History of ACG

Key Historical Dates

1954

Founded in New York as the Association for Corporate Growth and Diversification, Inc.

1957

Name changed to the Association for Corporate Growth, Inc.

1968

Second chapter, ACG Chicago, formed.

1971

Third chapter, ACG Toronto, formed.

1972

Fourth chapter, ACG Los Angeles, formed.

First InterGrowth held in Mexico City.

Tom Smith with Ernst & Ernst became first president of ACG Global.

1975

ACG created its first industry award, The Hilton Award, named for ACG founder Peter Hilton.

1978

ACG Membership Directory launched.

1979

ACG has 12 chapters with nearly 1,600 members.

1985

ACG has 21 chapters with 2,275 members.

1986

ACG launched first official member publication, The Journal of Corporate Growth.

1987

ACG bestowed newly created ACG Emerging Company Award to Sensormatic.

1990

First EuroGrowth conference held in London.

ACG has 24 chapters with 2,544 members.

1992

First ACG Meritorious Service Awards given.

1995

ACG launched homepage www.acg.org.

1998

Private equity became an official ACG member designation.

1999

ACG UK founded representing first chapter in Europe.

2000

ACG has 34 chapters with 5,054 members.

2002

ACG Capital Connection launched, originally named PEG Marketplace.

2005

ACG Global’s first independent HQ established in Palatine, Illinois.

ACG launched co-branded magazine with Thomson Financial, ACG Mergers & Acquisitions Journal.

ACG DealSource premiered at InterGrowth.

2006

ACG’s Global Growth Sponsorship program debuted.

ACG Cup case study competition created by ACG Los Angeles.

2008

ACG first sponsored CIPEF Conference in Tianjin, China.

2009

ACG Global HQ moved to Chicago.

ACG China founded representing first chapter in Asia.

2011

Mission statement of Driving Middle-Market Growth introduced.

2012

ACG Brazil founded representing first chapter in South America.

2012

ACG launched GrowthEconomy.org, an award-winning database illustrating the impact of private equity on the U.S. economy.

2013

ACG launched Middle Market Growth®, a suite of publications.

2014

ACG was instrumental in formation of bipartisan Congressional Caucus for Middle Market Growth.

ACG’s Private Equity Regulatory Task Force (PERT) is formed.

2016

Public policy office established in Washington, D.C., to advocate for private capital investment in the middle market.

ACG established a Political Action Committee (ACG PAC).

2017

Middle Market Growth magazine evolved into a quarterly print edition.


Much of the data above was sourced from “Trust; The History of the Association for Corporate Growth” by Carl Wangman and Judith Iacuzzi.