Michael Horn
Michael Horn
Managing Director
Business Experience
Michael Horn is a Managing Director with The Vant Group, where he advises founders, operators, and investors on acquisitions, exits, and succession transitions in the lower middle market. His advisory work is grounded in firsthand experience as a business owner who has navigated growth, modernization, and a successful strategic sale.
Michael understands that the sale of a privately held family business is rarely a purely financial decision. These enterprises are layered with history, responsibility, and identity. While valuation, risk mitigation, and shareholder outcomes are critical, legacy and personal meaning remain central to the process. That perspective shapes how he structures and guides transactions today — with discipline, clarity, and respect for both the numbers and the people behind them.
Prior to joining The Vant Group, Michael rebuilt, operated, and ultimately sold AC Horn Manufacturing, a fourth-generation, family-owned manufacturer of food processing machinery based in Dallas, Texas. He served as majority owner and CEO for more than a decade, assuming leadership during a period of crisis following the unexpected death of his father. Under his leadership, the company stabilized operations, expanded its technical and manufacturing capabilities, increased machinery sales fourfold, and successfully executed several large-scale capital projects for customers around the world.
AC Horn Manufacturing was ultimately sold to a multinational strategic buyer, marking the successful transition of a century-old family enterprise. Over the course of his career, Michael directed more than $200 million in cumulative global sales of complex food processing and industrial machinery, delivering equipment and integrated systems for manufacturers whose products appear on grocery shelves worldwide.
Michael is a U.S. Army veteran who served on active duty from 2005 to 2009, including a deployment to Iraq in 2008 as an intelligence officer and tank platoon leader. He later served in the U.S. Army Reserve. The mission focus, preparation, and accountability instilled through military service continue to shape his professional approach.
Contact Info
LinkedIn
Phone: 254.368.9954
Email: [email protected]
Michael Horn is a Managing Director with The Vant Group, where he advises founders, operators, and investors on acquisitions, exits, and succession transitions in the lower middle market. His advisory work is grounded in firsthand experience as a business owner who has navigated growth, modernization, and a successful strategic sale.
Michael understands that the sale of a privately held family business is rarely a purely financial decision. These enterprises are layered with history, responsibility, and identity. While valuation, risk mitigation, and shareholder outcomes are critical, legacy and personal meaning remain central to the process. That perspective shapes how he structures and guides transactions today — with discipline, clarity, and respect for both the numbers and the people behind them.
Prior to joining The Vant Group, Michael rebuilt, operated, and ultimately sold AC Horn Manufacturing, a fourth-generation, family-owned manufacturer of food processing machinery based in Dallas, Texas. He served as majority owner and CEO for more than a decade, assuming leadership during a period of crisis following the unexpected death of his father. Under his leadership, the company stabilized operations, expanded its technical and manufacturing capabilities, increased machinery sales fourfold, and successfully executed several large-scale capital projects for customers around the world.
AC Horn Manufacturing was ultimately sold to a multinational strategic buyer, marking the successful transition of a century-old family enterprise. Over the course of his career, Michael directed more than $200 million in cumulative global sales of complex food processing and industrial machinery, delivering equipment and integrated systems for manufacturers whose products appear on grocery shelves worldwide.
Michael is a U.S. Army veteran who served on active duty from 2005 to 2009, including a deployment to Iraq in 2008 as an intelligence officer and tank platoon leader. He later served in the U.S. Army Reserve. The mission focus, preparation, and accountability instilled through military service continue to shape his professional approach.
Contact Info
Phone: 254.368.9954
Email: [email protected]