Kevin O'Gara

For 25 years, Kevin has been developing international businesses with a focus on Mexico using his ability to spot market opportunities - then creating and executing the right strategies to take advantage of those opportunities. He’s successfully launched international divisions in industries ranging from leasing to railcar repair. 

Kevin started KMEX Leasing to address the equipment financing needs of Mexican subsidiaries of US companies. Prior to starting KMEX Leasing, he was with K-Mex Strategies in 2014 as a partner, joining his former business partner and the firm’s founder, Karen Mauch. His expertise is leasing and advising on U.S. dollar cross-border transactions. His diverse background includes working with a local, family-owned specialty coffee roaster (J. Martinez & Company) to help double its online sales – to providing corporate financial advisory services to K2Argo, Inc., and EQUITUM, LLC. His projects include helping a Canadian mining company to secure a port concession in Mexico; obtaining construction financing for a fractional ownership resort; and guiding a manufacturer through the analysis, site selection, and joint venture negotiations for a new plant in Mexico. He also advised the Central American Bank of Economic Integration in its quest to execute structured finance transactions. Other transactions include secured and unsecured financings, mezzanine loans and leases.

Expanding into Mexican Markets

Kevin first Mexican business experience was through a railcar leasing firm, and subsequently the rail services firm that bought the lessor. In 1991, after working several years in San Francisco arranging real estate limited partnerships, he joined Railcar, Ltd., a railcar leasing firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. After the departure of the head of shipper marketing, he took over the railcar marketing of a multi-million dollar limited partnership he had structured, as well as management of the fleet’s repair program. In 1992, Kevin convinced Railcar’s owner to expand into Mexico. With minimal investment, he developed a market that quickly became profitable. Within four years he had completed Railcar’s single most profitable transaction involving a cross-border lease swap of rail equipment with the Mexican National Railways. 

In 1996, after Railcar’s acquisition by Progress Rail Services Corporation, Kevin spearheaded Progress Rail’s entry into Mexico in railcar repair and parts sales. Under his leadership Progress’ Mexican operations signed a major outsourcing contract with TFM (now Kansas City Southern de México) in which Progress took over all repair sites and administrative functions associated with railcar repair and maintenance for railcars, making Progress Rail the largest provider of railcar repair services in Mexico.

Kevin is a cum laude graduate of Georgetown University with a BSLA degree in French. He is an avid cyclist, both recreationally and for transport. When not cycling, reading, writing, or playing classical guitar - he organizes, in conjunction with the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, social events for the burgeoning urban cycling scene in Atlanta.