# Hillcrest Holdings

Hillcrest Holdings is a Single Family Office based in Cedar Rapids, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Single Family Office
- **Headquarters:** Cedar Rapids, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Cedar Rapids, IA, United States
- **Founded:** 2012
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** hillcrestholdings.com
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/hillcrest-holdings-inc

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Hillcrest Holdings was established in 2012 by the Smith family to manage proceeds from CRST International, the Cedar Rapids trucking firm founded in 1955. John Smith serves as chairman while family members Ian Smith and Dyan Smith hold operating and board roles. Jonathan Howgate, son-in-law of John Smith, directs new business development. The office executes buyouts and management buyouts through direct co-investments and SPVs. It targets controlling positions in middle-market companies and retains ownership rather than exiting on short cycles. Confirmed holdings include SouthGate Companies mixed-use assets in Iowa City and Coralville plus CRST facilities in Cedar Rapids and across North America. A further position is the 9350 Yonge Street development in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Geographic reach remains limited to North America. Team size and total deployment figures are not published. Adjacent vehicles include the John and Dyan Smith Family Foundation and the Smith Family Business Initiative at Cornell University, which the family founded and continues to support. Amy Lynch serves as chief of staff for Hillcrest and CEO of K&S LLC, the family-office entity. The architecture keeps investment decisions inside the family and its operating-company relationships, with no external fund commitments or third-party limited-partner vehicles disclosed.

## Sectors

- Mobility & Transportation
- InsurTech
- PropTech
- Cybersecurity
- Enterprise Software

## People

- John Smith — Chairman and President
- Ian Smith — Vice President
- Dyan Smith — Board Member
- Jonathan Howgate — leads new business development
- Amy Lynch — Chief of Staff

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at Hillcrest Holdings?

John Smith serves as chairman and president. Ian Smith acts as vice president and Jonathan Howgate leads new business development. Decisions remain inside the family and its direct operating partners.

### Does Hillcrest Holdings participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

The office invests directly through buyouts and SPVs. No external fund commitments are disclosed.

### What investment stages does Hillcrest Holdings typically target?

The firm focuses on buyouts and management buyouts of privately held middle-market enterprises.

### Does Hillcrest Holdings maintain philanthropic structures, and how are they separated?

The John and Dyan Smith Family Foundation and the Smith Family Business Initiative at Cornell University operate alongside the investment office.

### Which sectors does Hillcrest Holdings explicitly avoid?

No explicit avoidance list is published. Activity centers on mobility, insurance, IT services, and real estate.

### How is Hillcrest Holdings related to CRST International?

CRST International remains the source of the family's wealth and continues under John Smith's chairmanship while Hillcrest manages the investment portfolio.

## Related profiles

- [Hil-Cofam](https://altss.com/profile/hil-cofam)
- [Hillhouse Family Office](https://altss.com/profile/hillhouse-family-office)

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Last updated: 2026-08-10T15:54:10.904Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/hillcrest-holdings-smith-family-office

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