Investment Strategy
Value Chain Integration
Our Differentiated Advantage
Castles Gate manages direct investments and serves as a co-investor & asset management partner in aligned funds that seek higher performance outcomes through value chain integration.
Our investment thesis is based upon an enterprise stakeholder networks perspective that requires mapping of all value chain economics. We then make direct investments into aligned companies that are committed to delivering the performance outcomes expected from the integrated value chain strategy.
This investment strategy, along with our "hands on" enterprise performance management tools & tactics, has proven to be effective over the past 20+ years for clients/partners through our affiliated consulting & advisory firm. Our collaborative engagement and due diligence processes support investments by Family Offices, Private Equity Firms, Public Companies, Financial Institutions, and their Professional Advisors as key financial stakeholders in enterprise performance.
​
​
Our investments are focused in three asset classes:
​
Real Estate
​
Focused on Workforce Attainable & Affordable Housing in alignment with community & municipal stakeholders, our impact funds invest in the real estate asset class throughout the USA. We co-invest and manage investment funds in real estate development and construction projects that are important to the local communities in which they operate.
​
In partnership with our co-investors, we manage the entire real estate development life cycle from raw land acquisitions and entitlement, through horizontal and vertical construction, to the sale/leasing & property management of long term portfolio assets.
​
Our recent investment focus has been on growth markets in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. While the principals in our portfolio companies have experience operating throughout the United States, we have developed a steady stream of new community development projects focused primarily in the Southeastern USA.
​
Private Equities
​​
Focused on Earnings Growth and Wealth Creation in alignment with key enterprise & community stakeholders, our funds invest in private companies throughout the USA. As an active Advisor, Board Member, and/or CxO leader for all portfolio companies, our "hands on" enterprise performance management capabilities are fully engaged and aligned for the benefit of all investors.
​
​
Public Equities
​
Focused on Earnings Growth and Wealth Creation in alignment with key enterprise & community stakeholders, our funds invest in public companies globally. As an activist investor, we engage with Boards and CxO leaders at portfolio companies regarding their enterprise value chain stakeholders and strategies to improve enterprise performance for the benefit of all investors.
​
​
​
Unique in due diligence and enterprise asset management, our proprietary Performance Visualization Systems ("PVS") are analytics applications with AI Agents that assess each company’s “stakeholder ecosystem”. Proprietary interactive simulation models (Digital Media Assets) are created that deliver measurable, visual intelligence regarding the financial impact and alignment of each stakeholder (i.e. customers, suppliers, employees) on the portfolio company's performance outcomes.
​
More information about our Stakeholder Network Assessments is linked here: https://stakeholder.one/pages/stakeholder-assessments
​
More information about Value Chain Analysis is linked here.
​
Our Team
Thom Liggett
Founder & Chief Performance Officer
Thom brings over 35 years of experience to investment funds and their real estate development projects. He has been a key member of leadership teams for several institutionally backed investment fund service platforms, specializing in the residential housing industry, including REITs and CDFIs. Over the past decade, these platforms have deployed more than $20 billion in capital across the United States. Thom has built and managed teams across eight states, overseeing thousands of assets and the deployment of over $2 billion in capital, while exceeding national performance management standards.
Thom earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Akron in 1991 and his full real estate North Carolina broker’s license in 2014.
​
Email: thom@castlesgate.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomliggett/
​
​
Jacob Rosen
Investment Analyst
Jacob specializes in real estate development, investment analysis, and data-driven decision-making. Starting in 2021, he focused on ground-up development projects in his home state of California, where he honed his expertise in analyzing and executing complex real estate investments. He has been instrumental in the acquisition of over $4 million in multifamily and single-family assets in 2024, leveraging his expertise in financial modeling and market analysis.
With a strong foundation in real estate financial modeling and acquisitions, Jacob’s career includes experience in ground-up development and value-add investment strategies. He has developed advanced financial models to support equity, and debt raises for real estate transactions, specializing in fund modeling to structure and secure capital for high-value projects. Jacob applies his analytical skills to identify opportunities, optimize performance, and create value across various asset classes.
Jacob earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with majors in Finance and Real Estate from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.
​
Email: jacob@castlesgate.com
​
Don Osmond, Sr.
Information Technologies
Don is a strategic, execution-driven engineering and IT products executive with over three decades of experience leading high-impact technology initiatives across the software, ERP, logistics, and hardware sectors. He specializes in transforming complex challenges into scalable solutions that align with business objectives and deliver measurable ROI.
Don has successfully led globally distributed product and engineering teams (US, EMEA, APAC) for enterprise software firms, overseeing full lifecycle product development, cloud modernization, P&L ownership, and post-acquisition integration of product suites. Whether launching ERP platforms, managing large-scale support operations, or architecting hardware-software integrations, he has built a track record of delivering results under pressure.
Key career highlights include:
-
Leading the engineering and support operations for major ERP solutions like DM2, FireStream, and Pinnacle across the US, India, and Europe.
-
Directing petro and logistics product lines at iRely and PDI Software, managing global teams and strategic roadmaps.
-
Serving as CTO of SmartLogix, where he drove innovation in GPS logistics, telemetry, and ERP integrations with platforms like MAS90 and PDI.
-
Engineering solutions for federal clients at IBM and Comporium, including secure ACH, PCI-compliant systems, and K–12 tech systems for the Department of Defense.
Don is passionate about building strong technical cultures, mentoring talent, and aligning technology with long-term business goals. He thrives in fast-moving environments where innovation, cross-functional collaboration, and customer value are core.
​
Valorie Liggett
Partner & Director of Philanthropy
Valorie is an accomplished leader with over 25 years’ experience developing and executing projects in alignment with company objectives. She has a successful track record of team collaboration in leveraging technology to transform and simplify business processes while delivering measurable benefits for companies.
​
As a board member and dynamic leader for several Philanthropic organizations, including National Charity League LKN and the Pinky Swear Foundation, Valorie promotes the welfare and advancement of others through her community.
Valorie is an energetic leader with demonstrated ability to effectively lead and work in highly matrixed and geographically distributed environments.
​
Our Core Values & Culture
Castles Gate Investments values the core principles of Integrity, Teamwork, Growth, and Humility. We focus on operational improvements (efficiency, tech) to drive significant returns for our investors by transforming portfolio assets & companies through buyouts, strategic growth, and eventual exits (IPOs, sales). We seek assets & companies with strong leadership, scalability, and clear value creation paths, emphasizing data, innovation, and strong financial discipline.
Core Values & Culture
-
Integrity & Trust: Being reliable, accountable, and ethical is foundational.
-
Teamwork: Collaborative efforts drive idea generation, implementation, and success.
-
Growth: Commitment to continuous learning, development, and owning mistakes.
-
Humility & Magnanimity: Balancing strength with empathy, avoiding pettiness, and not taking success for granted.
-
Excellence & Innovation: Striving for high performance through continuous improvement and embracing new technologies.
Investment & Value Creation Focus
-
Operational Efficiency: Cutting waste, automating processes, and standardizing workflows.
-
Technology Adoption: Leveraging data analytics and digital tools for scalability and competitiveness.
-
Scalable Growth: Investing in businesses with strong potential for rapid expansion.
-
Strategic Exits: Planning for profitable sales (IPOs, strategic sales) or acquisitions.
-
Investor Focus: Prioritizing investor returns through diligent management and value creation.
What We Look For in Companies
-
Strong leadership and management teams.
-
Defensible market positions.
-
Clean financials and strong cash flow.
-
Clear paths for operational improvement and growth.
-
Alignment with sustainability and mission-driven goals.