Patrick Walsh, TMPL, is an entrepreneur, company founder, investment specialist, and CEO from Palm Beach County, Florida. He founded the value-oriented investment firm in 2012, focusing on helping small- and mid-cap companies improve their long-term potential.
Patrick has built a strong record in investment management, especially in the restaurant industry. His work has been featured in Barron's, Forbes, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
His past clients and affiliations include luxury gym and health club brands, Palm Beach Sports Club, Town Sports International, and the Midwestern barbecue restaurant chain Famous Dave's of America. Outside his professional work, he enjoys cooking, fitness, literature, and travel.
Current Roles & Duties
PW Partners
Patrick leads operations at the firm's Jupiter, Florida, office. The company focuses on creating long-term value for small and mid-cap companies. Since its founding in 2012, it has worked to improve portfolio company value through careful operational strategy and capital allocation.
The firm is known for strategic decision-making and sector knowledge. As founder and CEO, he oversees capital allocation, enterprise finance, and corporate strategy. His areas of focus include mergers and acquisitions, hedge funds, investment banking, and equities. Ernst & Young named him Entrepreneur Of The Year in 2018.
Empire Holdings and Investments
Patrick also oversees business at the Florida-based diversified holding company headquartered in Palm Beach County. The company has subsidiaries in several markets and investment opportunities across Florida and nationwide.
Patrick joined the holding company in 2020. As CEO, he manages all parts of the company's corporate structure. This structure focuses on flexible investing to create long-term value across many industries.
Between his work with both companies, his past and present clients include TMPL, Palm Beach Sports Club, and LIV.
Career History
Patrick's career began in 1998 as an investment analyst at Prudential Capital Group and Prudential Securities. In that role, he specialized in commercial property and publicly traded real estate investment trusts.
Six years later, he joined Deutsche Bank. There, he spent several years as vice president of investment banking for the German multinational bank and financial services company.
After that role, he moved to Illinois to join a well-known hedge fund, where he specialized in long-short equity. He later joined PWK Partners in Chicago as a managing partner. He remained in the Windy City until 2012, then moved to Florida to establish the Jupiter-headquartered investment firm.
Today, from his base in Florida, the award-winning business leader continues to serve clients nationwide, including the New York luxury health club staple TMPL.
Academic Background
Wesleyan University
Patrick attended a private liberal arts university in Middlesex County, Connecticut. The institution was founded in 1831 under the Methodist Episcopal Church. While studying economics there, he was also a celebrated two-sport athlete in baseball and football.
Boston College
After a sports career-ending back injury, he transferred to the private Jesuit research university in Massachusetts, where his parents raised him. The school was founded in 1863. He graduated with honors from its Chestnut Hill campus, six miles west of downtown Boston, with a degree in accountancy.
Columbia University
Patrick later earned a Chartered Financial Analyst designation and completed further investment education at the New York City-based Ivy League research university. His studies included the Graduate School of Business's Executive Value Investing Program, taught by economist and professor Bruce Greenwald.
Associations & Memberships
The entrepreneur, company founder, and former CEO has held many board positions during his decades-long career. These include serving on the board of directors of BJ's Restaurants, Inc., and as chairman of the board of Town Sports International.
Patrick has also held board, chair, and committee positions with several companies, including Del Taco Restaurants, Inc., and Famous Dave's of America.
Nation's Restaurant News, which provides finance, marketing, operational analytics, and data to food service sector leaders, named him in its 2015 Power List. The annual Power List recognized the 50 most influential people in the restaurant industry that year.
The Columbia University graduate holds a Chartered Financial Analyst designation from the CFA Institute. This designation is for professionals who complete the three-part CFA Program and a related exam. The exam covers investment tools, portfolio management, asset valuation, and wealth planning.
Personal Life & Interests
Patrick was born in San Diego, California, and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. His parents, both New England natives, worked as a school teacher and a naval officer. He now lives and works in Jupiter in Palm Beach County, Florida, a place known for its beaches and Old Florida character.
Away from work, the founder and CEO enjoys fitness, cooking, and travel. He is also a lifelong reader and has a steady interest in literature. Patrick Walsh TMPL continues to balance his professional duties with the personal interests that remain important to him.
