Skyline Advisors Advised Cockle Legal Briefs in Sale to Counsel Press and Align Capital Partners9/17/2024
OMAHA, NEBRASKA. Skyline Advisors is pleased to announce that it advised Cockle Legal Briefs in its acquisition by Counsel Press, a portfolio company of Align Capital Partners. Founded over 100 years ago, Cockle Legal Briefs is the leading producer of U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) briefs. It provides clients with a range of services, from formatting and proofreading to printing and delivery, to navigate the complex SCOTUS rules. As Andy Cockle, a third-generation owner and CEO, began to prepare for retirement, the company retained Skyline Advisors to identify the ideal buyer to build upon its legacy. Counsel Press, founded in 1938 and based in New York City, is the nation’s largest appellate services provider. The company serves thousands of customers, filing over 12,000 appeals annually across all 50 states and all appellate jurisdictions. The acquisition of Cockle Legal Briefs bolsters Counsel Press’s offerings and expertise in both SCOTUS and federal circuit courts. Align Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in Dallas and Cleveland with $1.6 billion of capital under management, acquired Counsel Press in October 2023. Mr. Cockle commented “Our family appreciates the leadership, guidance, and outcome achieved by the team at Skyline Advisors. They were phenomenal in guiding us through the entire process and unwavering in their attention to detail.” John Gustafson, president of Skyline Advisors, added “We appreciated the opportunity to work with the Cockle family to achieve their desired outcomes and enjoyed the opportunity to work with Counsel Press and Align Capital Partners to expand their platform.” Skyline Advisors is a boutique mergers and acquisitions (M&A) advisor focused on family-owned and closely held companies in the lower middle market with revenues of $5 million to $200 million. OMAHA, NEBRASKA, May 24, 2022 - Skyline Advisors recently added a new team member to the firm. Elijah Beninato has joined the team in the role of research analyst and will assist the team with financial modeling, the creation of marketing materials, and market research. Elijah is currently a Sophomore at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, majoring in finance and accounting. Originally from San Antonio, TX, Elijah spent time working for an oil field services company that specialized in outfitting vehicles with the required equipment. Before Skyline Advisors, Elijah was employed by Sower Investment Partners as a real estate private equity intern, receiving valuable hands-on experience. In his free time, Elijah enjoys hunting, working on his truck, weightlifting, and golfing with friends. Skyline Advisors is pleased to announce the addition of Michael Pechette to the firm’s leadership team. Michael will lead the firm’s Industrials practice area and oversee its activities in the Great Lakes region from the Chicago office. This region covers Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. An Indiana native, Michael has over thirty years of financial advisory and executive operating experience. Prior to Skyline Advisors, he was with Falcon Advisors, LLC, a boutique financial advisory firm specializing in lower middle market merger and acquisition transactions. Michael is also an investor and serves as the CFO of RP Industries, Inc. of Delta, OH, a holding company whose operating companies manufacture metal parts and products for a wide variety of global OEMs. His role with RP Industries is how Michael and Skyline Advisors originally became acquainted. Several years ago, one of RP Industries’ subsidiaries purchased a Skyline Advisors client. “Over the years, I have reviewed hundreds of CIMs and interacted with as many investment bankers, and Skyline’s work, attention to detail, and professionalism are second to none,” Michael commented. “When evaluating the next chapter after the retirement of my former partner, Skyline was top of my list.” John Gustafson, president of Skyline Advisors, added, “We are excited to have Michael on the team to expand both our geographic reach as well as deepen our industry expertise in the Industrial practice area. Michael fits our ideal profile for leadership by not only having deal experience as a transaction advisor but also hands-on deal experience as an owner and executive of operating companies that have conducted merger and acquisition transactions. We believe strongly in bringing experience from all sides of the deal table.” Michael has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University. He serves on the board of directors of the Midwest Business Brokers and Intermediaries (MBBI) organization and is a member of The Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (AM&AA). OMAHA, NEBRASKA, May 24, 2022 - Skyline Advisors recently added two new team members to the firm. Mariano Azurduy and Caden Hall have both joined the team in the role of research analyst and will assist the team with financial modeling, the creation of marketing materials, and market research. Mariano is a junior at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln double-majoring in Finance and Economics. Before Skyline Advisors, the native of Bolivia focused on gaining valuable work experience through Westlake Securities as a remote equity research intern. Mariano is involved with various clubs on campus including the Wall Street Scholars of Nebraska which helped him prepare for investment banking. In his spare time, Mariano enjoys weightlifting, biking, and spending time with friends. Caden Hall is currently attending the University of Nebraska – Omaha pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Finance. Before Skyline Advisors, he gained valuable industry experience in buy-side transactions with Bowpoint. He also previously founded and ran a small residential services business. Caden, a native of Red Oak, Iowa, is also involved on campus as an Associate in the Maverick Venture Fund. OMAHA, NEBRASKA. March 1, 2022. Skyline Advisors is pleased to announce that it advised Behaven Kids of Omaha, Nebraska in its recent acquisition by Serra Hill, an investment firm based in Boston. Terms of the transaction, which closed on February 28th, were not disclosed. For over twenty years, Behaven Kids has provided specialized care for young children with autism and behavioral challenges. Services include specialized day programs, applied behavioral analysis (ABA), and outpatient therapy for children, parents, and families. The company currently has three locations in Omaha and Lincoln. OMAHA, NEBRASKA, August 26, 2021 - Skyline Advisors, a lower middle market acquisition and mergers advisor, is pleased to announce that it has assisted R&R Christo Construction in completing a recapitalization. R&R Christo Construction is a nationally recognized leader in the assembly and installation of specialty equipment for large scale agricultural operations, particularly in the pork and poultry production industries. The company engaged Skyline Advisors as one of the co-founders encountered serious health challenges. Skyline Advisors worked with R&R Christo Construction to formulate a strategy to provide liquidity for the co-founder’s family, identify a strong operating partner with significant industry experience to join the team and partner with the remaining co-founder, and enhance stability for the company, its customers, and its employees for the long-term. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction was led by John Gustafson of Skyline Advisors. OMAHA, NEBRASKA, August 16, 2021 – Skyline Advisors recently added two new team members to the firm. Evan Thorell has joined Skyline as a Research Analyst. Evan will assist the team with financial modeling, creation of marketing materials, and deal execution while pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL). Before his position at Skyline Advisors, Evan gained valuable work experience at Bridgepoint Investment Banking and Generational Equity which allowed him to participate in sell-side and capital raising advisory. Evan also worked in real estate at GreenSlate Management/Clarity Development and was the founder of an athletic product in high school. Evan is also involved in leadership positions with various clubs on campus. Kristine Lewis recently joined the team as an Executive Assistant. Kristine’s most recent career experience was as a small business owner. Prior to that, she worked in the roles of marketing manager, office manager, and executive assistant in a variety of industries including technology, healthcare, and non-profit. Kristine graduated from Western Michigan University with a Degree in Liberal Arts. In her spare time, Kristine enjoys hiking, biking, kayaking, baking, reading, and spending time with her family and friends. She is hoping to add golf to this list very soon! OMAHA, NE, October 2, 2017 – Skyline Advisors announced today that it has expanded to the Greater Chicago Area with a new office location in the Mid-Continental Plaza building in downtown Chicago. The firm also announced that Chris Moore has joined the team as Associate. Moore was previously with Lakeshore Food Advisors in Chicago, where he worked on investment banking engagements in the food and agribusiness industries. Prior to Lakeshore, Chris had previously worked with Skyline Advisors (formerly CFO Capital) as an analyst for two years. His prior experience also includes financial analysis, asset management, and co-founding a startup. OMAHA, NE, September 25, 2017 - CFO Capital announced today that it has completed its rebranding as Skyline Advisors. The new name reflects the oft-referenced measure of a city's vitality—its growing skyline. It also represents the firm's geographic reach, which includes the iconic skylines of the Rocky Mountains region, Midwest prairie, and cities from coast to coast. |