Roark Capital Group
Roark Capital Group is an American private equity firm with over $19.0 billion in assets under management. The firm is focused on leveraged buyout investments in middle-market companies, primarily in the franchise/multi-location, restaurant and food, health and wellness, and business services sectors. It is named for Howard Roark, the protagonist in Ayn Rand's novel, The Fountainhead. The firm claims that its name is not meant to connote any particular political philosophy but instead signify the firm's admiration for the iconoclastic qualities of independence and self-assurance embodied by the central figure in The Fountainhead.[2]
Type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Private equity |
Founded | 2001 |
Founder | Neal Aronson (Founder & Managing Partner) |
Headquarters | , United States |
Key people | Paul D. Ginsberg (President) Erik O. Morris (Chief Investment Officer) |
Products | Leveraged buyout |
AUM | US$19.0 billion [1] |
Number of employees | 60 [1] |
Website | www |
History
The firm, which is based in Atlanta, Georgia, was founded in 2001 by the current Managing Partner, Neal K. Aronson. Senior team members include President Paul D. Ginsberg, Chief Investment Officer Erik O. Morris, and Managing Directors Timothy Armstrong, Stephen D. Aronson, Nate Boaz, Clay Harmon, Geoff Hill, Kevin Hofmann, Gregory Smith, Sarah Spiegel, Michael Thompson, and David Wierman.
Prior to founding Roark Capital Group in 2001, Aronson was a co-founder of U.S. Franchise Systems in 1995. Roark currently is investing out of its fifth institutional private equity fund.
Investments
Roark's current and former portfolio companies include:
Current investments
- Anytime Fitness
- The Cheesecake Factory
- CKE Restaurants: (Carl's Jr., Hardee's, Green Burrito & Red Burrito)
- Culver's (minority investment)
- Driven Brands: (1-800-Radiator & A/C, Abra, CARSTAR, Maaco, Meineke, Merlin 200,000 Mile Shops, Xpress Lube, Take 5 Oil Change, Pro Oil Change, Econo Lube & Tune)
- Drybar
- Fitness Connection[3]
- Focus Brands: (Auntie Anne's,[4] Carvel,[5][6] Cinnabon,[7] McAlister's Deli, Moe's Southwest Grill,[8] Schlotzsky's,[9] Jamba Juice [10])
- Great Expressions Dental Centers
- Home Service Store
- Il Fornaio: (Corner Bakery Cafe)[11]
- Inspire Brands: (Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic Drive-In, Jimmy John's, Rusty Taco, Dunkin', Baskin-Robbins)[12][13]
- Jim 'N Nick's BBQ Restaurants[14]
- Massage Envy Spas
- Miller's Ale House
- Naf Naf Grill
- Orangetheory Fitness
- Pet Supermarket
- PetValu and Bosley's Petstores
- Primrose Schools
- Solterra Recycling
- Waxing the City
- ICWG
Former investments
- Atkins Nutritionals
- Batteries Plus Bulbs
- Cyber Core Technologies
- Fastsigns
- GFL Environmental
- Money Mailer
- Movie Gallery
- Peachtree Business Products
- PSC Info Group
- Qualawash
- United States Arbitrage Finance II
- USFS
- Waste Pro
- Wingstop
References
- Form ADV filing
- "About Our Name". Roark Capital Group. Retrieved 2017-05-25.
- "Atlanta private equity firm buys another fitness chain". Atlanta Business Chronicle. 2019-02-04.
- Holzman, Paula (October 8, 2010). "Atlanta franchisor to acquire Auntie Anne's". Central Penn Business Journal.
- "Equity Firm Buys Controlling Stake In Carvel". The New York Times. December 11, 2001.
- "New Roark Capital Screams Ice Cream". Buyouts. Reuters. January 7, 2002. Archived from the original on 2011-09-11.
- Focus Brands To Buy Cinnabon From AFC Enterprises. The New York Times, September 9, 2004
- "QSR magazine".
- Focus Brands buying Schlotzsky's, Austin Business Journal, November 20, 2006.
- Garrett, Arnessa; Robinson-Jacobs, Karen (2 August 2018). "Frisco-based Jamba Juice to be bought by Atlanta operator of Schlotzsky's". Dallas News. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
- "Atlanta's Roark Capital buys Il Fornaio parent firm". San Francisco Chronicle. 2011-06-14.
- "The Wendy's Company Sells Ownership Interest in Inspire Brands for $450 Million". wendys.com. Wendy's Company. 16 August 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
- Thorn, Bret (26 September 2018). "Inspire Brands to buy Sonic Corp. for $2.3B". Nation's Restaurant News. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
- "Roark Capital Group Acquires Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q" (PDF). 2017-07-10.