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Oakland Standard Co.
Oakland Standard Co. is a private equity based in Birmingham, founded 2015; the Altss profile covers its classification, headquarters, registration, AUM band,...
Oakland Standard Co.
Oakland Standard Co. is a Michigan-based private equity firm focused on making investments in lower middle market industrial businesses.
General information
Firm type
Private Equity
Year founded
2015
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Birmingham
Corporate office
Birmingham, MI, United States
Principals
Bryan Tolles
Founder & Managing Partner
Tim Flannery
Principal
Evan Schultz
Vice President
Joe Conroy
Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Oakland Standard Co.?
Bryan Tolles is founder & managing partner and leads the investment team alongside Principal Tim Flannery and Vice President Evan Schultz. Joe Conroy serves as partner for portfolio management, bridging deal execution and operational oversight. The team operates from Birmingham, Michigan.
How does Oakland Standard source deal flow?
The firm targets lower middle market industrial businesses that larger investors overlook, including family-owned companies seeking recapitalization, corporate carve-outs, and out-of-favor industries. Its website states it focuses on situations where an operational approach and strategic support can build long-term value, rather than competing in broad auctions.
Is Oakland Standard structured as a single-family office or a private equity firm?
It operates as a private equity firm, not a family office. The team invests third-party capital alongside management teams into lower middle market industrial businesses, using a buyout and recapitalization strategy. The firm does not indicate family-office origins or a single-family wealth source.
What investment stages and check sizes does Oakland Standard target?
The firm targets platform companies with less than $10 million in EBITDA, focusing on buyouts and recapitalizations. Add-on acquisitions have no minimum size. This positions Oakland Standard below the typical mid-market private equity fund, in a space where operational improvement can be the primary value driver.
Which sectors does Oakland Standard focus on — and which does it avoid?
The firm concentrates on niche manufacturers, value-added distributors, general industrial and automotive businesses, and building products. It does not invest in technology, healthcare, or consumer businesses, and explicitly avoids sectors that fall outside its industrial operating expertise.
What is Oakland Standard's posture on co-investments alongside other sponsors?
The firm does not publicly disclose a co-investment program or external LP syndication process. Its operational partnership model — with a dedicated portfolio management partner embedded in the firm — suggests it leads deals directly rather than participating as a passive co-investor alongside larger GPs.
How does Oakland Standard separate its portfolio operations from its investment team?
Joe Conroy serves as partner for portfolio management, a distinct role from the deal-sourcing investment team, bridging capital allocation and operational execution. This embeds post-close value creation inside the firm rather than relying on outside consultants or operator networks.
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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