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Team

Ben Bortner, CFA

Founder and Managing Partner

Ben is the Founder and Managing Partner of Slack Water Capital. Prior to founding Slack Water Capital, Ben was an executive at Pool Troopers from August 2022 through January 2023. Ben joined Pool Troopers through its acquisition of The Pool Man of Key West ("The Pool Man") in August 2022. Ben was the President and CEO of The Pool Man from November 2019 through July 2022.

Ben acquired The Pool Man in November 2019 after a 15-month search for a business to buy, own, and operate. During his 3-years as CEO, Ben streamlined the company's billing, scheduling, routing, and employee training processes and procedures; completed and successfully integrated 2 add-on acquisitions; and grew sales organically by more than 50% while expanding EBITDA margins significantly. Under Ben's leadership, the company's sales more than doubled, EBITDA nearly quadrupled, and it became the largest and highest-rated pool service company in the Florida Keys. 

Since 2021, Ben has also been an investor in various other SMBs and currently serves on the boards of E-Konomy Pools, DACS Asphalt & Concrete, QBM Services, Strobes N' More, DryEco Green Cleaners, and iMold. Prior to his career as an acquisition entrepreneur and SMB investor, Ben was an industry agnostic business and investment analyst for various public equities and value-focused investment firms, including White Bison Capital, Southeastern Asset Management, and Saturna Capital. 

Ben graduated magna cum laude from Western Washington University with degrees in Business Administration - Finance and Accounting. He is also a CFA Charterholder.

Ben lives in Key West, Florida and in his free time enjoys being on the water and fly fishing for various inshore saltwater flats species - including permit, tarpon, bonefish, and barracuda. 

Education & Accolades

  • Graduated magna cum laude from Western Washington University with degrees in Accounting &  Business Administration - Finance

  • CFA® Charterholder

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We seek to build collaborative relationships with searchers and future operating partners early in the search process. However, we are always open to looking at deals already under LOI with entrepreneurs we don’t already have a relationship with.

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