Kohlberg & Company was formed in 1987 by Jerome Kohlberg Jr., the senior founding partner of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (“KKR”), and James A. Kohlberg, at the time a KKR executive. Their intent was to concentrate on private equity investments in the "middle market", which the firm defines as comprising acquisitions valued at $100 to $500 million, to avoid traditional corporate auctions by generating a network of business contacts which would ensure proprietary transaction flow, and to create equity value through revenue growth and operating improvements using only moderate leverage. These basic principles continue to guide the firm today.

The Co-Managing Partners of Kohlberg & Company, Samuel P. Frieder and Christopher Lacovara, and James A. Kohlberg, the firm’s Chairman, have worked together across all of the firm’s five previous funds and have overseen all of its investment activities since 1994, when Jerome Kohlberg retired from active involvement in the firm. The operations of the firm are conducted by 25 professionals, including 14 Partners. Eight of the Partners primarily have transactional backgrounds, while the six Operating Partners have spent most of their careers in industry. Twelve of the Partners have been associated with Kohlberg & Company directly or as senior executives of portfolio companies for a decade or more.

Kohlberg & Company has organized six buyout funds with aggregate commitments in excess of $3.7 billion. Throughout its history, the partners of the firm have demonstrated their confidence in the firm’s capabilities and investment strategies by making a substantial capital commitment in each fund.

In June 2007, Kohlberg & Company completed the initial closing of Kohlberg Investors VI, L.P., and with subsequent closings has raised $1.5 billion of committed capital. The Kohlberg family and the partners of the firm committed $80 million of capital with the remaining amount committed by institutional investors, including state and corporate pension funds, university endowments, insurance companies and other financial institutions.