Closed Deal Announcement – Peakstone Advises Digi Data on M&A Transaction

May 2014. Digi-Data Corporation (“Digi-Data”) has completed the sale of the business to Synchronoss Technologies, Inc.

Digi-Data, based in Broomfield, Colorado, is a leading provider of cloud-based data synchronization, data back-up and data sharing solutions to individual and small business end users. Digi-Data supports hundreds of thousands of customers of several major telecom and cable service providers as a private-label technology provider of cloud data storage software.
Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNCR) is a world leader in cloud solutions and software-based activation serving communication service providers across the globe.

“The Peakstone team was invaluable to the sale process. They developed and executed on a successful sell strategy including coordinating the process from negotiating the letter of intent to signing a purchase agreement. The team was persistent in their efforts to manage the process towards the goal of a successful transaction close” said Bruce Simpson, President and CEO of Digi-Data.

The Peakstone Group served as exclusive financial advisor to Digi-Data in connection with this transaction. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

For additional information please contact:

Jeff Temple, Managing Director, 312-346-7301, jtemple@peakstone.com

About The Peakstone Group

Peakstone is an investment bank that specializes in mergers and acquisitions advisory and capital raising for middle market clients.  The Peakstone team is comprised of senior investment banking professionals who have decades of experience and have executed hundreds of transactions totaling billions of dollars. Please visit our website, peakstone.com.

Closed Deal Announcement – Peakstone Advises Pure Pulp on Strategic Investment

March 2014. The Peakstone Group is pleased to announce that Fabri-Kal has made a strategic investment in Pure Pulp.  The Peakstone Group acted as exclusive financial advisor to Pure Pulp on this transaction.

About Pure Pulp

Pure Pulp Products, Inc. (www.purepulpproducts.com) is a manufacturer of biodegradable, molded fiber and thermoforming products, using soy, wheat and annually renewable materials. Their materials are grown and manufactured in America, utilizing biomass waste as a sustainable substrate for packaging.

About Fabri-Kal

Fabri-Kal Inc. (www.fabri-kal.com) is a leading provider of plastic foodservice and custom thermoformed product solutions. As one of the largest thermoformers in North America, Fabri-Kal’s customer base includes thousands of foodservice operators and dozens of consumer product manufacturers. Headquartered in Kalamazoo, Mich., and in continuous operation since 1950, Fabri-Kal employs more than 800 people in five manufacturing, printing and warehousing facilities throughout the United States.

Terms of the transaction are not disclosed.

For additional information about this transaction, contact:
Nick Clementi, Managing Director, 312-204-7300, nclementi@peakstone.com

About The Peakstone Group

Peakstone is an investment bank that specializes in mergers and acquisitions advisory and capital raising for middle market clients.  The Peakstone team is comprised of senior investment banking professionals who have decades of experience and have executed hundreds of transactions totaling billions of dollars. Please visit our website, peakstone.com.

The Peakstone Group Expands to Michigan with New Managing Director

January 2014. Richard “Dick” Goff is a Managing Director of the Peakstone Group, where he is responsible for transaction origination and execution. He will be working to expand Peakstone’s services to its clients in Michigan.

He is also the Managing Principal of R. M. Goff & Company LLC, an investment firm that acquires and builds companies in the lower middle market. He has over 30 years of experience in private equity investment, corporate finance, mergers & acquisitions, strategic planning and business development.

Richard was previously a general partner with Alpha Capital Partners, Merchants Capital Partners, MBW Venture Partners and Doan Associates. He has invested in and advised companies in manufacturing, distribution and services in multiple industries and at all stages from startups and growth equity to acquisitions, recaps and turnarounds.  He specializes in multi-unit service businesses including oil & gas, energy, renewable energy, healthcare, media & communications, franchise and chain restaurants. He has held operating positions as CFO for a medical instrumentation business and a wind energy company and was the chief restructuring officer for a restaurant chain.

He began his career as a CPA with Coopers & Lybrand. He is a registered CPA and holds FINRA licenses 7, 63 & 79.  He earned a BA in accounting from Alma College, magna cum laude.

Peakstone Welcomes Michael Feldman as Managing Director

January 2014. Michael J. Feldman joins The Peakstone Group with over 30 years of experience advising entrepreneurs, senior management and boards on mergers, acquisitions and capital raising transactions.  Michael has completed transactions with companies in a broad range of industries including  technology, printed electronics, consumer electronics & products, retail, automotive, aerospace, defense, energy and clean tech.

Michael is an experienced entrepreneur, founding three technology companies and, most recently, a middle market advisory firm.  He was also one of the founders of River Capital, based in Michigan, providing similar services for more than ten years.

Michael’s past advisory engagements have been with clients ranging from pre-revenue start up to Fortune 100 companies.  He has successfully closed more than 60 merger, acquisition and capital raising transactions.

Michael graduated from the University of Michigan.

Closed Deal Announcement – Peakstone Advises Saco Foods Inc on M&A Transaction

Closed Deal Announcement – Peakstone Advises Alliance Time Holdings and Ashford.com on Transaction

December 2013. The Peakstone Group (“Peakstone”) announced that it has served as exclusive financial advisor to Alliance Time Holdings (“Alliance”) and Ashford.com on an approximately $70 million shareholder recapitalization transaction.

Alliance Time is the leading wholesaler and Ashford.com is the leading online retailer of luxury watches and specialty jewelry, distributing thousands of products from over a hundred suppliers in over a hundred countries.

“We selected Peakstone because they are very knowledgeable and experienced in e-commerce and understood our business, growth opportunities and shareholder objectives.  They helped us work through a range of alternatives, and we feel that we ended up with the right partners and capital structure, providing us flexibility to expand our capital base as we grow globally,” said Mozes Hoch, Chief Executive Officer of Alliance and Ashford.com.

For additional information about this transaction, contact:

Alex Fridman, Managing Director, 312-346-7303, alex@peakstone.com
Stephen Sleigh, Managing Director, 312-346-7318, ssleigh@peakstone.com

About The Peakstone Group

Peakstone is an investment bank that specializes in mergers and acquisitions advisory and capital raising for middle market clients.  The Peakstone team is comprised of senior investment banking professionals who have decades of experience and have executed hundreds of transactions totaling billions of dollars. Please visit our website, peakstone.com.

Closed Deal Announcement – Peakstone Advises Kickapoo Valley Cheese on Sale to Biery Cheese

November 2013. Kickapoo Valley Cheese Corporation (“Kickapoo”) has completed the sale of the company to Biery Cheese Company of Louisville, Ohio. Kickapoo, based in Sherry, Wisconsin, is a cheese packaging company that provides a variety of specialty slicing and packaging services.  Kickapoo’s services include slicing and packaging cheese in shingles and stacks, party trays, cubes, chunks and wedges. Kickapoo works with standard commodity cheeses as well as with a variety of specialty, organic, kosher, and rBGH free cheeses. 

“The sale of my business was the most significant and complex transaction of my career,” noted Jim Leytus, president and owner of Kickapoo. “Steve Royko and the rest of the team at The Peakstone Group were invaluable to the process.  They guided the development of a successful sell strategy; defined, identified and contacted potential buyers; solicited bids, evaluated interested candidates, negotiated letters of intent, helped with the selection of the strongest and most likely buyer; and coordinated the process from letter of intent to purchase agreement.  Steve and The Peakstone team were indefatigable in their efforts to manage the process towards the goal we all desired, the close.”

Biery Cheese Co. was started in 1929 by Norman F. Biery, who started out making Swiss cheese in Louisville, Ohio. The company has evolved from a manufacturing company to a packaging, processing, and distributing company providing chunks, shreds, slices, diced, cubes, and snacking cheeses to its customers.  For over 84 years, Biery Cheese has been servicing customers in all sectors of the cheese business: retail, foodservice, and ingredient.

The Peakstone Group served as exclusive financial advisor to Kickapoo in connection with this transaction. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

For additional information about this transaction, contact:
Steve Royko, Managing Director, 608-236-4490, sroyko@peakstone.com

About The Peakstone Group

Peakstone is an investment bank that specializes in mergers and acquisitions advisory and capital raising for middle market clients.  The Peakstone team is comprised of senior investment banking professionals who have decades of experience and have executed hundreds of transactions totaling billions of dollars. Please visit our website, peakstone.com.

Closed Deal Announcement – Peakstone Advises GMSP on Sale to Hoffmaster

September 2013. Graphic Management Specialty Products, Inc. (“GMSP”) has completed the sale of the company to Hoffmaster Group, Inc. GMSP, based in Oconto, Wisconsin, is a leading provider of high-quality tabletop products to the healthcare and food service markets, as well the food packaging and contract manufacturing industries.

Hoffmaster Group, Inc., a portfolio company of Metalmark Capital, is a leading North American paper converting business focused on the design and manufacture of premium paper tableware including napkins, plates, cups and complementary items.

The Peakstone Group served as exclusive financial advisor to GMSP in connection with this transaction. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

For additional information about this transaction, contact:

Nick Clementi, Managing Director, 312-204-7300, nclementi@peakstone.com
Eric Dziedzic, Managing Director, 312-346-7314, eric@peakstone.com

About The Peakstone Group

Peakstone is an investment bank that specializes in mergers and acquisitions advisory and capital raising for middle market clients.  The Peakstone team is comprised of senior investment banking professionals who have decades of experience and have executed hundreds of transactions totaling billions of dollars. Please visit our website, peakstone.com.

Closed Deal Announcement – Peakstone Advises Pivotal 5, Inc. on the Acquisition of Lifeline USA and Arranged the Financing for the Transaction

September 2013.  Pivotal 5, Inc. (“Pivotal 5”) has announced the purchase of fitness brand Lifeline USA, a leading supplier of professional-grade functional fitness training equipment.  Pivotal 5’s marketing, commercialization and sales capabilities will enable Lifeline to continue expanding its brand worldwide.  Pivotal 5 and Lifeline have been long-time partners in both product supply and retail distribution.  RLJ Credit Opportunity Fund provided the financing for the transaction.  

The Peakstone Group served as Pivotal 5’s exclusive financial advisor in connection with this transaction and also arranged the financing for the transaction. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“The Peakstone Group has been a great partner to Pivotal 5 as we have continued to expand our platform via acquisitions,” noted Adam Schumacher, President and CEO of Pivotal 5.  “Peakstone’s unwavering commitment to Pivotal 5’s continued success has helped us achieve our strategic objectives.”

Click Here to read the Press Releases.

Based in Chicago, Illinois, Pivotal 5 is the industry leader and trendsetter in wellness and handheld fitness products and was founded in 2002 by Adam Schumacher.  The company has a dynamic portfolio of products in yoga, prevention & rehabilitation, general fitness, athletic training and specialty fitness categories.  It’s brands include Natural Fitness, Rejuvenation | Prevent + Perform + Recover, KettleWorX, PER4M and Lifeline USA. In addition, Pivotal 5 has developed product lines under licensed brands including Body By Jake, Iron Gym and Kathy Smith Healthy Living.  Pivotal 5 has built a talented, competitive infrastructure focusing on innovative brand/product development, direct to consumer product supply and retail distribution through retail, infomercials and fitness facilities worldwide.   More information is available at www.Pivotal5.com.

For more information about this deal, please contact:

Eric Dziedzic, Managing Director, (312) 346-7314, eric@peakstone.com
Mark Horita, Managing Director, (312) 346-7308, mhorita@peakstone.com

About The Peakstone Group

Peakstone is an investment bank that specializes in mergers and acquisitions advisory and capital raising for middle market clients.  The Peakstone team is comprised of senior investment banking professionals who have decades of experience and have executed hundreds of transactions totaling billions of dollars. Please visit our website, peakstone.com.

The Peakstone Group Adds Managing Director

July 2013.  Cathy Jaros joins The Peakstone Group as a Managing Director focusing on food and consumer products companies.  Cathy has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions and strategic corporate development.  Her clients include food and packaged goods, healthy ingredients, technology and manufacturing companies.  She has led engagements for Fortune 500 and smaller companies, public and private companies and has been involved in many cross-border transactions.  Cathy works closely with family and privately-owned companies to explore transition and value maximization opportunities.

Prior to joining The Peakstone Group, Cathy was Managing Partner at First Chicago Advisors and was Managing Director for Amherst Partners where she headed the firm’s food and consumer industry practice groups.  She also Chaired the global food and beverage industry group for IMAP, a fifty-member network of international investment bankers.

Cathy previously served as Vice President of corporate marketing and development for Tribune Company.  She spent nineteen years in the food industry where she held senior strategy and acquisition positions at Kraft and a variety of senior and officer level positions in marketing, general management, venture, and corporate development at The Quaker Oats Company, now part of Pepsi.  She is the former Chief Executive Officer and President of several early stage consumer-focused technology companies.

Cathy earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University with dual concentrations in marketing and finance.  She graduated with honors from Michigan State University with a BS degree.