Meet Christopher Sharrar, an Investor Relations Analyst at Blackford! Christopher is a Finance and Business Economics major at GVSU. Christopher is part of the Investor Relations team, acting as a voice for our Limited Partners and assisting with data management.

We are proud to announce that Blackford Capital made the Inc. 2023 Founder-Friendly Investors list of the most supportive PE, VC, and debt firms. See the full list at inc.com/founder-friend… and read our release here: loom.ly/3JyBcRo

It's been a big week for our team - not only were we recognized on the Inc. Founder-Friendly Investors list, but Martin Stein was named one of the 200 Most Influential Leaders in West Michigan by Crain's Grand Rapids Business. Congrats, Martin - a well-deserved honor! loom.ly/Vsqiigw

Last week, analyst John Gutmann spoke to Grand Valley State’s FIN 480 class. He spoke about how he was introduced to PE, how we partner with management teams, our firm’s investment criteria, and what he does on a day-to-day basis. Thanks to Professor Joerg Picard for the invitation to speak!

In case you missed it - Managing Director Jeff Johnson was recognized as the PE Professional of the Year by The M&A Advisor at the 22nd Annual M&A Advisor Awards: loom.ly/Ytsrwk0

From award recognitions to successful acquisitions, and everything in between, 2023 has been a great year. Thank you to everyone who helped to make this year a success. From all of us at Blackford Capital, we wish you a happy Thanksgiving!

In case you missed it, Blackford Capital was recently named a Best of MichBusiness honoree in the Finance category for 2023. We're honored to be recognized by MichBusiness for the incredible work of our entire team! Read more at: loom.ly/KK9mj1o

We're excited to announce the recent acquisition of LTD, our third addition to our patio platform in the last 12 months! Learn more: loom.ly/1JFAxPc

Thank you to Crain's Grand Rapids Business for highlighting the recent acquisition of LTD to our Patio Platform! Read the full article here: loom.ly/M77DrhA

During our recent Investor Conference, Will Whatton of Grant Thornton shared insights about how to integrate AI into work in the world of PE. We've compiled his thoughts into a recap blog for those who were unable to attend the event. Read more here: loom.ly/0dGuMtM

In the spirit of the season, the Blackford team came together for a Holiday Potluck and Secret Santa gift exchange on Friday. It was a wonderful celebration filled with great people (and great food!). Congrats to Brandon for winning our Christmas-themed "Finish the Lyric" game!

From all of us at Blackford Capital, we wish you a merry and bright holiday season!

Happy New Year from the Blackford Capital team! We're looking forward for all that's to come in 2024.

A big thank you to Mergers&Acquisitions for highlighting our recent acquisition of LTD Online Stores, Inc. and interviewing our very own Paul Doyle for this piece! Read the article: loom.ly/QFQ6iBI

We're excited to announce the recent acquisition of Data Science Automation, our first addition to the PACIV Platform! DSA is an automation engineering services and training firm. Learn more: loom.ly/IBKBVws

At Blackford, we're fortunate to have a team of incredible individuals, but today, we want to spotlight someone truly special. Today we honor Lisa Long's 6th work anniversary. Lisa - thanks for all you do!

2023 was a great year for our team! In the last year, we acquired two new businesses, expanded our team, and were recognized with seven industry awards, including being named to Inc.'s Founder Friendly Investors list. Check out our full Year in Review: loom.ly/wsVz4_Q

Thanks Crain's Grand Rapids Business for highlighting our acquisition of Data Science Automation and expansion of the PACIV platform. Check out the full story, featuring an interview with Blackford Managing Director Jeffrey W. Johnson: loom.ly/ppY0nXA

Every year, our team conducts a rigorous annual operating plan review with each of our portfolio companies. In these reviews, we collaborate with portfolio company leadership to set goals for the coming year. Learn more about these meetings on our blog: loom.ly/wDLvrnA

On Tuesday, Grand Rapids saw RECORD SETTING high temperatures for late February. Fittingly, the Blackford team celebrated with a "Grand Rapids Beach Day🏝️☀️🌊™️" to enjoy the Vitamin D! Beach Day activities included a walk to Rosa Parks Circle and - of course- ice cream 🍦