Profile

Transom is a leading operationally focused private equity firm that thrives in complexity, specializing in identifying and unlocking value in the middle market. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Los Angeles, Transom has built a reputation for delivering transformative results across economic cycles through a hands-on, operationally intensive approach. Transom’s expertise spans corporate carve-outs, lender-owned businesses, and other complex situations requiring speed, flexibility, and precision and is supported by a robust in-house operations team with deep functional expertise. 

Transom’s sector-flexible investment strategy is grounded in pattern recognition, disciplined execution, and a commitment to value creation. The firm partners closely with management teams to deliver tailored solutions and accelerate growth, bringing more than just capital to the table. With a focus on helping businesses navigate inflection points and realize their full potential, Transom equips portfolio companies with the strategic resources, tools, and insights necessary to drive performance and long-term success.

Transom has invested in a diverse set of companies across business services, industrials, consumer, and specialty distribution, among other targeted sectors, consistently proving its ability to create meaningful outcomes through operational transformation. At its core, Transom is a value creator: built for complexity, driven by execution, and committed to helping businesses thrive.

Awards

2025 Top Private Equity Firms

Features

Mastering Complexity: Transom Capital’s Russ Roenick

GrowthCap’s RJ Lumba spoke with Russ Roenick on September 11, 2025. Russ is Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Transom Capital Group, an operationally focused private equity firm specializing in middle-market investments.

Key People

Russ Roenick, Co-Founder and Managing Partner

Russ Roenick is Co-Founder and Managing Partner. He manages the firm’s day-to-day operations and plays an active role in new investment evaluation, execution, and oversight of portfolio companies. He is a member of the investment committee and brings an entrepreneurial spirit as well as extensive financial and operational expertise to the firm. Russ graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business and holds an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Ken Firtel, Co-Founder and Managing Partner

Ken Firtel is Co-Founder and Managing Partner. He leads the Business Development team, serves on the investment committee, and emphasizes perseverance, creativity, and collaboration. Previously, he was an investment professional at Platinum Equity and an Associate at O’Melveny & Myers, and he holds degrees from Yale, the London School of Economics, and USC Gould School of Law.

Conor Davenport, Managing Director

Conor Davenport is a Managing Director, where he serves in a leadership role on the M&A Team, sourcing, evaluating, conducting due diligence, and executing on investment opportunities, as well as working with Transom’s portfolio companies. Conor has been with Transom for the majority of his career. Before joining Transom, Conor worked at Ned Davis Research, a global investment research firm based in Florida. Conor earned a B.A. with honors in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, as well as a minor in History, from the University of Pennsylvania.

Steve Kim, Managing Director

Steve Kim is a Managing Director, where he serves in a leadership role on the M&A Team, sourcing, evaluating, conducting due diligence, and executing on investment opportunities, as well as working with Transom’s portfolio companies. Prior to joining Transom, Steve worked at a macro hedge fund, investing in credit, equities, and commodities. Before that, Steve served for over a decade as a Principal at Ares Management where he invested in distressed debt and special situations opportunities across the capital structure. Before joining Ares, Steve was an Associate at Gryphon Investors and an investment banking Analyst at DLJ/CSFB. Steve earned a B.S.B.A. from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. He has also completed the CFA Level II exam.

Funds Raised

Over the years, Transom has grown significantly, both in terms of assets under management and the scale of its investment activities. What began with an initial $20 million fund launched by two co-founders has evolved into a firm managing over $1.5 billion in assets across a series of four flagship funds by maintaining a consistent strategy focused on the lower middle market. This growth is reflected in its fundraising trajectory: Transom’s funds have consistently increased in size, culminating in a record-breaking, oversubscribed close for its most recent fund.

Key Investments

Company Name: Loud Audio/Mackie
Date invested or exited: Invested Oct 2017, Exited: Dec 2023
Sector: Consumer audio equipment

Mackie develops high quality, affordable professional audio products geared towards recording artists, live performers, podcasters, streamers, and creators.

Company Name: SemiTorr
Date invested or exited: Invested Dec 2018, Exited: Dec 2021
Sector: Specialty distribution

SemiTorr is a specialty distributor of technical products to the Semiconductor, Industrial, Microelectronic, and Sanitary end markets.

Company Name: SecurServ
Date invested or exited: Initial investment 2019
Sector: Managed services provider

Secur-Serv, based in Omaha, NE, is a nationwide managed services provider that places security at the center of its operations. The company offers Managed IT, Cybersecurity, Managed Device, and Managed Print services to organizations of all sizes across the United States.

Company Name: Artivo Surfaces
Date invested or exited: Investment: December 2023
Sector: Flooring Company

Artivo Surfaces is a leading multi-regional flooring company formed by integrating Virginia Tile, Galleher LLC, and Trinity Hardwood Flooring, with a network spanning 48 locations across more than 18 states. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, hardwood, luxury vinyl, and installation materials, serving both residential and commercial markets with industry-leading products and personalized service.

Capital Responsibility

At its core, Transom views responsible investing as investing with purpose: in people, in sustainable business practices, and in outcomes that endure beyond its ownership period. This principle informs every aspect of the firm’s operations, from investment decision-making to the way the firm engages with portfolio companies and builds its internal team.

Transom integrates ESG factors throughout the investment lifecycle, beginning with due diligence and continuing through ownership. The firm’s “Responsible Investment and Stewardship Policy” applies to all funds, providing a framework for ESG governance and the evaluation of ESG risks and opportunities. These insights directly shape Transom’s investment decisions and guide the value creation plans implemented post-close.

Once invested, Transom works closely with leadership teams to transform businesses, embedding itself to unlock value and accelerate growth. By prioritizing people and culture, the firm helps build resilient organizations where employees can thrive. Transom’s goal is to leave each company stronger, more sustainable, and better positioned for long-term success.

CEO Reviews

Cathy Pickosk, CEO of Secur-Serv

“Transom has been an invaluable partner to our business, helping to establish Secur-Serv as a standalone company and guide our expansion while significantly improving our profitability and margins.”

Jeff Haigh, CEO of Locana

“While we are excited for our next chapter, it has been my pleasure to partner with the teams at Transom and Angeleno over the past several years to build a best-in-class geospatial platform. Their strategic and operational support brought a major upgrade in sophistication to our business operations at Locana and was a driving force in our success.”