Riata Capital Group Announces Formal Launch

DALLAS, Jan. 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Riata Capital Group, a Dallas-based private equity investment firm focused on sponsoring investments in privately held companies in the consumer, energy, healthcare and business & industrial services sectors, today announced its formal launch. Riata is led by Jeff Fronterhouse, Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Brazos Private Equity Partners, LLC ("Brazos"), and Barron Fletcher, Founder and Managing Partner of Parallel Investment Partners ("Parallel"). 

Mr. Fronterhouse said, "Barron and I have a long history going back over twenty-five years and have been socializing the concept of combining our experience, skill sets, and network of relationships for many years. We have both been in the industry for over two decades and share very similar views on the private equity business, investing, and the value of relationships. We look forward to building Riata into a leading firm in our industry."

Mr. Fletcher said, "We are very excited about the launch of Riata, an investment platform that brings together strong capabilities in the private equity business. Our team's deep investment and operations experience, together with our historical success in building market-leading companies, provides a compelling and differentiated value proposition for both business owners and our investors. Jeff and I share a passion for investing and look to build Riata into a market leader."

Riata Team
In 1999, Mr. Fronterhouse co-founded Brazos, a Dallas-based private equity investment firm that has invested approximately $1 billion of equity capital across three private equity funds in buyouts and recapitalizations of private companies in the consumer, business services, healthcare and industrial sectors. Similarly, in 1999 Mr. Fletcher founded Parallel, a Dallas-based private equity investment firm that has invested over $330 million of equity capital across two private equity funds, sponsoring recapitalizations and growth capital investments in private companies in the consumer, energy and business services sectors. Over the last 15 years, Mr. Fronterhouse and Mr. Fletcher have sponsored more than 55 platform investments and 75 add-on acquisitions representing more than $4 billion in total transaction value.

Mr. Fronterhouse and Mr. Fletcher are joined at Riata by senior executives from Brazos who will lead the firm's investment origination and portfolio company operational execution, and executives from Parallel who will focus on the firm's finance, accounting and operations. In total, the Riata investment and portfolio company operations team has more than 100 years of experience in the private equity industry.

The Riata team is joined by eight operating partners who have worked closely with the principals on Brazos and Parallel portfolio companies for over a decade. These executives bring a long history of success in building and operating companies and considerable industry, strategic, organizational development, and functional expertise. In addition to their involvement with Brazos and Parallel portfolio companies, these executives have held CEO or other senior management positions in companies such as Accuro Healthcare, Baker Hughes, Coleman Company, Concentra, Frito-Lay, Genesco, Sheridan Healthcare, and Zale Corporation.

Investment Strategy
Riata will sponsor both control and non-control investments of $10 million to $50 million of equity capital in private companies in four core industry sectors: consumer, energy, healthcare, and business & industrial services. The firm will invest throughout North America but will continue to invest actively in the Southwest region where the principals have sponsored a significant number of investments over the past two decades. Transaction types will include recapitalizations of closely held or family businesses, buyouts and divisional carve-outs of non-core subsidiaries or divisions of larger companies, growth capital investments in high-growth category leading businesses, and CEO-led buy & builds with seasoned executives.

The principals of Riata have sponsored or managed investments in companies such as Accelerated Companies, Dollar Tree Stores, European Wax Center, Healthcare Solutions, Hibbett Sports, JetStar Energy Services, Moosejaw Mountaineering, Shelter Distribution, Teavana and Vision Source.

About Riata Capital Group
Riata Capital Group is a leading Dallas-based private equity investment firm that partners with seasoned management teams to invest in growing, profitable, privately-held companies across North America with a focus on four core industry sectors: consumer, energy, healthcare, and business & industrial services. The firm takes a selective approach to investing in high-potential businesses whose owners and management teams want an investment partner with the capital, experience, and record of successful collaboration required to achieve their liquidity and value-creation objectives. Over the course of their careers, the principals of Riata have sponsored over 55 platform investments and 75 add-on acquisitions representing over $4 billion in transaction value. With significant investment experience, a balanced team with financial and operating expertise, a strong team of seasoned operating partners, and significant experience in the firm's core sectors, Riata provides a compelling value proposition to business owners and entrepreneurs.  

For additional information about Riata, please visit the firm's website at www.riatacapital.com.

Contact:
Mark Semer or Daniel Yunger
Kekst and Company
(212) 521-4800

SOURCE Riata Capital Group