A Family Office Consortium
Leading Edge
Research
Investments
Advisory
Community
〰️ "Diversification is a protection against ignorance; it makes very little sense for those who know what they’re doing."
〰️ "Price is what you pay; value is what you get." - Warren Buffett
〰️ "Diversification is a protection against ignorance; it makes very little sense for those who know what they’re doing." 〰️ "Price is what you pay; value is what you get." - Warren Buffett
About Us
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Research is at the center of everything we do. We work hard and dig in so we are prepared for the future. Deep domain expertise and constant learning keeps us on the leading edge of the industries we advise and invest in. We enjoy sharing our research and receiving feedback from sophisticated investors within our community with various perspectives.
“When a management with a reputation for brilliance tackles a business with a reputation for poor fundamental economics, it is the reputation of the business that remains intact.” Warren Buffett
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We are patient, long-term oriented, value investors. We look for opportunities where there is low interest. We can manage accounts through SMA's or we invest our own capital and undertake larger projects that allow for LP participation.
“There are no called strikes in investing. Strikes occur only when you swing and miss.” Warren Buffett
“You should invest in a business that even a fool can run, because someday a fool will.” Warren Buffett
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We are happy to consult or advise our community of sophisticated investors where our domain and/or transaction expertise can be helpful. We can make introductions to strategic or financial partners that can help companies execute on their strategic plan. Our team of former colleagues, business partners and friends is vast and they stand willing to help us and our community. We build long-term relationships with all of those we encounter and this has had ripples throughout our investment journey.
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” Warren Buffett
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We enjoy the pursuit of alpha and enjoy meeting thoughtful people along our investment journey. The Westport community is a wonderful home with a community of globally minded sophisticated investors from many areas of finance. We are members of the CCDC Board of Directors and Coaches of our kids teams. We look forward to seeing you for coffee or on the sidelines!
“I work with nothing but people I like. There’s not one person I work with that causes my stomach to churn in the least. In fact, I feel like tap dancing.” Warren Buffett
Proprietary Investments
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We invest in your money as we invest our own through SMA's. Please get in touch and we can discuss if it is a fit.
We believe small cap stocks offer a greater opportunity for alpha creation than larger cap ones because they are often under followed and there is more room for knowledge gaps and market inefficiencies.
We focus on the names where we posses domain expertise that has compounded throughout our careers or have a high conviction thesis.
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Want to invest in unique investment vehicles that could offer potentially higher returns with better liquidity than private equity funds?
Sign-up in the “Get in Touch” section to receive emails on new SPV’s as opportunities arise from our community.
We are currently working on an SPV that potentially offers a 2-3x return in a 2-3 year time period. Please contact us in the “Get Involved” page if you would like to learn more about this opportunity. (Accredited Investors and QIB’s Only)
This is not an offer to sell securities. Please request and refer to the Offering Memorandum.
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We raise capital on a deal by deal basis for independently sourced deals. We use our deep domain expertise to source deals and our community to source capital from family offices and private equity funds. Our deep domain expertise and network provide impeccable matches.
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Scott Nulney leads our Real Estate Investment Process. He has focused on acquiring Hotels and Multi-family apartments previously in the $10 to $50 million range. He has extensive knowledge of real estate investing, capital raising and operations.
Meet the Team
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Doug is the Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner of Westport Alpha Group (WAG). Prior to founding WAG, he founded Katahdin Capital, a Millennium Platform Company where he managed $800 million in a multi-strategy, multi-sector hedge fund. Prior to that, he worked at Citadel LLC where he managed $1 billion and was a two time top Alpha award winner. Prior to the buy-side, he spent seven years at entrepreneurial Investment Banks: DRCO (now TD Cowen) and FBR Capital Markets.
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Prior to joining the Westport Alpha Group, Spencer was a Managing Director at Stride Capital Group, where he oversaw seed and Special Purpose investments in emerging managers. Before Stride, he was at VR Investments, focusing on direct investments in high-quality, technology-driven businesses. He also spent eight years at Morgan Stanley in equity research and institutional equity sales. Spencer holds a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University and is a CFA charterholder.
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Prior to joining Westport Alpha Group (WAG), Scott was instrumental in building HRI Properties, a vertically integrated Real Estate company. Scott grew with the company over nearly two decades of service. He helped build the company from $10 million in AUM to nearly $ 1 billion. He executed numerous debt and equity capital raises with various private equity partners. He was a key member of the investment committee that purchased 17 hotels and 14 multi-family apartment buildings across the U.S..
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Alex is currently the Managing Member of Pelican Capital Partners. Prior to that he was the CEO of DHB Capital and a Partner at Crestview Partners.
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John has over 18 years of experience as both a credit and equity investor across real assets, infrastructure, and natural resources. From 2014-2021, John was instrumental in the establishment of Wafra's $3 billion real assets platform, where he led more than $850 million in transactions across related asset classes. Since 2021, John has worked with various middle-market platforms across specialty finance in functions ranging from capital markets to investment strategy to credit portfolio management.
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Daniel has experience working with large Private Equity and Real Estate funds on branding and marketing their projects to investors and the community.
Daniel works with founders, CEOs and empowered leaders who are looking to deliver on their objectives and ultimately transform their business.
Their great and never-ending challenge is to overcome business complexity—the pressure, unknowns, lack of resources, politics, decision-fatigue, bureaucracy, and so on.
As a facilitator, design practitioner, and strategic thinker, I have dedicated my career to help leaders cut through that complexity with new approaches to simplify business, achieve results, and bring joy back into work.
As an independent consultant, Daniel Vogelzang has worked with Fortune 500 corporations, major consumer brands, start-ups, and non-profit organizations. Daniel has demonstrated an ability to effectively reach objectives, drive value and create growth. Previously, Daniel was a co-founder and partner at Soldier Design, a boutique design and branding studio.
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James serves as legal adviser to investors, entrepreneurs, investment advisers and investment bankers as they fund or invest in new companies, grow established private companies, raise funds privately or go public, and embark on complex mergers and acquisitions.
Clients look to James to help them organize companies, launch angel and venture capital private financings, form hedge funds and private equity funds, and make private investments in public entities (PIPEs). James also assists with initial and follow on public offerings, public company compliance, bankruptcy and other reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, licensing, software development, executive compensation and general corporate matters.
His recent merger and acquisition work includes public company mergers, purchases and sales of private companies and purchases and sales of assets and businesses in bankruptcy. In addition, James and his colleagues counsel private investment companies on private placements, securities law compliance and private investment.
James has acted as counsel in international transactions, including the sale of a Spanish company operating in seven Latin American companies, organization of off-shore private equity funds and private equity investing in China, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, Pakistan and Georgia.
James has spoken to client and industry groups, including the Practicing Law Institute, on various topics including PIPEs, issuance of equity in bankruptcy, down rounds, limited liability companies, equity kickers for lenders and legal ethics
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Morpheus Solutions provides businesses with investment capital and strategic advisory expertise to scale their business.
Prior to Morpheus Solutions, Gary was the Chairman and CEO of Carbo Ceramics (NYSE: CRR), a technology focused oilfield service company that focused on improving their customers returns.
In Gary’s words, “Raised in the beautiful state of Montana, I feel so fortunate to have grown up on a farm and ranch, where I learned a lot about people, common sense, and the value of working hard. My life is driven by my positive attitude.
I am a high energy individual with strengths in leadership, global business operations, identifying and executing different business models, marketing strategy, and technology. My leadership experience is global, covering numerous cultures and nationalities, while functioning in several senior management positions. My unique strengths are a “can-do” attitude toward all challenges, and a broad-based intellectual curiosity about technology trends and how to apply them to business for growth and profitability.
My career path has been very fun and filled with learning. 21 years in a very large public company managing businesses and living around the world, then 14 years as the CEO of a public technology company, and now I am so excited to be part of a technology start-up! It is a wonderful chance for me to give back what I have learned in life and business, to help entrepreneurs and start-up companies grow their business.”
Visit: Morpheus Solutions
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Prior to founding Foresight Capital, Dave was the CFO and EQT, a $15 billion E&P company. Prior to that, Dave was the CFO of CNX. He has executed numerous large acquisitions and spin-offs.
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Greg started his career at GE as a Finance Executive. He then worked at Cerberus Capital Management as an Operating Executive. He grew an operating company for nearly ten years through M&A before exiting to a larger strategic company. He then returned to Cerberus as a Senior Managing Director.
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Alkegen (formerly Unifrax) is a global specialty fibers company providing innovative thermal management solutions for a variety of end markets and applications with a proven history of strategic growth through product innovation, market innovation and geographic expansion.
Organizes staffs and controls the Technical and Engineering Departments with focus on oversight of development of new and/or improved products and processes while coordinating the Company's capital expenditures and capital equipment designs for new products and line expansion. Evaluates competitive products and processes, coordinates patent and license functions with various BPA organizations and assists in Health & Safety activities.
Directs and coordinates the preparation of technical elements of the Company's Strategic Operating Plan. Makes recommendations regarding modifications and provides advice and counsel to the management team in the development of such plans. Directs the innovation pipeline and new business development organizations. Provides direction for technical staff by holding regular reviews and operation sessions.
Recruits multi-disciplined talent for technical and engineering functions.
Prepares patent applications for developed products and ensure that patent applications are made for key products. Coordinate other patent and license activities.
Provides technical support on Health & Safety issues (including MSDS and Federal and State regulatory items.) Conducts monthly coaching sessions with direct reports. Seven Direct Reports worldwide in US, UK, Germany, France, Czech Republic, Russia, China, Japan, Korea, and India include: Director Capital Engineering – Engineering, Sr. Director Process Engineering – Engineering, Director Forming and Finishing - R&D, Director Fiberizarion - R&D, Director New Business Development, Director Lab Services and Applications Engineering and Senior Director Platform Technologies.
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Emberline is an independent private equity sponsor focused on mid-market companies. Prior to co-founding Emberline, Chris worked at Jefferies and FBR where he executed over $3 billion of transaction for clients.
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Alan has extensive experience in M&A, advisory, and capital raising. He has formed SPAC’s, led M&A deals and works with seasoned private equity executives and family offices to fund investments.
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Michael works in the Principal Investment division of Macquaire. He is the Head of the Americas region for the Finance team. He has colleagues in global offices that look at investments in a wide array of industries. Investments are across the capital structure in both credit and equity.
Advisory Services
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We offer consulting services to help financial businesses create and execute a business plan. If you are a large alternative asset manager or an up and coming Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), we are happy to meet with you and explore how we can help you scale your business.
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When we consult companies about a potential acquisition of another company or certain assets, our services include evaluating potential acquisition targets, providing valuation analyses, evaluating and proposing financial and strategic alternatives, pro forma financial models. We also advise as to the timing, structure, financing and pricing of a proposed acquisition and assist in securing, negotiating and closing the acquisition.
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We are happy to evaluate your capital structure and opine on its efficiency. We are also able to make introductions to capital providers across the capital structure to meet your capital needs if an adjustment is optimal for your business.
We serve as an independent and objective consultant to companies in financing situations. We can assist clients with respect to the entire spectrum of capital structure decisions, from underwriter selection and management to negotiation of both equity and debt financing terms and transaction execution.
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We can work with clients to prepare for a business valuation for a sale or fairness opinion for M&A. We use our domain expertise and numerous valuation methodologies to provide business valuations. We also partner with the right domain expert for your business to ensure the best result.
The Winning Process
Developed with Learnings from Citadel
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The most important asset in any organization are the people. Recruiting the best, providing the best training, optimally motivating them and ultimately retaining them is the key to an organizations long-term success and viability.
Reading “Who” by Geoff Smart is a good place to start learning about implementing a leading edge recruiting process. Both Ken Griffin’s Citadel and Jamie Diamond are mentioned in the book as benefiting from the process.
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Process for investment decisions, process for capital allocations, process for recruiting, process for promoting the team, process for risk management, process for business planning and Analyst coverage, etc…are hallmarks of the success I had at Citadel.
We developed processes for everything we did. We implemented it, analyzed it and improved it. We used data and technology to their fullest and were on the leading edge of implementing these resources to improve all the processes we engaged in.
The process is never stagnant, it is always being challenged and improved based on data and results.
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Everything is measured and the data utilized to improve the process. Everyone is held accountable for their results. Employees are expected to be on the leading edge in their field and be the best. Asking for more responsibility is encouraged and rewarded. Team members are expected to train their replacements so that they can take on more responsibility and the organization thrives too. It is a culture of excellence and always being on the leading edge.
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Outcomes (i.e. profit) are measured regularly and transparent throughout the organization. Competitive people want to win and thrive on competition, on being the best. Risk taking is encouraged. Refining the process is mandatory. Producers are rewarded with more responsibility while the next generation of super-stars are being recruited and trained.
People - Process - Profits
3 Ways to Be Involved
Neighborhood Investor Meetups
Last Friday of the month at 1 pm
(Let us know you are coming in the adjacent form)
We are looking forward to connecting!
AYR Barns
1835 Post Rd,
Westport, CT 06880
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