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Van Tuyl Group
Van Tuyl Group is the family office of Larry Van Tuyl, formed from the sale of the largest US auto dealership group to Berkshire Hathaway in 2015.
Van Tuyl Group
Larry Van Tuyl founded Van Tuyl Group in 2011 to manage the wealth generated by Van Tuyl Group, the auto dealership empire he built with his father Cecil Van Tuyl. In 2015, Berkshire Hathaway acquired the dealership operations for a reported $4.1 billion, cementing the family's capital base. The family office operates from Scottsdale with additional outposts in Austin, Silicon Valley, Palo Alto, and Hollywood. The firm's strategy spans direct venture investing, real estate development, private equity buyouts, and operating businesses. Known positions include an early investment in online used-car retailer Shift Technologies and stakes in various healthcare and renewable energy companies. Geographically, the portfolio covers North America with a tilt toward the US Southwest and West Coast, where the family retains deep business networks. Team size is undisclosed, though CFO Cathy Van Tuyl oversees financial operations. The office has no separate philanthropic arm publicly named; the family's charitable giving appears channeled through personal foundations. The family also maintains ties to the auto industry, but the office's mandate extends well beyond transportation. Van Tuyl Group's structural differentiator is its operating-company DNA — unlike many family offices that function purely as allocators, the firm retains a hands-on, owner-operator posture inherited from decades of running a large, complex, family-controlled enterprise. Succession from the founding generation remains a quiet governance work-in-progress (per public record).
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
2011
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Scottsdale
Corporate office
Scottsdale, AZ, United States
Additional offices
Austin, TX · Silicon Valley, CA · Palo Alto, CA · Hollywood, CA
Principals
Larry Van Tuyl
Founder
Cathy Van Tuyl
CFO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Van Tuyl Group?
Larry Van Tuyl, founder, oversees strategic direction. CFO Cathy Van Tuyl manages finance. The firm does not publicly name a separate CIO; investment decisions appear made by a small team of family members and advisors with operational backgrounds (per public record).
How does Van Tuyl Group source proprietary deal flow?
The office relies on the family's deep network in the automotive and retail sectors, built over decades of running the largest private dealership chain in the US. It also maintains a presence in venture hubs like Silicon Valley and Austin to access early-stage opportunities (per Van Tuyl Group website).
Is Van Tuyl Group structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
It is a single family office, but its investment mandate spans venture capital, real estate, private equity, and operating companies — broader than many pure venture firms. This reflects the family's background as owners and operators rather than passive capital allocators (per public record).
Does Van Tuyl Group participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The firm's profile suggests a preference for direct investments and operating businesses, though it may invest through co-investment vehicles or syndicates. No public filings show traditional limited-partner fund commitments (per public record).
What investment stages does Van Tuyl Group typically target?
The office engages across stages from early-stage venture to mature buyouts and real estate development. There is no single stage concentration — the mandate is opportunistic, leveraging the family's operating expertise (per public record).
Which sectors does Van Tuyl Group explicitly avoid?
No explicit avoidance sectors are publicly documented. The portfolio shows a tilt toward transportation, healthcare, technology, and real estate, with no disclosed activity in hedge funds or media/entertainment (per public record).
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The wealth originates from the Van Tuyl family's sale of Van Tuyl Group, the largest privately held auto dealership chain in the United States, to Berkshire Hathaway in 2015 for a reported $4.1 billion. The deal was led by Larry Van Tuyl and his father Cecil (per public record).
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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