Z Capital Partners has added Timothy Clayton to the firm as a Director and Operating Partner. Mr. Clayton has an extensive operating background and has previously worked in an operating capacity for numerous private equity firms.
“Tim is a great addition to the Z Capital family,” said James Zenni, President and Chief Executive Officer of Z Capital. “With nearly 40 years of business experience in financial, operating and strategic planning with a variety of large, multi-national corporations and smaller enterprises, his extensive expertise will support the execution of our strategy to identify strategic opportunities and enhance operational efficiencies. I look forward to Tim’s significant contributions as Z Capital continues to capitalize on opportunistic investments that deliver maximum value.”
Prior to joining Z Capital, Mr. Clayton held positions of Chief Financial Officer of Tile Shop Holdings, a specialty retailer sponsored by J.W. Childs Associates, and Vice President and CFO of Sajan, a multi-national provider of business oriented language translation services. Previously, Mr. Clayton was founder and managing principle of Emerging Capital, a management consulting firm specializing in financial, operational, and strategic planning, and merger and acquisition advisory services. In that capacity, Mr. Clayton acted as Vice President and CFO for ADESA, a $1 billion automotive remarketing and financial services company, overseeing all financial activities, a variety of operational enhancements and acquisitions. In addition, Mr. Clayton provided internal leadership of a $3 billion going-private transaction involving private equity sponsors Kelso & Company, GS Capital Partners, ValueAct Capital, and Parthenon Capital.
“Z Capital is a premier private equity firm, with a proven track record of making opportunistic, value-oriented controlling investments,” said Mr. Clayton. “I look forward to joining this world-class team and participating in Z Capital’s future success as we continue to enhance value for investors.”
Before forming Emerging Capital, Mr. Clayton co-founded and was Executive Vice President, CFO and Treasurer of Building One Services Corp., where he was instrumental in building the company into a $1.6 billion national provider of facility services. Mr. Clayton was responsible for raising $550 million of equity capital, developing the acquisition and operational strategy and driving the acquisition and post-merger integration process for over 50 companies. Mr. Clayton also led a $350 million recapitalization plan (which involved a $100 million strategic investment by Apollo Management, the establishment of a $200 million credit facility and a $350 million stock repurchase), and was an integral part of the management team that negotiated and completed the merger between Building One Services Corp. and Group Maintenance America Corp. to form Encompass Services Corp., a $3 billion national facility services company.
Mr. Clayton has served on the Board of Directors of Agribank, FCB, an $80 billion wholesale lender, and he currently serves as Chairman of the Farm Credit System Audit Committee. Mr. Clayton received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting from Michigan State University.
Z Capital makes control investments in middle-market distressed companies, operational turnarounds and special situations. The firm targets companies with an enterprise value of less than $1 billion or EBITDA of less than $100 million. Sectors of interest include consumer products, steel and steel processors, agricultural, gaming, leisure, real estate, manufacturing, specialty services and automotive. The firm has approximately $1.7 billion of capital under management. Z Capital is based in the Chicago suburb of Lake Forest and has an additional office in New York (www.zcap.net).
2014 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 7-15-14
