Our Team
Our team is a competent, capable group of individuals with extraordinary dimension and complementary expertise who bring a wealth of experience to the firm. We have assembled an innovative and creative group of professionals attuned to the fluid nature of creating larger and better structured businesses through specific rollup strategies. The team is committed to providing unique, innovative, and sound solutions in order to create properly structured organizations. With their knowledge and expertise they are able to contribute significant value throughout the planning, due diligence, and acquisition processes, while maintaining the highest of standards.
THE TEAM
K. SUTHERLAND
Mr. Sutherland has made investments in over 30 privately held domestic and overseas businesses and several publicly held companies. These investments have been in a wide variety of industries including manufacturing; distribution; import; as well as financial, information, and commercial service businesses. Since 1989 he has been investing in businesses, managing businesses, engaging as a corporate advisor or board member, managing turnarounds and workouts, valuing businesses, and has personally orchestrated several hundred million dollars’ worth of private company acquisitions including sale and equity rollup transactions domestically and overseas. His experience in “putting the pieces together” to form a larger, stronger, more valuable and more resilient competitor within an industry is the cornerstone of our firm. He has accumulated a level of knowledge rarely obtained by most professionals. He holds several financial securities licenses including the Series 7 General Securities Representative, the Series 66 Investment Advisor Representative/Uniform Securities Agent, and the Series 79 Investment Banker. He also maintains a California real estate broker’s license and as a veteran served 5 years in the U.S. Navy. He earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the Graduate School of Management at the University of California Irvine as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Economics also from the University of California Irvine.
L. HORWITZ
Mr. Horwitz has been a principal in three investment funds investing in over 15 public and private transactions. Mr. Horwitz has represented both buyers and sellers in rollup transactions. Mr. Horwitz has been integrally involved in taking a number of companies public including S-1 Registration Statements as well as reverse mergers into existing public companies. Mr. Horwitz is an attorney with over 30 years of experience in a variety of private equity investment and merger & acquisition activity in a variety of industry sectors, including manufacturing, distribution, retail, computer hardware, enterprise software, ecommerce companies, oil and gas, trucking & logistics, as well as others. His involvement has been on both the buy and sell side, representing investment groups and strategic buyers, as well as sellers of closely held and public entities. He has been integrally involved in the related tax issues and tax strategies. Mr. Horwitz has been key to in a number of successful vertical industry rollups, including rollups in the pet store industry and recreational vehicle industry. He has been effective in assuring that the interests of all parties involved are properly aligned, providing a consistent financial incentive for all rollup stakeholders. He has been a key participant in the formation and operation of several investment funds providing financing for both private and public companies. He holds several financial securities licenses including the Series 7 General Securities Representative, the Series 24 General Securities Principal, the Series 63 Uniform Securities Agent, and the Series 79 Investment Banker. Mr. Horwitz is a founding partner of the Irvine, California law firm Horwitz & Cron, now Horwitz & Armstrong, LLP, which advises in general business and securities law. From 1991 through 2001, he was a founding shareholder of the Irvine, California law firm Horwitz, Cutler & Beam, practicing in the areas of securities, general business practice and business litigation. Mr. Horwitz is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley (B.S., Business Administration, 1981) and of Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California at Berkeley (J.D. 1984). While at Berkeley, he was honored by Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity, where he was President in 1983, and was an Associate Editor of the International Tax and Business Lawyer. Mr. Horwitz was admitted to the state bars of both Texas and California in 1984. He commenced his practice with the international law firm of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue, where he practiced in the corporate and securities group. He subsequently practiced corporate and securities law with Stradling, Yocca & Carlson in Newport Beach, California. Prior to forming Horwitz, Cutler & Beam, he was elected a partner of the law firm of Hart, King & Coldren, where he practiced in that firm’s transactional department. Mr. Horwitz was admitted to the U.S. Federal District Court, Central District of California and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Mr. Horwtiz’s knowledge and experience in securities law and business law as well as his transaction experience is a valuable asset to our firm.
B. SOTTILE
Mr. Sottile graduated with a degree in Economics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 1989 and has worked exclusively in corporate finance throughout his career. He has managed several hundred million dollar portfolios for some of the largest financial institutions in the western U.S. which were spread among companies in almost every industry. His expertise in deciphering a company’s operational and financial position in their marketplace as well as the impediments they face in their growth efforts are an asset to our firm in helping companies position themselves in the equity markets. He analyzes both operations and financial performance metrics and directs efforts related to obtaining the best debt and equity structure appropriate for each company.
J. STASAITIS
Mr. Stasaitis first earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Connecticut and then went on to earn his master’s degree. He then started working as a counselor teaching independent living skills to the developmentally disabled in Connecticut. Wanting a career in business he eventually became a credit manager at a large finance company in Los Angeles and then spent 15 years as an executive search consultant in San Francisco serving domestic and international clients. In 1993 he founded his own financial consulting company which represented large companies and private equity groups and assisted them with implementing strategic plans and financing packages for their portfolio companies. Since 2010 he has been working in mergers & acquisitions in the capacity of both business development and strategic research. His background in private equity, executive search, and strategic research make Mr. Stasaitis a valuable asset to our firm.
J. Sutherland
Mr. Sutherland has been involved in private equity and mergers & acquisitions since 2009. He has worked as a research analyst with extensive time engaged in market research as well as business development and deal flow. He has been exposed to a number of industries both in the US and overseas. He is also partly responsible for managing key aspects of the internal operations and administrative processes within our company.
J. Sanders
During his career Mr. Sanders has personally managed over 130 business transfers and has performed valuations on over 1,400 businesses. His industry expertise is in manufacturing, wholesale/distribution and B2B service businesses. His business valuation knowledge and expertise is critical to our firm especially when it comes to determining the market value of a company’s intangible assets. Mr. Sanders is a Certified Business Appraiser, Certified Intermediary, Certified Machinery & Equipment Appraiser, and Certified Valuation Analyst. He has both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Business Administration.
J. Luthy
Mr. Luthy has owned companies in various industries, including agriculture, manufacturing, construction, and business services. Mr. Luthy has advised many organizations, including Fortune 500 companies and government agencies, on how to become more efficient, productive, and performance-driven. His expertise in helping companies focus on strategic thinking, trend analysis, scenario planning, performance, productivity, organization development, etc. is critical to our firm. After completing his bachelor’s degree Mr. Luthy went on to earn dual master’s degrees as well as his doctorate degree.