Press Releases

Palladium Equity Partners, LLC Promotes Its Next Generation of Leaders

— Six Managing Directors with an average tenure of over 10 years at the Firm have been promoted to Partner —

— An 11 member Management Committee with an average tenure of over 12 years at Palladium will drive the Firm’s growth strategy for the future —

NEW YORK, Jan. 13, 2020 — Palladium Equity Partners, LLC (“Palladium” or “the Firm”), a middle market private equity firm with approximately $3 billion in assets under management, today announced that the 23-year-old Firm has promoted its next generation of leaders who are driving the Firm and its growth strategy for the future.

Palladium’s Founder, Marcos A. Rodriguez, announced today that six Managing Directors – Chris Allen, Leon Brujis, Caleb Clark, Justin Green, Daniel Ilundain and Adam Shebitz – have been promoted to Partner and admitted to the Firm’s Management Committee. They will join Eugenie Cesar-Fabian, Susan Lyons, Kevin Reymond and Suzanne Wong, as well as Mr. Rodriguez, who will continue to lead the Firm as Chairman and CEO, expanding the Management Committee to eleven members. Each of the six Partners sits on Palladium’s Investment Committee, which leads the Firm’s private equity investing team.

Mr. Rodriguez said, “Palladium is distinguished by a talented, experienced and diverse team. These professionals have been leading our various deal teams and making critical decisions for the better part of the last 23 years and will continue to lead the Firm as we build Palladium for the future. Core to Palladium’s strategy is our commitment to serving as trusted stewards of capital for institutional investors, including pension funds that invest the retirement savings of more than 3 million hard working families, including teachers, firefighters and police officers. We believe passionately in the importance of having a diverse Management Committee — a leadership group whose background, experience and composition identifies and empathizes with the hardworking people whose money we are investing.

“As we make these promotions, everyone within Palladium is energized by the opportunity to continue working with portfolio company founders and management teams to help improve and grow their businesses into larger and more valuable market leaders,” added Mr. Rodriguez. “It has been gratifying to watch the Firm’s next generation grow and assume greater responsibility for its direction over the last two decades. I am proud that their leadership roles are being recognized with these promotions and their admission to the Firm’s Management Committee.”

Additionally, three investment professionals— David Perez, Luis Zaldivar, and Erik Scott— will be transitioning out of Palladium in 2020 to pursue other opportunities.  Luis will remain a senior advisor and Erik will remain an advisor to the Firm during their transition. “We are grateful for the many contributions Luis and Erik have made during their 16 and 14 years, respectively, with Palladium. We are also grateful for the contributions David has made during his 16 years with the Firm. We wish them each our very best for continued success,” said CEO Marcos Rodriguez.

Palladium is presently investing from Palladium Equity Partners V, L.P., which closed earlier this year with commitments of $1.56 billion.

Palladium Management Committee Members

  • Chris Allen (age 41) joined Palladium in 2017 and focuses primarily on Food. Mr. Allen serves on the Board of Directors of Palladium portfolio companies Quirch Foods, Spice World and Raben Tire and previously served on the Board of Directors of Palladium portfolio companies Del Real and Kar’s Nuts. Mr. Allen serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Investment Companies (NAIC). Prior to Palladium, Mr. Allen worked at Arlon Capital Partners, GenNx360 Capital Partners, Windjammer Capital Investors and Bain & Company.
  • Leon Brujis (age 38) joined Palladium in 2007 and focuses primarily on Origination and Underwriting. Mr. Brujis serves on the Board of Directors of Palladium portfolio companies TransForce and Cannella and previously served on the Board of Directors of Palladium portfolio companies Del Real, Pronto Insurance, Raben Tire, Teasdale and Celeritas. Mr. Brujis serves on the Board of Directors of the New America Alliance (NAA). Prior to Palladium, Mr. Brujis worked at Lehman Brothers.
  • Eugenie Cesar-Fabian (age 43) is General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. She joined the Firm in 2011. She is a board member of the St John’s University School of Law Alumni Association and a member of the Financial Women’s Association. Prior to joining Palladium, she served as counsel at Bingham McCutchen LLP. Ms. Cesar-Fabian began her career as a securities litigator at Hughes Hubbard & Reed, LLP.
  • Caleb Clark (age 44) joined Palladium in 2014 and focuses primarily on Industrials. Mr. Clark serves on the Board of Directors of Palladium portfolio companies GoodWest and QMax and previously served on the Board of Directors of Palladium portfolio companies Cannella, Del Real, Raben Tire and Jordan Health Services. Prior to Palladium, Mr. Clark worked at Windjammer Capital Investors, Genstar Capital and Deutsche Banc Alex Brown.
  • Justin Green (age 39) joined Palladium in 2004 and focuses primarily on Financial and Consumer Services. Mr. Green serves on the Board of Directors of Palladium portfolio companies CircusTrix, Daniel’s Jewelers and Fora Financial and previously served on the Board of Directors of Palladium portfolio companies ABRA, Capital Contractors, Clarion and Herald National Bank. Mr. Green serves on the Board of Directors of the non-profit Sarcoma Foundation of America. Prior to Palladium, Mr. Green worked at Citigroup.
  • Daniel Ilundain (age 44) joined Palladium in 2005 and focuses primarily on Manufacturing and Environmental Services. Mr. Ilundain serves on the Board of Directors of Palladium portfolio companies Del Real, QMax and TransForce and previously served on the Board of Directors of Palladium portfolio companies Aconcagua, Capital Contractors, Castro Cheese, GoodWest, Jordan Health Services, Taco Bueno and Teasdale. Mr. Ilundain serves on the Board of Directors of the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Prior to Palladium, Mr. Ilundain worked in private equity & venture capital at BBVA. Mr. Ilundain is a CFA charterholder.
  • Susan Lyons (age 55) is Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Administration. She joined the Firm at its inception in 1997. Prior to joining Palladium, Ms. Lyons worked at J.H. Whitney & Co. and RFE Investment Partners.
  • Kevin Reymond (age 64) serves as Chief Financial Officer. He joined Palladium in 2000. Mr. Reymond has served on the Board of Directors of Palladium portfolio companies Haden, Prince International and Syntiro. Mr. Reymond currently serves on the Executive Board at the non-profit Friends of American Revolution at West Point. Previously, he was the CEO of Hibernia Communications, LLC, a Palladium portfolio company. He is a former SVP and CFO of Viacom Broadcast Group and Viacom Interactive Media. Prior to Viacom, Mr. Reymond worked in acquisitions at Westinghouse Broadcasting and Price Waterhouse. Mr. Reymond is a CPA.
  • Marcos Rodriguez (age 58) is Chairman and CEO. He founded the Firm in 1997 and has served on the boards of numerous Palladium portfolio companies. Mr. Rodriguez serves on the Board of Trustees of New York-Presbyterian, the University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell. Mr. Rodriguez also serves on the Board of the Alfred E. Smith Foundation. Prior to forming Palladium, Mr. Rodriguez was a partner at Joseph Littlejohn and Levy (JLL), and worked in operations for General Electric Company.
  • Adam Shebitz (age 40) joined Palladium in 2006 and focuses primarily on Healthcare Services. Mr. Shebitz serves on the Board of Directors of Palladium portfolio companies Kymera International and QMax and previously served on the Board of Directors of Palladium portfolio companies American Gilsonite, Prince International and Spice World. Prior to joining Palladium, Mr. Shebitz worked at Banc of America Securities.
  • Suzanne Wong (age 47) is Principal, Finance and Chief Tax Officer. She joined Palladium in 2017. Previously, she was the Head of Tax Finance at Apollo Global Management, LLC. Before joining Apollo, Ms. Wong worked at KKR & Co L.P. and Sony. Ms. Wong began her career in tax at Arthur Andersen. She serves on the NY Chapter advisory board for the non-profit African Children’s Choir. Ms. Wong is also a CPA.

About Palladium Equity Partners, LLC
Palladium is a middle market private equity firm with approximately $3 billion of assets under management. The firm seeks to acquire and grow companies in partnership with founders and experienced management teams by providing capital, strategic guidance and operational oversight. Since its founding in 1997, Palladium has made 33 platform investments and over 130 add-on acquisitions. For more information on Palladium Equity Partners, please visit www.palladiumequity.com.

Contact:

Todd Fogarty
Kekst CNC
todd.fogarty@kekstcnc.com
212-521-4854