John Pollock

John C. Pollock is a Managing Director at LV2 Equity Partners, LLC, a Michigan-based private investment firm that seeks controlling interests in niche manufacturers, value-added distributors, and specialty service companies. LV2’s site says Pollock leads business development, investment due diligence, and capital procurement for the firm.

Pollock joined LV2 as Managing Director in November 2008. At the time, LV2 described him as an eighteen-year banking veteran bringing business development and credit underwriting experience, with responsibilities including sourcing investment opportunities, assisting with financing and capital structuring, and expanding LV2’s investor base.

Before LV2, Pollock served as Senior Vice President at a Midwest-based bank, where he managed the marketing function of its asset-based lending group. His background is in commercial lending and leveraged finance.

Pollock holds an MBA from the University of Dayton, where LV2 says he graduated with honors, and an undergraduate degree in Finance from Michigan State University. He is also a Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor. He has been active in regional deal and restructuring networks, including serving as president of the Western Michigan Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth in 2014 and president of the TMA Western Michigan Chapter for 2009/2010.

• LV2 is not a seed-stage angel investor based on verified sources; it is a private equity firm focused on control investments in established lower-middle-market companies.
• LV2 targets niche manufacturing, value-added distribution, and specialty service businesses, while considering all industries except banking, insurance, real estate, media, and natural resources.
• The firm looks for stand-alone companies with $10 million to $50 million in revenue and deal values from $500,000 to $20 million.
• LV2 requires a controlling interest and prefers Midwest-based companies, though it states its geographic scope as the United States.
• LV2 specializes in management buyouts, corporate divestitures, growth opportunities, distressed or undercapitalized situations, family succession, and owner retirement transactions.
• The firm’s operating angle is hands-on improvement: LV2 says it creates value through capitalization, operational excellence, growth, management processes, enhanced sales and marketing, new product initiatives, capacity utilization, and waste reduction.
• Pollock has publicly described private equity as able to “bring capital to the table” along with business practices that help entrepreneurs take a company to the next level.