The Parthenon Group

According to Parthenon, the firm cashes in its equity after about three years on average and usually consults with the client about when to sell so as not to destabilize the market for the stock. If the client is privately held, Parthenon doesn't cash in its stake until there is a "liquidity event," either the sale of the company or an initial public offering. Jim Sweeney, CEO of San Diego-based Bridge Medical, a health-care start-up and Parthenon client, credits Achtmeyer with having a "rare business ethic" driven by a mentality based on relationships rather than transactions-that is, the people Achtmeyer does business with, not the size of the deal, are what really matter to ( www.parthenon.com )