Compass Partners brings elite experience and focus to help companies seize 21st century opportunities.
Compass Partners brings elite experience and focus to help companies seize 21st century opportunities.
Core Principles
Compass Partners brings elite experience and focus to help companies seize 21st century opportunities.
Passion for Excellence.
Enduring Belief in Humility and Adaptability.
Family-like Emphasis on Trust and Collaboration.
Philosophy
Compass is developing a proprietary pipeline of companies to become part of unique 21st century platforms.
Experienced Team
Prudent Use of Debt
Expansive Network
Rigorous Risk Assessment
Criteria
Compass is developing a proprietary pipeline of companies to become part of unique 21st century platforms.
Criteria
Compass is developing a proprietary pipeline of companies to become part of unique 21st century platforms.
- Companies that serve Aerospace & Defense and Industrial markets
- Synergy with sector-specific, 21st century themes developed by industry experts
- Platform companies based in the United States, add-ons considered globally
- Strong management teams looking to take their company to the next level
- Robust existing book of business with opportunity to scale and/or make operational improvements
- EBITDA of $5-50 million for platform companies, no size limit for add-ons
Our Portfolio
Meet Our Team
Stephen M. Waters
Managing Partner
James Waters
Chief Of Staff
Jim Timmings
Associate
Torey Saager
Office Manager
Meet Our Team
Stephen M. Waters
Managing Partner
Steve founded Compass in 1997 and is its Managing Partner.
He assisted in raising and subsequently managed Compass’ successful $900+ million European Equity Fund. In 2016 that Fund’s team completed a €1.7 billion portfolio purchase of assets from Bridgepoint.
Prior to Compass, Steve ran the Mergers & Acquisitions departments at Lehman Brothers and then Morgan Stanley, and was on the latter’s Operating Committee as Co-CEO of Morgan Stanley International in London. He was Chairman of the US Naval Institute and remains on its Foundation’s Board, as well as those of Valero and Boston Private Financial, which he chairs.
Steve was a George F. Baker Scholar at Harvard Business School, Lieutenant in the US Navy, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard College.
James Waters
Chief of Staff
James joined Compass in 2014. He manages the firm’s investment business and day-to-day operations in addition to leading Compass deal teams from sourcing through execution.
Before joining Compass, James served as a US Navy SEAL platoon commander and as a White House staffer, including a stint at the Office of Management and Budget.
James received his BA cum laude from Harvard College and his MBA from Harvard Business School where he was a George F. Baker Scholar.
Jim Timmings
Associate
Jim joined Compass in 2024. He assists the firm’s sourcing of new investment opportunities, modeling and analyses for potential investments, and monitoring of portfolio companies’ financial performance.
Prior to Compass, Jim worked for Kroll’s Transaction Advisory Services group providing Quality of Earnings and key financial analyses for buyers, sellers and banks in M&A transactions. He also worked for Deloitte in their Risk and Financial Advisory practice.
Jim graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2019 with a bachelor’s and master’s in accounting.
Torey Saager
Office Manager
Torey joined Compass Partners in 2018. She is responsible for managing the firm’s office, including HR & Recruiting, Accounting & Administration, and providing support to all team members.
Before joining Compass, Torey worked at Basso Capital Management, providing support to the CEO, Marketing & Investor Relations, Accounting, and Legal & Compliance teams. She also worked as a conference coordinator in the Global Access group at Jefferies and as an associate at Silicon Valley Bank in Boston.
Torey completed her BA in Communication at Boston College while captaining its Division-1 swim team.
Investment News
News
Tim Grass Named President & Chief Executive Officer of Nautilus Integrated Solutions
April 3, 2023 Stamford, CT - Compass Partners Capital LLC (“Compass”) announced today that Tim Grass has been selected as Nautilus Integrated Solutions ("Nautilus") new President and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”). Tim is an accomplished manufacturing executive who...
ThayerMahan raises $30 million in Series C Funding
GROTON, Conn., April 18, 2023 – ThayerMahan, a world leader in autonomous maritime surveillance solutions, completed $30 million in Series C funding, led by the MC2 Security Fund (MC2). New investors in the round also include I Squared Capital, Ducenta Squared Asset...
Contact Us
680 Washington Blvd., 10th Floor, Stamford, CT 06901
+212 702 8650