Steven E. Karol

Managing Partner and Founder

Steven Karol ( sekarol@watermill.com) is Managing Partner and Founder of Watermill Group. He has over 25 years of experience leading the turnaround, strategy development and acquisition activity for portfolio and client companies. Additionally, Mr. Karol is Chairman of the Board and CEO of HMK Enterprises, Inc., a privately held investment company specializing in strategic and operational management.

Mr. Karol is currently a member of the Board of advisors of J. Walter Company. He has also served as Chairman of the Board at Mooney Aircraft Company, Director and Chairman of the audit committee at StockerYale, and as a Director for Jeepers! Inc., Intelligent Energy Limited and Inter-Tel Corp.

Mr. Karol is also strongly involved in a variety of non-profit organizations. Mr. Karol is currently a member of World President’s Organization (WPO) and has served as a member of the leadership team for the Young President’s Organization (YPO). While with YPO, Mr. Karol served on the International Board of Directors (1991- 2001), Chairman of Strategic Planning  (1993 – 1996), and as International President (1999 to 2001). He is Chairman of the Overseers for the School of Engineering of Tufts University and recent recipient of the 2009 Tufts Distinguished Service Award. He is also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Vermont Academy, and a Director Emeritus at the Brain Tumor Society. In addition, he is a co-founder and President of the Herbert M. Karol Cancer Foundation. He formerly served as a member of the Board of Overseers of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and as a Trustee and member of the Executive Committee of the Boston Ballet.

Mr. Karol received his B.S. at Tufts University, and he is a graduate of the Presidents' Program on Leadership (PPL) at Harvard Business School. Mr. Karol is married with three children and is an avid pilot, sailor, athlete, reader and wine collector.