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Since founding White Oak Group in 1989, Mr. Lessinger has advised both publicly and privately held companies on financial restructurings, acquisitions, financings and sale transactions. As a recognized corporate turnaround expert and financial advisor, Mr. Lessinger assumes advisory and operating roles to lead turnaround and strategic initiatives at companies in transition. He brings to White Oak Group his solid leadership background and proven track record in business development, exceptional experience advising management groups, companies and their owners, boards of directors and financial institutions. He has also earned the designation of Certified Turnaround professional (CTP) from the Association of Certified Turnaround Professionals
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His work with these companies includes developing and implementing strategies to facilitate growth, improve liquidity and restructure capitalization, to realign organizational structure and improve profitability, and to maximize shareholder value and creditor recoveries. His success is based on his extensive deep financial and operations experience, negotiating expertise, and his ability to build consensus among diverse groups in order to achieve corporate goals.
Managements and boards of directors have engaged Mr. Lessinger to serve as restructuring and financial advisor. Successfully completed engagements include Eagle Finance Corp. (NYSE), Urotherapies, Inc., Gyncor, Inc., Premium Plastics, Inc., Mepco Insurance Premium Financing, Homak Manufacturing, Engineered Specialty Plastics, Flatlanders LLC, and Weld Wheel Industries. Prior to White Oak Group, Mr. Lessinger served as an executive with Citigroup in Mergers & Acquisitions, and as an investment banker at The Illinois Company.
Mr. Lessinger was educated at Vassar College (BA, Phi Beta Kappa), The London School of Economics, Columbia University (MA, M.Phil), and the University of Chicago (MBA).
He has served on various Boards of Directors of portfolio and client companies, and he is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, the Turnaround Management Association, and the Association of Corporate Growth.
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Gennady Shenker
Director
gshenker@whiteoakgroup.net
312--890-9549
Gennady Shenker has over ten years of experience in turnarounds, crisis management, mergers and acquisitions, international joint ventures, bankruptcy, and corporate reorganization both in the USA and Europe. Mr. Shenker brings to assignments a strong background in financial analysis, strategy consulting, start up ventures and corporate turnarounds.
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Previous assignments include developing and implementing a turnaround plan for an integrator of automation equipment in the baking industry resulting in record profits and sale of the company to a strategic buyer. Mr. Shenker also structured and executed the asset sale of a $50 MM tobacco and sundry distributor. Mr. Shenker has experience as a strategy consultant and a financial advisor in the resort, energy and auto industries.
Prior to White Oak Group, Mr. Shenker was a senior associate in the Financial Advisory Services Practice of PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and a senior consultant at the turnaround and financial advisory firm of Morris Anderson & Associates.
Mr. Shenker holds degrees from Chernivci National University, USSR (Diploma in Theoretical Mathematics, equivalent to MS) and The University of Chicago (MBA, Finance).
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William
A. Clapp
Director
bclapp@whiteoakgroup.net
608-836-7125
Bill
Clapp has a wealth of senior operating management experience
both in the USA and internationally. He has lead large growth
companies, small start-up companies, small to medium high-growth
companies, and completed several successful turn-around situations.
As Founder and President of Business Development Consultants,
Inc., his focus is on increasing company valuation through
improving operational, competitive, and financial performance
of companies. |
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His success stems from his strength in key business processes: strategic business and market planning, organizational alignment for effectiveness, efficiency, empowerment, and accountability, Lean Management processes throughout the company, developing strong supply chains, change leadership, and creating continuous improvement environment.
Mr. Clapp was first exposed to the Japanese Lean Management process in 1978 during a two week tour in Japan, led by A. D. Little. He remains committed to the Lean Management system throughout a company. These principles were updated in the early 1980’s while creating a joint venture manufacturing business in Japan. Other positive experiences included a multi-plant company turn-around during the 1990’s which grew revenues by 23% per year over a six year period while increasing net profit to 4.5 times industry median.
In the late 1990s Mr. Clapp was a senior executive with a global roll-up company focused on sheet metal stamping, fabricating, and assembly companies in Eastern Europe, USA, Mexico and China. In three years, the company was profitable with revenues of $940 million.
Mr. Clapp is a partner in Global Diligence Ltd., an Asia/Pacific consulting company. Recent directorships include Kaysun Corporation (a contract plastics injection molder/assembler), Arrowcast Foundry, Riverside Engineering (a large capital equipment designer), and the Kloehn Company (a medical instrument component manufacturer).
Mr. Clapp was educated at the University of Michigan (BS, MS Engineering) as well as numerous executive management training courses at various schools. He also is a certified Executive Coach and Professional Business Advisor.
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Jerrold B. Newman
Director
jnewman@whiteoakgroup.net
847-441-2973
Jerry Newman has over twenty-five years of experience as chief financial officer and controller of manufacturing companies. He had responsibility for all operations areas, but specifically in financial management.
Mr. Newman has over fifteen years experience in the plastic injection-molding industry. As plant controller of two separate divisions of Amerace Corporation he was responsible for all financial functions and departmental cost controls. As CFO of Premium Plastics, Inc. he led the restructuring effort that created more than $2 million in positive EBITDA. Other experiences in the injection molding industry include Stepco Corporation and Engineered Specialty Plastics, Inc.
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Additionally, Mr. Newman has experience with initiating and implementing a company-wide system change to an integrated ERP computer system. He established and implemented general business and financial strategies, department control and standards. He has directed all accounting disciplines, including general ledger, cost accounting, accounts receivable/payables, payroll, tax activity, and various bank functions. Mr. Newman monitored MRP planning, inventory, purchasing, and customer backlog efforts.
Mr. Newman found success utilizing Total Quality Management inn areas of supervision, relationships with internal and external customers, and business procedures and processes. He maintained the integrity of all the financial records and integrated reporting systems and performed treasury functions to include cash management, securing operating funds, and investment of surplus business funds. He provided consultation to company presidents regarding business matters and control of organization.
Mr. Newman received his B.S. in Accounting from Walton School of Commerce.
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Jay Ehrlich
Director
jehrlich@whiteoakgroup.net
847-922-2042
Jay Ehrlich has over fifteen years of experience in acquisitions, distressed businesses, private equity and operations. As Vice President of Acquisitions of Wisconsin Automated Machinery Corp of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Mr. Ehrlich led the acquisition of the company from Medalist Industries, performed due diligence, valued potential acquisitions through traditional financial analysis as well as valuation metrics and other techniques, obtained financing, sourced acquisitions, and liquidated surplus operations of acquisitions. Mr. Ehrlich spun off the Wisconsin Automated Machinery business lines for in excess of ten times the originally invested equity. He also completed the buyout of Diehl Machines in Wabash, Indiana from Katy Industries (NYSE) and served as Chairman of the Board. Mr. Ehrlich has continued to advise companies and owner groups on acquisition strategy and financing, restructuring and strategic alternatives, and capital raising.
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Prior to his business and private equity experience, Mr. Ehrlich had a private law practice focusing on insolvency, bankruptcy, and acquisitions. He represented bankruptcy trustees, secured and unsecured creditors and debtors, and private equity groups.
Mr. Ehrlich was educated at the University of Texas (BS, Finance), Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri (JD). He is an active member of the Turnaround Management Association and the Association for Corporate Growth.
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©
2006, White Oak Group. All rights reserved.
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