Team

Michael Bernstein

Michael is the leading family member of Woodland Management. He is also the founder and manager of Partners Edge. Michael is also the leading family member of Woodland Management, Inc. Michael has actively allocated to all asset classes on behalf of Woodland. He currently serves on the boards of Custom Ink, the leader in custom imprinted products and Interlight, a digitally enabled supplier of replacement parts; and is active in many philanthropic endeavors including his role as Board Chair for the reimagined Tree of Life. Prior to joining Woodland, Michael served as CEO of Polyconcept, a leading global supplier of promotional merchandise. He led the growth of Polyconcept from a small, family-owned business into a global leader with annual sales close to $1 billion. Michael holds a BA in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin and a JD from the University of Pittsburgh.

Steve Halpern

Steve serves as President of Woodland Management and also leads private equity investing activities and the development of independent sponsor relationships for Partners Edge. Prior to joining Woodland in 2005, Steve spent 17 years as a franchise owner and executive with TeleCheck in the payments industry. He sourced, co-led the acquisition of, and served as a director of Rita’s Italian Ice, a franchisor of frozen dessert stores. Steve currently serves as a director of Worksite Medical, Bristol ID Technologies, and O’Donnell Metal Deck. Steve received his BS and MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and is also a CPA (license inactive).

Craig Blank

Craig serves as the Managing Director at Woodland Management, where he leads the firm’s investments in private equity, venture capital, public markets, and real estate. He also leads opportunities for Partners Edge, a small, privately-owned outside fund. Prior to joining Woodland in 2002, Craig owned and operated three successful restaurants in Pittsburgh. He serves on the Limited Partners Advisory Committees for Grit Fund II and Key Investment Partners. Craig is a partner at Social Venture Partners Pittsburgh (SVPP) and is a member of Vistage, a global peer mentoring organization for business leaders. Craig received a BS in Business Administration from Washington University and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

Christopher Elston

Christopher Elston is an Investment Associate with Woodland Management, supporting the firm’s investments in private equity, venture capital, real estate, and public markets. Prior to joining Woodland Management, Chris worked in Corporate Strategy and FP&A at Tenneco, one of the largest tier 1 automotive suppliers in the world. Chris completed his graduate studies at Carnegie Mellon University, earning an MBA from the Tepper School of Business and a Master of Science in Health Care Policy and Management from the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy. Chris also holds a BA in Finance from Michigan State University where he did his undergraduate course work.

Todd Bernstein

Todd provides valuable sourcing and due diligence support to Woodland’s co-investment activities. Todd offers a different and helpful perspective to us as investors based on his Seattle network and his high level of involvement in Woodland’s early stage investments.

Patricia DellaMea

Patti has served as Woodland Management’s controller since the inception of our family office. She has a strong and diverse accounting background in multi-state and multi-entity organizations. Patti earned a BSBA from the University of West Florida and an MBA from the University of New Mexico.

Tom Bernstein

Tom built and sold three very successful companies — All in One Linen Outlet (discount bed and bath retail), Airway Industries (luggage) and Leed’s (promotional products). Tom’s deep business experience and strong people instincts make him a very important contributor to our co-investment efforts as Woodland’s founder and patriarch.

Colleen Nerney

Colleen joined the Woodland Management team in 2024 in the role of Office Manager. She has a diverse administrative, bookkeeping, and customer service background and has worked in a variety of industries such as personal care, robotics, and fine arts. She graduated from St. Lawrence University in 2014, and has a theatrical background in both stage management and acting.