“You have to go wholeheartedly into anything in order to achieve anything worth having.”
– Frank Lloyd Wright
We value proven businesses and compelling real estate opportunities that, with the right support, will prove to be classic and enduring, not “trending.”
We work with successful owner-entrepreneurs who are passionate about their businesses, and have built outstanding management teams.
We bring perspective shaped by the successes and challenges that come with building an enduring brand. Prairie Management Group’s founder, Gordon Segal, and his wife Carole built Crate & Barrel from the ground up, cultivating a solid idea with time and ongoing curiosity. Gordon and Carole wanted to bring the simple, well-designed tableware they had seen on their European travels to the United States for other young couples like themselves, who had “more taste than money”. So in 1962, they opened a contemporary housewares store in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood, selling out of packing crates and barrels. From the Segals’ strong, uncomplicated concept blossomed a successful business that, for over 60 years, has changed the way Americans view housewares, transformed the American retail environment, and has become an iconic brand. The very same values cultivated at Crate & Barrel: people, practicality, durability, and curiosity are at the root of the Prairie Management Group.
With this singular background, PMG has the vision and patience to be a highly strategic investor and partner in retail, e-commerce, consumer-facing businesses, and real estate investments.
Prairie Management Group can enhance a typical institutional private equity transaction experience in many ways. Whether providing advice during the assessment period of the due diligence phase or mapping out next steps post-transaction, our insights can be invaluable during a company’s growth period.
Thanks to our years cultivating Crate & Barrel, we appreciate both the challenges facing growing businesses as well as the benefits of compounding growth over long periods of time. To succeed, enduring companies need patient capital investors like us, who are aligned with their goals and vision.
We view ourselves as flexible partner-advisers whose active role will enrich our investments, either through representation on the Board of Directors or as advisors to the business. Prairie Management Group will work side-by-side with management teams to help achieve their long-term goals – and then help set new ones.
We align with management teams of high-growth businesses to make company decisions that will create optimum value for ownership, employees, and investors. We are not focused on short-term company performance.
We look for compelling, high-margin businesses with barriers to entry that have achieved positive cash flow or have a clear pathway to profitability. These companies typically have proven business models and are looking for growth equity to expand. Their ventures tend to be disruptive yet enduring, with convincing reasons to exist in the internet age.
We prioritize transactions led by trusted private equity sponsors that seek PMG’s participation as a strategic, active investor. Notably, our capital is usually invested directly into the company (and not through the sponsor’s investment vehicle) so we retain the flexibility to keep a long-term interest in the business to assist company management in achieving its goals.
Below you will find links to representative investments and investment partners.
For more information on our private equity investment opportunities, contact us.
Prairie Management Group can be a highly strategic investor and partner in any real estate project. Given our experience growing the real estate footprint of Crate & Barrel for more than 50 years, we understand the challenges that accompany real estate investments.
Our main goal is to collaborate with trusted, high-quality real estate sponsors who have demonstrated unique expertise and established a strong track record, usually in a single product type.
We focus on value-added and opportunistic real estate investments, including development projects, in all major product types across the United States. We believe in the adage that all real estate is local, thus prefer our sponsors to have demonstrated a competitive advantage in a single city or geographic region to demonstrate their first-hand knowledge of the area.
With an enduring penchant for beautiful spaces and smart architecture, we look for opportunities across the country to invest in commercial and residential spaces that people always need. Our real estate portfolio is already broadly diverse and positioned to grow further in breadth and scope. Representative examples are shown below.
For more information on our real estate investment opportunities, contact us.
Gordon Segal is Co-Founder, former Chairman and CEO of Crate & Barrel, an internationally recognized, multi-channel home furnishings retail chain. Mr. Segal led the company as Chief Executive Officer from 1962 until his retirement in 2008. Currently employing more than 7,000 associates worldwide, the Crate & Barrel family of brands, which also includes CB2 and Crate Kids, has brick-and-mortar locations throughout North America, as well as franchise locations in United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile, Peru, and the Philippines.
A former Chairman of the National Retail Federation and a graduate and Trustee of Northwestern University, Mr. Segal also serves on several civic boards, including The Art Institute of Chicago, the University of Chicago Medical Center, the Chicago History Museum, Window to the World Communications, Inc., and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Mr. Segal is also a member of the Chief Executives’ Organization, and the Chicago Council of Global Affairs.
In 2007, Gordon Segal was inducted into the World Retail Congress’ Hall of Fame. Other recent awards include the Retailing Hall of Fame at Texas A & M, the Cooper-Hewitt’s Design Patron Award, House Beautiful magazine’s Giant of Design designation and the National Retail Federation Gold Medal Award, and induction into the American Furniture Hall of Fame.
After joining PMG in 2009, Matt focused his efforts on managing the hedge fund, private equity, and real estate investment portfolios. Today, Matt serves as President of PMG where he manages all aspects of the family office and continues to play an active role in the various investment programs.
Prior to joining PMG, Matt was Senior Counsel at Abbott Laboratories from 2004-2009, where he managed Food and Drug Administration (FDA) legal work. Before that, Matt was an FDA attorney at Keller and Heckman LLP in Washington, D.C. from 1997-2004. He started his professional career on Capitol Hill working for the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation from 1994-1997.
Matt is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and Chicago Commonwealth Club of Chicago. He also currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Big Shoulders Fund.
Matt is a 1994 graduate of Colgate University with a major in English and a 2000 graduate of Georgetown University Law Center.
Harvey Silverstone is responsible for alternative investments at PMG, where he also serves on the investment committee. Harvey focuses on hedge funds, private equity, and real estate.
Prior to joining PMG, Harvey served as general counsel at Crate & Barrel. Before that, Harvey was a tax partner and led the tax department at a large local public accounting firm where he specialized in federal income tax as well as structuring and analyzing complex tax transactions.
Harvey served on the advisory board of the Robert Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University. He received a degree in accounting from DePaul University and his JD from IIT Kent College of Law. Harvey is a CPA and a licensed attorney in the State of Illinois.
In his spare time, Harvey enjoys riding his bicycle, traveling, and playing tennis.
Brett started with PMG in 2020 and is responsible for portfolio asset allocation, marketable investments, and is a member of the investment committee. Prior to joining PMG, Brett was the Director of Public Investments at the University of Illinois Foundation, where he was responsible for overseeing the sourcing, evaluation, and monitoring of current and prospective managers that focused on public securities. Before that, Brett worked at Cambridge Associates in Boston for more than 12 years, where he was the Strategy Head for Event-Driven and Cross Capital Structure strategies on the Hedge Fund Research team. Brett and his wife currently reside in Chicago.
Brett Snidtker
Brett Snidtker
Jose started with PMG in 2021 and is responsible for the financial planning and accounting for the family office, including working closely with family members and their professional advisors on tax, estate planning, and other financial matters.
Prior to joining PMG, Jose spent more than 14 years at Deloitte Tax LLP, where he focused on serving family offices, privately held businesses, and ultra-wealthy individuals on tax and financial matters. Jose received a Bachelor Degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Illinois.
Jose currently lives in Chicago, IL with his wife and two children. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, running, and traveling.
Xavier joined PMG in 2021 and assists the team in asset allocation, as well as sourcing and monitoring of both public and private investments. He is also an active member of the investment committee. Before joining PMG, Xavier participated in an analyst program at the MacArthur Foundation. During his time there, he focused on sourcing, evaluating, and monitoring both current and prospective investment managers. His responsibilities primarily revolved around the Absolute Return, Distressed Credit, and Special Situations portfolios. Xavier obtained the CFA designation in 2022 and resides in Chicago.
Xavier Jimenez
Xavier Jimenez
Diana joined PMG in 2013 and is responsible for investment accounting, financial reporting, and investment operations for the family office. She works closely with the family members and their advisors on any financial matters that arise. She received her master’s degree in accountancy from DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Management in 2017. Prior to joining PMG, Diana was a second-grade teacher in Northbrook. She is a proud alumnus of The University of Michigan where she earned her master’s in elementary education. Diana currently lives in the northern burbs with her husband, Ryan, and their two young children.
Diana Stephens
Diana Stephens
Call or visit the PMG offices, and you will likely speak with Laura Marvin. Laura is Gordon Segal’s administrative assistant and is instrumental in managing important calendars and the daily operations of the office.
Prior to joining PMG in 2019, Laura worked at Crate & Barrel in Northbrook, Illinois.
In her spare time, Laura and her husband, Ron, like to spend time with family, attend concerts, and explore local cuisine. They currently live in Norridge, Illinois and have 2 children.
Natalya joined PMG in 2024 and is responsible for all the accounting and bookkeeping of the family office and related entities. She works closely with the family members, the PMG team, and the external advisors on all the recordkeeping and maintaining the financial statements.
Prior to joining PMG, Natalya had more than 20 years of experience working in the accounting field serving various types of clients’ accounting and bookkeeping needs.
Natalya currently lives in the northwestern suburbs with her husband and loves spending time with her family.
Prairie Management Group
1474 Techny Road
Northbrook, IL 60062
investments@prairiemgt.com
847.380.4440
Gaze upon a prairie, and you’re only seeing a fraction of its ecosystem. Beneath the leaves, stems, and flowers lay the roots, which account for 70% of the plant. Why? Because prairies need a robust infrastructure to endure the notoriously extreme climate of
the American Midwest.
When we designed our offices in 2008, we planted a real Midwestern prairie in prominent view. Of course it’s pleasant to look at, but the sight of the prairie persisting throughout dramatically different seasons is also a reminder of what PMG stands for. We provide the soil for burgeoning concepts to grow deep roots in order to survive and thrive through ever-changing market conditions.
© 2018 Prairie Management Group, LLC. 1474 Techny Road, Northbrook, IL 60062. All rights reserved.