White Oak Commercial Finance, LLC (“White Oak”), an affiliate of White Oak Global Advisors, LLC, announced it provided a $50 million asset-based revolving credit facility to a leading, athletic footwear and apparel retailer based in the U.S. 

The retailer recently activated a roll-up of several brands led by a private equity firm, and the transaction was structured with advances against the company’s inventory, accounts receivable, and intellectual property. The proceeds will be used to refinance existing debt and provide for ongoing working capital needs.

Kristen Holihan is a Senior Vice President, Senior Business Development Officer for Bank of America Business Capital (BABC), the asset based lending team at Bank of America. Kristen is responsible for identifying and engaging new ABL opportunities and working with potential borrowers to get a new ABL revolver structured and closed. She is focused on covering private equity groups, advisors, middle market companies, and large corporate companies, in both Metro New York and Upstate New York, to deliver these solutions. Kristen has also spent significant time as an ABL underwriter, as well as on the Leveraged Finance Origination and Capital Markets teams. Kristen graduated from Babson College in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science (concentration in finance). She will also be starting the Executive MBA Program at Columbia University in August 2021. Kristen is a member of the Diversity Equity and Inclusiveness Committee for the Secured Finance Network, as well as a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Council at Bank of America.

It is not everyday that you are given an opportunity to live out the career you would have in an alternate universe, but that is exactly what happened to me, thanks to the SFNet Guest Lecture Program and SFNet MidWest Chapter President Jennifer Kempton, who kindly asked me to be the Guest Lecturer.   

Last month, Sarah Fyffe, vice president, Asset Based Lending, BMO Harris Bank, and I were able to virtually present ABL 101 to Professor Gregory Udell’s Entrepreneurial Finance Class at Indiana University on April 5.  It was without a doubt one of the coolest things I have ever done in my career and I am so grateful to have been involved. Education and mentorship are my favorite part of the job and, to do so in a university setting, was an incredible experience.  For Sarah, it was a chance to lecture to a classroom where she once sat as a student in Professor Udell’s class.  Talk about coming full circle!

Lizzy (pronounced LEE-see) Diaz-Ortiz is a Chicago-based attorney with over 15 years of experience leading culture change for organizations. Most recently, her efforts have focused on driving diversity and inclusion programs in which she helps organizations create a culture of belonging to drive better business results.

She grew up as a military brat living and working all over the world and spent her formative years in Germany, quite different than the rest of her extended Puerto Rican family. Her diverse experiences as an Army dependent laid the groundwork for a three-year professional stint in Mexico City as an adult. More importantly, it provided the foundation for her desire to work in the diversity, equity, and inclusion realm and advocate for equitable outcomes.

What if I don’t want to come back?  Do I have to disclose whether I was vaccinated to my employer? What are the impacts of remote operations from a commercial real estate perspective? How does corporate culture survive in a remote or hybrid environment? What is the impact on career mobility? How are new technologies being deployed to revolutionize workflows and the customer experience in the equipment finance industry?

As the country continues to make its comeback after more than a year of fear and uncertainty from COVID-19, we are left with a lot of questions on what this all means about the work world—returning to offices and what the future will look like. In response to this, SFNet will host its first Innovation Conference, focusing on The Future of Work on July 14 and July 21, 2021 from 12:00-3:00 EDT each day. The Conference will focus on what the world of secured finance will look like as we emerge from the crisis. Attendees will walk away with the knowledge of whether their business is leading, adapting or falling behind.

J.P. Morgan Asset Management today announced the launch of J.P. Morgan Private Capital, which includes a new growth equity investment arm and an existing private debt business, committed to providing customized solutions for early and growth stage companies across the capital structure. The group will be focused on institutional and high-net-worth clients and will also have the ability to invest the firm's capital alongside investors.

J.P. Morgan Private Capital will be led by Brian Carlin, previously CEO of Wealth Management Solutions at J.P. Morgan, with Rick Smith, former Head of Private Investments at JPMorgan Chase, serving as Chairman of the group, and Meg McClellan, serving as the Head of Private Debt. 

Gordon Brothers, the global advisory, restructuring and investment firm, has partnered with the investment banking firm Consensus to provide a $13 million term loan to Moda Operandi to support the sale of its business.

“The Gordon Brothers team was remarkable to work with,” said Stephanie Roberts, Interim Chief Financial Officer at Moda Operandi. “This was one of the best executed financings I’ve been through as they kept the process simple, straightforward and executed exactly what they said they would from the beginning.”

On June 16 & 23, SFNet’s live online Women in Secured Finance Conference will bring together women who are looking to grow professionally, share experiences, celebrate successes and advocate for each other. 

In response to feedback the WISF Committee has received from previous WISF conferences, SFNet is reimagining this year's event format by partnering with Corporate Class, Inc. to offer attendees an interactive, customized workshop focused on developing executive presence along with career progression and leadership skills.

WISF Committee chair, Paula Currie of PNC Bank, said, “After the past year of remote living and working, we all could use a recharge to help us get back in the game. This year’s WISF conference, promises to do just that! The two-day interactive workshop is facilitated by experienced and renowned instructors who will help you build the skills, tools and confidence needed to realize your full potential and take your career to the next level.”

White Oak Commercial Finance ("White Oak") closed a working capital credit facility with Mana Products Inc. ("Mana"), a developer and manufacturer of high-end beauty products based in New York, at the end of the first quarter.

The innovative beauty products company has been in business for over 40 years developing formulas for some of the world’s leading beauty brands and was recently acquired by Traub Capital, an experienced private equity firm specialized in building value in consumer companies. The funding will support Mana’s growth and market opportunities.

Kurt Marsden is the executive vice president and head of Wells Fargo Capital Finance, which provides traditional asset-based lending, equipment financing solutions, and specialized junior and senior secured lending to companies in the U.S., UK, and Canada.

Kurt joined Wells Fargo in 1992 through Capital Finance’s predecessor Foothill Capital Corporation, and has held many leadership roles in originations, portfolio management, and credit during his tenure, spanning all aspects of the company’s asset-based lending offerings.

Kurt holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in finance and real estate from California State University, Northridge. He resides in Los Angeles with his wife and two children. Outside of the office, Kurt is active in his community as the Board President of Inclusion Matters by Shane’s Inspiration, which is a non-profit focused on promoting greater inclusion for children with disabilities.