ACG 101 M&A and Private Equity Panel

Zachary Turke is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group of the firm’s Los Angeles office. He is head of Sheppard’s Mergers & Acquisition team and its Government Business Group, which encompasses Sheppard’s aerospace & defense practice. Areas of Practice Zac’s practice focuses on mergers & acquisition transactions across a wide variety of industries. He works with private equity firms, public companies, family-owned business, strategics and entrepreneurs in industries such as consumer products, business services, software & technology, video games & esports, cannabis, healthcare, apparel & beauty, manufacturing, retail, food & beverage and aerospace & defense. Over his career with Sheppard Mullin, Zac has successfully closed over 200 M&A transactions, giving him deep industry expertise in a number of sectors. He also helps clients with debt and equity financings, venture capital investments, corporate governance and joint ventures and strategic alliances. Zac specializes in getting deals done. He is adept at making complex issues comprehensible and finding practical solutions to legal problems. He is an avid writer and speaker with respect to areas of corporate law. He holds a law degree from Harvard Law School and B.A. from Duke University. He has been recognized as a leader by Super Lawyers, the Legal 500 and the M&A Advisors.

David Bonrouhi is co-founder and Managing Director of Calabasas Capital, a boutique investment banking firm that provides M&A advisory and private equity and debt capital raising for lower mid-market companies with particular expertise in family businesses. David has 25 years of investment banking and private equity experience. He began his investment banking career at Merrill Lynch in New York and later worked in private equity and venture capital for UnionBanCal Equities, where he co-managed Union Bank’s $200 million portfolio of private equity investments in middle market companies in a wide range of industries. David began his career as a CPA and tax consultant with Price Waterhouse in New York. David holds Series 7, 63 and 79 licenses with Fallbrook Capital Securities Corporation (Calabasas Capital is a dba of Fallbrook Capital). David is a licensed California CPA (inactive) and a licensed California real estate broker. David has an MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurial Studies from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management; and a Masters in Tax and a B.S. in Accounting from Miami of Ohio.

Matt joined Century Park Capital Partners in 2014. He is responsible for the business development and deal sourcing efforts of the firm.

Prior to joining Century Park Capital Partners, Matt worked for Dinan and Company, a merchant banking advisory firm, where he was responsible for actively identifying, originating and analyzing investment opportunities for private equity groups and corporate acquirers primarily in the industrials, healthcare services, consumer products, and business services sectors. Prior to Dinan and Company, he served as a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch. As part of a dynamic wealth management group, Matt provided a wide array of financial services to a select group of high net-worth individuals, families and businesses with significant investment assets.

Matt holds a B.S. in International Finance and Trade from Georgetown University, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.

Matt Smith is a Vice President at St. Cloud and is responsible for sourcing, execution, and portfolio monitoring functions. Previously, Mr. Smith founded and managed the Structured Finance Group at Banc of California, which focused on origination and structuring of senior credit facilities to middle market companies backed by private equity. Prior to that, Mr. Smith worked in commercial banking and leveraged finance roles at various commercial banks and leveraged finance groups.  He has served as Observer on the Board of Directors of Pipeworks, Inc., Apposite Technologies, Inc. and currently serves as an Observer to the Board of Directors of AleraCare Holdings, LLC, Catawba Research, LLC, AMP Security, LLC, and Renters Warehouse, LLC.  Mr. Smith was also an Army officer and deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan where he earned a Bronze Star Medal.

Mr. Smith earned his MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management and BA in Economics and Political Science from UC Davis.

Ryan Smiley is a Managing Director and Partner at RLH Equity Partners (RLH), a leading middle market growth equity investment firm targeting knowledge-based enterprises in the business services, healthcare and government services sectors.  Ryan joined RLH in 2008, bringing a range of transactional experience and investment perspectives.  Prior to RLH, Ryan worked at Shamrock Capital Advisors in their Media, Entertainment and Communications fund, Warner Bros. and Bear Stearns in the Media & Entertainment investment banking group.  Ryan currently serves as a Member of the Board of Directors of Astound Commerce, CrossCountry Consulting, imre, MCA Connect, and Shift7 Digital. 

Ryan earned his MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management and a BS in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Jeremy R. Holland is a Managing Partner at The Riverside Company, leading the Origination team across the various funds/strategies in North America. Jeremy joined the Riverside in 2010, when they recruited him to switch from executing deals to focusing on originating new investment opportunities in the Western US & Canada.  He has more than 20 years of private equity experience, across a range of industries and throughout the capital structure.  He began his private equity career with Buttonwood Capital Group immediately after completing his undergraduate studies.  Jeremy earned a B.S. degree in Finance from California State University Northridge.

The Riverside Company is one of the largest and oldest global private equity firms that remains committed to the entrepreneurial end of the market.  Riverside has approximately $13 billion in assets under management.  The firm makes control acquisitions up to $400 million in total enterprise value and has a variety of non-control solutions.  Since its founding in 1988, Riverside has invested in more than 800 transactions and currently has a portfolio that includes more than 140 companies worldwide.  The firm’s specializations include healthcare, education & training, manufacturing, tech-enabled business services & software, consumer branded products and franchising.  More information on The Riverside Company can be found at www.riversidecompany.com.