Private Equity

VSI partners with and makes investments with several Private Equity firms that share similar investment philosophies and have a proven track record for superior management. Our goal is to grow and enhance a portfolio of well-respected, well run and profitable businesses that provide significant business and employment opportunities while serving the communities where they operate.

We are looking to invest in or acquire businesses from owners who want to receive fair value for what they and their families have built, but also want to ensure that their employees and company reputation are respected after the process is complete. We do not make investments intending "fix" them only to flip them for a quick profit. More important to us is becoming involved with companies that provide great jobs and employment, that we believe can be highly successful for at least the next 20 years.
In pursuit of that goal, we are focused on businesses with the following characteristics:

• Primarily Northwest based (WA, OR, ID, MT, AK, and BC);
• Strong position in their market;
• Well respected and ethical management team;
• Sales of $1 to 20 million;
• Clear points of differentiation and market defensibility such as a strong brand, protected distribution, patented products, or exclusive product or service rights; and/or
• Reasonable industry growth prospects

While we are interested in any company that fits these general characteristics, we take a specific interest in the following industries:

• Health care services
• Consulting services
• Technology firms
• Senior living
• Hotels
• Property management
• Regional Transportation
• Branded Products

Because we have no limited partners and are a privately held family company, VSI Private Equity can be as creative or flexible as necessary, and will consider all of the following situations:

• Ownership Transfers
  In many cases, our primary focus is on acquiring majority ownership positions, but that is not always the case. While VSI has extensive experience working with situations that require new management, we also are adept at working with existing management teams and enjoy helping people achieve their career objectives.
• Acquisition By Management
  VSI is particularly interested in situations where existing management is looking to acquire a company from long time owners.
• Recapitalization
  Under certain circumstances, VSI will consider providing debt or equity capital to a company wishing to restructure its balance sheet.
• Growth Capital
  Under certain circumstances, VSI will consider providing debt or equity capital to a company looking to secure the resources needed to pursue an aggressive growth strategy.

It is rarely our intent to operate our investments on a day-to day-basis. Therefore, we place a high priority on having experienced management partners. This can include the current owner operator, an existing senior management team, or a new team with deep industry experience. We believe strongly in providing aggressive equity opportunities for our management partners.