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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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Jack Gracheck
Managing Partner-Dallas
jgracheck@whiteoakgroup.net
469-877-6575
Jack Gracheck has an extensive background in the leveraged finance industry that spans twenty-five years. During that time he has been a senior lender, mezzanine lender, equity investor, investment banker, CFO and CEO in troubled company situations and served on several corporate boards
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Mr. Gracheck has held senior leadership roles with CitiCorp Leverage Finance, Bank of America Business Credit and Textron Financial Corp, and has managed private equity and meazzaine funds. At CitiCorp Gracheck was involved in some of the largest cash flow LBO transactions ever syndicated at the time. After CitiCorp, he joined a Dallas-based private equity firm where he spearheaded several transactions, served on two boards and was the interim-president of a troubled company investment until it was sold to an industry competitor. Also Gracheck was involved in the creation and launch of Guaranty Mezzanine fund, where he closed five new investments and served on several boards. Most recently, Mr. Gracheck served as Director and SVP for the Finance Company lending unit of Textron Financial Corp where he was its top producer for the last several years.
Mr. Gracheck holds a BBA in marketing from the University of Notre Dame and a Masters Degree in finance from Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
He is an active member of the Turnaround Management Association, the Association for Corporate Growth , the International Factoring Association and the Finance Forum.
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Douglas E. Zwiener
Partner
dzwiener@whiteoakgroup.net
847-441-2973
Mr. Zwiener has more than 25 years in lending, restructuring advisory, equity investment and business ownership. He has held senior leadership roles at PNC Business Credit, Wachovia, GE Corporate Lending and Buccino & Associates. His focus has been on middle-market companies requiring hands-on financial engineering working directly with CEO’s, CFO’s and business owners. Mr. Zwiener’s primary work has been financial management and restructuring of client companies. These have included cash-flow analysis, going-concern acquisition and divestitures, cost and capital structure improvements. . |
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Previous assignments include the management of retail inventory liquidations, debt restructuring in bankruptcy, cash-flow reporting and modeling, vendor consolidation plans and creditor/lender negotiations. Mr. Zwiener has also operated industrial manufacturing operations and has worked with lending organizations in portfolio and new business origination.
Mr. Zwiener received his Masters of Management degree from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management and his Bachelor of Business Administration with an accounting concentration from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX.
Mr. Zwiener is an active member of the Turnaround Management Association and the Association for Corporate Growth
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Jerrold B. Newman
Director
jnewman@whiteoakgroup.net
312-401-1481
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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©
2006, White Oak Group. All rights reserved.
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