The Deal Awards Middle Market Chicago 2019 Winners

Mar. 26, 2019

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