GE Antares Capital Finances Ridgemont Equity Partners’ Acquisition of The Cook & Boardman Group, LLC

GE Antares, a unit of GE Capital, announced today it is serving as administrative agent on a senior secured credit facility to support the acquisition of The Cook & Boardman Group, LLC by Ridgemont Equity Partners. GE Capital Markets served as sole lead arranger and sole bookrunner on this facility.

Headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and founded in 1955, Cook & Boardman distributes customized entry solutions for nonresidential buildings. With twenty locations across eight states, the company serves the non-residential construction market, including the education, municipal, healthcare, commercial, office, multi-family and hospitality sectors.

“Ridgemont is very optimistic about Cook & Boardman’s growth opportunities in the non-residential construction sector. GE Antares was the right choice to lead this acquisition due to their certainty of execution and knowledge and experience in the construction industry,” said Rob Edwards, partner at Ridgemont.

“We're pleased to provide debt financing to Ridgemont in support of the Cook & Boardman acquisition,” said Dave Swanson, managing director of GE Antares. "There are many promising growth opportunities at Cook & Boardman, and we look forward to supporting Ridgemont and management as the company executes on their strategic mission.”

About The Cook & Boardman Group

Cook & Boardman is a leading specialty distributor of commercial metal and wood doors, door frames, door hardware, and related products, including access control devices and specialty products. The Company serves the non-residential construction market, including the education, municipal, healthcare, commercial, office, multi-family, and hospitality sectors. Cook & Boardman is headquartered in North Carolina with twenty locations across eight states. www.cookandboardman.com

About Ridgemont Equity Partners

Ridgemont Equity Partners is a Charlotte-based middle market buyout and growth equity investor. Since 1993, the principals of Ridgemont have invested over $3 billion in more than 110 companies. The firm focuses on investments of $25 million to $100 million in industries in which it has deep expertise, including basic industries and services, energy, healthcare, and telecommunications/media/technology.
www.ridgemontep.com

About GE Antares Capital

GE Antares is a unit of GE Capital. With offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, GE Antares is a leading middle market lender, offering a “one-stop” source for GE’s lending and other services offered to middle market private equity sponsors. GE Antares was recognized by Private Debt Investor and Private Equity International as 2013 Lender of the Year, North America and Mid-Cap Lender of the Year, North America, respectively. For more information, visit geantares.com.

GE Capital offers consumers and businesses around the globe an array of financial products and services. For more information, visit www.gecapital.com or follow company news via Twitter (https://twitter.com/GECapital).

GE (NYSE:GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.