Chris Oatway

Chris is the Managing Director of Shaker Hills Advisory. He brings more than thirty years of experience working directly with middle market business owners, CEOs and boards of directors.

Early in Chris' career, he realized that he enjoys being the financial counsel to business owners and leaders almost as a CEO whisperer.

"Some people enjoy the spotlight. I enjoy being the advisor, risk mitigator, strategy developer to the company's leadership. Not behind the scenes but standing beside the leadership providing the best financial and strategic guidance you can get."

His experience spans industries and ownership structures: manufacturing, distribution, health care, technology, and film production; and sole proprietor, closely held, family office and private equity owned.

Prior to founding Shaker Hills, Chris was a CFO of several middle market companies.

A Non-Traditional Path

Chris graduated from Boston College with a degree in Accounting where he played Division 1 lacrosse. His path to CFO is somewhat non-traditional, having left BC to join the military after the Desert Storm air war began.

"I was in a below street level restaurant on Newbury Street in Boston when the air war started. I knew I had another calling. I called the partner at Deloitte who had offered me a job upon graduation and rescinded my acceptance. I immediately enlisted. It was the best decision I ever made. BC welcomed me back after my time in the military to wrap up my degree. The lessons learned when I was in the 82nd Airborne from how far I can push myself personally, to small team leadership to dealing with large bureaucracies still translate to the workplace today. I am a believer that everyone's path is different. I love mine."

Precision and Mentorship

Chris' professional CFO mentor was a Fortune 50 CFO who could digest a set of financial statements with a glance, so he learned to deliver a financial package with zero errors and to have a handle on every number in the statements.

In his spare time, of which there isn't much, Chris consults and edits on film screenplay development and negotiates small roles in the films as compensation.