Brian Knez
Founder at Castanea Partners Inc
Profile
Prior to co-founding Castanea, I held a variety of roles in our family business starting as Assistant to the President of General Cinema Beverages and ultimately serving as a director and co-CEO of Harcourt General and The Neiman Marcus Group.
I’ve had the opportunity over the years to help build some great businesses and, both previously and now at Castanea, the privilege to work with many super-talented colleagues, investment partners, founders, and managers.
I’m particularly proud of the culture here at Castanea which embraces a spirit of passion for our work, mutual respect and, perhaps above all else, a commitment to integrity and fair dealing.
This commitment is reflected in honest and supportive relationships with our partners and our belief that together we are creating significant and lasting economic value.
I grew up in Tucson, Arizona and graduated from the University of Arizona.
Later, I received my JD from Boston College Law School and subsequently practiced corporate law at Choate Hall & Stewart in Boston.
I have five beautiful children and have been inspired as a result to share our good fortune through community service.
I’m a director and member of the executive committee at The Boys and Girls Club of Boston and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, a trustee at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and an overseer at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
Brian Knez active positions
| Companies | Position | Start |
|---|---|---|
Castanea Partners Inc
 Castanea Partners Inc Investment ManagersFinance Castanea Partners Inc (Castanea Partners) is a private equity firm founded in 2001 by Robert A. Smith and Brian J. Knez. The firm is headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts. | Founder | - |
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc.
 Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. Hospital/Nursing ManagementHealth Services Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. provides treatment to cancer patients and also researches new cancer diagnostics, treatments, and preventions. The firm's patients receive treatment through its cancer centers operated with Brigham and Women's Hospital, Children's Hospital Boston, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The company was founded by Sidney Farber in 1947 and is headquartered in Boston, MA. | Director/Board Member | - |
Yasso, Inc.
 Yasso, Inc. Food RetailRetail Trade Yasso, Inc. manufactures frozen yogurt desserts. It offers bars in raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, vanilla bean, mango, and coconut flavors. The company was founded by Amanda Klane and Andrew Harrington in 2009 and is headquartered in Quincy, MA. | Director/Board Member | - |
Former positions of Brian Knez
| Companies | Position | End |
|---|---|---|
| NEIMAN MARCUS GROUP LTD LLC | Director/Board Member | 2005-10-05 |
| Harcourt General, Inc. | Corporate Officer/Principal | 2000-12-30 |
General Cinema Corp.
 General Cinema Corp. Movies/EntertainmentConsumer Services General Cinema Corp. operates chain of movie theatre's. The company was founded by Philip Smith in 1935 and is headquartered in Chestnut Hill, MA. | Corporate Officer/Principal | - |
Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP
 Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP Miscellaneous Commercial ServicesCommercial Services Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP provides legal services. It offers services in the areas of private equity, technology, intellectual property, mergers & acquisitions, commercial litigation, and insurance & reinsurance litigation. The company was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Boston, MA. | Corporate Officer/Principal | - |
The Research Libraries Group, Inc.
 The Research Libraries Group, Inc. Internet Software/ServicesTechnology Services The Research Libraries Group, Inc. provides information access and management services. The firm is comprised of research libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural memory institutions. The company was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Mountain View, CA. | Corporate Officer/Principal | - |
Training of Brian Knez
| Boston College | Graduate Degree |
| University of Arizona | Undergraduate Degree |
Experiences
Positions held
Connections
1st degree connections
1st degree companies
Male
Female
Members of the board
Executives
Linked companies
| Private companies | 10 |
|---|---|
| Harcourt General, Inc. | Retail Trade |
The Neiman Marcus Group LLC
 The Neiman Marcus Group LLC Department StoresRetail Trade Part of Neiman Marcus Group, Inc., The Neiman Marcus Group LLC is a company that offers free shipping and free returns on their website. The company is based in Dallas, TX. The Neiman Marcus Group was acquired by Warburg Pincus & Company US LLC on October 06, 2005 for $4,894.38 million. The company sells the latest styles from top designers such as Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Burberry, Christian Louboutin, Kate Spade, and more. The company was founded in 1907. Geoffroy van Raemdonck has been the CEO of the company since 2018. | Retail Trade |
Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP
Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP Miscellaneous Commercial ServicesCommercial Services Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP provides legal services. It offers services in the areas of private equity, technology, intellectual property, mergers & acquisitions, commercial litigation, and insurance & reinsurance litigation. The company was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Boston, MA. | Commercial Services |
Yasso, Inc.
Yasso, Inc. Food RetailRetail Trade Yasso, Inc. manufactures frozen yogurt desserts. It offers bars in raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, vanilla bean, mango, and coconut flavors. The company was founded by Amanda Klane and Andrew Harrington in 2009 and is headquartered in Quincy, MA. | Retail Trade |
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. Hospital/Nursing ManagementHealth Services Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. provides treatment to cancer patients and also researches new cancer diagnostics, treatments, and preventions. The firm's patients receive treatment through its cancer centers operated with Brigham and Women's Hospital, Children's Hospital Boston, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The company was founded by Sidney Farber in 1947 and is headquartered in Boston, MA. | Health Services |
Harcourt, Inc.
 Harcourt, Inc. Department StoresRetail Trade Harcourt, Inc. provided educational services to readers of all ages. It offered a variety of books, print, electronic learning materials, assessments, and professional development programs. The company was headquartered in Orlando, FL. | Retail Trade |
Castanea Partners Inc
Castanea Partners Inc Investment ManagersFinance Castanea Partners Inc (Castanea Partners) is a private equity firm founded in 2001 by Robert A. Smith and Brian J. Knez. The firm is headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts. | Finance |
The Research Libraries Group, Inc.
The Research Libraries Group, Inc. Internet Software/ServicesTechnology Services The Research Libraries Group, Inc. provides information access and management services. The firm is comprised of research libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural memory institutions. The company was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Mountain View, CA. | Technology Services |
The Association of American Publishers
 The Association of American Publishers Miscellaneous Commercial ServicesCommercial Services The Association of American Publishers is an organization that advocates for strong copyright policies, protects free speech, and promotes the advancement of research and scholarship. The non-profit company is based in New York, NY. The company represents leading consumer, educational, professional, and scholarly publishers who connect people with books, trustworthy information, and learning materials. The organization presents the Professional and Scholarly Excellence Awards since 1976. The Association of American Publishers released its StatShot report for September 2023, reflecting reported revenue for trade, higher education course materials, and professional publishing. The CEO of the company is Maria A. Pallante. | Commercial Services |
General Cinema Corp.
General Cinema Corp. Movies/EntertainmentConsumer Services General Cinema Corp. operates chain of movie theatre's. The company was founded by Philip Smith in 1935 and is headquartered in Chestnut Hill, MA. | Consumer Services |
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