Z Capital Expands Investment Team

LAKE FOREST, Ill., Sept. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Z Capital Partners, L.L.C. ("Z Capital"), a leading private equity firm that makes opportunistic, long term investments in companies that may require growth capital, operational turnaround or restructuring, today announced that it has named Thomas P. Wicky as Managing Director and Operating Partner and Matthew D. Kane as Director and Deputy General Counsel.

"I am pleased to welcome Tom and Matt to the Z Capital team and look forward to working closely with both of them to continue achieving Z Capital's goals," said James J. Zenni, President and Chief Executive Officer of Z Capital. "Both Tom and Matt are strong additions to our deep bench of investment professionals. We will seek to leverage Tom's extensive experience within the leisure, hospitality and real estate industries as we optimize current assets, including our most recent investment, Canyon Ranch, as well as identify future opportunities to maximize value. Matt will be critical in ensuring the successful execution of our investment strategy, in addition to providing the necessary legal oversight of our portfolio companies and other matters." 

"I am honored to be taking on this new role at Z Capital," said Mr. Wicky. "The investment team is comprised of industry leaders with proven track records and I am excited to continue building on this foundation with the talented team to further Z Capital's success for our investors."

"This is an exciting opportunity for me to join a firm of Z Capital's caliber," said Mr. Kane. "I am confident that the firm has a bright future and that the top-notch investment team will continue to capitalize on the many opportunities ahead."

Thomas P. Wicky
Mr. Wicky is a Managing Director and Operating Partner of Z Capital. Mr. Wicky has extensive global experience in the leisure, hospitality, and real estate industries including the management of hotels, real estate development, repositioning and turnaround of assets.  He has a forty year history in the leisure industry. Educated at several Swiss hotel management schools, Mr. Wicky's career began in Europe where he gained valuable experience training at many premier resorts and luxury urban hotels.

Mr. Wicky has had a successful career in repositioning and turning around assets including four separate properties where he was presented with the challenge of earning the coveted Mobil 5-Star or AAA 5-Diamond awards. Through his leadership, each of the assets, including The Boca Raton Hotel & Club, The Breakers Palm Beach, The Cloister at Sea Island, Georgia and Hotel Intercontinental in Hilton Head, South Carolina, successfully gained or regained the prestigious awards.

In addition to his work in the hotel and leisure industry, Mr. Wicky has served on the boards of privately owned, corporate and equity member ownership properties. He has represented extensive real estate assets on behalf of his properties including single family homes, condominiums, hotel accommodations and membership sales. In addition to his real estate responsibilities, he has spearheaded operational aspects of recreational facilities such as golf, tennis, spas, marinas and retail outlets.

As the president or board member of many local civic organizations and cultural societies, Mr. Wicky has successfully integrated his properties with the resort's community. His interaction with government entities at both local and state levels has been a vital part of his role as an administrator. He has shared his considerable knowledge as a guest speaker at Cornell University and a lecturer at both Florida State University and Florida Atlantic College. He has continued to expand his own base of knowledge by furthering his education at Cornell University, School of Hotel Management and the University of Miami. Mr. Wicky holds a Certified Hotel Administrator degree from Michigan State University.

Matthew D. Kane
Mr. Kane is a Director and Deputy General Counsel and a member of the Investment Team of Z Capital. Mr. Kane advises the company with respect to dispute resolution, compliance and regulatory matters. He also assists the Investment Team in due diligence, legal oversight of portfolio companies and bankruptcy proceedings.

Prior to joining Z Capital, Mr. Kane was an Associate with Storch Amini & Munves PC, a litigation boutique in New York, where he advised clients on complex commercial disputes arising in the financial services industry. Mr. Kane began his career as an Associate with Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in New York, where he gained experience advising clients in various types of civil matters, including bankruptcy, complex commercial, regulatory and corporate investigations, and white collar defense.

Mr. Kane holds a Juris Doctor degree with honors from the Duke University School of Law and a Bachelors degree with honors from Hamilton College. He is admitted to practice in New York and the District of Columbia.

About Z Capital Partners
Z Capital is a leading private equity firm with approximately $1.8 billion of regulatory assets under management and with offices in Lake Forest, IL and New York, NY. Z Capital pursues an opportunistic, value-oriented approach in private equity that includes making control investments in middle-market companies that may require growth capital, turnaround, restructuring or other special situations.

Z Capital portfolio companies currently have aggregate worldwide annual revenues of approximately $2 billion, sell products in over 30 countries, and have in excess of 190,000 associates directly and through joint ventures.

Z Capital's investors include prominent global sovereign wealth funds, endowments, pension funds, insurance companies, foundations, family offices, wealth management firms and other financial institutions in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. For more information, please visit http://www.zcap.net/.

Contacts 
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
Jonathan Keehner / Casey Landau
212-355-4449

SOURCE Z Capital Partners, L.L.C.