West Park Capital

Richard Rappaport, the founder, acts as CEO and runs the firm's risk and syndicate desk directly. He is the ultimate decision-maker on underwriting commitments, risk exposure on firm-commitment deals, and allocation strategy. The firm's structure does not separate the CEO and head of capital markets roles.

West Park sources issuer relationships through its investment banking teams in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, typically engaging growth-stage companies that are underserved by bulge-bracket banks. The firm also inherits mandates when larger syndicate banks drop coverage on post-IPO companies that still need follow-on equity or registered direct offerings. Its retail distribution capability becomes a selling point during the pitch: issuers can access both institutional and individual accredited-investor order flow.

West Park is primarily a full-service broker-dealer and investment bank. It earns revenue from underwriting fees, placement agent fees, and brokerage commissions rather than AUM-based management fees. While it maintains a retail brokerage for accredited individuals, the firm does not market itself as a wealth manager or registered investment advisor.

The firm concentrates on public offerings (IPOs and follow-ons), private placements, and convertible note structures for growth-stage and small-cap companies. Deal sizes historically cluster in the sub-$50 million range, with many transactions falling between $5 million and $25 million. This is a bracket that most mid-tier and top-tier banks consider uneconomical for their syndicate desks.

West Park Capital operates as a FINRA-registered broker-dealer. This subjects the firm to net capital requirements, supervisory obligations, and reporting standards distinct from those of RIA-only firms or unregistered family offices. Public disclosures through BrokerCheck and SEC filings are available for its registered personnel.

The firm does not appear to operate pooled investment vehicles or discretionary portfolio management services for third-party clients. Its core economic model depends on transactional revenue from capital-raising and brokerage, not recurring management or performance fees tied to commingled assets.

The firm has no publicly stated sector exclusions. Historically, its deal roster has concentrated on technology, healthcare, and media — typical emerging-growth sectors — and it has shown little presence in extractive industries, heavy industrials, or real estate underwriting, likely reflecting the issuer demand patterns in its deal bracket rather than an explicit policy of avoidance.