Advisory and professional services firm Baker Tilly has added Marc Chase to its team as a partner and leader of its private equity practice which serves both private equity firms and their portfolio companies.
Throughout his career, Mr. Chase has worked for a variety of firms in the private equity sector including venture capital funds, professional services firms, real estate private equity firms, and private companies.
Most notably, Mr. Chase was with advisory and professional services firm RSM from 2004 to 2017 where he worked within its national private equity practice and was the practice’s leader from 2012 to 2017. Since 2017, Mr. Chase has been active with several private equity firms including Sterling Bridge Investment Partners and Claymore Capital Partners.
Baker Tilly’s private equity practice is comprised of a subset of the firm’s 6,500 professionals specifically focused on helping closely held companies achieve their financial, business, operational, and growth objectives. Baker Tilly works with more than 600 private equity firms – ranging from independent sponsors to some of the world’s largest private equity firms – and their more than 3,700 portfolio companies.
“This is an exciting time for private equity. I’m thrilled to lead this team as we work together to provide comprehensive services that create value for our clients throughout their investment lifecycle,” said Mr. Chase, who is based in Baker Tilly’s New York City office.
“Marc’s wealth of knowledge and deep experience in the dynamic and competitive private equity space make him the right leader at the right time to lead this practice,” said Brad DeNoyer, the managing partner of Baker Tilly’s manufacturing and distribution industry team.
Baker Tilly is a full-service accounting and advisory firm with more than 60 offices across the United States, including in many of the world’s financial centers – New York, London, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Baker Tilly is an independent member of Baker Tilly International, a worldwide network of independent accounting and business advisory firms in 148 territories with combined worldwide revenue of $4.3 billion.
© 2023 Private Equity Professional | January 31, 2023
Branford Castle has added Lakshay “Lucky” Gilja to its team as a principal and the head of business development.
In addition to his business development responsibilities, Mr. Gilja will be active in other areas of Branford Castle including investing and fundraising.
Gemspring Capital Management has completed fundraising for two new funds with the closings of Gemspring Capital Fund III LP (Fund III), its third buyout fund, at $1.7 billion, and Gemspring Growth Solutions Fund I LP (GGS I), its first non-control investment fund, at an oversubscribed $400 million.
Tritium Partners has closed its third fund, Tritium III LP, with $684 million of committed capital. The new fund closed above target and is almost 50% higher than Tritium’s second fund which closed in January 2019 with $465 million of capital.
“We are extremely excited to have received such strong support from current Tritium investors and are proud of the new investors we have added,” said Philip Siegel, a managing partner and co-founder of Tritium. “Tritium’s limited partners share our belief that growth-focused investing in the lower middle market offers opportunities for those willing to do the hard work required to scale businesses with great potential.”
“Since closing our last fund, we have delivered substantial liquidity to our investors, grown our team, and added several companies with exceptional potential to our portfolio,” said David Lack, a managing partner and co-founder of Tritium. “We appreciate the confidence our investors have shown in us in this fundraise and are excited to continue our work for them.”
Quad-C has agreed to acquire QED Technologies International, a provider of optical finishing and measurement equipment, from publicly traded Entegris.
“QED is a leader in precision optics finishing equipment, products, and services, providing the most precise technologies to manufacturers in semiconductor, aerospace & defense markets,” said Tom Hickey, a partner a Quad-C. “Quad-C and our industrial tech practice are thrilled to partner with QED and its strong management team in order to execute on our shared growth strategy.”
Clarion Capital Partners has formed V10 Entertainment as a platform investment to begin a buildup within the entertainment sector.
Additionally, V10 has acquired 
“We are excited to partner with Vin and his team. VDBP is a legendary production company that has been a leader for decades,” said David Ragins, a managing director at Clarion. “We have developed a thematic focus on investing in video content that can be effective in multiple channels including traditional TV, CTV, and digital. VDBP is Clarion’s first step in building a new, industry-leading platform.”
Monroe Capital was the sole lead arranger and administrative agent on the funding of a senior credit facility to support the formation of V10 and the acquisitions of Venture 10 Studio Group and Vin Di Bona Productions. This transaction is representative of Monroe Capital’s Media Finance Vertical – led by Managing Director 
New York City-based 
Motor City Industrial, a portfolio company of Kian Capital and Oakland Standard, has been sold to AFC Industries, a portfolio company of Bertram Capital.
“We are passionate about helping companies create sustainable, long-term success and drive to persevere despite the inevitable challenges that come along the way,” said Rick Cravey, a co-founder and partner at Kian. “The Motor City of today is the result of a significant team effort showcasing the true meaning of genuine partnership. We want to thank all our partners in the deal, particularly Joe Stephens and the rest of the management team, who helped transform the company into the professionalized business it has become. We are proud of the milestones we achieved together and wish them all continued success as they begin the next chapter with AFC.”
Charlotte and Atlanta-based 
J.C. Flowers & Co., an active investor in the financial services sector, has added Dan Meade to its team as a managing director and head of business development and investor relations.
Astara Capital Partners has acquired Wyandot Snacks, a contract manufacturer of grain-based snack foods and cereals.
“Wyandot is a leading manufacturer of snack foods with long-standing customer relationships and a strong reputation for quality, customer service and product innovation,” said Lindsey Tannenbaum, a partner of Astara. “As a result of Astara’s investment, Wyandot will benefit from being debt-free and having access to significant strategic, operational, and financial resources of Astara.”
“This is the second investment in our fund and another example of why companies choose to partner with Astara. We have a track record of working collaboratively with family-owned businesses, their management teams, and employees to build upon their existing capabilities and help them achieve their full potential,” said Michael Ranson, a managing partner of Astara. “We acknowledge the trust that the Brown family, who have owned the company for over 85 years, has placed in us and we look forward to a terrific partnership with them.”
Zapproved, a provider of e-discovery software and a portfolio company of Vista Equity Partners, has been acquired by Exterro, a portfolio company of Leeds Equity Partners.
“I have known Monica Enand since the early days of both of our companies’ origins in Portland, Oregon,” said Mr. Balachandran. “Since inception, we have shared a common vision for providing market-leading software and support for our clients and partners, and the combination of Exterro and Zapproved will continue that vision by delivering enhanced value to our constituents.”
New York City-based 
