About Us

Investing in the future of great businesses.

Simply put, our team at The Harvest Group (THG) thinks differently when it comes to investing. We play the long-game with our founders and their companies – diving into the operations, culture, experience, and financials to drive the business forward.

Our Values

Transparency

We strive to provide the honest and authentic truth at all times, and to develop rhythms of transparency in our work.

Trust

Trust is the currency of our business. Everyday we try to do the right thing to continue building trust in our relationships.

Relationships

Our business moves at the pace of relationships. Establishing these strong bonds is essential for our business partnerships.

Courage

Doing the right thing isn’t always doing the easy thing, and that’s what courage means to us - addressing the RIGHT thing that needs to be done head on.

Faith

Faith means having confidence in what we hope for, and assurance about what we do not see. In this way, our work is grounded in our faith.

Generosity

We believe in being generous with the wealth that we create - to our team and to our community. We lead with generosity.

Meet the Team

  • Ricky Paradise

    Founder, Managing Partner

    Ricky is a seasoned operator who has grown several lower middle-market companies into industry-leading performers. Driven by faith, family, and a Midwestern work ethic, Ricky leads THG’s investment strategy inside of a non-traditional evaluation experience that values potential over profits.

  • Andrew O'Hara

    Founding Partner, Chief Financial Officer

    Andy is a Founding Partner at The Harvest Group- and also serves as the Chief Financial Officer for the organization. Having held finance-related roles in various industries, Andy’s core focus has been at the intersection of financial technology and proprietary trading methodologies. Prior to joining The Harvest Group, Andy sold his Chicago-based company to a large competitor – capitalizing on his unique financial acumen to help deliver new opportunity to The Harvest Group and its portfolio companies.

  • Matthew Gencarelli

    Partner

    Matthew is a former Tax Director at Tribune Media Company (now part of Nexstar Media Group). Experienced in managing tax planning, reporting, compliance, and controversy, Matthew played a key role in major M&A transactions and process enhancements, ensuring accuracy and adherence to key regulations. A Loyola University Chicago alum with an MBA and a bachelor's in accounting, Matthew recently returned to Kansas City with his family. He enjoys golf and family time.

  • Cooper Schram

    Analyst

    A recent graduate of Baylor University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Cooper is skilled in CAD software like Solidworks and Onshape, and proficient in 3D printing technologies including FDM and MSLA. Cooper’s skillset will be vital to The Harvest Group’s portfolio companies, building on his experience with automated pallet stacking robotics and high-pressure, high-temperature laser absorption. In his free time, Cooper enjoys rock climbing, longboarding, and sailing