Our Team

Investment Committee
Member

Investment Committee
Member

Investment Committee
Member

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Michael Bernstein

Michael Bernstein

Michael is the founder and manager of Partners Edge. Michael is also the leading family member of Woodland Management, Inc. Michael has actively allocated to all asset classes on behalf of Woodland and is involved in both private equity and venture investments for Partners Edge. He currently serves on the board of Interlight, a digitally enabled supplier of replacement parts; provides advisory services to Swag.com, a division of Custom Ink; and is active in many philanthropic endeavors. Prior to joining Woodland, Michael served as CEO of Polyconcept, a leading global supplier of promotional merchandise. He led the growth of Polyconcept from a small, family-owned business into a global leader with annual sales close to $1 billion. Michael holds a BA in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin and a JD from the University of Pittsburgh.

Steve Halpern

Steve Halpern

Steve leads private equity investing activities and the development of independent sponsor relationships for Partners Edge. Steve also serves as the President of Woodland. Prior to joining Woodland in 2005, Steve spent 17 years as a franchise owner and executive with TeleCheck in the payments industry. He sourced, co-led the acquisition of, and served as a director of Rita’s Italian Ice, a franchisor of frozen dessert stores. Steve currently serves as a director of Worksite Medical, Bristol ID Technologies, and O’Donnell Metal Deck. Steve received his BS and MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and is also a CPA (license inactive).
Craig Blank

Craig Blank

Craig serves as a Managing Director for Partners Edge, where he leads the firm’s investments in venture capital and private equity. Craig also serves as Woodland Management’s Managing Director, where he leads Woodland’s investments in venture capital, public markets, and real estate. Prior to joining Woodland in 2002, Craig owned and operated three successful restaurants in Pittsburgh. He serves on the Limited Partners Advisory Committees of Grit Fund II and Key Investment Partners. Craig is a partner at Social Venture Partners Pittsburgh (SVPP) and is a member of Vistage, a global peer mentoring organization for business leaders. Craig received a BS in Business Administration from Washington University and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

Christopher Elston

Christopher Elston

Christopher Elston is an Investment Associate with Partners Edge. Chris previously worked in Corporate Strategy and FP&A at Tenneco, one of the largest tier 1 automotive suppliers in the world. Chris completed his graduate studies at Carnegie Mellon University, earning an MBA from the Tepper School of Business and a Master of Science in Health Care Policy and Management from the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy. Chris also holds a BA in Finance from Michigan State University where he did his undergraduate course work.
Todd Bernstein

Todd Bernstein

Todd provides valuable sourcing and due diligence support to Woodland’s co-investment activities. Todd offers a different and helpful perspective to us as investors based on his Seattle network and his high level of involvement in Woodland’s early stage investments.
Taly Eyal

Taly Eyal

Taly Eyal is a member of the Investment Committee. Taly is a co-founder and managing member of E23, LLC, a Southern California based family office.  Taly previously served as CFO of ETS, her family’s  premium branded drinkware business, prior to its sale in 2019.  ETS specialized in high-end design, cutting-edge imprinting methods, and concierge-level customer service. Taly’s strong financial background positions her particularly well to advise on financial and operating due diligence for Partners Edge.
Sharon Eyal

Sharon Eyal

Sharon Eyal is a member of the Investment Committee. He was born in Israel and emigrated to the United States when he was 9 years old. Sharon began working at ETS, the family manufacturing business, while in high school; by 1994, while in his 20s, he was running the company. Sharon quickly grew the company into a premier branded drinkware business, specializing in high-end design, cutting-edge imprinting methods, and concierge-level customer service. At the end of 2019, with sales of $132 million, Sharon and his sister and partner Taly Eyal sold ETS to Polyconcept, an industry-leading global promotional entity owned by private equity sponsor Charlesbank. Sharon is now an active investor, leveraging his entrepreneurial experience to evaluate opportunities for Partners Edge.