Our Corporate Investments
Over Laird Norton Company’s long history, we have successfully invested in many sectors, including business services, distribution, consumer products and services, and financial services. These investments are representative of our current portfolio and preferences for profitable, capital-efficient businesses.
Select Current Investments
1967-Present
Laird Norton Wetherby
Laird Norton Wetherby, founded by Laird Norton Company in 1967 as the Laird Norton Trust Company, is growing organically and through acquisitions, including Filament Wealth Management in 2020 and Wetherby Asset Management in 2021. As both an RIA and trust company, LNW offers a full spectrum of specialized wealth and legacy planning, investment management, and trust and estate services that advance the aspirations and long-term multigenerational financial ambitions of its clients. LNW has offices in Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, as well as an affiliate trust company in South Dakota, empowering clients across the US and around the world.
Laird Norton Wetherby is a majority-owned subsidiary of Laird Norton Company and has substantial ownership by active employees.
![Three people talking in a board room.](https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/Board-room-discussion_2023-10-19-211529_hceg.jpg?w=960&h=1200&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697837398&s=328022aa539d663d9cee49d6f6b753e6 960w, https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/Board-room-discussion_2023-10-19-211529_hceg.jpg?w=690&h=862&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697837398&s=70c58ee11ede8e81146b9334c3f16760 690w, https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/Board-room-discussion_2023-10-19-211529_hceg.jpg?w=414&h=517&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697837398&s=bd3d92f47565a8bff669f4bffd1a6b7f 414w)
2019-Present
Heartland LLC
Heartland LLC is a Seattle-based real estate advisory and investment firm with over 35 years of experience in creating value for clients. Heartland combines strategy development and analytical rigor with execution capabilities in real estate brokerage, asset management, capital markets, and development services to benefit communities, organizations, and families. In 2019, Laird Norton Company acquired a majority interest in Heartland, with the operators retaining significant ownership.
![View down Chophouse Row in Capitol Hill, Seattle.](https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/heartland.jpg?w=960&h=1200&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697832350&s=f0d1b666687c4631d6bf0d972d5668f3 960w, https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/heartland.jpg?w=690&h=862&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697832350&s=9965dce5f3932cc2ff12fe260a0d058f 690w, https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/heartland.jpg?w=414&h=517&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697832350&s=6f46a3b3c49913342a54034c3e08b861 414w)
2015-Present
Zevia (NYSE: ZVIA)
Zevia is a leading producer of zero-calorie, zero-sugar, all-natural stevia-sweetened beverages, including sodas, energy drinks, mixers, and organic sweet teas. LNC initially invested in Zevia in 2015 as an influential minority shareholder with board representation. We continued to support the company’s growth through subsequent rounds of investment and became the largest owner (though still a minority owner) in 2019. In December 2020, CDPQ became the lead investor in Zevia, which completed an IPO on July 22, 2021, and now trades on the NYSE under the ticker ZVIA. LNC retains a significant ownership position.
![Two cans of Zevia tea.](https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/zevia-cans.jpg?w=960&h=1201&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697836379&s=e0a26f3e782cab6b8d222e98a80d2c0b 960w, https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/zevia-cans.jpg?w=690&h=863&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697836379&s=340f8731e9728443da51b2eb5b3dbcb5 690w, https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/zevia-cans.jpg?w=414&h=518&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697836379&s=a711a0889dd68fc448da2ace72d4a09d 414w)
select Historical Investments
2007-2017
Fusion
Laird Norton Company was initially a minority investor in Fusion Education Group and acquired control in 2014. Through this investment, LNC partnered with an experienced management team to identify, purchase, and replicate a revolutionary private school concept offering an individualized education. After a decade-long investment and successful expansion from one school to more than forty campuses in seven states, Laird Norton Company sold Fusion in 2017.
![A teacher talking to student sitting at a desk.](https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/fusion.jpg?w=960&h=1199&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697836737&s=a41d4f2119d7b55a1f6d1f79432efcb9 960w, https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/fusion.jpg?w=690&h=862&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697836737&s=676c848e52685d0b6caff94ec49ba86e 690w, https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/fusion.jpg?w=414&h=517&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697836737&s=2c672c792079c3b0d9acd2d65f78deba 414w)
1966-2006
Lanoga Corporation
Over more than 40 years of Laird Norton Company’s ownership, this lumber and building materials distribution business evolved through a combination of organic growth, partnerships, and acquisitions, and it eventually became the nation’s third-largest professional building materials dealer. Before its sale, the company operated lumber and materials centers under the names of United Building Centers, Spenard Builders Supply, Lumbermen’s, Home Lumber Co., Dixieline Lumber Co., Parker Lumber Co., and F.E. Wheaton and Co. When LNC sold the company in 2006 to Fidelity Capital, it had revenues in excess of $3 billion from six divisions, with 320 locations in 24 states.
![Tops of evergreen trees through the fog.](https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/lanoga-trees.jpg?w=960&h=1200&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697837355&s=70eaa6bd325cf8ccfac7fa7b54cb7064 960w, https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/lanoga-trees.jpg?w=690&h=862&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697837355&s=5dc329894575851e5e70ac738fdbf4fc 690w, https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/lanoga-trees.jpg?w=414&h=517&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697837355&s=bb836aee3531f8fd3be281df6812b0ff 414w)
![](https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/RealEstateApproach_CTA1.jpg?w=1680&h=945&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697831227&s=d6a74b9026d3b30f1812262271e6dc14 1680w, https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/RealEstateApproach_CTA1.jpg?w=1440&h=810&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697831227&s=7e734dd316adc3c602b2291b967d55b3 1440w, https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/RealEstateApproach_CTA1.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697831227&s=ae54e4ea9d267b23978ca0412360a5a4 960w, https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/RealEstateApproach_CTA1.jpg?w=690&h=388&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697831227&s=3b38177155e2c8d8d0bb4836ae9e97a5 690w, https://laird-norton.transforms.svdcdn.com/staging/default/RealEstateApproach_CTA1.jpg?w=414&h=232&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1697831227&s=583266d9e4cbec85c23381d549e4b29c 414w)
REAL ESTATE
Learn About Our Real Estate Investments
Laird Norton Properties, a division of Laird Norton Company, owns a diversified portfolio of light industrial, retail, office, and multifamily properties. Its investments focus on capital-efficient, cash-flow-generative opportunities across the risk spectrum and asset classes, and it has a strong ability for problem-solving in the management of real estate assets and venture opportunities over time.