Blackford Capital Exits Key Health
National Private Equity Firm Exits Specialty Finance Company
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackford Capital, a national private equity firm headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich., today announced its exit from its ownership of Westlake Village, CA-based personal injury lien funding company Key Health. Key Health is the national leader in providing personal injury lien funding and acts as a liaison between medical providers and personal injury victims' attorneys to ensure access to necessary medical care.
Blackford Capital, which specializes in professionalizing founder and family-owned businesses in the middle-market, successfully accomplished a two-prong strategy during its investment in Key Health. First, Blackford put in place the financial infrastructure, KPIs, and incentives necessary for growth. Second, Blackford successfully supported and provided accountability for the management team encourage growth. This strategy resulted in improved company culture, and ultimately led to a successful investment and a significant return for Blackford's investors.
"Blackford is energized after a successful exit from Key Health. Having followed our core thesis of professionalizing and improving businesses at the lower end of the middle market, we were able to successfully grow Key Health and ultimately drive equity value for our investors. Through the strong partnership between Blackford and Key Health's management team, we were able to motivate the team at Key Health and improve performance," said Martin Stein, founder and managing director of Blackford Capital.
Jeff Trigilio, CEO of Key Health agrees, "The collaboration was mutually beneficial for Key Health and Blackford. In addition to providing needed capital for growth, Blackford provided us with strategic experience and support that revitalized our company and gave us a new path forward. The work Blackford has done has not only benefitted our shareholders, but it also furthered our ability to provide more Americans with access to quality health care services and put more people on the road to recovery after an injury."
Jeff Trigilio, and Key Health, ultimately selected Blackford Capital as a partner because of their shared commitment to growth and focus on improving the existing infrastructure at Key Health. During Blackford's ownership, Key Health consistently improved earnings, due largely to Blackford's leadership in refining and developing Key Health's highly differentiated business model. As a result, Blackford successfully navigated several industry headwinds and persevered to realize a successful exit. With Blackford's help, Key Health is well positioned for continued growth.
Key Health marks the most recent exit from Blackford Capital's National Growth Practice, which invests in middle-market manufacturing, distribution, and business service companies throughout the U.S. The National Growth Practice also includes: Snowhite (Addison, IL), McClarin Plastics (Hanover, PA), and the recently exited Staging Concepts (Minneapolis, MN).
About Blackford Capital
Blackford Capital is a private equity firm based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that acquires, manages and builds family-owned, lower middle-market manufacturing, distribution, and service companies. Founded by Martin Stein, the 2016 M&A Advisor Private Equity Professional of the Year, Blackford currently has 11 portfolio companies located across the United States and has been recognized with numerous awards, including the M&A Advisor Deal of the Year in 2015 and as one of America's fastest growing private companies by Inc. 5000 in 2016 and 2017. For more information, visit www.blackfordcapital.com.
Contact:
Eric Kamstra
Blackford Capital
616.233.3160
[email protected]
SOURCE Blackford Capital
Share this article