Weston Presidio is a private equity

Private equity

Private equity, in finance, is an asset class consisting of equity securities in operating companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange....

 firm focused on growth capital

Growth capital

Growth capital is a type of private equity investment, most often a minority investment, in relatively mature companies that are looking for capital to expand or restructure operations, enter new markets or finance a significant acquisition without a change of control of the business.Companies...

 investments in late-stage companies across a range of industries with a specific focus on the consumer products, business services, industrial, media, publishing, healthcare and technology sectors.

The firm, which is based in Boston, Massachusetts, has offices in San Francisco and Menlo Park, California

Menlo Park, California

Menlo Park, California is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, in the United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, and Stanford to the south; Atherton, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City...

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Weston Preisido was founded in 1991 by Michael Cronin, who had previously run the Boston office of Security Pacific Venture Capital Group, and Michael Lazarus who had previously been managing director of the Private Placement Department of Montgomery Securities

Montgomery Securities

Montgomery Securities was a west-coast investment bank based in San Francisco, California, that specialized in high technology and health care sectors. The firm was founded in 1978 by Thom Weisel....

. The firm has raised approximately $3.21 billion since inception across five funds. Weston Presidio's fifth fund was raised in 2005 with approximately $1 billion of investor commitments and has been focused primarily on investments in more mature companies.

Through the years, Weston Presidio has shifted its focus from earlier stage venture capital to investments in more mature companies and occasionally through leveraged recapitalization

Leveraged recapitalization

In corporate finance, a leveraged recapitalization is a change of the capital structure of a company, a substitution of equity for debt —e.g. by issuing bonds to raise money, and using that money to buy the company's stock or to pay dividends...

s and leveraged buyout

Leveraged buyout

A leveraged buyout occurs when an investor, typically financial sponsor, acquires a controlling interest in a company's equity and where a significant percentage of the purchase price is financed through leverage...

s.

Among Weston Presidio's most notable investments are: Associated Materials, Azul Brazilian Airlines

Azul Brazilian Airlines

Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras S/A is a Brazilian domestic low-cost airline based in Barueri. It was established on 5 May 2008 by Brazilian-born David Neeleman, founder and former-CEO of JetBlue. The airline began service on December 15, 2008 and has ordered a fleet of 76 Embraer 195 jets...

, BlueArc

BlueArc

BlueArc Corporation is a network storage device manufacturer headquartered in San Jose, California. BlueArc was founded in 1998 by Geoff Barrall, Jeff Pinkham and Jon Meyer. Initially based in the UK, BlueArc transitioned its HQ to the US in 2000 and became a US corporation at that time although...

, Boston Herald

Boston Herald

The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...

, Casella Waste Systems

Casella Waste Systems

Casella Waste Systems, Inc. is an integrated regional solid waste services company that provides collection, transfer, disposal, recycling and resource management services to residential, industrial and commercial customers, primarily throughout the eastern United States.Founded in Rutland, Vermont...

, Cybertrust

Cybertrust

CyberTrust was a security services company formed in Virginia in November 2004 as a result of a merger of the TruSecure and Betrusted security companies...

, DTS Digital Theater Systems, Evenflo, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, Learning Curve Brands

Learning Curve Brands

Learning Curve Brands, Inc. is a subsidiary of the RC2 Corporation. They market brands of children's toys such as American Red Cross, The First Years, Thomas the Tank Engine, and Lamaze....

, JetBlue Airways

JetBlue Airways

JetBlue Airways Corporation is an American low-cost airline. The company is headquartered in the Forest Hills neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens. Its main base is John F. Kennedy International Airport, also in Queens....

, Jimmy John's

Jimmy John's

Jimmy John's is a franchised sandwich restaurant founded by Jimmy John Liautaud in 1983 and headquartered in Champaign, Illinois. The franchise has over 1000 locations in 39 states and has opened approximately 200 units per year for the last three years...

, Lion Brewery, Inc.

Lion Brewery, Inc.

Lion Brewery, Inc, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States, is one of the oldest breweries still in operation within Pennsylvania. Its beers and sodas are sold in Pennsylvania and neighboring states.-History:...

, MacDermid, MapQuest

MapQuest

MapQuest is an American free online web mapping service owned by AOL. The company was founded in 1967 as Cartographic Services, a division of R.R. Donnelley & Sons in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1969. When it became an independent company in 1994, it was...

, Morris Air

Morris Air

Morris Air was a low-fare airline based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. It began operations in 1992. It was sold to Southwest Airlines in December 1993 for over $130 million. The airline officially became part of Southwest in Summer 1994.-History:...

, Nebraska Book Company, NextMedia Group

NextMedia Group

NextMedia Group is an out-of-home media company headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado. NextMedia owns and operates 33 AM and FM stations , 5,700 outdoor advertising display across several regions and markets , as well as an interactive division ....

, Papyrus, Party City

Party City

Party City is the largest retail party supply store in the United States, including Puerto Rico, with more than 500 corporate and franchised locations...

 (aka Amscan), Restoration Hardware

Restoration Hardware

Restoration Hardware is an American furniture chain of home furnishings, bath fixtures and bathware, functional and decorative hardware and related merchandise. The company defines its wares as classic and authentic American. Restoration Hardware, Inc. sells its merchandise offering through its...

, Robb Report

Robb Report

The Robb Report is an American, English-language, luxury-lifestyle magazine featuring products — including automobiles, real estate and watches — for affluent connoisseurs.-History:...

, Scene7

Scene7

Scene7 is an American on-demand rich media software company that provides document hosting and interactive publishing services such as online catalogs, targeted email, video, and image management. Several companies, mostly retailers, use the company's services to showcase products on their websites...

, Thomas Weisel Partners

Thomas Weisel Partners

Thomas Weisel Partners Group, Inc. , also known as TWP or Weisel, is a U.S. growth focused investment banking firm based in San Francisco, California....

, Tweeter Home Entertainment

Tweeter (store)

Tweeter Opco, LLC formerly Tweeter Etc. and Tweeter Home Entertainment, was a specialty consumer electronics retailer providing mid and high end electronic equipment, including flat panel TVs, plasma TVs, car radios, home theater systems, GPSs and more...

 and Wild Oats Markets

Wild Oats Markets

Wild Oats Markets was an operator of natural foods stores and farmers markets in North America. The stores offered dry grocery, meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, frozen, prepared foods, bakery, vitamins and supplements, health and body care, and household items. As of February 21, 2007, it operated...

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External links

• Weston Presidio (company website)