Michael Cole is Managing Director of Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC (MDP), a Chicago-based investment firm that manages equity capital of over $18 billion. He focuses on investments in the communications industries, with a particular focus on mobile communications and high growth areas within media. Michael has been actively involved with MDP’s investments in Alaska Native Wireless; Intelsat, Ltd.; MetroPCS Communications; and Telemundo Communications Group, among others. He was named one of Chicago’s “Top 40 Under 40” by Crain’s Chicago Business in 2009 and a “Top 40 Global Dealmaker Under 40” by Dealmaker magazine in 2008. Prior to joining MDP in 1997, Michael was with Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc. in the investment banking division, where he executed 15 transactions with over $3 billion in enterprise value for corporate clients. He is currently a member of the board of directors of Sorenson Communications; The Topps Company; Univision Communications, Inc.; the Lyric Opera of Chicago; The Ounce of Prevention; and the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center. Michael received an A.B. with honors from Harvard College. He is a member of the 2011 class of Henry Crown Fellows at the Aspen Institute.