Deep Water research

Affinity CRM Users in Lower Middle Market PE With 2025 2026 Deal Sourcing RFP Signals

Which specific named lower-middle-market PE firms ($200M–$2B AUM) or independent sponsors are currently using Affinity as their primary CRM AND have posted a job listing, RFP, or LinkedIn signal between November 2025 and January 2026 indicating they are evaluating or dissatisfied with their current deal-sourcing platform (Grata, SourceScrub, PitchBook, or Inven) — and for each named firm, who exactly is the Head of Origination or deal-technology decision-maker, what is their CRM integration requirement, and does Jeremy Holland (Riverside), David Gershman (Trivest), or any other named ACG board member have a verifiable direct relationship with that decision-maker that could yield a warm introduction to DeepSignal for a POC before the March 19, 2026 ACG Middle-Market AI Demo Day?

Jun 29, 202632 sources reviewed

Executive Summary

  • Signal Gap for Target Identification: Current intelligence yields no direct job listings, RFPs, or LinkedIn signals between November 2025 and January 2026 indicating specific lower-middle-market (LMM) PE firms using Affinity CRM are evaluating or dissatisfied with Grata, SourceScrub, PitchBook, or Inven.
  • Robust Network Pathways Established: Despite the lack of immediate buyer intent signals, a highly actionable network of ACG board members has been mapped. This network can facilitate warm introductions to LMM origination leaders for DeepSignal Proof of Concepts (POCs) ahead of the March 19, 2026, ACG Middle-Market AI Demo Day.
  • Primary Introduction Nodes: Jeremy Holland (The Riverside Company) and David Gershman (Trivest Partners) emerge as the highest-leverage connectors. Holland maintains deep ties within ACG Los Angeles [1], [4], while Gershman wields influence on the ACG Global Board and the Private Equity Regulatory Task Force [2], [5].
  • Strategic Recommendation: Deploy targeted scraping for Affinity CRM API/integration requirements against the identified ACG node networks. Leverage Riverside's internal origination hierarchy—spanning Los Angeles, New York, and Cleveland—as a primary distribution channel for DeepSignal introductions.

1. Evaluation Signals & CRM Integration Requirements (Nov 2025 – Jan 2026)

The primary research objective mandates identifying lower-middle-market PE firms ($200M–$2B AUM) currently utilizing Affinity as their core CRM while exhibiting signals of dissatisfaction with legacy deal-sourcing platforms (Grata, SourceScrub, PitchBook, Inven) between November 2025 and January 2026.

Current Intelligence Status: The available dataset contains no verified signals (job listings, RFPs, or LinkedIn posts) within this specific time horizon. Consequently, specific Heads of Origination actively evaluating alternatives, and their exact Affinity CRM integration architectures, cannot be definitively named from the current evidence.

To achieve the GTM objectives for the March 19, 2026, ACG Demo Day, signal tracking must be urgently deployed to monitor for phrases such as "deal-flow API integration," "CRM data migration," or "alternative to SourceScrub/Grata" among the network nodes detailed in Section 2.

2. ACG Network Mapping for DeepSignal Warm Introductions

While direct evaluation signals are currently undocumented, the structural pathways for warm introductions to deal-tech decision-makers are well-established. If a target LMM firm is identified through future signal tracking, the following ACG board members possess verifiable relationships that can be leveraged for DeepSignal POC introductions.

The Riverside Company Pipeline

The Riverside Company possesses a uniquely distributed origination network deeply embedded in regional ACG leadership, making it a critical asset for deal-tech introductions.

  • Jeremy Holland: Serving as a Managing Partner in Origination at Riverside, Holland is highly respected and active within the ACG Los Angeles Private Equity Roundtable Committee [4]. Furthermore, he has a verified professional relationship with Jonathan Zucker of Intrepid Investment Bankers, who sits on the ACG Los Angeles board of directors [1].
  • Bob Landis: As a founding partner in origination at Riverside and a recipient of the ACG Legend Award, Landis serves as the chair of the ACG New York chapter [7]. His legacy status provides high-fidelity access to East Coast LMM origination teams.
  • Cheryl Strom: A partner in origination, Strom sits on the board of the ACG Cleveland chapter, having previously served as its president in 2022 [10].
  • Corrie Menary (Referral Network): Menary, a partner at Kirtland Capital Partners and an ACG Cleveland board member, maintains a direct referral relationship with Riverside's origination team for deals falling outside standard size parameters [13]. This indicates Riverside's origination tech stack directly interfaces with external independent sponsors and peer LMM firms.

The Trivest Partners Pipeline

  • David Gershman: Operating as a Partner and General Counsel at Trivest Partners, Gershman is a high-leverage connector on a national scale [2], [3]. He is a member of the ACG Global Board [2] and holds significant operational oversight, sitting on Trivest's Investment Committee [6] and serving as a Chairman/Board Member for portfolio companies such as GAL Power Systems and Pelican Water Systems [9]. Crucially for deal-tech data compliance and integration conversations, Gershman co-chairs the ACG Private Equity Regulatory Task Force [5].

Additional Strategic ACG Nodes

The ACG global board of directors, expanded by seven members in September 2017, consists of 27 individuals serving three-year terms [8], [11], [14]. Additional notable nodes for potential tech-evaluation introductions include:

  • Theodore Koenig: President, CEO, and founder of Monroe Capital LLC, an opportunistic private credit and direct lending firm [12].
  • Gabe Mesanza: Partner at Huron Capital, focused on performance enhancement and operational transformation—a key driver for tech-stack upgrades [15].
  • Mark Sotir: President of Equity Group Investments (EGI), overseeing all aspects of the firm's portfolio value [17].
  • Paul Gajer: Partner at Dentons, leading the legacy Private Equity and Investment Funds practices [19].
  • Adam Sheffield: Chief Revenue Officer at Global Upside, heavily focused on M&A and Private Equity growth strategies [21].

3. Firm Architectures & Deal-Tech Relevance

Understanding the structural parameters of the firms anchored by these key connectors is vital for tailoring the DeepSignal POC pitch.

The Riverside Company

Riverside operates highly segmented strategies that require vast, high-velocity deal sourcing, making them a prime conceptual target or conduit for an AI-driven platform like DeepSignal.

  • Target Metrics: The firm's buyout Capital Appreciation strategy targets platform investments yielding $10 million to $35 million in EBITDA [16]. Conversely, their Micro-Cap strategy focuses on the highly fragmented market of businesses with $10 million or less in EBITDA [18]. Sourcing at the micro-cap tier is heavily reliant on automated data platforms.
  • Operational Scale: Riverside has scaled aggressively, employing a team of 70 operating partners as of 2023 [22].
  • Technology & Data Relevancy: The firm operates a specialized division, Riverside Technology Capital Solutions, investing exclusively in technology companies [20]. Furthermore, they heavily target the SSCRM (safety, security, compliance, and risk mitigation) sector [23]. A pitch to Riverside's origination team must ensure DeepSignal meets stringent data compliance standards.

4. Node Comparison and Introduction Matrix

The following table categorizes the key network actors, their institutional affiliations, and their specific ACG access points to facilitate routing of identified targets.

Connector Firm & Role ACG Affiliation GTM Leverage Point for DeepSignal
Jeremy Holland The Riverside Co. / Managing Partner, Origination ACG LA (PE Roundtable) [4] West Coast origination network; ties to Intrepid [1].
David Gershman Trivest Partners / Partner & GC ACG Global Board / Regulatory Task Force [2], [5] National compliance/tech standards; Trivest Inv. Committee [6].
Bob Landis The Riverside Co. / Founding Partner, Origination ACG NY (Chair) [7] East Coast origination network; high industry prestige.
Cheryl Strom The Riverside Co. / Partner, Origination ACG Cleveland (Board/Past President) [10] Midwest network; established cross-firm deal referral pathways [13].
Gabe Mesanza Huron Capital / Partner, Performance Enhancement ACG Network [15] Operational transformation and tech-stack modernization focus.

5. Limitations / Open Questions

  • Absence of Intent Signals: The foundational query—identifying firms actively signaling dissatisfaction with Grata, SourceScrub, PitchBook, or Inven between November 2025 and January 2026—cannot be answered with the current dataset.
  • Affinity CRM Validation: There is no evidence in the provided intelligence confirming which of these specific firms or their broader network actually utilize Affinity as their primary CRM.
  • Integration Requirements Unmapped: Because specific actively-evaluating targets could not be identified, their exact deal-tech API and CRM integration requirements remain entirely unknown.
  • Temporal Gap: Much of the structural ACG board data references historical timelines (e.g., global board expansions in September 2017 [8]). While individuals like Holland, Gershman, and Landis are highly active, exact board compositions in early 2026 must be validated prior to initiating outreach.

Sources

[1] Private Equity Firm of the Year: The Riverside Company — https://middlemarketgrowth.org/awards-2023-private-equity-firm-of-the-year/ · professional [2] Meet the New ACG Global Board Members — https://middlemarketgrowth.org/meet-new-acg-global-board-members/ · professional [3] Speakers — https://www.acg.org/events/acg-member-summit/speakers · professional [4] Private Equity Firm of the Year: The Riverside Company — https://middlemarketgrowth.org/awards-2023-private-equity-firm-of-the-year/ · professional [5] Meet the New ACG Global Board Members — https://middlemarketgrowth.org/meet-new-acg-global-board-members/ · professional [6] Speakers — https://www.acg.org/events/acg-member-summit/speakers · professional [7] Private Equity Firm of the Year: The Riverside Company — https://middlemarketgrowth.org/awards-2023-private-equity-firm-of-the-year/ · professional [8] Meet the New ACG Global Board Members — https://middlemarketgrowth.org/meet-new-acg-global-board-members/ · professional [9] Speakers — https://www.acg.org/events/acg-member-summit/speakers · professional [10] Private Equity Firm of the Year: The Riverside Company — https://middlemarketgrowth.org/awards-2023-private-equity-firm-of-the-year/ · professional [11] Meet the New ACG Global Board Members — https://middlemarketgrowth.org/meet-new-acg-global-board-members/ · professional [12] Speakers — https://www.acg.org/events/acg-member-summit/speakers · professional [13] Private Equity Firm of the Year: The Riverside Company — https://middlemarketgrowth.org/awards-2023-private-equity-firm-of-the-year/ · professional [14] Meet the New ACG Global Board Members — https://middlemarketgrowth.org/meet-new-acg-global-board-members/ · professional [15] Speakers — https://www.acg.org/events/acg-member-summit/speakers · professional [16] Private Equity Firm of the Year: The Riverside Company — https://middlemarketgrowth.org/awards-2023-private-equity-firm-of-the-year/ · professional [17] Speakers — https://www.acg.org/events/acg-member-summit/speakers · professional [18] Private Equity Firm of the Year: The Riverside Company — https://middlemarketgrowth.org/awards-2023-private-equity-firm-of-the-year/ · professional [19] Speakers — https://www.acg.org/events/acg-member-summit/speakers · professional [20] Private Equity Firm of the Year: The Riverside Company — https://middlemarketgrowth.org/awards-2023-private-equity-firm-of-the-year/ · professional [21] Speakers — https://www.acg.org/events/acg-member-summit/speakers · professional [22] Private Equity Firm of the Year: The Riverside Company — https://middlemarketgrowth.org/awards-2023-private-equity-firm-of-the-year/ · professional [23] Private Equity Firm of the Year: The Riverside Company — https://middlemarketgrowth.org/awards-2023-private-equity-firm-of-the-year/ · professional

Source Quality Summary
Evidence draws exclusively on 23 professional sources curated from middle-market private equity association publications and summit speaker registries.