Boston-Based Private Equity Firm, Built on 80+ Years of Combined Experience, Uses Legal Resolution as Launchpad to Accelerate Capital Raise and Founder-Owned Investment Strategy
BOSTON, May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Griffin’s Wharf Partners (GWP), a Boston-based, operationally-focused private equity firm, today marked its formal market introduction with the announcement that it has settled its litigation with Landon Capital Partners, LLC (LCP). The resolution clears the path for GWP to accelerate its capital raise and begin deploying capital into founder-owned, lower middle market businesses.
LCP agreed to resolve the lawsuit by making a material financial payment to GWP. LCP also acknowledged that it wrongfully terminated Messrs. Sullivan, Kennedy, and McMenimon (the GWP partners) and wrongfully accused them of violating their fiduciary duties to LCP.
For GWP, the resolution serves as a launchpad to re-engage and educate the market and founders about its disciplined, hands-on buyout platform, purpose-built for the U.S. lower middle market.
“We’re very proud of the team and strategy we’ve built at Griffin’s Wharf Partners, and pleased to have resolved this matter,” said Chris Sullivan, Managing Partner of GWP. “The resolution allows us to direct our full attention to what we have always been focused on — identifying exceptional lower middle market businesses, partnering with their founders, and creating lasting value for our investors and portfolio companies. The opportunity in front of us is extraordinary, and we are ready to capitalize on it.”
GWP’s principals will leverage their combined 80 years of private equity and operational experience to build out its portfolio. The firm will pursue value-oriented, control buyout investments in U.S.-based companies with enterprise values below $150 million and EBITDA of $5 million or more.
GWP is focused on capitalizing on a generational wealth transfer driven by the retirement wave of the Baby Boomer generation. Among this generation, over a million are small business owners, and more than half lack a formal succession plan. This opportunity creates compelling structural advantages for disciplined investors with the relationships, expertise, and flexible capital solutions to serve sellers seeking certainty.
“Collectively, our team has successfully invested and supported more than 50 companies and earned strong investor returns,” said Sullivan. “We are looking forward to putting our proven investment strategies to work and building our portfolio of companies at GWP.”
GWP is pursuing the following distinct investment strategies across five primary verticals, including tech-enabled services, niche manufacturing, energy transition, food and beverage, and other consumer-related businesses.
- Scalable Platforms — providing growth capital and strategic support to companies with a demonstrable “right to win” in their respective markets;
- Buy & Build — combining capabilities and customer sets with follow-on acquisitions to create niche market leaders in fragmented landscapes; and
- Strategic Carve-Outs — backing management teams to unlock growth from under-resourced assets.
Griffin’s Wharf Partners is led by a seasoned team of investment and operational professionals with deep, lower middle market expertise:
Chris Sullivan, Managing Partner – Sullivan brings more than 20 years of middle-market private equity investment experience. He was most recently Founder and Managing Partner of Landon Capital Partners before joining GWP. Before LCP, he was Managing Director at The Tokarz Group Advisers and MVC Capital, and earlier worked in the investment banking group at Credit Suisse. Sullivan holds an MBA from Boston College’s Carroll School of Management and a BA in History from Dartmouth College.
Jamie Kennedy, Co-Founder & Partner – Kennedy has over 20 years of private equity experience, including as a Managing Director at Landon Capital Partners. Previously, he served as Head of Research at Madava Asset Management and spent eight years at Longroad Asset Management, focused on private equity and distressed investing. He holds a BA from Duke University and is a CFA Charterholder.
Rob McMenimon, Co-Founder & Partner – McMenimon brings 15 years of operational, transactional, and sales experience to GWP. He was previously Director of Operations at Landon Capital Partners. Before joining LCP, he owned and operated a generator company, transforming it from a small service business into a vertically integrated solutions provider, which was acquired by Kohler in 2019. He holds an MBA from Babson College’s F.W. Olin School of Business and a BS in Marketing from Lehigh University.
Thomas Johnston, Co-Founder & Partner – Most recently, Johnston was Vice President at Landon Capital Partners, where he was responsible for transaction execution and portfolio management. Prior to joining Landon Capital Partners, Thomas worked for Canaccord Genuity, a global middle-market investment bank, where he focused on technology M&A advisory. Mr. Johnston received his B.S. in Finance from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia.
Anne Whitman, Partner – Whitman, recently joined GWP, bringing over 25 years of investing, operating, and executive management expertise in middle-market companies. She was a founder and partner of ShoreVest Capital and a partner at Longroad Asset Management for 15 years. She began her career at PwC in transaction advisory. Whitman holds an AB from Dartmouth College and an MS in Accounting from Northeastern University.
ABOUT GRIFFIN’S WHARF PARTNERS
Griffin’s Wharf Partners (GWP) is an operationally-focused private equity firm headquartered in Boston, MA, that partners with founders and operators of lower middle market businesses to accelerate growth. The firm’s partners bring more than 80 years of combined private equity and operational experience. GWP intends to pursue control buyout investments in U.S.-based companies with enterprise values below $150 million and EBITDA of $5 million or more, focusing on tech-enabled services, niche manufacturing, energy transition, food and beverage, and other consumer-related sectors. GWP’s principals expect to invest personal capital in the firm’s investments, aligning interests to drive mutual success. For more information or to contact GWP, please visit www.griffinswharfpartners.com.
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