Family office and multi-industry family holding company
Hoffmann Family of Companies
- HeadquartersWinnetka, IL S5
- Founded1989 S6
- Websitehfcompanies.com
- Last verifiedNovember 3, 2026
At a glance
| Deal types | Platform, Add-on S7 |
|---|---|
| Sectors | Industrial & Manufacturing, Transportation & Logistics, Consumer & Food, Accounting & Professional Services |
What Hoffmann Family of Companies buys
Hoffmann Family of Companies is the holding company of David and Jerri Hoffmann, who started it in 1989. It is based in Winnetka, Illinois, with main offices in Chicago, Naples, Florida and St. Louis. It counts more than 200 brands and properties bought over the years, sorted into eight groups: manufacturing, transportation, marine, hospitality and events, agriculture, media, real estate, and financial and professional services. Geoff Hoffmann runs its private equity arm and Greg Hoffmann runs its real estate arm.
The family invests its own money, so there is no fund deadline, and it says it looks for deals it can hold for ten years or more. It publishes no revenue or EBITDA range. Most recent purchases are family-run companies, such as a North Carolina metal stamper founded in 1946 and a Wisconsin ice cream maker, but it also bought the Pittsburgh Penguins. Some small deals are folded into a company it already owns, as when a Naples powder coating shop joined Sunmaster.
Recent deals
Announced in the 24 months before November 3, 2026.
| Date | Company | Type | Sector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2026 | Hamilton Harbor Yacht ClubNaples, Florida marina and yacht club with a 325-boat storage building, a deal led by the real estate arm | Platform | Source | |
| Oct 2026 | Champion CoachGreenville, South Carolina motorcoach company serving pro and college sports teams, started by the Dance family in 1998 | Platform | Transportation & Logistics | Source |
| Jul 2026 | Allred Metal Stamping WorksHigh Point, North Carolina custom metal stamper and tool maker, founded in 1946 | Platform | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Jul 2026 | Naples Powder CoatingOwner-run powder coating shop merged into Sunmaster of Naples | Add-on | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Jun 2026 | KMOX and five other St. Louis radio brandsProposed purchase from Audacy for the media group, subject to FCC approval | Platform | Source | |
| Jun 2026 | Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL approved the purchase of a controlling stake from Fenway Sports Group; the firm calls it its most significant investment to date | Platform | Source | |
| Jun 2026 | Cedar Crest Ice CreamWisconsin ice cream maker bought from the retiring Kohlwey brothers; Oberweis Dairy's CEO now leads it | Platform | Consumer & Food | Source |
| May 2026 | SteamLine LuggagePlanned purchase of a Dublin, Ireland luxury luggage brand | Platform | Consumer & Food | Source |
| May 2026 | LEO EventsMemphis event agency; the three principals keep minority stakes and two stay on as co-CEOs | Platform | Source | |
| Jan 2026 | Smith GardensMajority stake in a fourth-generation Bellingham, Washington greenhouse grower; the Smith family keeps a stake and stays in charge | Platform | Source | |
| Dec 2025 | Aspen Daily NewsColorado newspaper bought through Hoffmann Media Group; the publisher keeps running it | Platform | Source | |
| Dec 2025 | Lee EnterprisesLed and backstopped a $50 million share purchase in the Nasdaq-listed newspaper company | Minority | Source | |
| Oct 2025 | Loadstar TrailersCanadian maker of lowboy and heavy-duty trailers; the founder keeps a stake and keeps leading it | Platform | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Oct 2025 | Pure FloridaNaples boat tour and water attraction business started by a father and son | Platform | Source | |
| Oct 2025 | Olympus LimoTampa Bay chauffeured car, van and motorcoach company founded in 1996 | Platform | Transportation & Logistics | Source |
| Sep 2025 | Derby Fabricating SolutionsLouisville maker of die-cut noise and vibration control parts for automotive and appliance customers | Platform | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Aug 2025 | Elmer ChocolateSeasonal chocolate maker bought in partnership with the Nelson family | Platform | Consumer & Food | Source |
| Jul 2025 | Atlanta Party RentalsFamily-run event rental company founded in 2018 | Platform | Source | |
| Jun 2025 | Missourian Media GroupFamily-owned Washington, Missouri newspaper publisher, with its buildings and printing plant | Platform | Source | |
| Apr 2025 | N.G. Heimos GreenhousesLetter of intent to buy a large Midwest poinsettia grower; the CEO and staff stay | Platform | Source | |
| Feb 2025 | Bay Area Herbs & SpecialtiesControlling stake in a San Francisco supplier of herbs and specialty produce | Platform | Consumer & Food | Source |
Portfolio by sector
From the firm's portfolio page S3.
Agriculture
- American Farms
- American Farms (Midwest)
- Augusta Winery
- Balducci Vineyards
- Bay Area Herbs & Specialties
- Hoffmann Hillermann Nursery & Florist
- Montelle Winery
- Mount Pleasant Estates
- Pandion Club
- Smith Gardens
- The Old Collier Golf Club
- Topiary Creations
- World Wide Farms (Meyer)
Aviation & Transportation
- 5 Star Valet
- Champion Coach
- CTS Aspen
- Dolphin Transportation Specialists
- Global Jetcare
- JED Transportation
- Mid-American Coaches
- Naples Transportation and Tours (NT&T)
- Olympus Limo
- Premier Transportation
- Pure Luxury Transportation
Financial & Professional Services
- DHR Global
- Hat-Trick Assurance
- Hoffmann Leasing Company
- Jobplex
- Osprey Capital
- Peregrine Capital
Hospitality & Entertainment
- Atlanta Party Rentals
- Augusta Clothing Company
- Augusta Emporium
- Augusta Vineyard Tours
- Cohabit Pod Hotel
- Everglades Excursions
- Florida Everblades
- GlobalWorks DMC
- Hertz Arena
- Lark & Willow Events
- LEO Events
- Marco Island Water Sports
- Naples Beach Water Sports
- Naples eBike Tours
- Naples Trolley Tours
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Regency Watersports
- Resorts / Mountain / Cities
- Rowland Coffee Roasters
- Stan's Coffee & Food Service
- SteamLine Luggage
- The Java Butler
- Visit Augusta, MO
- White House Cafe
- Young Harris Watersports & RV
Hospitality & Entertainment / Agriculture
- Kaleidoscope Floral
- Old Corkscrew Golf Club
Manufacturing
- Admiral Sign
- Allred Metal Stamping Works
- Archer Wire
- Bragg Trailers
- Capron Manufacturing Company
- CDN Controls
- Cedar Crest Ice Cream
- Derby Fabricating Solutions
- Doonan Specialized Trailer
- Elmer Chocolate
- Envision Engineering
- Ferche Millwork
- Fire Rated Frames
- Linstol
- Loadstar Trailers, Inc.
- Lone Star Trailer Parts
- MNH Sustainable Cabin Services
- Naples Powder Coating
- NOA Medical Industries
- Oberweis Dairy
- Sunmaster of Naples
- Texas Bragg Trailers
- Viking Plastics
- Wayne Manufacturing
- Ziglin Signs
Marine
- Arnold Transit Company
- East Dock
- Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club
- LaCrosse Queen
- Marco Island Princess
- Minneapolis Queen
- Miss Augusta
- Miss Naples
- Naples Princess
- Paradise Charter Cruises
- Port O Call Marina
- Port O Call Rentals
- Pure Florida
- Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry
- Sip n' Sail Cruises
- Volunteer Princess Yacht Cruises & Events
- Water2Wine Cruises
Media & Marketing
- American Canyon Eagle
- Aspen Daily News
- Ave Maria Sun
- Babcock Ranch Telegraph
- Florida Health Care News
- Florida Weekly
- Hoffmann Media Group
- I Found My Doctor
- Inside Napa Valley Magazine
- Kingfisher Production Studio
- Lee Enterprises
- Mackinac Island Town Crier
- Missourian Media Group
- Napa Valley Register
- SportsNet Pittsburgh
- St. Helena Star
- The Norwood Post
- The St. Ignace News
- The Telluride Times
- The Weekly Calistogan
- Town Chronicle
Real Estate
- Basecamp Executive Suites
- Hoffmann Commercial Real Estate
- Hoffmann Executive Suites
Greymont’s take
How Hoffmann Family of Companies fits a seller
Hoffmann suits an owner who wants a long-term home for a family business and cares about the name and the staff staying in place. Because the money is family capital, a sale does not come with a planned resale in five years, and the firm says it wants owners who stay involved and keep a stake in the future. Recent deals show several versions of that: the Smith family kept part of Smith Gardens and still runs it, the LEO Events principals kept minority stakes, and Loadstar's founder kept a share and his role. In other deals, such as Cedar Crest, the owners retired and a leader from a sister company took over.
Owners should ask who will run the business after closing, whether it will be combined with a sister company, and who makes decisions inside such a large family group.
Questions owners ask
Does Hoffmann Family of Companies buy family-owned businesses?
Yes. Most of its recent purchases were family or founder-run companies, including Allred Metal Stamping Works, a North Carolina manufacturer founded in 1946, Cedar Crest Ice Cream from the Kohlwey brothers, and a majority stake in the fourth-generation grower Smith Gardens.
How long does Hoffmann keep the companies it buys?
It describes a long-view, buy-and-hold approach and says it looks for opportunities that suit a hold of ten years or more. It invests family money rather than a fund with a fixed end date.
Can the owner keep a stake after selling to Hoffmann?
Sometimes. In 2025 and 2026 the founder of Loadstar Trailers, the Smith family at Smith Gardens and the LEO Events principals all kept part ownership, and they stayed in leadership roles.
What size companies does Hoffmann buy?
It does not publish a size range. Its deals run from local businesses, such as a Naples powder coating shop and an Atlanta party rental company, up to the Pittsburgh Penguins, which it calls its most significant investment to date.
Sources
- S1Hoffmann Family of Companies home page Accessed November 3, 2026
- S2Hoffmann Family of Companies: Our Purpose (what we look for) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S3Hoffmann Family of Companies: Companies Accessed November 3, 2026
- S4Hoffmann Family of Companies: News Accessed November 3, 2026
- S5Hoffmann Family of Companies Acquires Cedar Crest Ice Cream (June 15, 2026) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S6Hoffmann Family Receives Unanimous NHL Approval to Acquire Pittsburgh Penguins (June 23, 2026) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S7Hoffmann Acquires Naples Powder Coating, Merges Operations with Sunmaster (July 8, 2026) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S8Hoffmann Welcomes Smith Gardens to Rapidly Growing Agricultural Portfolio (January 29, 2026) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S9Hoffmann Family of Companies Adds Loadstar Trailers to Portfolio (October 2025) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S10Hoffmann Family of Companies Acquires LEO Events (May 1, 2026) Accessed November 3, 2026
- S11Hoffmann Family to Acquire Controlling Interest in Pittsburgh Penguins from Fenway Sports Group (December 19, 2025) Accessed November 3, 2026
Compiled by Greymont Advisors from public sources, including the firm’s own website and press releases. Greymont is not affiliated with Hoffmann Family of Companies. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may have changed. Request a correction