Private Equity Fast Pitch

Tom O'Rourke, Partner at BayPine, discusses the impact of interest rates on debt finance deals, the importance of a growth mindset in investing, and BayPine's focus on digital transformation. He shares lessons learned from the 2008 financial crisis, the value of mentorship and personal attributes in career development, and the differentiating factors for choosing a private equity firm.

Alex Western is the Founder and Managing Director of Terminus Capital Partners (“TCP”), an Atlanta-based private equity firm focused on majority recapitalizations of $10-$50m business software companies who want a growth-oriented and operationally-oriented partner to reach their potential.  Previously, Alex was a managing director at Trilogy, a hold-co. of more than 100 enterprise software companies.  Before Trilogy, Alex was an investment analyst at GMT Capital, a $5B value-oriented hedge fund.  Alex began his career as a consultant at McKinsey & Company and as a private equity associate at Audax Group.  Alex received his AB from Harvard College and his MBA from Harvard Business School.  He lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife and two daughters.

Paul is a founding partner of Genesis Park and GP Capital. He has extensive M&A experience, decades of diverse public company board service, and proven management ability. Mr. Hobby’s sector expertise ranges from network infrastructure to downstream energy (both renewable and traditional gas fired) to media and telecom. His executive roles over time include Columbine JDS Systems, which became the world’s largest provider of back-office media software, CEO of Alpheus Communications, which built out the largest alternative fiber optic network in Texas, and CEO of Texas Monthly, expanding the print media brand to include podcasts, social media, a national alliance with Creative Artists Agency, and syndicating content through new channels that include Apple News, Flipboard, Pocket, Random House, Google News, Audm and Trip Advisor. Paul has served as the Chairman of the Texas Ethics Commission, the Greater Houston Partnership, the Houston Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, the Texas General Services Commission and the Texas Business Hall of Fame. Paul holds a BA in History from the University of Virginia and a JD from the University of Texas Law School. Paul serves on the Management and Investment Committee of GP Capital.

Vikram Agrawal is a mission-driven, operationally-focused investment and management professional who believes that everyone deserves an opportunity to be successful, however they define success. Vikram is currently collaborating with Texan businessman and environmentalist Trammell S. Crow with a dual mandate focused on leading investments and catalyzing impact in environmental sustainability and resilience. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of American Resilience Partners (a Texas-based, entrepreneurial private investment firm) and supports the international non-profit EarthX as the Director of EarthxCapital (EarthX's team that has a mission to help raise awareness, educate, convene, and catalyze impact related to sustainability investment and business innovation). Vikram has 15 years of investment and management experience across several industry sectors in the United States and the emerging markets (Latin America & the Caribbean and Europe, Middle East, & Africa) through his prior roles with Citigroup (a global investment bank), International Finance Corporation (private sector arm of the World Bank Group focused on sustainable development), Patriarch Partners (a multi-billion dollar turnaround-focused private investment firm dedicated to saving American jobs by saving iconic American companies), and Prophet Equity (a middle-market private equity firm that makes control investments in strategically viable & underperforming companies). Vikram received his MBA from Yale School of Management, where he was a recipient of the Award for Excellence in Ethics and Leadership. He received his Bachelor of Science from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, where he studied International Political Economy, and is currently a member of the Board of Governors for the Georgetown University Alumni Association.

Connor joined Solomon after 11 years at FocalPoint Partners, where he was a Managing Director in their Business Services practice. During his tenure, he co-founded and expanded FocalPoint’s Chicago office. Over the course of his 15-year career, Connor has advised clients across the most active Human Capital and Professional Services sub-sectors, including Professional Staffing, Healthcare Staffing, Consulting and Business Process Outsourcing. Select recent transactions include: The sale of 8020 Consulting to ShoreView Industries The Planet Group’s (a portfolio company of Odyssey Investment Partners) acquisition of Strive Consulting The sale of The Planet Group to Odyssey Investment Partners The sale of ADI Strategies to Huron Consulting (Nasdaq: HURN) The sale of Rightpoint Consulting to Stella Point Capital The sale of The Planet Group to MidOcean Partners The Recapitalization of Amerit Fleet Solutions by Elm Park Capital (aka Atalaya Capital Management) and Seacoast Capital The sale of BrandRep to Millpond Equity Partners The sale of Heartland Automotive, a portfolio company of Sun Capital Partners, to Wynnchurch Capital The sale of Easy Ice to Freeman Spogli

Julia Buthman, Managing Director of Prudential Private Capital's Dallas Corporate Finance office, discusses her journey in private equity and the importance of finding a mentor. They also talk about Prudential Private Capital's investment strategies, launching a private credit business, focused industries, and the influence of a strong mother and mentorship.

Jim is the Managing Partner of Huron Capital. In addition to sourcing, evaluating, executing and managing investments, Jim is responsible for setting strategy and managing the operations of the firm. Jim is a member of the firm’s Investment Committee and the Huron Capital Board of Directors. His experience includes mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt financings and restructurings for middle market businesses across a variety of industries. Prior to joining Huron Capital in 2007, Jim was with Conway MacKenzie, Inc., a boutique firm focused on restructurings and special situations. Prior to Conway, Jim was an investment banker with Robert W. Baird & Co. Although his experience covers a range of industries, he is focused primarily on niche segments within the business services space, including facility, infrastructure, and utility services. B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Villanova University; M.B.A. from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business with concentrations in Finance and Accounting.

  Brandon is the Founder and Managing Director of Evercap Advisors. Throughout his career, Brandon has successfully completed numerous middle-market merger and acquisition and recapitalization transactions in the software, technology-enabled business services, industrial, and distribution industries. Prior to Evercap, Brandon was a Managing Director at an M&A-focused investment banking firm with a 30+ year history where he led buy-side engagements for private equity firms and strategic acquirers Brandon earned a B.B.A. in Finance from Texas A&M University, where he graduated magna cum laude. He holds the Series 7, 63, and 79 licenses. Additionally, Brandon enjoys tennis and is an advisor to the Northwestern Ohio Christian Youth Camp.  

Ken Firtel is a Co-founder and Managing Partner of Transom Capital Group. Prior to Transom, Mr. Firtelwas an investment professional at Platinum Equity and was responsible for evaluating, structuring, and negotiating transactions and transitioning and overseeing operations of portfolio companies. Before joining Platinum, Mr. Firtel was an associate in the Transactions Department of O’Melveny & Myers, where he specialized in mergers and acquisitions, investor and company-side private equity, venture capital and debt financing, joint ventures, and general representation of middle-market companies. Mr. Firtel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Yale University; a Master of Science, Industrial Relations-Diploma in Business Studies from the London School of Economics; and a Juris Doctor from the USC Gould School of Law. He played Varsity soccer at Yale and published an article in the Southern California Law Review.  He serves on the board of Angel City Sports, an organization focused on providing athletic and other opportunities for children and adults with physical disabilities, and on the board of LA Breakers FC, a youth soccer club located in West Los Angeles.   When he’s not at work, Mr. Firtel enjoys spending time with his wife and three children (one boy and two girls) and is an avid fly fisherman, especially in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Doug McCormick is a Managing Partner and Co-Founder of HCI Equity Partners, a lower middle market private equity firm focused on partnering with family and founder owned manufacturing, service and distribution companies. Doug has been an active investor in numerous markets to include aerospace, defense, distribution, food services, packaging, manufacturing, outsourced business services, transportation and logistics. He currently serves on the board of AmercareRoyal, Echelon Supply & Service and Pacific Defense and serves as board chair for Consolidated Hospitality Supplies, MSI Express, SDS Rx and Tech24.  Doug actively supports the veteran community as the Chairman of Team Red, White and Blue. He is also a member of the board of trustees and Chair of the investment committee for the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE); a board member of The Heritage Group, founding member of Capital For Children, and a 2011 Henry Crown Fellow. Doug is the author of Family Inc. and uses this content to empower others with financial literacy skills, with an emphasis on the veteran community. His work and recommendations regarding investing and personal finance topics have been cited or featured by leading media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, The NY Times, USA Today, CNBC, PBS, NPR, TIME, Investor’s Business Daily, Fast Company, The Larry Kudlow Show, Huffington Post, Motley Fool, The Art of Manliness and others. Before founding HCI Equity, Doug was a Managing Partner at Thayer Hidden Creek and Thayer Capital and worked in the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley & Co. He also served as a Captain in the U.S. Army’s 25th Infantry Division. Doug received his Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and his Bachelor of Science in Economics from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he served as First Captain of the Corps of Cadets and Captain of the Army Wrestling team.