Hannes leads Golden Angels Investors

Mary Hannes has assumed day-to-day leadership of Golden Angels Investors, marking a new chapter for the Brookfield-based angel investment group as it builds on more than two decades of investing in high-growth startups.

Hannes now serves as Director of Golden Angels Investors, taking the helm as longtime leader Tim Keane transitions into the role of executive chair later this year. The leadership change is part of a long-planned evolution for the organization and reflects the maturation of one of Wisconsin’s most established angel networks.

Founded in 2001, Golden Angels Investors is a member-led angel group that invests across a range of industries, providing both capital and strategic support to early-stage companies. According to PitchBook data, the group has made 77 investments and recorded 26 exits, with a median round size of $2.15 million. Golden Angels is not a fund; its members make individual investment decisions and often take active roles as advisers or board members.

Hannes brings deep institutional knowledge to the role. She has been a member of Golden Angels since 2014 and was appointed associate director in 2020. She earned her MBA from the University of Chicago and has spent much of her career working in health care and corporate strategy, experience that has informed her approach to evaluating opportunities and supporting founders.

As director, Hannes said she plans to continue Golden Angels’ active engagement in Wisconsin’s startup ecosystem while looking for additional ways the group and its members can contribute.

“Building this ecosystem in Milwaukee is a non-stop job,” Hannes said. “Even though we invest outside of the state, our investors and members are really interested in making sure we have a thriving startup ecosystem in Wisconsin and Milwaukee.”

Hannes also pointed to the role of state-level economic development efforts in supporting early-stage investing. She noted that work led by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation helps create a foundation that benefits both founders and investors, even when those impacts are not always visible day to day.

While Hannes steps into leadership, Keane will remain actively involved as executive chair. Under his guidance, Golden Angels grew from a small network into a leading Midwest angel group with a $34 million portfolio and a track record of success. His continued role is intended to provide continuity as the organization moves forward under new leadership.

Hannes said the transition positions Golden Angels to build on its strengths while remaining responsive to changes in how startups are built and financed. She pointed to emerging tools, including artificial intelligence, as resources that can help founders move faster, test ideas more efficiently and reach key milestones sooner — trends she believes will continue to shape early-stage investing.

With Hannes at the helm, Golden Angels Investors enters its next phase with a focus on continuity, collaboration and sustained support for founders building scalable companies in Wisconsin and beyond.