About Pat
Patrick Imeson is the CEO and Principal of Black Diamond Financial Group LLC.
BDFG is a boutique private equity/venture capital investment fund manager, managing five active funds. The business model for BDFG is very opportunistic, not limited to stage of investment, or industry sector. The current portfolio holdings are in the life sciences, clean technology, gaming, beverage, technology, alternative energy, gold and mining sectors.
Patrick's experience as an entrepreneur across many different businesses and sectors gives him a background that serves him well as the founder and driver of BDFG's business. He has served as a senior executive in the beverage, food service, airline, mining, financial services, and insurance sectors. He was educated at New Mexico Military Institute and the US Naval Academy, and received an honorable discharge from the US Navy.
This background included stints as a Senior VP of Calamos Asset Management, a mid-sized asset management company based in Naperville IL, where he was in charge of international development. He was the Co-Founder and President of Aspen Mountain Air, a fully certified 121 airline, building the Company from start up to over 500 employees and a service profile that included 28 cities and 18 aircraft. He has consulted on numerous mining projects including acquisition and finance, and currently serves as Chairman of Elkhorn Goldfields LLC, a BDFG portfolio Company. He was the Founder of a full line insurance company, and served as President of a statewide life insurance association. He founded and operated North American Beverage Company an manufacturer and importer of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. He currently serves on the Board of TransnetYX, a high through put DNA testing company. He also serves as Chairman of Global VR, a gaming company, and Virtual Network Design, a technology company.
His business acumen and somewhat contrarian vision lead to the acquisition of the Elkhorn mine, a 1.6M oz gold mine when gold was at its lows of $250 per oz. Elkhorn serves as the cornerstone of Elkhorn Goldfields LLC. It was under Imeson's direction, that Elkhorn entered into the very successful Montana Tunnels JV, and the further purchase of Montana Tunnels Mine, setting the foundation of a mid-cap gold producer, accumulating gold resources on a very advantaged basis at today's market. He serves as Chairman of Elkhorn Goldfields LLC.
His entrepreneurial background has led to first money investments in Rackwise, TransnetYX, Elkhorn, Sagaciore Resources and Carbon Fuels. As a financing partner for these businesses, Patrick has been responsible for raising over $150M in capital.
In addition to his work with the managed funds, Mr. Imeson advised the Indian Wells Tennis Tournament (BNP Paribas formerly Pacific Life Open), on the purchase of the tournament, stadium, and the financial restructuring and management of the tournament. He raised $28M to conclude the acquisition, served on the Board during the ownership tenure, through the successful sale of the tournament to Larry Ellison of Oracle fame, generating a 19.2% annual yield for investors.
In addition to his business interests, Mr. Imeson is an avid skier, hiker, fisherman, and sportsman. He has been a prime mover of Jazz Aspen/Snowmass, and a past Board Member of this charitable organization. He is an active participant of politics and an active member and contributor to the Cato Institute.