General Session: Distressed Investors
Sponsored by Getzler Henrich & Associates LLC
1.25 CLE anticipated / 1.5 CPE credits / 1.5 CEUs available
Thursday, February 25, 9:15 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. CST
Live Innovation Lab
10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Distressed Investing has been one of the most popular topics in 2020. Join us for a new look on the topic! Instead of covering the opportunities and challenges for distressed investors, we’ll be discussing the recent distressed investing trends both in and out of court, new aggressive tactics that we're seeing in US bankruptcy courts, and how third-party investors are viewing the landscape as we enter 2021.
Moderators:
George Klidonas, Latham & Watkins LLP
Jeff Sands, CTP, Dorset Partners
Speakers:
Scot Duncan, MiddleGround Capital
Peter Graham, AIAC Group
Jaspinder Kanwal, Jefferies LLC
Jeffrey Unger, G2 Capital Advisors
Jeffrey Serota, Corbel Capital Partners
Chad Valerio, Onex Credit
About the Moderators:
George Klidonas, Latham & Watkins LLP
George Klidonas is a partner in the Restructuring & Special Situation Group of Latham & Watkins LLP and focuses his practice on in-court and out-of-court corporate restructurings. George’s practice involves representing companies (including portfolio, privately-held, and public companies), equity owners and sponsors, and committees and distressed investors (including hedge funds and private equity funds), in acquisitions, out-of-court restructurings, and chapter 11 cases. George also advises boards of directors, board committees, and senior management of financially troubled companies on a range of issues, including fiduciary duties and corporate governance. Recent examples of restructurings that George was involved with include American Energy - Permian Basin, LLC, APC Automotive, FULLBEAUTY Brands Holdings Corp., Lonestar Resources US Inc., Mallinckrodt plc, One Call Corporation, Sungard AS Capital, Inc., Superior Energy Services, Inc., and Windstream Holdings, Inc.
Mr. Klidonas previously worked on secondment at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in the Special Situations Group. In this role, he advised the investment team on existing portfolio investments as well as new investments. He also supported the KKR team with distressed investments / transactions and new investment opportunities, including rescue financing, debtor-in-possession and exit financing, recapitalizations, equity investments, distressed trades, and other opportunistic investments.
Jeff Sands, Dorset Partners
Jeff grew up in working in his family’s manufacturing business and returned as an adult to help grow, fix, grow again, fix again and eventually exit that business. Since then he has specialized in corporate turnarounds; fighting to save businesses, jobs, fortunes and the communities they support.
3-times Jeff has been awarded of one of the Turnaround Management Association’s prestigious Turnaround of the Year Awards for each of the following businesses; Vermont Aerospace (2017), Canadian Kraft Paper (2018) and Union Metal Industries (2019). Since 2002, he has transformed dozens of businesses in dozens of industries with a reputation for taking on the most dire situations.
In addition to corporate turnarounds, Jeff is known widely for his ability to attain top dollar in the sale of distressed businesses, maximizing going concern value while saving jobs, revitalizing the local economy and providing a dignified exit to the debtors.
Jeff recently authored Corporate Turnaround Artistry, Fix Any Business in 100 Days which was published by J. Wiley & Sons in 2020. Jeff married his college sweetheart and they enjoy their free time skiing, biking and shuttling their 3 children around to sporting events.
About the Speakers:
Scot Duncan, MiddleGround Capital
Scot is one of the founding partners of MiddleGround where he is responsible for overseeing the Operations Team. Scot started his career at Toyota Motor Corporation and spent 13 years in assembly engineering, maintenance, and production management. Prior to founding MiddleGround, Scot spent 9 years at the prior firm with John and Lauren, most recently serving as Director of Operations. Scot received a Toyota Fellowship to attend the University of Kentucky where he earned degrees in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters of Engineering in Manufacturing Systems.