Charter Growth Capital Fund Invests in Lambert, Michigan's Leading PR and Marketing Firm

Private equity fund acquires minority position to fund agency's continued innovation, M&A and talent acquisition

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Feb 10, 2022, 08:03 ET

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Feb. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Charter Growth Capital Fund (CGCF), a fund managed by the principals of Grand Rapids-based Charter Capital Partners, has made a strategic investment in Lambert Global, LLC ("Lambert"), the holding company for PR, investor relations and integrated marketing firm Lambert and its growing family of companies. CGCF acquired a minority position in the firm with the leadership team of Lambert including founder and Chairman Jeff Lambert retaining the majority share.

Lambert said proceeds from the debt and equity investment will be used to fund future growth, including standing up new Practice Areas, recruiting leaders to its key talent hubs in Michigan, Arizona, New York, and Texas, and accelerating its already active M&A activity. Lambert has posted a compound annual growth rate of more than 20% over the past five years and made acquisitions or investments in all its talent hubs during that timeframe as well as St. Louis in 2021. A top-10 investor relations and top-40 public relations firm nationally with more than 100 team members, Lambert recently completed its fifth total-growth transaction within a three-year period, strengthening its integrated service offerings and expanding its talent bench.

"Our mission is to provide capital to industry-leading companies that will maximize our investment and Lambert is a company on a path to do just that," said John Kerschen, managing director of CGCF. "The investment thesis was compelling based on their track record of both organic and acquisition growth, as well as industry-first innovation, and we expect to see another 20% growth year in 2022."

"Lambert has grown from a start-up in my basement to one of the nation's leading firms for integrated strategic communications," said Jeff Lambert, founder and Chairman of Lambert. "We have aggressively expanded our national clients and service footprint throughout our 23-year history, but never more so than in the last five years, and we believe Charter is a great partner to help us push the pace of growth and M&A."

"Each time we engage with the Charter principals, I'm more convinced they're the perfect partner for us," added Michelle Olson, CEO of Lambert. "Our corporate values, our focus on profitable and strategic growth, and our desire to elevate the industry alongside the company are aligned. That's rare and can only mean great things for us both."

About Charter Growth Capital Fund
Charter Growth Capital Fund invests $1 million to $5 million of junior capital (both debt and equity) in lower middle-market companies in the Great Lakes region to support growth or succession. Managed by principals of Charter Capital Partners, the team has managed a combined 19 funds; partnered with more than 100 companies; and invested more than $1.8 billion of capital including mezzanine debt, private equity and venture capital that has earned above market returns. To learn more, visit chartergrowthcapital.com.

About Lambert
Lambert invented the PR and IR integrated agency model in 1998 and has grown every year since, leading with strategic communications and integrated marketing campaigns that deliver to the bottom line. The national award-winning firm is a top-40 PR and top-10 IR firm with top-5 practices in Automotive and Mobility, Education, Corporate Social Responsibility and M&A/Private Equity. The firm also has robust practice areas in consumer / food & beverage, healthcare & biotech, and tourism & hospitality. Its reach spans six major talent hubs in Grand Rapids, Detroit, Houston, New York, Phoenix and St. Louis. Lambert has earned Firm of the Year honors from PR Week and PRNews, and founder Jeff Lambert was the inaugural winner of the PR industry's Diversity Action Alliance "Ally of the Year" in 2021 and was named M&A Dealmaker of the year by MiBiz. Lambert & Co. is a founding partner of TiiCKER, a shareholder loyalty, marketing and perks platform, an equity partner in minority-owned national branding and advertising agency 9thWonder Agency, and a global partner in PROI Worldwide, the largest partnership of independent PR firms in the world spanning 120 cities on five continents.