The Deal Awards Middle Market Chicago 2019 Winners
Award Categories
Deal of the Year
George Feldenkreis acquires Perry Ellis
Target: Perry Ellis International Inc.
Investment Adviser: PJ Solomon LP
Counsel to I-bank: Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Outside Counsel:
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP,
Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler,
Alhadeff & Sitterson PA, Akerman LLP
Proxy Solicitor: Innisfree M&A Inc.
PR Firm: Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
Acquirer: George Feldenkreis
Investment Adviser: Scope Advisors LLC
Counsel to I-bank: Latham & Watkins LLP
Outside Counsel: Proskauer Rose LLP, Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP
Proxy Solicitor: MacKenzie Partners Inc., Innisfree M&A Inc.
Most Innovative Deal of the Year
Seidler Equity and Major League Baseball acquire Rawlings Sporting Goods from Newell
Target: Rawlings Sporting Goods Co./Newell Brands Inc.
Investment Adviser: Morgan Stanley
Outside Counsel: Jones Day, White & Case LLP
PR Firm: Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
Acquirer: Seidler Equity Partners LP/Major League Baseball
Investment Adviser: Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Outside Counsel: O’Melveny & Myers LLP, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Dealmaker of the Year
David Dixon, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Public Relations Firm of the Year
Chris Tofalli Public Relations LLC
Specialty Awards
Activist Campaign of the Year
George Feldenkreis acquires Perry Ellis
Target: Perry Ellis International Inc.
Investment Adviser: PJ Solomon LP
Counsel to I-bank: Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Outside Counsel: Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler, Alhadeff & Sitterson PA, Akerman LLP
Proxy Solicitor: Innisfree M&A Inc.
PR Firm: Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
Acquirer: George Feldenkreis
Investment Adviser: Scope Advisors LLC
Counsel to I-bank: Latham & Watkins LLP,
Outside Counsel: Proskauer Rose LLP, Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP
Proxy Solicitor: MacKenzie Partners Inc., Innisfree M&A Inc.
Restructuring Deal of the Year
Brookstone Holdings sells assets
Debtor: Brookstone Holdings Corp.
Legal Counsel: Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor LLP
Restructuring Adviser: Berkeley Research Group LLC
Investment Bank: GLC Advisors & Co.
Private Equity Deal of the Year
Harvest Partners acquires a stake in Dwyer Group from Riverside
Target: Dwyer Group Inc. (aka Neighborly)/Riverside Co.
Investment Adviser: Harris Williams & Co., William Blair & Co. LLC
Outside Counsel: Jones Day
Acquirer: Harvest Partners LP
Investment Adviser: Jefferies LLC, Moelis & Co. LLC
Outside Counsel: White & Case LLP
PR Firm: Owen Blicksilver Public Relations Inc.
Private Equity Dealmaker of the Year
Angelo Bonvino, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Sector Awards
Consumer & Retail Deal of the Year
Castanea Partners sells First Aid Beauty to Procter & Gamble
Target: First Aid Beauty Ltd./Castanea Partners Inc.
Investment Adviser: Financo LLC
Outside Counsel: Latham & Watkins LLP
Acquirer: Procter & Gamble Co.
Outside Counsel: Squire Patton Boggs LLP
Energy & Power Deal of the Year
EagleClaw Midstream acquires Pinnacle Midstream from I Squared Capital
Target: Pinnacle Midstream LLC/I Squared Capital
Investment Adviser: Greenhill & Co., Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Outside Counsel: Sidley Austin LLP
Acquirer: EagleClaw Midstream Services LLC/Blackstone Group LP
Investment Adviser: Jefferies LLC
Outside Counsel: Vinson & Elkins LLP
Consumer & Retail Dealmaker of the Year
Bill Cooling, Jefferies LLC
Energy & Power Dealmaker of the Year
Kimberly Hicks, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Entertainment & Media Deal of the Year
Gray and Raycom Media sell nine TV stations to E.W. Scripps, Lockwood Broadcast, Marquee Broadcasting and Tegna
Target: Gray Television Inc. and Raycom Media Inc.
Investment Adviser: Wells Fargo Securities LLC
Outside Counsel: Cooley LLP
Buyer: E.W. Scripps Co., Lockwood Broadcast Group, Marquee Broadcasting Inc. and Tegna Inc.
Outside Counsel: Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP, Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, Nixon Peabody LLP
Food & Beverage Deal of the Year
Craft Brew Alliance acquires Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Cisco Brewers and Wynwood Brewing
Target: Appalachian Mountain Brewery LLC, Cisco Brewers Inc. and Wynwood Brewing Co.
Investment Adviser: Cascadia Capital LLC (CBI)
Outside Counsel: Akerman LLP (AMB), Moffatt & Moffatt PLLC (AMB), Holland & Knight LLP (WBC), McDermott Will & Emery LLP (CBI)
Acquirer: Craft Brew Alliance Inc.
Investment Adviser: Paragon Beverages Advisors LLC
Outside counsel: Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Entertainment & Media Dealmaker of the Year
Kevin Mills, Cooley LLP
Food & Beverage Dealmaker of the Year
Sarah Tune, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Healthcare Deal of the Year
Bain Capital and Pfizer team up to form Cerevel Therapeutics
Target: Pfizer Inc.—Three clinical-stage compounds
Investment Adviser: Centerview Partners LLC
Outside Counsel: Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP
Acquirer: Bain Capital LP
Investment Adviser: Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Outside Counsel: Ropes & Gray LLP
Industrials Deal of the Year
Syncora Guarantee sells American Roads to DIF Management
Target: American Roads LLC/ Syncora Guarantee Inc.
Investment Adviser: Evercore Partners Inc.
Outside Counsel: Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Acquirer: DIF Management BV
Investment Adviser: Agentis Capital
Outside Counsel: Allen & Overy LLP
Healthcare Dealmaker of the Year
Marc Rubenstein, Ropes & Gray LLP
Industrials Dealmaker of the Year
Dean Sattler, Milbank LLP
Technology & Telecom Deal of the Year
Trimble acquires e-Builder
Target: e-Builder Inc.
Investment Adviser: William Blair & Co. LLC
Outside Counsel: Fenwick & West LLP
Acquirer: Trimble Inc.
Investment Adviser: Houlihan Lokey Inc.
Outside Counsel: Perkins Coie LLP
Financial Services Deal of the Year
Silicon Valley Bank acquires Leerink Holdings
Target: Leerink Holdings LLC
Investment Adviser: Sandler O’Neill & Partners LP
Outside Counsel: Clifford Chance LLP, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
PR Firm: Weber Shandwick
Acquirer: SVB Financial Group
Investment Adviser: Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Inc.
Counsel to I-bank: Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP
Outside Counsel: Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
Technology & Telecom Dealmaker of the Year
Ken Myers, Fenwick & West LLP
Financial Services Dealmaker of the Year
Jody Spencer, Rogers & Hardin LLP
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The Deal Awards 2022
In September 2022, the deals and dealmakers shaping the Deal Economy will be celebrated in the latest installment of The Deal Awards. In line with its mission of providing forward-looking intelligence across mergers and acquisitions, private equity, activism and restructuring, the Awards seek to recognize and celebrate the advisers, firms and banks driving the market forward.
