Tom Smith

Tom Smith joined Vopne Capital in 2018 as an Operating Partner. Vopne describes him as bringing executive and operational experience across a diverse set of businesses, consistent with the firm's operator-led model for lower middle-market manufacturing and industrial-services investments.

Before Vopne, Smith was Vice President and General Manager at OtterBox, where Vopne says he led product development and operations for a $1 billion high-growth consumer products company. Earlier, he held senior positions at Celestica, a global electronics manufacturer, and worked in corporate development for a family investment office.

Smith began his career in management consulting at Ernst & Young. He earned an MBA from the University of Colorado and a BA from Colorado College. The Org additionally lists him as a board member and former interim CEO/COO at RatPac Controls, and as a board member or former interim CEO across several Vopne portfolio companies.

• Vopne states that it is an “operationally focused private investment firm” investing in manufacturing and industrial-services businesses in the lower middle market.
• The firm looks for companies with “proven business models and great potential” and says it creates value through top-line growth and operational improvement, not financial engineering.
• Target sectors include manufacturing, industrials, related services, engineered proprietary products, and unique value-added services.
• Vopne targets businesses with $10 million to $60 million in revenue and $2 million to $8 million in EBITDA.
• Investment types include acquisitions, recapitalizations, and growth equity, with a primary focus on majority-control investments.
• Vopne says it prefers to retain management and share upside with them, but will also invest where management seeks to exit.
• The firm emphasizes conservative leverage, stating that it uses minimal debt and has completed investments with 100% equity at closing.