Steve Yahnke

Steve Yahnke is a seasoned financial professional with over 30 years of experience in commercial lending and investment banking. As Business Advisory Director at Creative Planning, he brings a strategic perspective and deep industry knowledge to help clients navigate complex financial challenges and opportunities.

Prior to joining Creative Planning, Steve spent seven years at TKO Miller, a Milwaukee-based investment bank specializing in lower middle-market M&A transactions for healthy, growth-oriented companies. Before that, he spent another seven years at Concord Financial Advisors, a Chicago-based investment banking firm where he sourced and structured debt capital for commercial and industrial clients. His work included placing senior debt, mezzanine financing, and managing distressed sales for companies undergoing rapid growth or significant turnaround efforts.

Steve began his career at Firstar (now U.S. Bank) in Madison, Wisconsin, as part of the Management Trainee and Credit Underwriting programs. He underwrote financing solutions for middle-market businesses, including syndicated bank transactions ranging from $5 million to $250 million across diverse industries.

He later held senior management roles at M&I Bank (now BMO Bank) and worked with non-bank lenders such as GE Capital, further expanding his expertise in building tailored and complex capital structures. His diverse experience across banking and private capital markets allows him to offer clients practical, results-driven guidance.

A Milwaukee native, Steve holds both a Bachelor of Science and an MBA in Finance with a concentration in Investments from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.