Overview
Fairfield-Maxwell (“Fairfield”) is a third generation family-owned enterprise that successfully buys, builds, and grows companies spanning industries and geographies through long-term capital investments. The company was founded in 1957 and is headquartered in New York, New York. Fairfield partners with other family-owned businesses, entrepreneurs, business owners, and management teams to grow exceptional businesses. The company builds its diversified portfolio using a long-term approach to steadily grow earnings into the future. The Fairfield team provides the companies in its portfolio with professional management expertise, operational expertise, and a permanent capital base while management, with their industry expertise, continue to make the day-to-day operational decisions. As Fairfield moves into the future, we will continue to successfully grow value through our commitment to building great companies in partnership with business owners and managers.
Our Mission
01
To be an excellent steward of operating companies
02
To grow those companies over time
03
To create increased shareholder value
04
To be proud of how we do it
Our Values
The fundamentals that drive us to success
Fairfield-Maxwell’s roots are in family, and the Sugahara family was built on values. Today, the FM team embraces each and every one of these values, both internally and in every interaction with its partners.
Loyalty
Fairfield Maxwell is built on centuries of allegiance and reliability. In the early 1900s, when Asian Americans were unable to purchase land without U.S. citizenship, many families entrusted Fairfield’s founder Kay Sugahara— a naturalized citizen — with their financial futures when they handed over personal capital so he could buy land on their family’s behalf. Kay later returned the land to their American-born children, further solidifying his place as a trusted pillar in the community. Today, we continue to place an extraordinary amount of value on loyalty to those around us and earning trust in our communities.
Partnership
At Fairfield Maxwell, we look at every project as an opportunity to broaden experience, increase reach, and deepen relationships. These are just a few of the core benefits of a partnership, which is why we feel so passionately about continued collaboration with both new and existing portfolio companies.
Integrity
Fairfield Maxwell was founded on integrity, which is one of the pillars of Japanese culture. Without honesty and moral principles, partnerships mean nothing. That is why integrity will always remain a core pillar at our firm.
Flexibility
If we believe in something, we find a way to make it happen. The idea of creative thinking has been passed down from generation to generation in the Fairfield-Maxwell family. This, in combination with our permanent capital, allows us to lean into flexible solutions that set us apart. In the face of adversity, adaptability is a must, which is why we feel so strongly about being able to shift strategies and make changes.
Development
Whether personal or professional, Fairfield Maxwell recognizes the importance of every individual reaching their desired potential. Our investment philosophy goes much further than just capital expenditure; we believe in investing in individuals, their education, and their growth.