event services

The Frontenac Company has acquired La Tavola Fine Linen, a renter of premium and ultra-specialty linens used for weddings ceremonies, wedding receptions and other special events.

La Tavola’s products include aisle runners, napkins, table rounds and runners, chair covers and sashes, and drapes. The company has eight showrooms in California in Beverly Hills, Healdsburg, Napa (headquarters), Newport Beach, Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Los Gatos, as well as showrooms in Scottsdale, AZ and Dallas, TX. The company was founded in 2007 by Herb and Betsy Stone (www.latavolalinen.com).

As part of this transaction, Frontenac has hired industry veteran Jeff Black as the company’s new chief executive officer. Herb and Betsy Stone will continue working with the company in consulting roles with Ms. Stone serving as Head of Design. Mr. Black was previously the CEO of Classic Party Rentals from March 2012 to November 2014 and was also a senior executive at Aramark responsible for outsourced operations, uniforms and linen, and customer service.

“As a leader in its market niche, La Tavola is a profitable, budding and attractive opportunity with significant growth potential,” said Paul Carbery, a Managing Partner at Frontenac. “With Jeff Black at the helm, we are confident the company will reach new levels of success. He is a collaborative leader who is passionate about this company, the team that makes it up, and the events industry as a whole.”

Joe Rondinelli, a Vice President at Frontenac, was also part of the transaction team. “La Tavola Fine Linen Rental has an exceptional reputation in the events industry and we are excited they chose to partner with Frontenac. We look forward to working with Jeff, Betsy, Herb and the entire team to open new showrooms and introduce new, high quality linens.”

Frontenac invests in lower middle markets businesses that operate primarily in the food, industrial, and services industries. The firm was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Chicago (www.frontenac.com).

© 2015 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 12-4-15

Tonka Bay Equity Partners has made an investment in Quest Events, a provider of drapery rental services to the hotel, hospitality, and entertainment industries.

Co-investing in the transaction with Tonka Bay was Goldner Hawn Johnson & Morrison and certain members of the company’s management team.  Quest Events was a portfolio company of PVB Capital, Gemini Investors, and Harbert Mezzanine Partners.

Quest Events rents, distributes, and provides logistics for drapery and other products used at special events. Products are used as room wraps, stage backdrops, room dividers, entrances, and private concealment. The company and has 16 locations across the United States and is led by its CEO Lee Dunlap.  Quest Events was founded in 1998 and is headquartered north of Dallas in Frisco, TX (www.questdrape.com).

“Lee and the team have built an impressive business that is focused on getting the customer what they want when they want it.  We are excited to be working with such a world class organization and are eager to see what management can do throughout the next stage of the company’s growth,” said Steve Soderling, Principal of Tonka Bay.

Tonka Bay Equity Partners invests in manufacturing, value-added distribution and business services companies with EBITDA greater than $2 million. The firm is based in the Minneapolis suburb of Minnetonka (www.tonkabayequity.com).

© 2015 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 6-9-15