Vestar Capital Partners

Vestar Capital Partners

Vestar Capital Partners
Industry	Private Equity
Founded	1988
Founder	Daniel O'Connell, Robert L. Rosner, James P. Kelley, Norman Alpert, Arthur Nagle
Headquarters	245 Park Avenue New York, New York, United States of America
Products	Leveraged buyouts
Total assets	$5 billion
Website	www.vestarcapital.com

Vestar Capital Partners is an American private equity firm focusing on leveraged buyout transactions in the United States.

The firm, which was founded in 1988, is headquartered in New York City with offices in Boston, Massachusetts and Denver, Colorado, in the US.

History

Vestar is a leading private equity firm specializing in management buyouts and growth capital investments. Vestar was founded in 1988 by principals of The First Boston Corporation’s Management Buyout Group. Five of the original founders, including Daniel O'Connell, Norman Alpert, Robert L. Rosner, James P. Kelley, and Arthur Nagle, are still with the firm.

The firm has extensive experience investing across a wide variety of industries including: Consumer, Healthcare, Diversified Industries, and Financial Services. Vestar invests and collaborates with incumbent management teams, private owners or corporations in a creative, flexible and entrepreneurial way to build long-term franchise and enterprise value. Since the firm's founding in 1988, the Vestar funds have completed 70 investments in companies with a total value of more than $40 billion.

Investments

For details on Vestar's investment strategy, sector focus and Vestar Resources, please visit Vestar's Investment Strategy web page: [1]

Investment funds

Since its inception in 1988, Vestar has raised six private equity funds with total investor commitments of approximately more than $9 billion. Of these funds, five have been fully invested and two have been fully liquidated. Vestar is actively evaluating middle-market investment opportunities for its sixth fund, Vestar Capital Partners VI.

• 1988 - Vestar Capital Partners ($35 million - Liquidated)
• 1993 - Vestar Capital Partners II ($260 million - Liquidated)
• 1997 - Vestar Capital Partners III ($803 million - Fully invested)
• 1999 - Vestar Capital Partners IV ($2.48 billion - Fully invested)
• 2005 - Vestar Capital Partners V ($3.7 billion - Fully invested)
• 2013 - Vestar Capital Partners VI ($804 million - Closed and currently investing)

Portfolio companies

Current Portfolio (as reported on Vestar's website)

Consumer

American Roland Foods Roland is a leading importer and supplier of specialty foods to foodservice distributors, specialty retailers and restaurants.

Hearthside Food Solutions

Hearthside is the nation's largest independent bakery and a full-service contract manufacturer of high quality, grain-based food and snack products for many of the world’s leading premier brands iss

St. John Knits, Inc. St. John Knits, Inc., is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of fine women's clothing and accessories.

Sun Products Corporation Sun Products, created from the merger of Huish Detergents and Unilever’s North American Fabric Care business, manufactures a comprehensive line of private-label and branded fabric care products, including All, Wisk, Surf, Snuggle, Sun and Sunlight.

Woodstream Group, Inc. Woodstream is a leading manufacturer, marketer and distributor of branded pest and animal control, lawn and garden and electronic animal containment products.

Healthcare

Civitas Solutions, Inc. Civitas Solutions, Inc. (a/k/a National MENTOR Holdings, Inc.) is a leading provider of home and community-based human services for individuals with developmental disabilities and acquired brain injuries, as well as for at-risk youth and their families.

Healthgrades HealthGrades is a leading online source of hospital, physician, disease and condition information and decision-support tools tailored for consumers.

Press Ganey Associates, Inc. Press Ganey is a leading provider of patient experience measurement, performance analytics and strategic advisory solutions, partnering with more than 60% of all US hospitals and over 160,000 physicians.

Radiation Therapy Services, Inc. (nka 21st Century Oncology) 21st Century Oncology, which operates radiation treatment centers, is a leading provider of radiation therapy services to cancer patients.

StayWell StayWell (f/k/a MediMedia) is a leading provider of patient education and population health management

Veritas Collaborative Veritas is the leading specialty eating disorders hospital for children and adolescents in the southeastern United States

Diversified Industries

Gleason Corporation Gleason is a global leader in the development and manufacturing of technologically advanced gear-production machinery and related equipment.

Institutional Shareholder Services ISS is the world’s leading provider of proxy advisory and corporate governance solutions to financial market participants.

Tervita Corporation Tervita, formerly known as CCS, is Canada's leading integrated provider of oilfield waste management, environmental remediation and well services.

Triton Container Triton Container is the world's largest owner-lessor of marine intermodal cargo containers.

Past Holdings (as reported on Vestar's website)

Consumer

Anvil Knitwear, Inc. Anvil Knitwear is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of quality casual knitwear and athleticwear.

Big Heart Pet Brands Big Heart Pet Brands is a leading U.S. producer of pet products.

Birds Eye Foods, Inc. Birds Eye Foods is a leading producer and marketer of frozen vegetables and other processed food products. The Company has a strong portfolio of brands, most notably Birds Eye, and sells its branded, private label and non-branded products to retailers, food service distributors and industrial food manufacturers.

Celestial Seasonings, Inc. Celestial Seasonings, Inc., is the leading U.S. manufacturer and marketer of herb and specialty teas sold under such popular brand names as Red Zinger and Sleepytime.

Consolidated Cigar Company Consolidated Cigar Company was the largest cigar company in the U.S., with such leading brands as Don Diego, H. Upmann, Muriel, Dutch Masters, Antonio y Cleopatra and El Producto.

Fiorucci S.p.A. Fiorucci is a leading Italian producer and marketer of cured meats and other gastronomic products.

FL Selenia S.p.A. FL Selenia is a leading Italian developer, blender and marketer of branded lubricants and functional fluids that are designed to provide optimal mechanical performance to automotive, agricultural, commercial and marine vehicles.

Gold Toe Corporation Gold Toe Corp. designs, manufactures and markets men's, women's and children's socks and is the worldwide licensor for the "Arrow" brand name for the sale of apparel. The company's product offering in the sock category is centered on the company-owned "Gold Toe" brand name.

La Petite Academy, Inc. La Petite Academy, Inc., is the nation's second-largest provider of for-profit child care and preschool education.

Michael Foods, Inc. Michael Foods is the world's largest producer of value-added egg products, which are sold through foodservice, industrial and retail distribution channels.

Perfect Fit Industries, Inc. Perfect Fit Industries, Inc., is a leading manufacturer and marketer of home furnishings for the bedroom, sold under the Bedsack and Perfect Fit brand names.

Prestone Products Corporation Prestone Products Corporation is the nation's leading producer of branded and private label automotive antifreeze.

Remington Products Corporation Remington Products Corporation is a leading manufacturer and marketer of men's and women's electrical personal care appliances.

Sun Apparel, Inc. Sun Apparel, Inc., is a leading manufacturer and distributor of men's, women's and children's jeans wear, casual bottoms and related products under private labels and both licensed (including Polo Jeans Company) and owned brands.

Super D Drugs Corporation Super D Drugs, Inc., was a leading regional discount drugstore with operations in the mid-south. The company operated under the Super D, Ike's and Super D Express names.

Diversified Industries

Advanced Organics, Inc. Advanced Organics, Inc., was an organic waste recycling company that collected organic materials such as bakery and cereal waste and converted them into bakery feed, a corn substitute sold to the animal feed market.

Aearo Corporation Aearo is one of the world's largest suppliers of industrial and consumer personal protection equipment, which includes hearing protection, safety eyewear and respiratory devices.

Argo-Tech Corporation Argo-Tech Corporation was the world's leading manufacturer of engine and transfer fuel pumps for commercial and military aircraft.

AZ Electronic Materials AZ is a leading global supplier of electronic chemicals used to produce flat-panel displays and integrated circuits.

Border Media Partners, LLC Border Media Partners, LLC, is a broadcasting company serving Hispanic listeners in selected high-growth markets in the Southwestern United States.

Clark-Schwebel, Inc. Clark-Schwebel, Inc., was the world's largest manufacturer of fiber glass fabrics principally for use in printed circuit boards, which are integral to virtually all advanced electronic products.

Consolidated Container Company Consolidated Container Company is a leading domestic developer, manufacturer and marketer of blow-molded rigid plastic containers for the beverage, consumer and industrial markets.

Duff & Phelps Duff & Phelps, LLC, is a leading independent financial advisory firm, offering a broad range of consulting and investment banking services, including financial reporting and tax valuation, fixed asset and real estate consulting, M&A advisory, fairness and solvency opinions, ESOP and ERISA advisory services, legal business solutions and dispute consulting.

Hampshire Chemical Corporation Hampshire Chemical Corporation was a worldwide manufacturer of specialty chemicals, which were used in a wide range of consumer product, personal care, industrial, agricultural and pharmaceutical applications.

Insight Communications Company Insight Communications Company is the nation's ninth-largest owner and operator of cable television systems, which are located in smaller urban and suburban markets, primarily in the Midwest.

International AirParts Corporation International AirParts Corporation is a manufacturer of high-quality machined aluminum assemblies and precision aluminum forgings for the aerospace industry.

MAG Aerospace Industries, Inc. MAG Aerospace Industries, Inc., is a supplier of vacuum and recirculating sanitation systems for the commercial aircraft and surface transportation markets.

MCG Capital Corporation MCG is a specialty finance company serving small- and middle-market companies within the media, communications and information services sector.

Montpelier Re Holdings, Ltd. Montpelier Re Holdings, Ltd., is a Bermuda-based, global reinsurance company formed in 2001 to underwrite primarily property-exposed lines of business.

Nybron Flooring International Nybron Flooring International was the leading European producer of wood flooring and the world market leader in pre-finished engineered wood flooring products.

OGF Group OGF Group is the leading operator in the French funeral services market. OGF covers the entire range of funeral-related needs, from funeral services to the manufacture and sale of coffins and coffin linings.

Paris Re Paris Re was the former property and casualty reinsurance division of AXA Group, a multi-line insurance company. Paris Re conducted its global operations through seven offices: Montreal; Singapore; Washington, D.C.; Miami; Bermuda; Zurich, and its Paris headquarters.

Pinnacle Automation, Inc. Pinnacle Automation, Inc., is a leading materials handling and information technology company that designs, engineers and produces equipment and software.

Pyramid Communications, Inc. Pyramid Communications, Inc., was a major market radio broadcasting company.

RedPrairie Corporation RedPrairie Corporation is a leading developer and marketer of software that enables companies to manage their warehousing and transportation logistics more efficiently.

Russell-Stanley Holdings, Inc. Russell-Stanley Holdings, Inc., was a leading U.S. producer of plastic and steel industrial drums and containers and a leading provider of related container leasing and logistics management services.

SAB Wabco Group AB SAB Wabco was Europe's second largest designer and manufacturer of brake systems for the railway industry, as well as a provider of associated services.

Seves S.p.A. Headquartered in Florence, Seves is the world's leading manufacturer of glass and composite insulators for high- and medium-power transmission and distribution systems, as well as glass blocks for architectural and interior design applications.

Siegel+Gale Holdings, Inc. Siegel+Gale offers a broad variety of marketing communications services, including corporate identity, simplified communications and interactive media, to leading global companies.

Solo Cup Company Solo Cup is the leading global manufacturer of disposable foodservice products to foodservice and consumer customers.

Symetra Financial Corporation Symetra Financial is the former life and investments business of Safeco Corporation, a publicly traded multi-line insurance company. Founded in 1957, Symetra offers various life and health insurance products, retirement services and income annuities.

TransMontaigne, Inc. TransMontaigne, Inc., is a leading independent provider of a broad range of logistical services, including transportation, terminaling, supply, distribution, gathering, processing and marketing, to the midstream and downstream sectors of the petroleum and petrochemical industries.

Validus Re, Ltd. Validus Re is a de novo property and specialty lines reinsurance company based in Bermuda. The Company was formed in December 2005 in response to favorable market conditions in certain sectors of the property and casualty reinsurance industry.

Valor Communications Group, LLC Valor is the eleventh largest telephone company and one of the largest rural local exchange carriers in the U.S. The company provides telephone and communication services to markets in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Wabtec Corporation Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation (Wabtec) is the world's largest manufacturer of air brake and related systems for railroad freight cars, locomotive and passenger transit vehicles.

Wilton Re Holdings, Ltd. Wilton Re is a de novo life reinsurance company with operations in Bermuda and the United States. The Company was formed in January 2005 to take advantage of favorable trends in the life reinsurance industry.

ZML Industries S.p.A. ZML Industries S.p.A is a leading European producer of cast-iron and aluminum components and enameled copper wire for the household appliance and automotive industries.

Healthcare

DeVilbiss Healthcare DeVilbiss is a healthcare equipment manufacturer of respiratory and sleep products that address the needs of patients in institutional and homecare settings.

DynaVox Systems, LLC DynaVox is the leader in the high-growth augmentative and alternative communication market, which provides products that enable speech-impaired and non-speaking individuals to communicate.

Essent Healthcare, Inc. Essent owns and operates hospitals that provide essential, high-quality care to the residents of rural and suburban communities.

Joerns Healthcare Joerns Healthcare is a leading provider of long-term care bed frames, support surfaces, furnishings, and patient handling systems to operators of Skilled Nursing Facilities, Assisted Living Facilities and other long-term care institutional settings.

Sheridan Healthcare, Inc. Sheridan Healthcare, Inc., is an acquisitive, physician-led integrated medical service provider focused on anesthesia, neonatology and women's health services.

Sunrise Medical, Inc. Sunrise Medical is one of the largest home care medical equipment manufacturers in the world.

For the latest information on the Vestar Capital Partners portfolio, please visit Vestar's Portfolio web page: [2] and also Vestar's News web page: [3] .

External links

• Vestar Capital Partners (company website)