FocalPoint Partners, an independent Los Angeles-based investment banking firm, has named Rod Guinnas operating partner for its M&A advisory and capital raising practice in the restaurant industry.
FocalPoint managing director Dan Conway said, “Rod is a great addition to our team. He has a wealth of transaction experience and has been a valued advisor to operators, investors and lenders. His addition to the FocalPoint team cements our expertise in the restaurant sector.”
“Restaurants, like most other industries, have felt the pressures of recent economic trends and events. However, restaurants are one of the most significant and enduring sectors of our economy. We see continued success for strong operators, both through organic growth and opportunistic acquisitions,” added Rod Guinn. “We also see a need for seasoned financial counsel directed to struggling entities and their stakeholders. In creating our restaurant industry group our goal is to provide a focused platform to serve the needs of operators and their investors. FocalPoint’s ability to execute both healthy and distressed transactions is perfectly suited to the trends in the industry.”
From late 2005 through early 2008, Mr. Guinn led Wells Fargo Foothill’s Restaurant and Hospitality business. Prior to Wells Fargo Foothill, he was managing director of FleetBoston Financial’s Restaurant, Food & Beverage Group. Under his leadership, Wells Fargo Foothill and FleetBoston (and its predecessor, BankBoston) became the preeminent providers of debt capital to restaurant investors and operators, and held prominent roles nationally in advising on transactions, raising debt and equity capital for buyouts, mergers, and public and private recapitalizations, and directly investing in select private equity opportunities.
Mr. Guinn is regarded as a leading financial figure within the industry and has spoken at numerous industry and capital markets events. He also serves as Board Advisor to FohBoh, Inc., a leading business social network serving the global restaurant industry.
About FocalPoint
FocalPoint is an independent investment bank, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, private placements (both debt and equity), and financial restructurings/work-outs. The firm’s primary focus is on middle-market companies with revenues between $20 million and $250 million in the business services, consumer, healthcare, industrial and technology sectors.
Please contact Rod Guinn (505) 828-4662 or Dan Conway (310) 405-7010 for further information on FocalPoint’s Restaurant Industry Group.
| Rod Guinn Restaurant Operating Partner FocalPoint Partners, LLC [email protected] | Dan Conway Managing Director FocalPoint Partners, LLC [email protected] |