Morningside Private Investors
Also known as MPI
Ridgefield, Connecticut investment group founded in 1987 with Chan family backing; invests $10–75M of evergreen equity in industrial, manufacturing and logistics businesses with EBITDA over $5M.
USEFUL FOR Business owners seeking a long-term partner · Co-investors
Ridgefield, Connecticut private investment group formed with the Chan family in 1987. Not to be confused with other 'Morningside'-named investment or venture firms.
Family & background
- FAMILY
- Chan
- HEADQUARTERS
- Ridgefield, United States
- FOUNDED
- 1987
Investment approach
- SECTORS
- Industrial & Manufacturing
- STAGES
- GrowthBuyout
- ROUTES
- Direct investments
- STRATEGIES
- Direct investmentsPrivate equity
- TICKET
- $10M–$75M
Overview
Morningside Private Investors states that it was founded in 1987 with the backing of the Chan family to invest in privately held businesses; Peter Jacullo participated in its formation with the Chan family and has been involved in all of its investments since. It invests a committed, evergreen pool of capital and says it is not a traditional private equity fund but operates like a family office or principal investment group, without sunset provisions forcing exits. Its criteria page targets operators, manufacturers, distributors and servicers of engineered products, industrial equipment, commercial services and logistics/transportation equipment with revenues above $25M and EBITDA above $5M, deploying $10–75M of equity in majority or minority positions in management buyouts, recapitalizations and growth capital situations, and says it avoids high tech, TMT, SaaS and software. It reports over 40 platform and follow-on investments, including short-line railroads, The Tile Shop (invested 2002, taken public in 2012), Southland Log Homes, Vonlane and Magnatech.
Investment thesis
Builds long-term equity value through earnings growth in low-leverage capital structures rather than financial engineering, aligning interests with management through stock ownership and holding investments as long as needed to reach shared objectives.
Holdings & investments (17)
- The Tile ShopNOTABLEConsumer & E-commerce · since 2002 · IPO
- VonlaneNOTABLEMobility & Logistics
- MagnatechNOTABLEIndustrial & Manufacturing
- AlphaThermIndustrial & Manufacturing
- Industrial & Manufacturing · Exited (2020)
- Industrial & Manufacturing · Exited (2012)
- Construction-equipment manufacturer (unnamed)Industrial & Manufacturing · Exited (sold August 2023)
- CrestMarcReal Estate & PropTech · Past investment
- LR1 product tanker venture (unnamed)Past investment
- ANZ (bulk liquid terminals, Australia and New Zealand)Exited (October 2014)
- PressPassConsumer & E-commerce · Exited (2014)
- Short line railroad platform (unnamed; nine railroads)Mobility & Logistics · Exited (2003)
- West Coast bulk liquid terminaling business (unnamed; acquired from Wickland Oil)Exited (2002)
- Arthur Building SystemsIndustrial & Manufacturing · Exited (2003)
- HartcoExited (2001)
- EnerfinExited (1990s)
People
Classification
Single Family Office. Manages one family's own capital, with no outside investors. The family bears every loss. How family capital is classified →
FAQ
Morningside Private Investors is a single family office based in Ridgefield, the United States, founded in 1987.
Morningside Private Investors invests on behalf of the Chan family.
Morningside Private Investors invests directly in companies. Its stated asset mix includes direct investments and private equity.
Morningside Private Investors invests at Growth and Buyout stages in Industrial & Manufacturing.
Morningside Private Investors's stated ticket size is $10M–$75M.
Key people at Morningside Private Investors include Peter Jacullo (Co-founder) and Andrea Jensen (Structuring, financial and tax functions (joined 1989)).
Morningside Private Investors's holdings and investments include The Tile Shop, Vonlane, Magnatech, Southland Log Homes, AlphaTherm, Dakota Bodies, Taylor Made and Construction-equipment manufacturer (unnamed), among others.