Northwoods Partners

Northwoods Partners

Northwoods Partners was formed in 2022 by the Berstein family following the sale of ImageFIRST to a private-equity buyer. Jeff Berstein, former CEO of ImageFIRST, leads the office with his brother Michael Berstein and Earl Grossman. The family had scaled ImageFIRST from a single-plant operation to the leading national provider of healthcare linen services before the exit. The office invests across direct equity in operating businesses, industrial real estate, and allocations to alternative funds. Recent control acquisitions include Serv-U Locksmiths in March 2025 and Alerion Door & Glass in April 2025. Earlier positions comprise a 2021 minority stake in Pearle Vision alongside Riviera Capital Partners, a 2022 minority investment in SeedPod Cyber, and a 2022 minority investment in H2O Power Equipment. All activity remains within North America, concentrated in the United States. The team maintains no disclosed headcount or additional offices beyond New York. Adjacent vehicles include the Berstein Family Foundation and The Jeffrey and Dana Berstein Family Foundation. The family also participates in the Jewish Federation of Philadelphia. In March 2025 Northwoods Partners acquired a majority stake in Serv-U Locksmiths. Northwoods operates with capital sourced from a single liquidity event rather than ongoing fundraises. This structure allows it to hold investments without external LP timelines and to combine direct operating ownership with real-estate and fund commitments under one decision-making group.