Gryphon Investors (“Gryphon”), a leading middle-market private equity firm, announced today that John Schumacher has joined the firm as a Partner to focus on multiple investment, managerial and strategic areas across the firm. More specifically, Mr. Schumacher’s responsibilities will include being a member of Gryphon’s Investment Review and Quarterly Portfolio Review Committees, co-heading Gryphon’s mezzanine funds, co-leading fundraising, and coaching various Gryphon professionals.

Mr. Schumacher has 30 years of private equity experience, having co-founded and led GoldPoint Partners LLC, a subsidiary of New York Life Insurance Company, where he presided over $7.4 billion invested in 351 direct deals and more than $15 billion in fund commitments. During his tenure, assets under management grew from $1.5 billion to over $13.6 billion. In addition, while at GoldPoint, Mr. Schumacher established a close partnership with Gryphon, providing true leadership and support as an LP Advisory Committee member and leading nine Gryphon fund investments and numerous co-investments and debt investments (in aggregate over $1 billion invested and committed) on behalf of GoldPoint and New York Life.

David Andrews, Gryphon’s Founder and CEO, said, “We are truly thrilled to welcome John as a Partner. Having worked with him extensively over the last 20 years, we developed a very close relationship over multiple PE cycles, through which my Partners and I gained a deep appreciation for John’s rare combination of strong analytical and quantitative skills with very impressive strategic and creative aptitudes. John’s proven leadership talents and personal values will be invaluable also to Gryphon as our firm continues to grow and develop.”

Mr. Schumacher earned his BA in History in 1978 from Columbia College and an MBA in 1989 from New York University’s Stern School of Business. Prior to joining New York Life in 1991 in the Private Finance Group, he was a Vice President in the Private Placement Department of Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company, where he began his career in finance. In 1999, based on the strong returns generated for New York Life in private equity, and the growing acceptance of the asset class, Mr. Schumacher co-founded GoldPoint. This created a dedicated and aligned team to manage private equity assets for both New York Life and third parties. He served as CEO of GoldPoint from inception until 2009, when he was named Chairman, responsible for overseeing all investment and business development activities and managing its fund investment business.

Mr. Schumacher commented, “I am delighted and honored to join Gryphon as a Partner. I have long respected Gryphon’s unique, integrated investment approach which combines both deal and operational expertise with repeatable processes and important cultural values that enable consistently-high investment returns with no losses of principal. I look forward to applying the leadership, strategic and investment skills I have honed over the past 30 years to contribute to the continued development of Gryphon’s team, its portfolio companies, and Gryphon itself. I believe my love for this asset class, as well as my deep respect for Gryphon, will enable me, in some small way, to add to the legacy that is Gryphon Investors.”

Nick Orum, Gryphon President and Co-founder, added, “Gryphon has benefitted for two decades from John’s global private equity perspectives, value-added investment insights, and true-partnership orientation as one of our lead LPs. We are delighted to now benefit from his comprehensive focus as our Partner, including from his extensive managerial experience and proven leadership skills.”

About Gryphon Investors
Based in San Francisco, Gryphon Investors (www.gryphoninvestors.com) is a leading private equity firm focused on profitably growing and competitively enhancing middle-market companies in partnership with experienced management. The firm has managed over $5.0 billion of equity investments and capital since 1997. Gryphon targets making equity investments of $50 million to $300 million in portfolio companies with enterprise values ranging from approximately $100 million to $600 million. Gryphon prioritizes investment opportunities where it can form strong partnerships with owners and executives to build leading companies, utilizing Gryphon’s capital, specialized professional resources, and operational expertise.

Gryphon Investors (“Gryphon”), a San Francisco-based private equity firm, today announced that it held a final closing of Gryphon Mezzanine Partners II, L.P. (“the Fund”) at its cap, achieving $300 million of aggregate commitments. The Fund was oversubscribed and closed above its $225 million target with commitments from new and existing LPs.

This is Gryphon’s second junior debt fund. The firm’s first junior debt fund, Gryphon Mezzanine Partners, L.P., closed in August 2017 at its cap of $105 million. Gryphon has also raised six control private equity funds since 1997.

The Fund will participate on a minority basis in the junior debt financings of Gryphon portfolio companies, in all cases led by leading independent third-party lenders. The Fund will be managed by existing Gryphon professionals.

Gryphon founder and CEO David Andrews commented, “Our mezzanine strategy was initiated to satisfy the demand of a number of the firm’s limited partners seeking attractive risk adjusted yields in the junior debt securities of Gryphon portfolio companies. We viewed this as an opportunity to add a complementary strategy to our primary strategy of control equity investing. We are pleased that the Fund has been well-received, both by existing investors and investors not previously invested in Gryphon funds. As always, we very much appreciate their enthusiastic support.” 

For the past 25 consecutive quarters, Gryphon has placed on Preqin’s “Consistent Performers” quarterly North American buyout rankings for its private equity investing strategy. Gryphon’s most recent private equity buyout fund, Gryphon Partners V, L.P., which closed in April 2019 with $2.1 billion in commitments, now includes eight portfolio company investments and is approximately 80% committed with the December close of Heartland Veterinary Partners.

About Gryphon Investors
Based in San Francisco, Gryphon Investors (www.gryphoninvestors.com) is a leading private equity firm focused on profitably growing and competitively enhancing middle-market companies in partnership with experienced management. The firm has managed over $5.0 billion of equity investments and capital since 1997. Gryphon targets making equity investments of $100 million to $300 million in portfolio companies with sales ranging from approximately $100 million to $500 million. Gryphon prioritizes investment opportunities where it can form strong partnerships with owners and executives to build leading companies, utilizing Gryphon’s capital, specialized professional resources, and operational expertise.