Key Takeaways
- • Platinum Equity acquired Czarnowski Collective, a 79-year-old experiential marketing services firm founded in 1947 and headquartered in Chicago, from founder Mark Nagle and the Nagle family in an all-cash transaction with undisclosed financial terms.
- • Czarnowski operates as an integrated agency providing end-to-end solutions across trade shows, corporate events, meetings, conferences, and live experiences, with capabilities spanning brand strategy, creative development, exhibit fabrication, installation, asset rental, storage, and logistics.
- • The transaction reflects Platinum Equity's investment thesis around the structural shift of marketing budgets away from traditional channels toward experiential and live formats, positioning Czarnowski to capture growing client demand in this category.
- • Mark Nagle transitions to chairman emeritus while Jim Milanowski, current president, assumes the CEO role, signaling management continuity and the acquirer's commitment to preserving the company's operational culture and client relationships.
- • Platinum Equity emphasizes its operational playbook for family-led businesses, leveraging M&A capabilities and resource access to scale while maintaining the cultural and reputational assets that differentiate Czarnowski in the experiential marketing sector.
Summary
Platinum Equity announced the acquisition of Czarnowski Collective on January 19, 2026, acquiring the Chicago-based experiential marketing services firm from Mark Nagle and the Nagle family. Financial terms were not disclosed. The deal represents Platinum Equity's entry into the experiential marketing sector at a time when corporate spending on live events and brand experiences is gaining relative share against traditional advertising channels.
Founded in 1947, Czarnowski operates as a collection of integrated agencies delivering comprehensive solutions across the experiential marketing value chain. The company's service portfolio spans brand strategy and creative development, exhibit design and fabrication, onsite installation and support, asset rental operations, and supply chain management including storage and logistics. This vertical integration positions the firm to serve major corporations and brands requiring turnkey solutions for trade shows, corporate events, conferences, and other live experiences.
Jacob Kotzubei, Co-President of Platinum Equity, characterized the acquisition as strategically opportune, noting that "as more dollars shift from traditional channels to live and experiential formats, Czarnowski is in a great position to capitalize given its history and commitment to delivering the highest quality in the space." Kotzubei also emphasized Platinum Equity's operational approach to family-owned acquisitions, highlighting the firm's track record in preserving organizational culture while deploying its M&A expertise and operational infrastructure to drive scale.
Founder Mark Nagle will transition to chairman emeritus, while Jim Milanowski, the company's current president, will assume the CEO role. Nagle stated that selecting the right partner for the next ownership phase was critical to the family, and that Platinum Equity aligns with the company's values around client service, employee retention, and cultural continuity. Milanowski noted that the partnership "gives us access to resources and expertise that will help us further scale and continue to innovate," signaling management's confidence in leveraging Platinum's platform capabilities to expand Czarnowski's market position.
Founded in 1947, Czarnowski operates as a collection of integrated agencies delivering comprehensive solutions across the experiential marketing value chain. The company's service portfolio spans brand strategy and creative development, exhibit design and fabrication, onsite installation and support, asset rental operations, and supply chain management including storage and logistics. This vertical integration positions the firm to serve major corporations and brands requiring turnkey solutions for trade shows, corporate events, conferences, and other live experiences.
Jacob Kotzubei, Co-President of Platinum Equity, characterized the acquisition as strategically opportune, noting that "as more dollars shift from traditional channels to live and experiential formats, Czarnowski is in a great position to capitalize given its history and commitment to delivering the highest quality in the space." Kotzubei also emphasized Platinum Equity's operational approach to family-owned acquisitions, highlighting the firm's track record in preserving organizational culture while deploying its M&A expertise and operational infrastructure to drive scale.
Founder Mark Nagle will transition to chairman emeritus, while Jim Milanowski, the company's current president, will assume the CEO role. Nagle stated that selecting the right partner for the next ownership phase was critical to the family, and that Platinum Equity aligns with the company's values around client service, employee retention, and cultural continuity. Milanowski noted that the partnership "gives us access to resources and expertise that will help us further scale and continue to innovate," signaling management's confidence in leveraging Platinum's platform capabilities to expand Czarnowski's market position.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.