The Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Houston proudly announced the Deal of the Year winners at the Eighth annual awards ceremony on Wednesday, April 30 at the Houston Country Club. ACG Houston’s event celebrated Houston’s booming middle-market deal community, honoring the deals and dealmakers who drive middle market growth and their success in generating job growth, capital formation and the advancement of meaningful business relationships in the Houston community.
The finalists have been reviewed and ranked by our independent judges panel of top business leaders and educators including Gustavo Grullon, PhD, Professor of Finance at the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University, Frances Powell Hawes, Independent Director for Vital Energy, Inc. and Archrock, Inc., Ernest Hunter, Chief Executive Officer of The Frenchy’s Companies, Jennifer Whalen, Chief Financial Officer of The Bristow Group Inc., and Ken Wiles, PhD, CFA, Executive Director of Hick, Muse, Tate & Furst Center for Private Equity Finance and a Clinical Associate Professor of Finance at the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin.
The criteria for the nominations includes a closing date between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024, where the company being transacted, or strategic buyer, is based in the Greater Houston area. The nomination criteria included details such as transaction value range, industry focus and type of transaction as well as anecdotal commentary on what makes the deal unique. Judges evaluated deals based on the parties’ submissions as well as the overall story, economic and strategic impact, stakeholder value and professional expertise.
“This year’s Deal of the Year Awards highlighted the talent, innovation, and perseverance driving Houston’s middle market,” said Troy Sanchez, Director of Business Development at Baker Tilly and Chair of the ACG Houston Deal of the Year Awards. “It was inspiring to see so many strategic—and invariably complex—transactions cross the finish line, reflecting the strength and collaboration of our dealmaking community.”
2024 DEAL OF THE YEAR
The Acquisition of Adapt2 Solutions by Energy Exemplar a portfolio company of Blackstone Energy Transition Partners & Vista Equity Partners
- Seller: Adapt2 Solutions
- Buyer: Blackstone Energy Transition Partners
- Sell-side Investment Bank: Crutchfield Capital
- Buy-side Quality of Earnings Provider: Alvarez & Marsal
- Seller Counsel: Foley & Lardner
- Buyer Counsel: Kirkland & Ellis LLP
- Private Equity: Vista Equity Partners
CONSUMER PRODUCT & SERVICES DEAL OF THE YEAR
The Acquisition of Texas Tool Traders by U.S. LBM a portfolio company of Bain Capital Private Equity and Platinum Equity
- Seller: Texas Tool Traders
- Buyer: U.S. LBM
- Sell-side Investment Bank: GulfStar Group
- Sell-side Quality of Earnings Provider: Moss Adams
- Buy-side Quality of Earnings Provider: Katz, Sapper & Miller
- Seller Counsel: Nance & Simpson
- Buyer Counsel: Honigman
- Private Equity: Bain Capital Private Equity | Platinum Equity (buyer sponsors)
E&P (UPSTREAM) DEAL OF THE YEAR
The Acquisition of Apache Corporation’s East Texas Eagle Ford Assets by WildFire Energy a portfolio company of Kayne Anderson and Warburg Pincus
- Seller: Apache Corporation
- Buyer: WildFire Energy, LLC
- Sell-side Investment Bank: TD Securities
- Buyer Counsel: Troutman Pepper Locke (Locke Lord, LLP), Vinson & Elkins, LLP, Paul Hastings, LLP
- Senior Debt: JP Morgan Chase & Co.
- Junior Debt: Bank of America
- Private Equity: Kayne Anderson, Warburg Pincus
- Other Consultants: Kayne Anderson, Warburg Pincus, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
FOOD & BEVERAGE DEAL OF THE YEAR
The Acquisition of Mama Lycha Foods by Rotunda Capital Partners
- Seller: Mama Lycha Foods
- Buyer: Rotunda Capital Partners, LLC
- Sell-side Investment Bank: Statesman Corporate Finance, LLC
- Sell-side Quality of Earnings Provider: Crowe, LLP
- Buy-side Quality of Earnings Provider: Katz, Sapper, & Miller
- Seller Counsel: Haynes & Boone, LLP
- Buyer Counsel: Greenberg Traurig, LLP
- Senior Debt: Kayne Anderson
- Private Equity: Rotunda Capital Partners, LLC
- Other Consultants: Crowe, LLP
INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION DEAL OF THE YEAR
The Acquisition of Katy Steel Company by Groupe AGF
- Seller: Katy Steel Company
- Buyer: Groupe AGF
- Sell-side Investment Bank: Statesman Corporate Finance, LLC
- Buy-side Quality of Earnings Provider: PWC (Canada)
- Seller Counsel: Adams and Reese LLP
- Buyer Counsel: Holland & Knight
- Senior Debt: National Bank of Canada
- Other Consultants: Miller Grossbard Advisors
INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING DEAL OF THE YEAR
The Acquisition of American Alloy Steel, Inc. by Reliance, Inc.
- Seller: American Alloy Steel, Inc.
- Buyer: Reliance, Inc.
- Seller Counsel: BoyarMiller
INDUSTRIAL SERVICES DEAL OF THE YEAR
The Acquisition of Integrity Elevator Solutions by Del Monte Capital
- Seller: Integrity Elevator Services
- Buyer: Del Monte Capital
- Buy-side Quality of Earnings Provider: Embark
- Seller Counsel: Ewing & Jones
- Buyer Counsel: Crady Jewett McCulley & Houren LLP
- Senior Debt: Woodforest National
- Private Equity: Del Monte Capital
OILFIELD SERVICES DEAL OF THE YEAR
The Acquisition of Mobile Energy Rentals by Solaris Energy Infrastructure
- Seller: Mobile Energy Rentals
- Buyer: Solaris Energy Infrastructure
- Buy-side Investment Bank: Piper Sandler
- Buyer Counsel: Vinson & Elkins
- Other Consultants: Paul Hastings (Piper Sandler Counsel)
BUILDING PRODUCTS & CONSTRUCTION SERVICES DEAL OF THE YEAR
The Acquisition of AHI Supply by High Street Capital
- Seller: AHI Supply
- Buyer: High Street Capital
- Sell-side Investment Bank: GulfStar Group
- Sell-side Quality of Earnings Provider: Calvetti Ferguson
- Buy-side Quality of Earnings Provider: CohnReznick
- Seller Counsel: Porter Hedges
- Buyer Counsel: Perkins Coie
- Senior Debt: First Bank
- Junior Debt: Wells Fargo Strategic Finance
- Other Consultants: HUB International
TECHNOLOGY & BUSINESS SERVICES (CORPORATE / STRATEGIC ACQUISITION) DEAL OF THE YEAR
The Acquisition of Adapt2 Solutions by Energy Exemplar a portfolio company of Blackstone Energy Transition Partners & Vista Equity Partners
- Seller: Adapt2 Solutions
- Buyer: Blackstone Energy Transition Partners
- Sell-side Investment Bank: Crutchfield Capital
- Buy-side Quality of Earnings Provider: Alvarez & Marsal
- Seller Counsel: Foley & Lardner
- Buyer Counsel: Kirkland & Ellis LLP
- Private Equity: Vista Equity Partners
TECHNOLOGY & BUSINESS SERVICES (RECAPITALIZATION) DEAL OF THE YEAR
The Acquisition of Healthy Bites Collective by Genesis Park and Riveter Capital
- Seller: The Healthy Lunch Box
- Buyer: Genesis Park
- Buy-side Quality of Earnings Provider: Bennett Thrasher
- Seller Counsel: Nixon Peabody
- Buyer Counsel: Porter Hedges
- Senior Debt: Genesis Park
- Private Equity: Riveter Capital
- Other Consultants: Bowen, Miclette & Britt
HOUSTON PRIVATE EQUITY (ACQUISITION) DEAL OF THE YEAR
The Acquisition of Quiltcraft Industries, Inc. by Willistown Capital
- Seller: Quiltcraft Industries, Inc.
- Buyer: Willistown Capital
- Sell-side Investment Bank: Statesman Corporate Finance, LLC
- Buy-side Quality of Earnings Provider: Calvetti Ferguson
- Seller Counsel: Hallett Perrin
- Buyer Counsel: McGuireWoods
- Senior Debt: Cadence Bank
- Junior Debt: Providence Investment Partners, Midwest Mezzanine Funds
- Private Equity: Two Local Houston Family Offices
- Other Consultants: Baker Tilly
HOUSTON PRIVATE EQUITY (DIVESTITURE) DEAL OF THE YEAR
A Divestiture of Sallyport Commercial Finance by Sallyport Investments
- Seller: Sallyport Commercial Finance
- Buyer: Northrim BanCorp
- Sell-side Investment Bank: Keefe, Bruyette & Woods
- Buy-side Investment Bank: Janney Montgomery Scott
- Seller Counsel: Latham & Watkins
- Buyer Counsel: Accretive Legal, PLLC
- Other Consultants: Spencer Fein, Evershed Sutherland
HOUSTON IMPACT DEAL OF THE YEAR
The Acquisition of Allpoints Land Survey, Inc. by The CapStreet Group, LLP
- Seller: Allpoints Land Survey, Corp.
- Buyer: The Capstreet Group, LLC
- Sell-side Investment Bank: Statesman Corporate Finance
- Sell-side Quality of Earnings Provider: Abip Advisors, LLP
- Buy-side Quality of Earnings Provider: RSM US, LLP
- Seller Counsel: Porter Hedges LLP
- Buyer Counsel: Latham & Watkins LLP
- Senior Debt: Truist Financial
- Private Equity: The Capstreet Group, LLC
- Other Consultants: Acclaro Growth Partners, Inc