PRESS RELEASE - Corporate Fuel Partners Closes $35M Fund

Posted September 25, 2017 by Russ S. Fein

Corporate Fuel Partners Closes $35M Fund

Maintaining its focus on control investments in growth companies

NEW YORK, NY – Corporate Fuel (“CF”) today announced the closing of Community Fuel Investment Partners, a $35 million fund focused on investing in profitable businesses with exceptional management teams and strong growth prospects.

“With this latest fund we can continue to partner with great management teams to accelerate and grow businesses, helping them reach their full potential,” said CF managing partner, John Simons. “Our investment strategy focuses on established and emerging businesses that have a proven and transformative product or service that is now ready to accelerate its growth. We decided to name this fund “Community Fuel” given that entrepreneurial companies generally bring services, products and jobs to their communities.”

The fund seeks to partner with existing management teams in established operating businesses that have a successful growth history. They recognize that most companies in their targeted size range are led by exceptional management teams that have proven the ability to generate sales momentum but are often constricted by inadequate working capital, key employee vacancies, fundamental deficiencies in back-office support or other surmountable constraints. Corporate Fuel is happy to “roll up the sleeves” to help address those limitations.

“We are grateful for the continued support of many of our limited partners,” added Russ Fein, who oversees the fund activities. “We generally take a very active approach to our investments, often providing key financial and operational support, so that our management partners can focus on what they know and do best, which is growing their business.” While
CF has an opportunistic approach to investments, they have had success in their first fund with life sciences, medical devices and business services, and the principals have had experience in value added distribution, technology and software services, so they will also be seeking investments in those sectors.

The investment team of John Simons, Charles Lachman and Russ Fein has been together since the formation of CF’s first fund nearly ten years ago and was recently joined by investment professional Peter Lachman. The investment activities of CF complement the firm’s investment banking practice (Corporate Fuel Advisors & Corporate Fuel Securities), which provides M&A and financial advisory services to middle market companies.

About Corporate Fuel Partners

Corporate Fuel Partners is a New York-based lower middle market private equity investment firm, acquiring profitable businesses with unique growth opportunities. It looks for established operating businesses with successful track records in expanding markets. It is currently investing out of Community Fuel Investment Partners, its second buyout fund and has a total of $55 million in assets under management. For more information, visit https://corporatefuel.com/community-fuel.