Experience

Since 1998, Branch-Shelton has advised both public and private companies regarding financial strategy and structuring and has led capital transactions ranging from $1 million to $1 billion.

Members of the Branch-Shelton team have acted as principals, financial advisors, lawyers and investment bankers in capital raising, merger, acquisition, and other strategic activities across the full spectrum of commercial, industrial, financial, health care, and real estate businesses for many years.

Significantly, all of the team members have also served as C-level executives for operating or investing companies. Representative recent transactions and advisory work includes:

Capital Raising

$50 million private placement of preferred stock for a regional insurance company
Assisted companies in designing balance sheet restructuring strategies, selecting underwriters and managing the capital-raising process
Raised the capital for a $40 million leverage buyout rollup of the two industry leaders in the canoe/kayak industry
Structured and acted as counsel or financial advisor on over 50 tax-exempt debt, traditional debt and lease issues for various governments, agencies and private companies
Raised $52 million in debt from eight banks and $12 million in minority equity investments from foreign and domestic sources for 16 residential real estate land development projects, generating over $325 million in revenues from more than 3,000 lot sales for a major residential development company

Merger and Acquisition

Advised the Chairman and Board of Directors in a $1.4 billion telecommunications merger
Analyzed merger and acquisition opportunities for the leading private textile company in the United States
Completed over 30 acquisitions of industrial and distribution companies
Strategic advisor in the conversion from not-for-profit to for-profit and subsequent $700 million merger of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia with WellPoint

Financial Advisory

Strategic financial advisor to a number of medium-size, high-growth private industrial companies and smaller technology companies on how best to maximize value
Strategic financial advisor to public companies in both industrial and services sectors on initiatives to maximize and build shareholder value.
Strategic financial advisor to a leading sports marketing company
Strategic financial advisor to a leading community development company on growth, business model, organization, site acquisition and second-home bonding
Financial advisor to majority owners of a fast-growing construction and development company on structuring a balance between ownership control, transfer and growth, and cash distribution policies
Advisor on restructuring over $500 million of recourse debt in the rapid wind-down of a major multi-family real estate contractor and developer to eliminate extensive personal and company guarantees
Strategic financial advisor to profitable, fast-growing, second-home community-development company on the possible sale of the company or a majority interest in the company

Principal

Principal in the formation, growth and merger of First Capital Bank, its acquisition of Buckhead Bank, its reverse acquisition of Chattahoochee National bank, and its recent merger into Flag Bank
Principal in acquiring companies in bedding manufacture, pallet manufacturing and resort development
Principal in the leveraged buyout of an overseas power-generating company
Founder of an angel-funded technology startup company
Principal in large LBO of industrial company and subsequent sale to a NYSE company
Principal in industrial real estate developments