Aaron Handler

Aaron Handler is the Co-Founder and General Partner of Elm Creek Partners, a Dallas-based private investment firm established in 2007 that focuses on control equity investments in lower middle market companies. At the firm, Aaron is responsible for sourcing and closing transactions, identifying capital and operating partners, and creating value for all stakeholders across the lifecycle of each investment. The firm targets entrepreneurial-led buyouts and growth investments primarily in the Texas region and surrounding states.

Prior to co-founding Elm Creek Partners, Aaron spent over five years at Red River Ventures (2001-2006), where he executed a similar lower middle market investment strategy and served as a director for several portfolio companies. Before entering private equity, he was part of the business development group at ServiceLane.com (2000) and spent three years in the Corporate Finance Department at Southwest Securities (NYSE: SWS) from 1997 to 2000.

Aaron holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (cum laude with Distinction) from Boston University and an MBA from Texas Christian University's M.J. Neeley School of Business. He is based in Dallas, Texas, where he resides with his wife and three children. He is also listed as a finance expert on Toptal and has a profile on Bloomberg Markets.

Elm Creek Partners targets control equity investments in lower middle market companies, typically businesses generating $10M-$50M in revenue with $2M-$8M in EBITDA. The firm deploys $5M-$10M of equity per platform and concentrates on three core verticals:

The firm favors founder-led and entrepreneurial businesses in Texas and the broader southern United States, seeking opportunities where operational improvement and strategic add-on acquisitions can drive value creation. Elm Creek Partners takes an active, hands-on approach as board-level partners, frequently building platforms through buy-and-build strategies.

• Healthcare Services -- Behavioral health, urgent care, home medical equipment, and pediatric/youth-focused treatment facilities.
• Niche Manufacturing -- Specialty manufacturing businesses including thermal paper converting, industrial products, and business equipment/supplies.
• Business & Industrial Services -- Oil and gas project management, construction services, and other B2B service providers.

| Company | Sector | Status | |---------|--------|--------| | Oakwood Treatment Center | Psychiatric Residential Treatment (Youth) | Current (invested June 2025) | | Acute Behavioral Health | Behavioral Health (Youth Inpatient/Outpatient) | Current | | Hallmark Youthcare | Short-term Residential Treatment (add-on via Acute Behavioral) | Current | | TGE | Oil & Gas Project Management & Construction | Current/Prior | | Liberty Greenleaf Paper | Thermal Paper Converting/Distribution | Exited (May 2022, sold to ICONEX) | | FreeFlight Systems | Aviation Avionics & NextGen Airspace Technology | Exited (February 2020) | | The Care Group of Texas | Home Medical Equipment & Respiratory Services | Exited (December 2019, sold to Pediatric Home Service / InTandem Capital) | | MHM Urgent Care | Urgent Care Clinics | Exited (January 2017, sold to Ochsner Health) | | Hamco Manufacturing | Business Equipment & Supplies | Exited (assets acquired by Liberty Greenleaf) | | DG Publishing | Local Resource Guides & Marketing Services | Exited (December 2012) |

Elm Creek Partners has made approximately 15 investments to date across its history.