Gordon Brothers Group Hires President of Debt Investment Group

BOSTON, July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Gordon Brothers Group, a global advisory, restructuring and investment firm specializing in the retail, consumer products, industrial and real estate sectors, announced today that Judy K. Mencher has joined its investment management affiliate, GB Merchant Partners, as President of the debt investment group. Ms. Mencher will focus on the debt portfolio.  

"Judy's expertise in special situation, distressed and high yield investments will allow us to fully exploit the unique debt investment opportunities that have been created by unprecedented market conditions," stated Michael Frieze, Chief Executive Officer of Gordon Brothers Group.

Gordon Brothers Group made its first debt investment in 1993 and has steadily grown its portfolio over the years. Gordon Brothers generally makes junior secured loans, "Tranche B" loans or enterprise value loans to both private and public middle-market companies primarily in the retail, consumer products and industrial sectors. Loans are typically used by borrowers for working capital, to fund long-term growth, to execute an acquisition or to facilitate a turnaround.

"What attracted me to Gordon Brothers Group is their comprehensive understanding of asset values and business operations which is derived from their extensive asset recovery and appraisal work," said Judy Mencher. "That expertise and the ability to apply this knowledge base to debt investing is what makes their approach truly unique."

Prior to joining Gordon Brothers Group, Ms. Mencher was as a Principal at DDJ Capital Management, LLC, which she co-founded in 1996, and served as a Portfolio Manager. She also participated in numerous restructurings, mergers, acquisitions and recapitalizations. At the time of her departure, DDJ had over $3 billion of assets under management. Earlier in her career, she served as Associate General Counsel and then Vice President at Fidelity Investments in the High Yield Group, as well as Associate and then Partner at the law firm of Goodwin Procter where she specialized in bankruptcy and corporate financing transactions. She holds both a MBA and JD from Boston University and a BA in Economics from Tufts University.

Ms Mencher will be based out of Gordon Brothers Group's corporate headquarters in Boston, MA.

About Gordon Brothers Group

Founded in 1903, Gordon Brothers Group (www.gordonbrothers.com) is a global advisory, restructuring and investment firm specializing in the retail, consumer products, industrial, and real estate sectors. Gordon Brothers Group maximizes value for both healthy and distressed companies by purchasing or selling all categories of assets, appraising assets, providing debt financing, making private equity investments, and operating businesses for extended periods. Gordon Brothers Group conducts over $50 billion worth of transactions and appraisals annually.

About GB Merchant Partners

GB Merchant Partners (www.gbmerchantpartners.com), the investment management affiliate of Gordon Brothers Group with over $500 million of capital under management, focuses on private equity, structured loan and secondary debt investments. Equity investments are made through the 1903 Equity Fund, which takes majority and minority equity positions in middle-market retail and consumer products companies. Debt financings, typically structured as junior secured, "Tranche B" or enterprise value loans that range from $10 to $50 million, are made to middle-market companies in the distribution, wholesale, industrial, retail, consumer products and real estate sectors.

SOURCE Gordon Brothers Group