Peter S. Kaufman
Peter S. Kaufman is an American investment banker and private equity investor. He is the President and Head of Restructuring and Distressed M&A at Gordian Group LLC, an investment bank and financial advisory firm. He is also a Managing Partner of Bacchus Capital Management, a winery investment concern.[1]
Peter S. Kaufman | |
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Kaufman in 2013 | |
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | University of Virginia Law School Yale University |
Occupation | Investment Banker; Investor President; Head of Restructuring and Distressed M & A at Gordian Group; Managing Partner of Bacchus Capital Management |
Spouse(s) | Theresa Kaufman (née Paulson) |
Children | Maddie Kate Kaufman and Ruby Lee Kaufman |
Website | gordiangroup.com |
Early life and education
Kaufman attended the Edgemont Junior High School in Westchester County, New York and graduated from The Taft School cum laude. He attended Yale College, where he lettered in varsity lacrosse, was an editor of the Yale Daily News, and had a double major in art history and history, graduating with Honors. He was in the top quarter of his class at the University of Virginia School of Law.
Career
Kaufman practiced law in New York City before going into investment banking in the mid-1980s. Leaving the First Boston Corporation as a Vice President in 1990, Kaufman joined Gordian Group LLC, the leading boutique investment bank specializing in distressed and/or complex financial challenges. Along with CEO Henry Furlow Owsley III, Kaufman is co-author of the definitive works in the field, the recently published, Distressed Investment Banking: To The Abyss and Back - Second Edition, Beard Books 2015, Equity Holders Under Siege: Strategies and Tactics for Distressed Businesses, Beard Books LLC, 2014 and Distressed Investment Banking: To The Abyss and Back, Beard Books 2005.[2][3][4][5] All books are "must-read" for boards of directors, management teams and shareholders and/or owners of financially stressed situations, as well as for buyers and professionals. In The Deal financial restructuring league tables, Peter Kaufman is consistently named one of the country's top 10 restructuring investment bankers, and has been ranked #1.[6]
He is perhaps the nation's most frequent commentator on national television regarding restructurings and distressed financial matters, as well as economic policy issues. He has been recognized by the media as "a top restructuring and distressed debt expert."[7] Kaufman has appeared on, among others, Yahoo! Finance discussing the future and whether more companies will file for Chapter 11[8], Healthcare Bailouts and Hertz Trying to Sell Equity[9], the COVID-19 government bailout,[10]Bloomberg TV, CNBC,[11][12][13][14][15] CNN (including Anderson Cooper 360), Fox Business with Maria Bartiromo,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22] Fox Business,[23][24][25][26][27] NBC (Today Show) and WSJ TV, on matters relating to insolvency, corporate reorganization, federal "bailout" issues and broader stimulus and economic issues, including General Motors(GM),[28][29] Chrysler and British Petroleum (BP),[30][31] American Airlines[32] & Hostess Brands,[33][34] as well as municipal and state insolvency issues.[35][36] He also discusses private equity on television and elsewhere.[37] He is often cited in leading publications and international news sources such as The New York Times,[38] The Wall Street Journal[39] and Reuters,[40] and was the subject of a Bloomberg feature.
Kaufman's investment banking practice primarily encompasses advising Boards of Directors, private equity firms, and buyers and sellers of distressed, stressed or "story" situations. Because it does not represent creditors, Gordian is able to achieve meaningful equity recoveries in insolvent situations. In 2013, he testified in front of the ABI Commission on Bankruptcy Reform in regards to valuation. At Bacchus Capital, he is actively involved in the fund's selection and oversight of portfolio company wineries.[41][42][43]
Representative engagements where Kaufman led or co-led the matter include: Alexander Gallo Holdings (debtor), Alphatec (debtor), American Airlines (TWU - Mechanics Union), Enron, Jobson Healthcare (Private Equity), Lee Enterprises (Private Equity), Madoff Bankruptcy (Trustee), Mendocino Brewing, Metalico (debtor), ModSpace, MolyCorp (expert witness engagement for counsel), Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railroad (debtor), Nuo Therapeutics (debtor), Spansion (debtor), Strata, Trans Energy (debtor), Vivaro and Xtreme Power (debtor).
Kaufman currently serves as an Adjunct Faculty/Lecturer at the University of Virginia School of Law teaching a course entitled "Advising Boards of Directors Under Siege"; he also assists in teaching courses at Darden Business School at University of Virginia.
Professional recognition
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Peter Kaufman and his work have been featured in Bloomberg News.[44]
In The Deal financial restructuring league tables, Kaufman is consistently named one of the country's top 10 restructuring investment bankers, and has been ranked #1.[45][46]
In January 2017 the industry organization, M&A Advisor, announced that Kaufman's firm Gordian Group LLC had won Boutique Investment Bank of the Year award for the fifth time in seven years. Gordian Group was named a winner for the Out-Of-Court Restructuring of the Year (Over $100MM): Restructuring and Sale of Trans Energy, Inc.; and Cross-Border Restructuring Deal of the Year (Under $1B): Cross-Border Restructuring of Alphatec.[47] In 2014, it also awarded Gordian on behalf of their restructurings of Jobson Medical Holdings (Professional Services category) and Elyria Foundry (Industrial, Manufacturing & Distribution category).[48][49] In 2014, the University of Virginia awarded him an honorary appointment as a Visiting Executive Lecturer at the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration.
In February 2015, Kaufman was honored with the 2015 M&A Advisor Leadership Award for his contribution to and accomplishments in the industry at the 9th Annual Turnaround Awards Gala on Monday, February 23, 2015 in Palm Beach, FL.[50] In November 2015, Kaufman was inducted into the M&A Advisor Hall of Fame at the 14th Annual M&A Advisor Awards Gala in New York City.[51]
Personal life
Kaufman married the former Theresa Paulson in 1997 in Portland, Oregon. They and their two daughters reside in the Edgemont section of Scarsdale, in Westchester County, where he grew up. They also have a home on Chebeague Island, Maine.
Publications
- Co-author, Distressed Investment Banking: To the Abyss and Back - Second Edition(Frederick, Md.: Beard Books, 2015).
- Co-author, Equity Holders under Siege: Strategies and Tactics for Distressed Businesses.(Frederick, Md.: Beard Books, 2014)
- Co-author, Distressed Investment Banking: To the Abyss and Back.(Frederick, Md.: Beard Books LLC, 2005)
- Co-author, "The Role of the Investment Banker," in Bankruptcy Business Acquisitions (New York: Lex Med Publishing, 1998)
- Co-author, "Trading in the Distressed Market," in Investing in Bankruptcies and Turnarounds (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1991)
References
- Dundee's 'Wine by Joe' receives 'significant' cash investment from San Francisco private equity company. The Oregonian, February 7, 2013.
- Kaufman, Peter S. & Owsley, Henry F., Distressed Investment Banking: To the Abyss and Back - Second Edition, Washington, D.C., Beard Books, 2015.
- Kaufman, Peter S. & Owsley, Henry F., Equity Holders Under Siege: Strategies and Tactics for Distressed Businesses, Washington, D.C., Beard Books, 2014.
- Co-author, Distressed Investment Banking: To the Abyss and Back, Beard Books.
- Kaufman, Peter S. & Owsley, Henry F., Distressed Investment Banking: To the Abyss and Back, Washington, D.C., Beard Books, 2005.
- Bankruptcy League Tables - Top Investment Banks and Bankers, The Deal, November 7, 2007 Issue.
- 'Cavuto on Fox Business'. 11 Feb. 2009. Web.
- More companies will file for chapter 11 in the near future: Gordian Group President Peter Kaufman, Yahoo! Finance, May 27. 2020.
- Rural and inner city hospitals are not getting funds they need: Gordian Group President: Peter Kaufman, Yahoo! Finance, June 19. 2020.
- There is no panacea to make this all right: Gordian Group President Peter Kaufman, Yahoo! Finance, March 26. 2020.
- Assessing Corporate Balance Sheets, CNBC, October 31, 2011.
- How to Fix the Economy, CNBC, September 6, 2011.
- Auto Bailout Pressure. CNBC, November 11, 2008.
- Restructuring Deadline. CNBC, February 17, 2009.
- Muni Bonds: Worth the Gamble? CNBC, January 18, 2011
- Does Trump's Business Background Make him the Best Candidate?, Fox Business, June 16, 2016,
- Economy Good Enough for Interest Rate Hikes?, Fox Business, September 3, 2015
- Greece Unlikely to Leave Eurozone?, Fox Business, June 29, 2015.
- What's Next for Greece?, Fox Business, July 6, 2015.
- Current Debt Deal Bad for Greece?, Fox Business, July 13, 2015
- The Most Hated Bull Market?, Fox Business, July 18, 2014.
- The Regulatory Environment, Inversions and Your Money, Fox Business, July 18, 2014.
- American Airlines and Unions, and Bankruptcy Environment. Fox Business, February 2, 2012.
- MF Global Acquisition Opportunity? Fox Business, October 31, 2011.
- What GM Will Cost Taxpayers. Fox Business, December 21, 2009.
- Why the Auto Industry Has Already Failed. Fox Business, December 21, 2009.
- Sectors Most at Risk for Bankruptcy. Fox Business, September 26, 2011.
- Will GM’s Management Changes Rattle Investors? USA Today, August 23, 2010.
- GM Creditors Will Let Asset Sale Go Forward While They Appeal. Bloomberg.com, July 7, 2009.
- Riding Roughshod Over Chapter 11? NY Times DealBook, June 9, 2009.
- Complications in BP’s Asset Sales. NY Times DealBook, July 20, 2010.
- Transport Workers Union Retains Gordian Group. www.TWU.org, January 19, 2012. Archived January 1, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- Hostess Bakers Union Hires Investment Bank Gordian in Asset Sale. January 21, 2013.
- Battle for Bankrupt Hostess. CNBC, February 5, 2013.
- Who Feels Most Pain from Muni Bankruptcies? Fox Business, August 9, 2012.
- Is Detroit Saved? Fox Business, December 4, 2013.
- Alternative Capital for Tapped Out Winemakers, February 13, 2013.
- Cuban Tells Why He Is No Longer in Cubs’ Lineup. New York Times, January 7, 2009.
- Creditors Cry Foul at Chrysler Precedent. Wall Street Journal, June 13, 2009.
- Less Corporate Stress but a Long Way from Health. Reuters.com, October 4, 2010.
- Boutique Vintners Turn to Private Equity for Help. New York Times, April 25, 2013.
- Squeezing Green From Grapes Fox Business, January 17, 2014.
- Wave of Mergers And Acquisitions Sweeps U.S. Wineries Forbes, August 11, 2016.
- Bloomberg Morning Briefs: Peter S. Kaufman Archived 2014-02-02 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1-28-2014.
- Bankruptcy League Tables - Top Investment Banks and Bankers, The Deal, November 7, 2007 Issue.
- ‘’The Deal’’ financial restructuring league tables, 2011.
- PRNewswire, Winners Announced for the 11th Annual Turnaround Awards, January 30, 2017
- Winners Announced for the 8th Annual M&A Advisor Turnaround Awards. Retrieved 1-28-2014.
- The M&A Advisor: The 8th Annual M&A Advisor Turnaround Awards Winners. Retrieved 1-28-2014.
- Peter S. Kaufman, Randall S. Eisenberg, J. Scott Victor To Receive The 2015 M&A Advisor Leadership Award, PR Newswire, February 20, 2015
- Winners Announced for the 14th Annual M&A Advisor Awards, PR Newswire, November 20, 2015