Family office private investment firm
The Zaf Group
- HeadquartersLake Forest, IL S1
- Founded2011 S3
- Websitethezafgroup.com
- Last verifiedOctober 27, 2026
At a glance
| Revenue range | $50M to $300M S2 |
|---|---|
| Deal types | Platform, Add-on S3 |
| Sectors | IT Services & MSP, Cybersecurity, Distribution |
What The Zaf Group buys
The Zaf Group is the family office of Mike and Robin Zafirovski in Lake Forest, Illinois. Mike ran Nortel and led businesses at Motorola and GE before starting the firm in 2011. Since 2016 its main job has been buying well-run family businesses and keeping them for the long term instead of reselling them after a few years. It looks for companies with roughly $50 million to $300 million of annual revenue, often where the owner has no clear successor. Any industry is considered, but light industrial, consumer and business-to-business products and services come first.
Today it owns two platforms as general partner. Tusker is a Chicago IT solutions and managed services provider built from ACP, bought in 2017, and five later acquisitions. Storr Office Environments is a Raleigh office furniture dealer and workplace services company bought in October 2025. The family puts at least 10% of the equity into each deal itself, and more than half on average. A smaller IT services or cybersecurity firm is most likely to meet the group as an add-on to Tusker.
Recent deals
Announced in the 24 months before October 27, 2026.
| Date | Company | Type | Sector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | Fortress SRMCleveland cybersecurity and managed security firm with about 50 staff added to Tusker as its sixth regional hub | Add-on | Cybersecurity | Source |
| Oct 2025 | Storr Office EnvironmentsRaleigh Steelcase dealer and workplace services company founded in 1914 | Platform | Distribution | Source |
| Apr 2025 | ABCO SystemsNew Jersey material handling systems integrator sold to Element Logic after five years of ownership | Exit | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Jan 2025 | MindsightChicago-area IT consulting, cloud and managed services firm added to ACP CreativIT, now Tusker | Add-on | IT Services & MSP | Source |
Portfolio by sector
From the firm's portfolio page S3.
Storr Office Environments
- Storr Office Environments
- Storr Logistics Services
- Storr Records Management
Tusker
- Tusker
- Camera Corner Connecting Point
- Citon
- Versatile Communications
- Mindsight
- Fortress SRM
Past investments: ABCO Systems
Greymont’s take
How The Zaf Group fits a seller
The Zaf Group suits a family owner who wants a lasting home for the business rather than a private equity sale followed by a resale in a few years. Its own comparison with private equity says the board is the family plus the previous owner, key decisions need unanimous board consent, and cash is paid out mainly to cover taxes, so profits stay in the company. Tusker's January 2026 release says the owner-operators of its first five family-owned firms are still active in the business.
The group moves slowly on new platforms: it has bought only three since 2016. For a smaller company the likeliest path is an add-on to Tusker in IT services or cybersecurity. Because it did sell ABCO Systems in 2025 after five years, an owner should ask how the family decides when to keep a business and when to find it a new owner.
Questions owners ask
What size company does The Zaf Group buy?
Its stated target is a well-run, family-owned business with about $50 million to $300 million of annual revenue, often one facing a succession question. Smaller IT services and cybersecurity firms have joined Tusker as add-ons.
Does The Zaf Group buy IT services or managed service providers?
Yes. Its largest holding, Tusker, is a Chicago IT solutions and managed services provider built through acquisitions and named to the 2026 Channel Futures MSP 501. Its most recent add-on was Fortress SRM, a Cleveland cybersecurity firm, in September 2026.
How long does The Zaf Group keep the companies it buys?
It describes itself as a long-term owner, in contrast to the two-to-five-year hold it attributes to private equity. It has owned ACP, the starting point of Tusker, since 2017, though it sold ABCO Systems to Element Logic in April 2025 after five years.
Does the previous owner stay involved after a sale?
The firm says the board of each company it owns is made up of The Zaf Group and the previous owner, and that key governance decisions need the unanimous consent of that board.
Sources
- S1The Zaf Group home page Accessed October 27, 2026
- S2The Zaf Group: What We Do (scope, acquisition criteria and TZG vs. private equity table) Accessed October 27, 2026
- S3The Zaf Group: Our Story (history, portfolio and timeline) Accessed October 27, 2026
- S4The Zaf Group Partners with Storr (October 1, 2025) Accessed October 27, 2026
- S5ABCO Systems to Begin New Chapter with Element Logic (April 28, 2025) Accessed October 27, 2026
- S6ACP CreativIT Acquires Mindsight (January 9, 2025) Accessed October 27, 2026
- S7Tusker Acquires Fortress SRM to Expand Cybersecurity Services (September 2, 2026) Accessed October 27, 2026
- S8ACP CreativIT Unifies Under New National Brand: Tusker (January 13, 2026) Accessed October 27, 2026
- S9Tusker Ranked on 2026 MSP 501 List of Top Managed Service Providers (PR Newswire, July 16, 2026) Accessed October 27, 2026
- S10Tusker names Matt Gaudio CEO (October 6, 2026) Accessed October 27, 2026
- S11The Zaf Group: Company News Accessed October 27, 2026
Compiled by Greymont Advisors from public sources, including the firm’s own website and press releases. Greymont is not affiliated with The Zaf Group. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may have changed. Request a correction