Advent International. As a Senior Associate, he participated in deals across the healthcare, beauty & personal care, and logistics sectors. He also supported two portfolio companies and served as a board observer
Born and raised in Mexico City, Alonso holds a Master of Finance from EADA Business School in Barcelona and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering and Systems from Tecnológico de Monterrey. He graduated with Honors and Distinction from both programs

Jack Burns

Chicago Trek || Midwest Alumni Relations || Finance

Jack Burns is a PEC co-chair responsible for the Chicago PE Trek, Midwest alumni relations, and the club’s finances
Before Booth, Jack worked in Leveraged Finance at Capital One, where he underwrote leveraged buyouts, add-on acquisitions, refinancings, and dividend recapitalizations for middle-market private equity sponsors
During his first year at Booth, Jack interned through the Private Equity Lab with Bondy Capital, the single-family office of Craig Bondy, former Managing Partner at GTCR, where he evaluated co-investment opportunities and supported the firm’s fund commitment activity
Jack graduated from Miami University’s Farmer School of Business with a major in Finance
This summer, Jack will intern with Pritzker Alternative Strategies, a Chicago-based family-capital private equity platform, focused on co-investments, secondaries, and fund commitments alongside lower- and middle-market sponsors

John Joseph Watson

San Francisco Trek || West Coast Alumni Relations

John Joseph Watson is a PEC co-chair primarily responsible for planning the San Francisco PE Trek and assisting with West Coast alumni networking and relations
Before Booth, John Joseph was a Consultant at EY-Parthenon, a consulting firm, where he focused on commercial due diligence for private equity clients investing in the industrial, tech, and education sectors
John Joseph graduated with a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he completed engineering internships in petrochemicals, refining, and renewable energy
He was on the winning team at the 2025 Booth Private Equity Case Challenge (PECC) and took part in the Booth Investment Thesis Challenge
He participated in the winter section of the PE lab with Benford Capital Partners in Chicago and is continuing to work with them through the summer, focusing on investing in industrial, food and agricultural businesses