Derek F. Ladgenski

Representative Experience

• Represented administrative agent, sole bookrunner and joint lead arranger of a $605 million senior secured credit facility to support the merger of a Canada-based pet supply retailer with a similar US-based retailer to create a system of more than 930 store locations. Proceeds were used to consummate the acquisition, refinance existing debt, and provide ongoing working capital and funds for future acquisitions.
• Represented administrative agent, joint bookrunners and lenders in a $432 million senior secured credit facility to facilitate the leveraged buyout of a national and international sportswear manufacturer. Proceeds were used to consummate the acquisition, refinance existing debt, and provide ongoing working capital and funds for future acquisitions.
• Represented administrative agent, joint bookrunners and lenders in a $345 million senior secured credit facility to facilitate the leveraged buyout of a national spring and fastener manufacturer comprised of more than 13 divisions. Proceeds were used to consummate the acquisition, refinance existing debt, and provide ongoing working capital and funds for future acquisitions.
• Represented administrative agent, joint bookrunners and lenders in a $225 million senior secured credit facility to facilitate the leveraged buyout of an end-to-end records and information management lifecycle services company serving more than 10,000 clients across various industries. Proceeds were used to consummate the acquisition, refinance existing debt, and provide ongoing working capital and funds for future acquisitions.
• Represented joint lead arranger, joint bookrunner, syndication agent and lender in a $225 million senior secured credit facility to facilitate the leveraged buyout of a foreign-based, NASDAQ-listed designer and provider of client/server products for electronic payments. Proceeds were used to consummate the acquisition, refinance existing debt, and provide ongoing working capital and funds for future acquisitions. Also represented administrative agent, joint lead arranger, joint bookrunner and lender in the refinanced credit facility, which facilitated the acquisition of a domestic developer and provider of money transfer and payments technology solutions.
• Represented administrative agent, joint bookrunners and lenders in a $185 million senior secured credit facility to facilitate the leveraged buyout of a national and international franchisor of several different concepts in the automobile aftermarkets. Proceeds were used to consummate the acquisition, refinance existing debt, and provide ongoing working capital and funds for future acquisitions.
• Represented joint bookrunners, administrative agent and lenders in a $172 million "one-stop" senior secured credit facility to facilitate the leveraged buyout of the leading provider of therapeutic massages in the United States, a national franchise with more than 1.25 million members spread across 800 locations in 45 states. Proceeds were used to consummate the acquisition, refinance existing debt and provide ongoing working capital.
• Represented issuing lender, documentation agent and certain senior lenders in a $145 million senior secured credit facility to facilitate the leveraged buyout of a nationally and internationally known restaurant chain with more than 460 locations. Also represented administrative agent, lead arranger, bookrunner and lenders in a subsequent refinancing of such facility with the proceeds of high-yield debt.
• Represented administrative agent, lead arranger, bookrunner and lenders in a $108.4 million senior secured credit facility to facilitate a minority investment in, and dividend recapitalization to private equity owners of, a global fitness concept with more than 2,400 gyms serving 2 million members on five continents. Proceeds were used to finance the investment and dividend, refinance existing debt, and provide ongoing working capital and funds for future expansion.
• Represented administrative agent, lead arranger, bookrunner and lenders in a $98 million senior secured credit facility to facilitate a dividend recapitalization to private equity owners of a multi-state restaurant concept with more than 1,250 franchised locations. Proceeds were used to finance the dividend, refinance existing debt, and provide ongoing working capital and funds for future expansion.
• Represented lead arranger, administrative agent, joint bookrunners and lenders in a senior secured credit facility to facilitate the "going-private" leveraged buyout of a NASDAQ-listed developer and marketer of accessory lifestyle brands and products. Proceeds were used to consummate the transaction, refinance existing debt, and provide ongoing working capital and funds for future acquisitions.
• Represented administrative agent, lead arranger, bookrunner and lenders in a senior secured credit facility to facilitate the leveraged buyout of a privately owned, multi-state restaurant chain with more than 30 locations. Proceeds were used to consummate the acquisition, refinance existing debt, and provide ongoing working capital and funds for future expansion.
• Represented a private asset manager as the administrative agent, lead arranger and lender in a senior secured credit facility to support the acquisition of an industrial and home security product supplier by a private equity sponsor focused exclusively on the distribution industry.  
• Represented a large private credit provider as the administrative agent, lead arranger and lender in a senior secured, agented credit facility to support the acquisition of a vertically integrated wireless infrastructure services company by the private, middle-market investment arm of a publicly traded investment manager. 
• Represented the sponsor finance group of a multinational bank as the administrative agent, lead arranger and lender in a senior secured, agented credit facility to support the acquisition of a provider of seed packets and seed starting products by a private equity sponsor.  
• Represented a leading middle market private equity and credit investment firm as the administrative agent, lead arranger and lender in a senior secured, agented credit facility to support the recapitalization of a private equity sponsor-owned behavioral health services provider.  
• Represented the sponsor finance group of a multinational bank as the administrative agent, lead arranger and lender in a cross-border, multicurrency credit facility to support the recapitalization of a private equity sponsor-backed aerospace and aviation fabricator and its acquisition of an English manufacturer of aerospace components and assemblies.  
• Represented a leading middle market private equity and credit investment firm as the administrative agent, lead arranger and lender in a senior secured, agented credit facility to a specialty distributor of heating oil, propane and other petroleum products and related services to homeowners and small businesses in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions of the United States. The credit facilities were used, together with an institutional, asset-based credit facility, to support the support the recapitalization of the private equity sponsor-owned company. 
• Represented the sponsor finance group of a multinational bank as the administrative agent, lead arranger and lead lender in a cross-border, multicurrency credit facility to support the recapitalization and reorganization of a private equity sponsor-backed company that acts as one of the largest distributors of animal feed minerals, ingredients and additives in Canada.  
• Represented the franchise finance group of a multinational bank as the administrative agent, lead arranger and lead lender in a senior secured credit facility to support the acquisition by a private equity sponsor of one of the largest national Pizza Hut franchisee groups, with more than 100 locations.