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Martin (Marty) Ruhaak has built an impressive reputation in the private equity industry for tackling complexities and designing deal structures that help clients optimize value and strategic opportunities.
Clients value Marty’s sophisticated understanding of how to navigate the issues facing private equity firms and their portfolio companies, as demonstrated by his many deep-rooted client relationships that extend to multiple deals in diverse industries. He has a unique ability to assist private equity investors throughout the life cycle of an investment, navigating business, regulatory and transactional issues in volatile markets.
Marty complements wide-ranging transactional knowledge with a keen understanding of the objectives and risks associated with his clients’ target industries, enabling him to serve as both a strategic and transactional advisor. He leads legal teams across numerous key industries, including health care, life sciences and pharma, technology, business services, insurance, financial services, asset management, retail and consumer products, government contracts, and energy.
Marty’s experience encompasses the full range of strategic transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, dispositions, leveraged buyouts, equity and debt financings, restructurings, recapitalizations, continuation vehicles and GP-led transactions. In addition to private equity firms, his clients include leading public companies, family offices, institutional investors, high-net-worth individuals and mezzanine equity/debt funds, and public and private companies.
Marty is recognized by The Legal 500—the world’s largest legal referral guide—as a go-to attorney for “M&A/Corporate and Commercial – Private Equity Buyouts, and, in 2022, was recognized by Law360 as a Rising Star in Private Equity.
Experience
- Represented BPEA EQT:
- Acquisition of PageUp from Battery Ventures
- Acquisition of GeBBS Healthcare Solutions, a global provider of healthcare outsourcing solutions
- Acquisition of WSO2, a leading provider of digital technologies including application development and identity and access management enterprise software
- Acquisition of IMG Academy from Endeavor Group Holdings
- Acquisition of the US healthcare consulting business of Hinduja Global Solutions
- Sale of global surgical business of Lumenis Ltd. to Boston Scientific Corporation
- As a selling stockholder in the CAD$1.36 billion initial public offering of TELUS International, Inc.
- Acquisition of Straive, a global provider of technology-driven content and data solutions
- Represented BBH Capital Partners:
- Acquisition of Continental Terminals, an operator of warehousing and value-added services for coffee and cocoa commodities, by RPM Group, a BBH portfolio company
- Acquisition of RPM Group, a supply chain logistics and warehousing provider for dry bulk commodities and general cargo
- Acquisition of The Granite Group, a distributor of plumbing, heating, cooling, water, and propane supplies to residential and commercial contractors
- Acquisition of American SprayTech, LLC, a contract filler of aerosol and bag-on-valve spray products for the personal care and OTC drug industries
- Acquisition of DynaGrid Holdings, a provider of substation and transmission line and drilling solutions to major utilities and municipalities, from CIC Partners
- Recapitalization of Quest Technology, an outsourced IT service provider
- Acquisition of Utility Pipeline, Ltd., a provider of natural gas distribution and related services serving residential, commercial and industrial markets in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Virginia and West Virginia*
- Recapitalization of Heniff Transportation Systems, a provider of liquid bulk transportation services*
- Acquisition of 700 Valve LLC, a distributor of specialty industrial valves for MRO use in industrial and energy-related applications*
- Acquisition and financing of Precision Terminal Logistics, an operator of transloading terminals*
- Represented Centerbridge Partners and The Vistria Group in the acquisition of Help at Home LLC, a provider of home and community-based care services, from Wellspring Capital, and the subsequent acquisitions of Adaptive Nursing and Healthcare Services, Community Care Systems, Edison Home Health Care, Preferred Home Care of New York and Recco Home Services by Help at Home LLC
- Represented Frontenac Company:
- Acquisition of Motion and Control Solutions, an industrial distributor and servicer of connectors, hydraulics and pneumatics*
- Sale of GNAP LLC, a distributor of industrial abrasive products, equipment and specialty ceramics, to Center Oak Partners*
- Sale of Liquid Technologies, a contract formulator and manufacturer of personal care products, to PLZ Aeroscience Corp.*
- Represented GHO Capital Partners:
- Acquisition of Two Labs LLC, a strategic consulting and commercialization provider to the biopharma industry, from Excellere Partners, and the subsequent combination of Two Labs LLC and Envision Pharma Group
- Acquisition of Genesis Research, a provider of tech-enabled research services to the life sciences industry
- Acquisition of Market Access Transformation, a provider of tech-enabled research services to the life sciences industry, by Genesis Research, a GHO portfolio company
- Represented Gryphon Investors:
- Acquisition of Orchid Underwriters Agency LLC, a managing general agency and managing general underwriting in the specialty property and casualty insurance market*
- Sale of Orchid Underwriters Agency LLC to TowerBrook Capital Partners*
- Sale of DLC Group, a finance and accounting consulting and staffing agency, to the Addison Group*
- Sale of Update Legal, a legal services staffing and consulting agency, to Conversion Capital*
- Represented Komline-Sanderson Engineering:
- Acquisition of AquaShield, Inc., a manufacturer of products for stormwater runoff, rainwater harvesting, and construction site discharges
- Acquisition of FluidQuip, Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of specialty engineering separation equipment for corn wet milling and pulp and paper applications
- Acquisition of Wyssmont Company, a designer and manufacturer of thermal drying products for the chemical, pharmaceutical, mineral, and food industries
- Represented Onward Capital:
- Acquisition of PFI InStore, a retail display designer and manufacturer
- Acquisition of Domaille Engineering LLC, a precision engineering contract manufacturer for the aerospace, defense, and telecommunications industries*
- Acquisition of Connecticut Electric, a designer, manufacturer and distributor of specialty electrical components, from Thompson Street Capital Partners*
- Acquisition of Fluorescent Supply Co. Inc., a manufacturer of commercial lighting technologies*
- Sale of Domaille Engineering to Addman Engineering
- Represented PSP Partners:
- Acquisition of 3Q Digital, a performance and digital marketing agency*
- Merger of 3Q Digital with Dept Inc.
- Acquisition of Inseev Inc., a performance and digital marketing agency, by 3Q Digital
- Acquisition of Bushel Boy Farms, a greenhouse produce grower*
- Sale of Bushel Boy Farms to Rahr Corp.*
- Acquisition of E.B. Bradley & Co., a provider of specialty hardware and cabinetry for design and fabrication industries, from Industrial Opportunity Partners*
- Acquisition of Halo Branded Solutions, a developer and distributor of custom promotional products, from Compass Diversified Holdings, Inc.*
- Sale of Halo Branded Solutions to Audax Private Equity*
- Acquisition of Money Mailer LLC, a provider of data driven marketing solutions for small-to-medium sized businesses, from Madison Industries*
- Represented QHP Capital:
- Acquisition of Copilot Provider Support Services, a pharmaceutical hub services platform.
- Formation of Continuation Fund for Catalyst Clinical Research, a global contract research organization providing full-service clinical development support for oncology-focused biotechs
- Represented Specialty 1 Dental in a preferred investment from Centerbridge Partners
- Represented The Vistria Group:
- Acquisition of Mission Healthcare, a provider of home health and hospice services
- Acquisition of Healthy Living Network, a provider of home health and hospice services
- Acquisition of Supplemental Healthcare, a healthcare provider staffing business
- Acquisition of Medalogix LLC and Muse Healthcare, data science and machine learning technology companies focused on the advancement of patient care within home health, palliative and hospice care settings
- Acquisition of Beacon Specialized Living Services, a provider of residential healthcare services to individuals with I/DD, mental health and substance abuse disorders
- Acquisition of PantherRx, a specialty pharmacy focused on orphan, rare and ultra-rare diseases
- Acquisition of Professional Health Care Network, a home healthcare management services company
- GP Investment from Hunter Point Capital and ADQ
- Investment in Sevita Health, a healthcare and human services provider offering community-based services to adults and children with behavioral and medical challenges
- Represented Union Lake Management in numerous investments in the auto and auto after-market industries
- Represented The Vistria Group and Nautic Partners in the creation of Vital Caring Group, a home health joint venture platform and the acquisition of:
- Homecare Holdings, LLC, a provider of home health services
- Vital Health Care, a provider of home health services
- Kare in Home, a provider of home health services
- Represented Wynnchurch Capital in its acquisition of Labrie Environmental Group, a manufacturer of refuse collection vehicles and related parts
*Experience prior to joining Ropes & Gray