A panel of financial executives will examine both the basics and complexities of business development companies at a breakfast of ACG New York’s Westchester Network in Tarrytown on Friday, June 20 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
A Business Development Company (BDC) is often characterized as a publically traded private equity firm that provides middle market and small companies with access to capital all the way through the capital structure from debt to equity; that facilitates private equity funds with access to public capital markets by listing on the NYSE or Nasdaq; and that enables retail investors to participate in the upside of pre-IPO investing.
Carolyn Bentzien, managing director, Valuation Research Corporation, will moderate the panel, entitled “The BDCs–From A to Z.” Panelists will be Gregg Felton, president and co-chief executive officer, Full Circle Capital; Richard Petrocelli, chief accounting officer, Fifth Street Finance Corp.; Stephen Bernier, principal, Stellus Capital Management; and Scott Schuenke, chief financial and chief compliance officer, MVC Capital.
Ms. Bentzien manages client relationships and business development for Valuation Research Corporation, which provides valuation services to the financial services industry, including to alternative investment and specialty finance firms such as BDCs, SBICs, and private equity firms. Before joining VRC, Ms. Bentzien held the position of CFO, Corporate Client Banking, Commercial Banking, as well as that of executive director, Finance and Control, Global Markets, Investment Banking, at JPMorgan Chase. She also held the position of Senior Finance Analytics, Corporate Investment Bank at Deutsche Bank and held similar positions at Bank of Montreal and Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ.
Mr. Felton is primarily responsible for Full Circle Capital’s overall investment strategies and portfolio management. He is also a managing member and chief investment officer of Full Circle Advisors and a managing member of Full Circle Service Company. Before joining Full Circle Capital in 2013, he was a partner and managing director of Goldman Sachs and the founder and chief investment officer of Liberty Harbor, Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s credit alternatives platform.
Mr. Petrocelli joined Fifth Street, one of the largest business development companies (BDCs) in the country by market capitalization, in March 2014. He also serves as a managing director, Finance of Fifth Street’s administrator. Mr. Petrocelli has over 20 years of experience in investment management, private equity and corporate reorganizations. Before joining Fifth Street, Mr. Petrocelli served as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Secretary at Saratoga Investment Corp., a publicly-traded BDC, where he was responsible for all accounting, finance, compliance and fund administration functions and had direct involvement in the underwriting of new loans.
Mr. Bernier focuses on the origination, execution, and management of middle market loans. He has 15 years of investing and finance experience. Prior to joining Stellus Capital Management at its formation in January 2012, he was a Vice President with the Direct Capital Group at D.E. Shaw, a global investment and technology development firm. Before joining D.E. Shaw, Mr. Bernier was a manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he served clients in the audit, tax, and corporate finance practices.
Mr. Schuenke originally joined MVC Capital, (NYSE: MVC), a business development company, in 2004 as corporate controller. Later that year he became the firm’s chief compliance officer and in 2013 was appointed CFO. He also serves on the boards of portfolio companies Vestal Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. and NPWT Corporation. Before joining MVC Capital, Mr. Schuenke was a compliance officer with US Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, where he was responsible for financial reporting and compliance oversight of more than 15 open- and closed-end registered investment companies.
Expected attendees include corporate development officers, investment bankers, private equity sponsors, private sector CEOs, and transactional advisors.
The agenda for the event at the Tappan Hill Mansion, 81 Highland Ave, Tarrytown, N.Y., is as follows:
7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. – Breakfast/Networking
8:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. – Introductions
8:15 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. – Panel followed by Q&A
9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – Additional Networking
The registration fee is $75 for ACG members and $100 for non members. To register, click here.
www.acg.org/nyc/registrationinstructions.aspx
ACG New York (www.acgnyc.org), the founding chapter of The Association for Corporate Growth, is the leading membership organization in New York that facilitates relationship building and focused education for middle market deal-making professionals. Each year over 8,000 professionals participate in ACG New York’ s 70+ networking and educational events in New York City and Westchester and on Long Island, including healthcare, manufacturing & logistics, and retail conferences. ACG New York currently is celebrating its 60th year.
2014 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 6-18-14