World 50′s performance and strong cash flow lead to early dividend recapitalization

Chicago Growth Partners completed a dividend recapitalization of World 50, the market leader in providing senior executive peer memberships for sharing insights on critical strategic and leadership issues as well as best practices and benchmarking data in March 2012. Proceeds from the transaction were used to refinance the company’s existing debt and pay a dividend to shareholders. The recapitalization was funded with excess cash from the company’s balance sheet and a third party debt facility that was structured to expand the capital available to support World 50′s rapid growth plans. Consistent with CGP’s philosophy to drive returns through revenue and earnings growth and not leverage, the company’s post-recapitalization Debt to EBITDA ...Read More

Industry veteran with a strong track record of success joins CGP portfolio company.

Chicago Growth Partners is pleased to announce that George Hoffman has joined FineLine Technologies, Inc. as President and Chief Executive Officer.  George brings a long and successful track record of growth and value creation in retail labeling solutions, having previously been President of Paxar Americas, which grew from $20 million to $800 million in global revenue.  He has spent his entire career in FineLine’s core business: web-based, bar code ticketing and labeling solutions for major retailers.  George has a history of inventing, developing and bringing to market an array of innovative solutions to the industry, most recently a mobile QR code technology for apparel retailers.

CGP identified George through its leadership network to assist with due diligence ...Read More

CGP capitalizes on its experience in education to partner with management of the leading provider of early childhood educational resources.

Chicago Growth Partners is excited to announce its fourth education platform investment in four years – the recapitalization of Teaching Strategies, Inc.  Teaching Strategies is the leading provider of early childhood educational resources, including curriculum and web-based assessment products.  The Company offers the industry’s widest selection of research-based, developmentally appropriate instruction and assessment products to the growing early childhood market. Teaching Strategies serves over 20,000 early childhood educators globally.

“Chicago Growth Partners is thrilled to continue our commitment to education through a partnership with the Teaching Strategies management team.  Our investment ...Read More

CGP is pleased to announce the addition of anonymous bullying-prevention services to SchoolMessenger’s suite of software solutions.

Chicago Growth Partners is pleased to announce that its portfolio company, SchoolMessenger, has acquired AnComm, creator of Talk About It®, the first and only anonymous communication service that allows students to ‘speak up’ by engaging in text message or email dialogue with trusted school staff members.  The acquisition expands the suite of communications solutions SchoolMessenger now offers and enables the Talk About It service, currently in use by more than 300,000 students, to more quickly reach a national audience.  AnComm CEO and frequent speaker on the subject of bullying, Carter B. Myers, joined SchoolMessenger as vice president of Anonymous Communication Solutions.

“As ...Read More

Kristina Heinze promoted to Principal at Chicago Growth Partners.

Chicago Growth Partners is delighted to announce the promotion of Kristina Heinze to Principal.  Since joining the firm nine years ago as an Associate, Kristina has been actively involved in all aspects of CGP’s business, with a particular emphasis on the tech-enabled services and industrial growth sectors.  Kristina focuses on originating, executing and managing leveraged buy-out investments in the tech-enabled services and industrial growth sectors.  Kristina’s present and past directorships and portfolio companies include Extended Care Information Network, Golf Galaxy, Paramount Services, ABC Window Company, ABRA AutoBody, Contempo Ceramic Tile, Specialized Education Services, The Plastics Group, TimePlus Payroll Services, Ultra and Union Corrugating Company.  Prior to CGP, Kristina ...Read More

CGP’s largest investment in firm’s history yields outstanding outcome for investors.

Chicago Growth Partners is pleased to announce another successful education investment: the partial sale of our interest in Royall & Company to CHS Capital.  CGP invested in Royall three and a half years ago and worked closely with the company to drive rapid growth and a significant return on invested capital to date.  CGP remains bullish on the outlook for Royall and will continue to have a meaningful ownership position alongside CHS and company management.

Royall & Company is the leading provider of strategic direct marketing and admissions advisory services to higher education, serving traditional, non-profit colleges and universities.  The company dominates the market through a broad and deep service offering ...Read More

CGP is pleased to announce a successful capital raise for SchoolMessenger, strengthening the Company’s access to resources and paying a dividend to shareholders.

Chicago Growth Partners is pleased to announce a successful capital raise for its portfolio company, SchoolMessenger, a leading provider of notification solutions for the education market.  CGP originally completed its investment in SchoolMessenger in May 2010 and funded 100% of the transaction with equity.  The Company has performed well since closing and continues to increase its share in the education market by bringing innovative, on-demand solutions to its customers.  The capital raise allowed the Company to pay a dividend to shareholders and broadened the Company’s access to capital for growth initiatives and acquisitions.

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AnaJet’s rapid growth leads to early refinancing and return of 50% of invested capital.

Chicago Growth Partners is pleased to announce it has completed a dividend recapitalization of AnaJet, the market leader in digital printing technology for the global textile industry.  Proceeds from the transaction were used to refinance the company’s existing bridge debt and pay a dividend to shareholders.  The recapitalization was funded through a credit facility underwritten by Fifth Third Bank that will continue to support the company’s expected growth.

The transaction returned an amount representing approximately 50% of invested capital less than a year after CGP’s initial investment.  CGP acquired AnaJet in November 2010 based on the company’s highly engineered, differentiated products and the expected growth in digital textile printing.  ...Read More

CGP plans to facilitate the continued rapid growth of FineLine Technologies, Inc., a web-based market leader in bar code ticketing and labeling solutions for the retail industry.

Chicago Growth Partners is pleased to announce its acquisition of FineLine Technologies, Inc. FineLine is a web-based business services firm that provides bar code ticketing and labeling solutions for major retailers and their suppliers globally. The Company combines a real time, web-based EDI ordering system and variable printing processes to create bar code tags and a variety of labels which are attached to apparel and other merchandise. As speed to market becomes increasingly critical in retail, more brands are choosing FineLine for its sophisticated web interface, global footprint and superior customer service.

FineLine’s proprietary web ...Read More

CGP partners with the country’s largest pain management group to accelerate APM’s growth and expand its geographic footprint.

Chicago Growth Partners is pleased to announce its acquisition of Advanced Pain Management Holdings, Inc. (“APM”). Headquartered in Greenfield, Wisconsin, APM is the largest single-specialty, pain management group in the country in the emerging specialty of Interventional Pain Management (“IPM”).

APM currently has 26 board-certified/eligible interventional and non interventional pain physicians performing the most advanced IPM procedures available to patients suffering from chronic neck and back pain. APM’s physicians operate out of more than 35 locations in Wisconsin and Minnesota and execute over 140,000 patient encounters annually in both Ambulatory Surgical Center (“ASC”) ...Read More

Royall’s consistent growth leads to refinancing and return of 50% of invested capital.

Chicago Growth Partners announced today that it has completed a dividend recapitalization of Royall & Company, the leading provider of marketing and admissions services to higher education.  Proceeds from the transaction were used to refinance the company’s existing debt and pay a dividend to shareholders.  The recapitalization was funded through a credit facility underwritten by GE Capital that will continue to support the company’s expected growth.

The transaction returned approximately 50% of invested capital two and a half years after CGP’s initial investment.  CGP invested in Royall in June 2008 based on the company’s market leadership, high client return on investment and excellent revenue visibility.  Despite the challenging economy ...Read More

CGP plans to facilitate the continued rapid expansion of AnaJet, Inc., the market leader in digital printing technology for the textile industry.

Chicago Growth Partners is pleased to announce an investment in AnaJet, Inc. AnaJet is a rapidly growing designer and manufacturer of digital printing technology and related consumables for the global apparel industry. AnaJet’s technologies allow its customers to quickly and cost effectively design and print custom garments for a wide range of business and consumer end-markets.

Since its inception in 2005, AnaJet has grown rapidly as digital textile printing technology has taken share from traditional analog methods. The shift to digital technology is driven by ease-of-use, cost efficiency and growing demand for customization by consumers. AnaJet has rapidly penetrated traditional ...Read More

CGP partners with management to build the preeminent networking organization for senior executives from the world’s leading companies.

Chicago Growth Partners is pleased to announce its acquisition of World 50, Inc. from EquaTerra, and its partnership with the company’s management to expand their business across the globe.  World 50 was created to initiate and facilitate the most interesting and influential business conversations in the world and currently presides over eight executive membership groups: Marketing 50, Human Resource 50, CEO 50, Supply Chain 50, Global 50, Brand 50, Revenue 50 and Sustainability 50. Each group brings together C-level executives from the world’s leading companies to exchange ideas, share insights and discuss their toughest challenges. World 50 memberships are invitation-only, non-competitive ...Read More

CGP leverages its experience in education and technology-enabled services to partner with management to invest in this fast growing mass notifications provider to the education market.

Chicago Growth Partners is pleased to announce its May 2010 investment in SchoolMessenger (parent company Reliance Communications, Inc.), a leading provider of on-demand, mass notification software solutions for the education market. Mass notification, a growing industry, is used in a variety of situations to keep people informed through multiple message delivery channels including phone calls, emails and text messages. Thousands of colleges, districts and schools use SchoolMessenger (www.schoolmessenger.com) to keep parents, staff and students informed in both emergency and non-emergency situations. The company’s solution includes numerous ...Read More

Sale of TargeGen to Sanofi-aventis will allow for further development of agent targeting the treatment of certain forms of cancer and blood disorders.

Chicago Growth Partners (CGP) today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to sell 100% of TargeGen, Inc. (TargeGen) to Sanofi-aventis for an amount up to $560 million. CGP initially invested $8 million in January 2004 and subsequently invested an additional $6 million in the company over the next four years as the products progressed through clinical trials. Under the terms of the deal Sanofi-aventis will make both an upfront payment of $75 million and a series of additional milestone payments of up to $485 million at different stages of development for TargeGen’s lead product TG 101348. CGP initially received $4.6 million from the upfront payment and could potentially ...Read More

Combination creates national, full-service retail merchandising platform.

We are pleased to announce that Footprint Retail Services, a CGP portfolio company, has completed the strategic acquisition of Prism Retail Services. Prism provides in-store merchandising services to leading retailers and consumer brands throughout the U.S. Its services are complementary to Footprint’s current offering and include new store set-up, store remodels, category resets and item cut-ins, among others. Prism has a 17-year track record of providing high-quality in-store services to its clients.

Footprint’s acquisition of Prism creates the only national, full-service retail merchandising platform. The company will now offer the full spectrum of in-store services, from light merchandising to installation of complex fixtures to complete new ...Read More

CGP backs another growing education services provider.

We are pleased to announce the growth recapitalization of Specialized Education Services, Inc. (“SESI”). SESI is a private provider of specialized education services for children and youth facing learning, language, and social challenges. CGP led the recapitalization of SESI, partnering with Prairie Capital, Twin Bridge Capital Partners, and the Company’s management team. Serving over 1,700 students in seven states, SESI provides educational services to children with learning and behavioral difficulties in kindergarten through 12th grade. The Company’s intensive, one-to-one, tutorial-based classroom model and values-driven rewards system combine to create a unique learning program and enriching environment for each student.

School districts view SESI as a valuable ...Read More

Deal continues CGP’s investment focus on Education and Business Services.

We are pleased to announce the final platform investment in Chicago Growth Partners, L.P. and the first platform investment of Chicago Growth Partners II, L.P. (“CGP II”), the recapitalization of Royall & Company of Richmond, Virginia. Royall is the nation’s leading provider of recruitment services to traditional colleges and universities. CGP led the recapitalization of Royall, partnering with the Company’s management team.

Royall’s services comprise all aspects of an institution’s yearly recruiting effort, including student search, ongoing communication, application, event marketing, qualification programs and market research. On behalf of clients, Royall annually creates and deploys over 300 million e-mails and 30 million mailings, ...Read More

Fund Experiences Strong Demand from LPs Seeking Growth Buyouts.

We are pleased to announce the final closing of Chicago Growth Partners II, LP (CGP II) at $500 million, exceeding our initial goal of $400 million. Anchor investors including Goldman Sachs, the State of Minnesota and Skandia reinvested with increased commitments, helping facilitate an extremely efficient fundraising process.  For CGP II, we look to continue with our successful investment strategy, primarily targeting investments in small growth buyouts.

We will begin investing CGP II with a deep bench and a well-honed team, including new Operating Partner Ron Davies, who worked closely with us as the COO at eInstruction (sold last July, eInstruction was an early, successful exit for CGP I). The team at CGP has been built specifically to help growth companies ...Read More

Healthcare Education Provider Generates Another Win for CGP.

Chicago Growth Partners is pleased to announce the signing of a definitive agreement to sell 100% of U.S. Education Corporation to Devry Inc. for $290 million. The sale marks the end of a successful six-year investment, during which U.S. Education grew to become one of the leading providers of healthcare education in the western United States. U.S. Education prepares students for careers in healthcare through certificate and associate degree programs in rapidly growing fields such as nursing, radiography, surgical technology, pharmacy technology, dental hygiene, and medical and dental assisting. The company operates 17 campus locations in the western United States and currently serves more than 8,500 students and has more than 65,000 alumni. U.S. Education operates with a long-standing commitment ...Read More

Deal capitalizes on increasing demand for Benetech’s highly engineered safety related products and services in the energy sector.

We are pleased to announce the 13th investment of Chicago Growth Partners, L.P. (“CGP”), the recapitalization of Benetech, Inc. of Montgomery, IL. Benetech is a leading provider of material handling and dust management solutions, primarily serving electric utilities. CGP, whose partners manage a $1.2 billion private equity portfolio, led the recapitalization of Benetech, partnering with the company’s management team, led by CEO and President, Ronald Pircon, and the Private Equity Group of Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Golub Capital provided the senior debt financing for the transaction.

Benetech’s vision is to be the leading provider of comprehensive safety solutions to the electricity ...Read More