Joe Kurtenbach
Above all, I’m a proud dad to two wonderful kids. But outside of family life, I’ve had the privilege of building a diverse career across the military and private sector.
I grew up in a small town in rural Iowa, which instilled in me a love for hard work and community. I attended the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating with distinction, and later earned a master’s degree at Georgetown.
After college, I served as a Navy SEAL, deploying to Iraq, Afghanistan, and East Africa. My roles varied from leading combat operations against ISIS in northern Iraq to planning missions targeting the Taliban in Afghanistan. During this time, I was stationed in San Diego, which is where I was lucky enough to meet my wife, Vaughn.
When my military service ended, I pursued a JD/MBA at Harvard, serving as an editor for the Harvard Law Review along the way. I then transitioned into the private sector, becoming a Private Equity Investor at Golden Gate Capital, where I led investments in consumer and business services.
I launched Ames Capital Partners in order to acquire and operate one business.
