Eliassen Group Completes Management Buy-In with Lineage Capital
Boston, MA, December 2007 – Mirus Capital Advisors, a veteran middle-market investment bank, announced that it has advised Eliassen Group, a leading national provider of technology and software staffing services in a Management Buy-In with equity financing from Lineage Capital.
With revenues of more than $90 million in 2007, Eliassen Group provides technology consulting and staffing services to a diverse nationwide client base of more than 1,100 clients, making permanent and contract placements from a pool of over 130,000 technology professionals. The company services clients in the financial services, health care, pharmaceutical and life sciences, manufacturing and software development industries; it also has clients in government and education. The company’s client portfolio includes Fidelity Investments, Putnam Investments, Pfizer, Blue Cross of Massachusetts, State Street, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, among others. Eliassen Group has 600 employees and is headquartered in Wakefield, MA; with offices in the New York metro region; Charlotte, NC; Indianapolis, IN; Groton, CT and Mansfield, MA.
Under the terms of the deal, Lineage and the core leadership team acquired the majority of Eliassen Group’s stock for an undisclosed amount. Mona Eliassen, who founded the company in 1989 and had been the sole shareholder, retains a substantial stake in the company.
“As part of the transaction, the company’s core leadership team had the opportunity to acquire a meaningful equity interest in the company” said Laura Kevghas of Mirus, and the partner who managed the Eliassen Group engagement. Team members funded their investment with a portion of the proceeds they received from the sale of phantom stock they had accumulated under the firm’s incentive compensation program. These team members now own a share of the company that they’ve helped to build, and their commitment to the company’s success is stronger than ever.”
“This infusion of capital will enable Eliassen Group to continue the rapid growth it has experienced in recent years,” said Ken Dreyer, Eliassen Group’s CEO. “Key acquisitions in 2002 and 2005 resulted in significant growth and diversified our client base by adding capabilities in the bio-pharma arena; and strengthened our consulting and training services offerings. With the Lineage Capital investment, we will be well positioned to make additional strategic acquisitions and continue our expansion into new vertical markets and new regions of the country.”
“In addition to acquiring capital to help us continue the outstanding growth rate we’ve experienced in recent years, one of my key objectives for the recapitalization was to remain a major stakeholder and stay involved in the running of the business,” said Mona Eliassen, who will continue to serve as board chairman. “Mirus did an outstanding job of leading us to a partner whose philosophy of investing fully matches that objective.”
“Eliassen Group is exactly the type of closely-held, mid-market business we prefer to invest in,” said William McKinley, a founding partner of Lineage Capital. “Mona Eliassen has provided outstanding leadership for her company, and it?s important for us to have her continue to play a key leadership role. Eliassen Group has considerable growth potential and we look forward to working with the entire leadership team to leverage that potential.”
About Mirus Capital Advisors
Mirus Capital Advisors provides investment banking solutions to corporate clients in technology, business services, manufacturing, consumer products, health care and the resort & hospitality industry. Since 1987, Mirus has provided corporate finance advisory services on engagements including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizations and valuations. For additional information, visit www.merger.com.
About Eliassen Group
Eliassen Group offers a broad range of technology and software staffing services (both contract and permanent) and project solutions (including implementation & training) with a talent pool of over 130,000 technology professionals. Headquartered in Wakefield, MA, the company also has offices in the New York metro region; Charlotte, NC; Indianapolis, IN; Groton, CT and Mansfield, MA. Eliassen Group?s 600 employees provide services to over 1,100 clients nationwide in industries including financial services, education, healthcare/pharmaceutical, life sciences, government, manufacturing and software development. For more information, see www.eliassen.com.
About Lineage Capital
Lineage Capital is a private investment firm focused on partnering with family-controlled and owner-managed (closely-held) middle market businesses. Based in Boston, MA, Lineage employs a differentiated investment approach that provides shareholders with significant liquidity and, at the same time, allows them to retain control of the board of directors and up to 50% of the economic ownership. Lineage currently manages a $160 million investment fund.
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