Jim Holzer

Amid funding uncertainty, endowments and foundations are evaluating private markets solutions to mitigate risk, diversify portfolios and align investments with evolving stakeholder priorities. Learn more about how these approaches are evolving. https://gag.gl/QfJ7gC

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Ashley Smith of Vermilion Capital just closed Fund ll. What advice would Ashley Smith give her fellow emerging managers about fund raising for a vc fund? part 3 Create a formal re-up campaign. Begin with existing LPs early, share a clear Fund I review, specify what remains unchanged, explain what changes in Fund II, and ask directly for renewal and increased commitments. Vermilion kept its thesis but increased check sizes, a simple and legible evolution. Make community a fundraising asset. Smith credits a network built over nearly two decades—former colleagues, founders, CEOs, co-investors, and LPs—not transactional networking. For an emerging manager, regular high-value convenings, useful introductions, transparent updates, and helping others before asking are compounding fundraising infrastructure. Protect focus and underwriting discipline. Smith emphasizes passing on good companies that are not “her company.” That discipline is fundraise-relevant: LPs are ultimately underwriting whether the manager can preserve a differentiated strategy when attractive but off-thesis opportunities appear. The key takeaway For a new GP, the goal is not simply to accumulate LP commitments. It is to create enough clarity, evidence, and relationship equity that initial backers want to recommit at a larger size. Smith’s result—95% dollar-weighted Fund I re-up participation—suggests that repeatable specialization and LP trust are more powerful than broad but shallow fundraising reach.

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Proud to see the launch of the AAM Crescent CLO ETF (CLOC) — a milestone achievement that expands investor access to our cycle-tested CLO platform through a low-cost, actively managed ETF. This collaboration with Advisors Asset Management, Inc. reflects Crescent’s continued commitment to innovation and accessibility in credit investing. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ekANByqN

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Lincoln International advised TJC and Vyne on the sale of Vyne Medical to MRO Corporation, a portfolio company of Parthenon Capital. Learn more about this transaction: https://lnkd.in/eF3kXwNv #HealthcareTransaction

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We are excited to partner with Nterprisers, Inc. in helping manufacturing companies maximize their value. Deepa Krishnamurthy, Erin Read, and the team are creating a great resource for manufacturing companies looking for suppliers and prospects. #valuation #manufacturing #onshoring #mergers #acquisitions #PE #defense #aerospace #marine #supplychain

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Harris Williams recently advised BradyPLUS, a portfolio company of Kelso & Company and Warburg Pincus, on their merger with Imperial Dade, a portfolio company of Advent International and Bain Capital. BradyPLUS is a leading North American distributor of janitorial and sanitation (“JanSan”), foodservice, and industrial packaging products and solutions. The combined organization expands their geographic reach and significantly enhances their ability to serve their customers via solutions-focused sales professionals, best-in-class digital tools, and a dedicated team of customer-facing experts. We look forward to following their continued success. https://lnkd.in/e6WcdYRq #mergersandacquisitions 

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I weigh in on the 2026 M&A Outlook featured by @Mergers and Acquisitions - themiddlemarket.com: as dealmaking becomes more tech-enabled, the edge will come from trusted data, sharp judgment, and the ability to cut through the noise.

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