Cyprium Partners Announces Exit from Big Rock Sports, LLC
Cleveland, OH – October 17, 2007 – Key Principal Partners (KPP), a $1 billion private equity firm, today announced that it has sold its investment in Big Rock Sports, LLC, to members of the Company’s management team and Bison Capital Asset Management, LLC.
KPP invested $13.1 million in subordinated debt and common stock to facilitate a recapitalization of the company in 2000 in conjunction with J.P. Morgan Partners.
Big Rock, headquartered in Newport, NC, is a leading distributor of hunting, fishing, shooting, marine and camping equipment and supplies. Big Rock has an active customer base of 14,000 hunting and fishing retailers, which it services from six distribution centers located from coast to coast. Big Rock Sports is the parent company of All Sports, AWR Sports, CSI Sports, Henry’s and MT Sports. During KPP’s involvement with the business, Big Rock grew significantly through both acquisition and geographic expansion.
“We’re very pleased with the outcome of this transaction,” said Beth Laschinger, Vice President at KPP. “Our philosophy is to back great management teams and we’re excited to see Big Rock acquired by its very talented executives.”
About Key Principal Partners
Key Principal Partners (KPP) is a nationally recognized private investment firm providing capital to middle market companies throughout North America. KPP utilizes mezzanine and equity capital to fund the growth, buyout, refinancing or acquisition of profitable companies. KPP’s flexible approach to structuring investments does not require control of companies. KPP has over $1 billion in capital under management and can invest $7 million to $40 million in companies with at least $20 million in revenue. Headquartered in Cleveland, KPP is affiliated with KeyCorp, and has offices in Greenwich and San Francisco.
About KeyCorp
Cleveland-based KeyCorp is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $94 billion. Key companies provide investment management, retail and commercial banking, consumer finance, and investment banking products and services to individuals and companies throughout the United States and, for certain businesses, internationally. For more information, visit www.Key.com.