Flexpoint Ford

Clearstead Advisors Announces Acquisition of Waveland Family Office Clearstead, a rapidly growing registered financial advisor (“RIA”), has acquired the assets of Waveland Family Office LLC, a wealth management firm based in northern suburban Chicago, Illinois with approximately $420 million in assets under management. The deal was signed in early January and closed on January 31. Waveland provides holistic family office services to high-net-worth families, including financial and estate planning, investment management, and tax planning and compliance. Waveland’s six employees will join the Clearstead team and adopt the Clearstead name, with Waveland principals Allen C. Berg and Dennis Zaslavsky, CFA joining as equity partners. The acquisition continues Clearstead’s rapid growth trajectory by establishing a new presence in Chicago and further developing Clearstead as a nationally recognized RIA. Upon closing, Clearstead and its subsidiaries will have approximately $47 billion in total assets under advisement,* including $22 billion in total assets under management*, more than 270 employees and 12 offices. In 2022, Clearstead received a majority equity investment from Flexpoint Ford, a private equity firm specializing in financial services and healthcare investments. Since then, the firm has continued to grow organically and through acquisitions and liftouts. Recent acquisitions and expansions include Wilbanks, Smith & Thomas, LLC (“WST”); Baldwin Advisory; Burkhart & Co. and Snow Financial Advisors, both Cleveland-based wealth managers; Avalon Trust, a Santa Fe, New Mexico financial advisor; CLS Consulting, a provider of family trust company services to ultra-high net worth clients; and a seasoned team of advisors in Hudson, Ohio. For further details see https://lnkd.in/ehCcNKTG

Flexpoint Ford Announces Team Promotions Flexpoint Ford, a private equity investment firm specializing in the financial services and healthcare industries, is pleased to announce the promotion of Blake Heyde, Kelsey Hilbrich, and Phil Purcell to Principal, recognizing their outstanding contributions and deep dedication to the firm’s growth and success. “We are excited to recognize the exceptional talent of Blake, Kelsey and Phil with these well-deserved promotions,” said Don Edwards, CEO of Flexpoint Ford. “They have consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to delivering value for our investors and portfolio companies.” “Their promotions are a testament to their personal accomplishments as well as Flexpoint’s culture of professional development,” said Chris Ackerman, Managing Partner. “Each of these individuals has contributed to the success of the firm during their time at Flexpoint.” Blake Heyde joined Flexpoint Ford in 2017 as an Associate and was promoted to Vice President in 2020. Prior to joining Flexpoint, Blake was an Investment Banking Analyst at William Blair where he focused on mergers and acquisitions advisory assignments. Blake received a B.A. in Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences and Economics from Northwestern University. Kelsey Hilbrich joined Flexpoint Ford in 2022 as a Vice President. Prior to joining Flexpoint, Kelsey was a Private Equity Vice President at Ares Management.? She previously worked as a Private Equity Associate at The Blackstone Group and an Investment Banking Analyst at Goldman Sachs. Kelsey received a B.S. in Economics and B.A. in International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, and an M.B.A. with high distinction from Harvard Business School where she was a Baker Scholar. Phil Purcell joined Flexpoint in 2017 as an Associate and was promoted to Vice President in 2020. Prior to joining Flexpoint, Phil was an Investment Banking Analyst in the Financial Institutions Group at UBS focused on mergers and acquisitions and capital raising advisory assignments. Phil received a B.B.A. in Finance from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University. The promotions of Blake, Kelsey and Phil highlight Flexpoint’s commitment to developing and advancing talent within the firm as it continues to drive further value and growth in the years ahead.

Flexpoint Ford Announces Team Promotions ? Flexpoint Ford, a private equity investment firm specializing in the financial services and healthcare industries, is pleased to announce the promotion of Blake Heyde, Kelsey Hilbrich, and Phil Purcell to Principal, recognizing their outstanding contributions and deep dedication to the firm’s growth and success. “We are excited to recognize the exceptional talent of Blake, Kelsey and Phil with these well-deserved promotions,” said Don Edwards, CEO of Flexpoint Ford. “They have consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to delivering value for our investors and portfolio companies.” “Their promotions are a testament to their personal accomplishments as well as Flexpoint’s culture of professional development,” said Chris Ackerman, Managing Partner. “Each of these individuals has contributed to the success of the firm during their time at Flexpoint.” For further details see https://lnkd.in/eK2mf83b

Apollo Care Secures Growth Equity Investment from Flexpoint Ford to Accelerate Patient Access and Commercial Solutions Initiatives ·??????Strategic investment from Flexpoint Ford to drive Apollo Care's growth initiatives ·??????Proceeds will be used to expand Apollo Care's innovation pipeline, enhance existing technology, and scale operations ·??????Flexpoint Ford’s Jonathan Oka and Elliot Lauzen join Apollo Care’s Board of Directors Apollo Care, a rapidly growing provider of patient access and commercial solutions to the healthcare industry, announced today the closing of a significant equity investment from Flexpoint Ford. The funding will accelerate Apollo Care’s investment in technology and innovation across its patient copay, hub solutions, data warehousing, and commercial analytics platforms. “This is an important milestone for Apollo Care and its mission of transforming the patient experience to improve medication affordability, access, and adherence,” said Ben Bove, President, CEO, and Chairman of Apollo Care. “This investment will allow us to further enhance our technology, scale operations, and deliver even greater value to our clients.” Flexpoint Ford is a private equity firm focused on the healthcare and financial services sectors, offering tailored and flexible capital solutions to its partner companies. The firm has approximately $8.2 billion of assets under management. “Flexpoint’s expertise and shared vision makes them an ideal partner to support our ambitious growth plans. Together, we are excited to redefine the possibilities in delivering copay and hub services solutions to the pharmaceutical industry,” said Michael Aquilino, CFO of Apollo Care. Under the terms of the investment, Flexpoint Ford will take a minority ownership stake in Apollo Care, and Jonathan Oka and Elliot Lauzen will join the company’s Board of Directors. The investment was made through Flexpoint Fund V. “We are excited to partner with Ben and the team at Apollo Care,” said Jonathan Oka, Managing Director and Head of Healthcare at Flexpoint Ford. “In a few years, Apollo Care has established itself as an innovator in developing practical solutions to address some of the largest commercial challenges in the pharmaceutical industry. We look forward to working closely with the team to achieve their growth objectives.” “Given the growing demand for differentiated patient access programs, we see meaningful opportunity ahead for Apollo Care and look forward to driving long-term strategic value,” added Elliot Lauzen, Principal at Flexpoint Ford. For further details see https://lnkd.in/ez4P7bad

Duetti Secures $114M in New Funding to Expand Independent Artist Catalog Acquisitions and Drive Strategic Growth Duetti, a music platform democratizing catalog monetization for independent artists, today announced it has raised $114 million in new funding. This includes $34 million in equity financing led by Flexpoint Ford, along with participation from existing investors Nyca Partners and Viola Ventures. Additionally, Duetti successfully completed its inaugural $80 million privately rated asset-backed securitization (ABS) transaction, backed by a highly diversified music rights catalog. Barclays acted as the sole structuring and placement agent for the ABS. “We believe we are leading the way in educating the capital markets on the significant long-term value of the independent music sector,” said Lior Tibon, CEO and Co-Founder of Duetti. “The number of independent artists is growing at an unprecedented rate, and Duetti is here to ensure they have access to differentiated financing solutions. Duetti will now be able to utilize more diverse and efficient financing sources, enabling us to significantly expand and offer more funding options for independent artists, outside of the major label ecosystem.” The company aims to use the proceeds from its new funding to accelerate its acquisition of music catalogs and expand its proprietary forecasting, pricing, sourcing, and marketing technology, offering artists even better data-driven deals with fast turnarounds and impactful catalog management. Duetti is rapidly developing marketing and optimization capabilities, with programs such as a playlist network of close to two million followers on Spotify, proprietary channels on YouTube, as well as ongoing remix launches and sync placements in TV shows, films and advertisements.?These initiatives increase the visibility of Duetti’s artist partners and grow their audience across all major digital platforms.? “We are proud to support the Duetti team, one of the fastest growing music rights companies in recent years, and their innovative approach to music financing as they continue to empower independent artists”, said Mike Morris, Managing Director at Flexpoint Ford. “We see tremendous potential in their ability to provide scalable, data-backed solutions that address the evolving needs of musicians today and are looking forward to the company’s exciting growth plans.”?? Flexpoint is a private equity firm focused on the financial services and healthcare sectors, offering tailored and flexible capital solutions to its partner companies. The investment was made through Flexpoint’s Asset Opportunity Fund, which leverages the firm’s expertise in financial services and private equity to invest in opportunistic asset-driven investments across financial services subsectors and assets, including music. ? For further details see https://lnkd.in/eHYfZv4a

Flexpoint Ford Appoints Emily Henry as Managing Director, Investor Relations and Capital Formation Ms. Henry to Oversee Firm’s Investor Relations Initiatives and Lead Engagement with Investors Flexpoint Ford (“Flexpoint”), a private equity investment firm specializing in the financial services and healthcare sectors, announced today that it has appointed Emily Henry as Managing Director, Investor Relations and Capital Formation, based in the firm’s New York office. In this role, Ms. Henry will oversee Flexpoint’s investor relations initiatives and lead the firm’s engagement with current and prospective investors. Meredith Stein, Director, Investor Relations and Capital Formation, will work closely with Ms. Henry. With over twenty years in the industry, Ms. Henry brings extensive experience in designing, implementing, and executing strategic fundraising and investor relations programs for private equity firms. Prior to joining Flexpoint, Ms. Henry was a Partner and Head of Investor Relations at BayPine where she oversaw fundraising and investor relations activities for their inaugural private equity vehicle and numerous co-investment syndications. Prior to joining BayPine, she was Head of Investor Relations at Declaration Partners and before that, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Investor Relations at Reservoir Capital. Ms. Henry began her career at Merrill Lynch working in investment banking within the Financial Institutions Group and later as a Principal in the Global Private Equity Group. She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA from Wellesley College. Chris Ackerman, Managing Partner of Flexpoint, said, “We are excited to welcome Emily to the Flexpoint senior leadership team. Working closely with Meredith, Emily will spearhead our initiatives to strengthen our current investor partnerships and help position us strategically to forge new global LP relationships.” For further details see https://lnkd.in/eewxjt2W

Flexpoint Ford Expands Healthcare Team, Welcoming Joshua Tamaroff as Managing Director Flexpoint Ford (“Flexpoint”), a private equity investment firm specializing in the financial services and healthcare sectors, is pleased to announce that Joshua Tamaroff has joined the healthcare team as a Managing Director in the firm’s New York office. In his new role, Mr. Tamaroff will focus on originating, evaluating and executing investment opportunities in the healthcare sector and will work closely with the team to help further drive the firm’s efforts in the space. With nearly 15 years of experience in healthcare private equity, Mr. Tamaroff is a seasoned investor and brings a wealth of knowledge to Flexpoint. Most recently, he served as a Partner at Avista Capital Partners (“Avista”). During his tenure at Avista, he worked on significant investments across the pharmaceutical and medical technology sectors and associated value chains, including previously serving as a Director of Cosette Pharmaceuticals, GCM Holding Corporation, OmniAb, Inc.,?Organogenesis, Inc.,?Probo Medical, Solmetex, Terrats Medical, and United BioSource Corporation. Earlier in his career, Mr. Tamaroff worked as an Analyst in the Leveraged Finance Group at Lehman Brothers and Barclays Capital. He received an MBA from The Wharton School at the?University of Pennsylvania, where he was a Palmer Scholar, and a BS from?Cornell University. "Josh’s extensive experience in healthcare private equity is highly complementary to our industry expertise at Flexpoint as we continue to build our group of talented investment professionals,” said Don Edwards, CEO of Flexpoint. “We are excited he is joining the Flexpoint team." Chris Ackerman, Managing Partner of Flexpoint added, “Josh’s deep industry knowledge and unique experience investing in pharmaceutical and medical technology services companies will help broaden the reach of our healthcare team, and we welcome him to the firm.” “I am excited to join a team where I can leverage my extensive background in healthcare investing to further enhance the firm's already impressive private equity platform, and I look forward to contributing to the firm’s promising trajectory," said Joshua Tamaroff. He added, “Flexpoint’s partnership approach and expertise in scaling companies align well with my passion for fostering growth and transformative change in the healthcare sector." For further details see https://lnkd.in/eG-maUpm

Flexpoint Ford Makes a Significant Minority Investment in Create Music Group to Fuel Strategic Growth Create Music Group, a rapidly growing music and entertainment company, announced today a $165 million investment led by private equity investment firm Flexpoint Ford.?The firm’s investment is expected to support Create Music Group’s continued momentum and its efforts to further improve and augment the services it offers to its global client-base. Founded in 2015 by Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Strauss, Chief Operating Officer, Alexandre Williams and Chief Business Development Officer, Wayne Hampton, Create Music Group is a dynamic, data-driven music company that leverages technology, an owned audience of more than 400 million fans, and a valuable catalog of IP,?providing a full range of services to independent artists and labels, including music distribution, music publishing, owned marketing channels, content creation support, advertising and branding, and tailored financial solutions. Create Music Group’s proprietary software platform and full suite of professional services gives a rapidly expanding number of independent artists and labels access to major-label services at every stage of their growth. “We believe Jonathan Strauss and his team have set a new standard for the industry, challenging traditional music companies to rethink their strategies,” said Mike Morris, Managing Director at Flexpoint Ford. “By acting as a media company that offers comprehensive support to artists, including distribution, marketing, financial solutions and audience engagement, Create Music Group has created a blueprint for the future of music.”? Stephane Essama, Principal at Flexpoint Ford added, “We are pleased to have the opportunity to partner with the founders of Create Music Group and provide them with the capital that is needed to meet the enormous demand from their clients as the company continues to build a truly differentiated offering for artists and labels in the rapidly evolving music industry.” For further details see https://lnkd.in/g7zZD3p9

We are excited to welcome our 2024 Summer Interns to Flexpoint Ford’s Chicago and New York Offices. Our interns are joining us from a diverse group of universities including University of Notre Dame, Brandeis University, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, Princeton University, and Indiana University. Welcome to the team Regan Brouwer, Katherine Graves, Holden Griffis, Lance Gutin, Emily Forney, Mikel Larraza, and Ryan Woo! We look forward to a great summer!?

Flexpoint Ford's Benjamin Blum recently shared valuable insights on the state of litigation finance on Slarskey LLC's "Hot Topics in Litigation Funding" podcast. Click on the image below to listen to a short excerpt. ?? You can view the full video here: https://lnkd.in/eHbjqBWf ?? And access the podcast here: https://shorturl.at/Dgdzq