John K. Murphy, President
Ivan Hernandez, Managing Director
Andy Thomes, Managing Director
John K. Murphy, affectionately known as Murph, has spent his career working with private business owners to successfully achieve their growth stories acting in a consulting and advisory board-type role. After 20 years as an investment banker, Murph started JKMA in 2004 and put his “We think like a buyer, not an owner” philosophy to work. Murph’s straightforward, yet patient hands-on approach provides clients with the trustworthy partner they need to meet their strategic, growth, liquidity, succession, Market Value, risk tolerance and shareholder transition objectives.
Murph has also been active angel investor for the last 15 years, giving him broader insights to apply with his consulting clients.
Whether it’s at the poker table or navigating turbulent waters, Murph’s poker face gives nothing away. He is a dedicated Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Baaaadgerrss fan who graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a BA in Finance and Marketing, and holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago.
Andy Thomes, Managing Director
Ivan Hernandez, Managing Director
Andy Thomes, Managing Director
Andy Thomes has built his career in designing and implementing robust common-sense solutions for improving the performance of small to mid-sized businesses. With a background in Engineering, Operational Excellence, Lean Six Sigma, product development and manufacturing, Andy has led initiatives that have doubled the revenue of a consumer household electronics start-up company; improved EBITDA and Return on Capital Employed in multiple divisions of a steel mill conglomerate; achieved instant cash flow improvement and return to profitability of a distressed paper mill. Since charting his own path as a business consultant, Andy has advised a STEM Non-Profit in strategic planning, a juice start up in scalability, a family transition and strategic pivot, as well as multiple companies on process and product quality improvements.
An avid outdoorsman, Andy enjoys hiking, biking, kayaking, and enjoying the peacefulness of a sunrise on a Cape Cod beach. He has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Dayton and is certified in Lean and Six Sigma from the American Society of Quality (ASQ). He, and teams he has led, have won numerous awards including JD Power Award for Product Quality, Parent Tested Parent Approved; and he has been honored to be invited to speak at numerous Corporate Executive Councils and Consulting Conferences across North America, South America and Asia.
Ivan Hernandez, Managing Director
Ivan Hernandez, Managing Director
Ivan Hernandez, Managing Director
Ivan Hernandez' background includes nearly 20 years of marketing with lifestyle brands Red Bull, Muscle Milk/PepsiCo, Quest Bar, and corporate entities Abbott Nutrition, FedEx and AT&T. Directly contributing to two startup exits at $450M and $1B, Ivan has spent the last six years consulting clients across the apparel, beauty, CPG, cannabis, e-commerce, esports, finance, fitness, legal, music, publishing, real estate, SaaS, and subscription spaces in their growth strategies and execution. His earlier career also includes experience in the luxury hospitality, entertainment and legal spaces.
When he's not consulting, Ivan dedicates his time to writing, exploring new wellness routines, and volunteering in cardiac and mental health causes, including as an ambassador for the American Heart Association. He has a BA in Business Management from Florida International University, an MFA in Communications from the University of Miami, and Continued Studies in Digital Media from Duke University.