Levine Leichtman Capital Partners has made an investment in SH Franchising (dba Senior Helpers), a franchisor of private pay, professional in-home care for elderly individuals. Senior Helpers is the second investment from Levine Leichtman Capital Partners SBIC Fund, L.P., a $225 million private equity fund.
CEO Peter Ross and President Tony Bonacuse will retain significant ownership in the company and will continue to lead the company in their current roles. “I am very excited about the partnership with Levine Leichtman. We are confident that their long history of successfully investing in franchised businesses will significantly benefit Senior Helpers and its franchisees,” said Mr. Ross.
Senior Helpers is a franchisor of private pay, professional in-home care for elderly individuals. Through its network of over 270 franchised locations in 39 states, Senior Helpers provides: (i) personal care assistance with eating, bathing, dressing and transferring, (ii) companion care assistance with shopping, light housekeeping, meal preparation and medication reminders and (iii) customized disease management and care programs for clients with Alzheimer’s and other forms of Dementia through its Senior GEMS® program. The company was founded in 2002 and is based in Timonium, MD (www.seniorhelpers.com).
“As Senior Helpers moves into its next phase of growth, having a partner with the financial means and wherewithal like Levine Leichtman to help execute on our collective vision for the future was particularly attractive to us. Both Peter and I expect this partnership to contribute meaningfully to the continued growth of our brand,” said Mr. Bonacuse.
Levine Leichtman Capital Partners manages approximately $5 billion of capital through private equity partnerships, distressed debt and leveraged loan funds. The firm is currently making new investments through Levine Leichtman Capital Partners IV; Levine Leichtman Capital Partners Deep Value Fund; and Levine Leichtman Capital Partners SBIC Fund. The firm is based in Los Angeles with offices in Chicago, Dallas, New York and London (www.llcp.com).
“Senior Helpers has experienced tremendous growth since inception. With its national network of dedicated franchisees and strong nationwide brand name recognition, the company is uniquely positioned to benefit from the continued strong growth in the in-home elderly care industry. We are excited to partner with two great entrepreneurs in Peter Ross and Tony Bonacuse as well as the rest of the Senior Helpers management team. We look forward to the continued growth of the business,” said Lauren Leichtman, Co-Founder and CEO of Levine Leichtman.
Senior Helpers was advised by McLean Group, a mid-market investment bank based in Washington, DC (www.mcleanllc.com). Senior debt financing was provided by Madison Capital.
© 2012 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 10-16-12
