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Cravey, Green & Wahlen
Cravey, Green & Wahlen, founded in 1984, invests control equity in Southeastern industrial and service businesses.
Cravey, Green & Wahlen
Cravey, Green & Wahlen was founded in Atlanta in 1984 by William H. Green Jr. and Charles B. Wahlen, two operators who built the firm around the then-novel idea of institutionalizing lower-middle-market buyouts. Unlike many peers that chase tech-enabled roll-ups, the firm has remained anchored in industrial manufacturing, distribution, and business services—sectors where the founders had direct operating experience before turning to investment management. The firm favors control equity investments in companies with $10 million to $75 million in revenue, targeting founder-owned businesses where CGW can be the first institutional capital. Portfolio construction spans manufacturing, value-added distribution, and niche service businesses. Known portfolio companies have included Correct Craft, a storied recreational boat builder, and E.R. Carpenter, a polyurethane foam producer. Geographically, the firm concentrates on the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States, where its partnership network is deepest and auction pressure is lower. CGW has historically raised committed funds rather than operating as a deal-by-deal syndicate, signaling a disciplined institutional structure. A recent operational event underscores its long-duration model—the firm continues to manage investments from vintage funds that would have been fully realized at most GPs, reflecting a hold-and-build philosophy rather than a flip-to-exit clock (per the firm's official communications). Team size and current fund vintage are not publicly disclosed. The firm's structural differentiator is its geographic concentration combined with sector agnosticism within industrial America. By staying in the Southeast and avoiding hot auction markets, CGW sources proprietary opportunities through multi-decade relationships with business owners, lawyers, and regional bankers—a human network that cannot be replicated by data-driven originators or New York-headquartered generalists.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
1984
AUM
$100M - $500M (Altss estimate)
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Atlanta
Corporate office
Atlanta, GA, United States
Principals
Charles B. Wahlen
Co-Founder and Managing Director
William H. Green Jr.
Co-Founder and Managing Director
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Cravey, Green & Wahlen?
Co-founders William H. Green Jr. and Charles B. Wahlen remain active as Managing Directors and lead the investment committee. Their tenure since 1984 provides continuity across fund vintages that is uncommon in middle-market private equity. Day-to-day deal execution is handled by a lean partnership group whose names are not broadly publicized outside the firm's investor communications.
How does Cravey, Green & Wahlen source proprietary deal flow?
The firm relies on a four-decade network in the Southeastern United States, cultivating relationships with business owners, regional banks, attorneys, and accountants who refer founder-owned companies before they reach broad auction. This geography-first, relationship-driven model reduces competition from coastal buyers who lack local presence. The firm has publicly cited its preference for off-market, proprietary transactions.
Is Cravey, Green & Wahlen structured as a single family office or a private equity firm?
CGW operates as a committed-fund private equity firm, raising capital from institutional limited partners rather than managing a single family's wealth. While the founders' personal capital is meaningfully co-invested alongside fund commitments, the structure is a traditional general-partner / limited-partner arrangement. The firm does not offer multi-family office or wealth advisory services.
What investment stages does Cravey, Green & Wahlen typically target?
The firm targets control buyouts of profitable, lower-middle-market companies with $10 million to $75 million in revenue. Transactions are typically founder recapitalizations, management buyouts, or corporate carve-outs. CGW does not invest in venture-stage, pre-revenue, or distressed situations—the strategy centers on cash-flow-positive businesses with established market positions.
Which sectors does Cravey, Green & Wahlen explicitly avoid?
CGW has historically avoided technology, biotechnology, financial services, real estate development, and pure retail. The firm's stated focus is industrial manufacturing, value-added distribution, and business services. This negative screening reflects the partners' operational backgrounds and a deliberate choice to stay within their circle of competence rather than chase sector rotations.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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