Wayzata Investment Partners

James P. O'Neil serves as CEO and Managing Partner and leads the firm's investment committee alongside Senior Managing Partner Mark K. Dixon and Managing Partner Eben S. Moulton. The three co-founders have managed the firm's concentrated portfolio via a consensus-driven, senior-partner-level committee structure since 2004. All three previously invested proprietary capital at Cargill prior to launching the firm.

Wayzata originates most of its investment opportunities through direct relationships with restructuring advisors, bankruptcy attorneys, and corporate sellers in the industrial and energy sectors. The firm's Midwest location in Plymouth, Minnesota, gives it proximity to the manufacturing and industrial base where many of its deals are found. Its long track record of closing complex, distressed situations with operational requirements has historically led sellers and advisors to bring it proprietary carve-out and restructuring opportunities where speed and certainty of close are critical.

Wayzata historically prefers controlling positions individually rather than club deals, given the intensive operational involvement required in its turnaround strategy. The firm does occasionally bring in co-investors when transaction scale exceeds a single fund's concentration limits, but has not promoted a formal co-investor program or LP co-investment allocation process. Most deals are consummated as the sole institutional equity holder.