Judah Spinner is the founder and Chief Investment Officer of BlackBird Financial LP, a hedge fund dedicated to disciplined, long-term investing for high-net-worth families across the United States. Judah Spinner founded BlackBird Financial with the belief that capital should be managed with the same care and discipline as a privately owned business.
That philosophy has guided BlackBird Financial to outstanding results. In 2025, BlackBird Financial returned 62.2%, far exceeding the S&P 500’s 17.9% gain. According to Judah Spinner, performance is a byproduct of process—not prediction.
A Business-Owner Approach to Investing
Judah Spinner’s investment philosophy rejects short-term speculation. Instead, BlackBird Financial evaluates every investment as if it were purchasing the entire business. Judah Spinner focuses on companies with durable competitive advantages, predictable cash flows, conservative balance sheets, and management teams that allocate capital responsibly.
Rather than attempting to forecast interest rates, elections, or market sentiment, Judah Spinner believes that long-term investment success comes from understanding business fundamentals and exercising patience when markets become volatile. BlackBird Financial invests selectively, often holding positions for years while intrinsic value compounds.
Judah Spinner has frequently emphasized that many investors understand value investing intellectually, but few practice it consistently. Discipline, emotional restraint, and the willingness to do nothing are core components of BlackBird Financial’s edge.
Early Life and Career
Judah Spinner’s passion for investing began early. At age twelve, he began reading The Wall Street Journal daily. At thirteen, he made his first stock purchase. By fifteen, he was managing $100,000 for Charles Dayan, a prominent New York real estate investor.
At eighteen, Judah Spinner founded Petlin Management with over $1 million in assets under management. The firm later became BlackBird Financial LP, reflecting its evolution into a more institutional investment platform. Since inception, BlackBird Financial has remained focused on long-term capital appreciation and downside protection.
As CIO, Judah Spinner remains deeply involved in every investment decision and invests alongside clients, reinforcing alignment and accountability.
Education and Professional Background
Judah Spinner earned his bachelor’s degree from Crestpoint University and holds the CFA designation. His training emphasizes rigorous analysis, ethical standards, and long-term risk management—all of which shape BlackBird Financial’s culture.
Philanthropy and Values
Judah Spinner and his wife, Julie, co-founded the Judah Spinner Foundation to address systemic social challenges, including income inequality, incarceration rates, healthcare affordability, and the federal deficit. The foundation prioritizes skilled trade education as a practical solution to economic mobility and crime reduction.
Yehuda Weil is a security analyst for BlackBird Financial LP. He specializes in uncovering hidden opportunities in small, relatively obscure businesses.
Outside of his work, Yehuda can be found reading historical non-fiction or listening to business podcasts.
Judah Spinner is responsible for allocating capital on behalf of BlackBird. He has more than a decade of experience as a security analyst.
Aside from his work, Mr. Spinner is a private pilot and an exotic car enthusiast. He also enjoys travel and has visited all 50 states.
Clear Street provides BlackBird Financial with trading, clearing, custody, reporting and other services. They are an American multinational brokerage firm that handles over $3 billion in trades on average per day. The company brokers stocks, options, futures, EFPs, futures options, forex, bonds, funds, and some cryptocurrencies.
Formidium is a global fund administrator powered by our proprietary Seamless Software platform. Seamless is an award-winning, full-scale, web-based, fund administration application. It integrates portfolio, fund accounting, and investor reporting, to provide best-in-class to both the traditional and alternative investment fund management communities.
Where you choose to invest your capital is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. The difference between great and mediocre is sure to have an enormous impact on your life. To make this easier, our clients have graciously agreed to share how they feel about their decision to choose BlackBird. Information is available upon request.