David Altman

David Altman is a co-founder and principal of Gorge Holdings, LLC, a Portland, Oregon–based private equity firm he established with partner Richard Diforio. Gorge Holdings positions itself as a "preferred buyer" for the large pool of lower-middle-market companies in the Western U.S. whose owners are seeking an ownership transition. Rather than passive investing, Altman and his partner take controlling stakes in stable, profitable manufacturing and distribution businesses and then actively manage them — partnering with existing employees, making strategic hires, and pursuing organic growth and add-on acquisitions.

Before Gorge Holdings, Altman co-founded Pacific Northwest Capital, LLC (PNC), which acquired small light-manufacturing companies and pursued real estate transactions; PNC acquired and later exited Taylor Metal Products, Inc., a metal roofing products manufacturer, generating what the firm describes as triple-digit returns. Prior to PNC, he was a managing director at the Delta Source Group, LLC, a Scottsdale, Arizona private equity group, where he focused on deal sourcing, analysis, and structuring across a variety of industries.

Earlier in his career, Altman served as COO of Results-Based Leadership (RBL), a leadership-consulting firm, where he was part of the leadership team that incubated and spun the organization off from its public parent, Provant (POVT). He also worked on business-strategy consulting engagements at the Novations Group and DiamondCluster, as well as independently, and began his career on large-scale technology projects in the intelligence community.

Altman holds an MBA from the Darden School at the University of Virginia and a BS in Systems Engineering (focused on operations research and management science). His self-described specialties are private equity, general management, and business strategy.

• Acquires controlling interest in stable, profitable, privately owned companies — this is buyout/control investing, not minority venture or angel/seed capital.
• Target company profile: positive free cash flow greater than $1.5M on $5–25M in annual revenue; stable historical growth; sustainable business model; conservative, financeable asset use; and a stable workforce with existing or developable management.
• Sector focus: product-based businesses in light manufacturing and distribution, plus related business services.
• Geography: headquartered in the Western United States, with a Pacific Northwest concentration.
• Approach to owners: the firm stresses working with founders on "an appropriate transaction structure," partnering with existing employees to build management from within, and continuing the seller's legacy — a pitch aimed squarely at retiring or transitioning founders who care about culture and continuity.
• Stated operating philosophy: "We actively participate in company management to guide profitable growth… We conduct ourselves with humility, integrity and professionalism in all our actions."