Roark Capital Group

Last updated

Roark Capital Management, LLC
Company type Private
Industry Private equity
Founded2001;25 years ago (2001)
Founder Neal Aronson (managing partner)
Headquarters,
U.S.
Key people
  • Paul D. Ginsberg
    (president)
  • Erik O. Morris (Chief Investment Officer)
Products Leveraged buyout
AUM US$37 billion (2023) [1]
Number of employees
138 [2]
Website roarkcapital.com

Roark Capital Management, LLC, [3] also known as Roark Capital Group or simply Roark Capital, is an American private equity firm with around $37 billion in assets under management. The firm is focused on leveraged buyout investments in middle-market companies, primarily in the franchise/multi-location, restaurant and food, health and wellness, and business services sectors. It is named for Howard Roark, the protagonist in Ayn Rand's novel The Fountainhead . The firm claims that its name is not meant to connote any particular political philosophy but instead signify the firm's admiration for the iconoclastic qualities of independence and self-assurance embodied by the central figure in The Fountainhead. [4]

Contents

History

The firm, which is based in Atlanta, Georgia, was founded in 2001 by the current Managing Partner, Neal K. Aronson. [5] Prior to founding Roark Capital Group in 2001, Aronson was a co-founder of U.S. Franchise Systems in 1995.

Investments

Roark's current and former portfolio companies include:

Current investments

Former investments

References

  1. ↑ Durbin, Dee-Ann (August 24, 2023). "Sandwich chain Subway will be sold to fast-food investor Roark Capital". Associated Press.
  2. ↑ Form ADV filing
  3. ↑ "Roark Capital Management, LLC". OpenCorporates . November 24, 2004. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  4. ↑ "About Our Name". Roark Capital Group. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  5. ↑ Sorvino, Chloe. "The Drive-Thru Billionaire Who's Trying To Save Subway". Forbes. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  6. ↑ Hot chicken is on the menu Forbes, 2025/03/21
  7. ↑ "Atlanta private equity firm buys another fitness chain". Atlanta Business Chronicle. February 4, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Roark:: Current Investments".
  9. ↑ "The Wendy's Company Sells Ownership Interest in Inspire Brands for $450 Million". wendys.com. Wendy's Company. August 16, 2018. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  10. ↑ Thorn, Bret (September 26, 2018). "Inspire Brands to buy Sonic Corp. for $2.3B". Nation's Restaurant News. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Roark Capital Group Acquires Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q" (PDF). July 10, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Pet Retail Brands: North America's 3rd Largest Pet Retailer". chainstoreguide.com. Chain Store Guides, LLC. October 8, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  13. ↑ Lucas, Amelia (August 24, 2023). "Subway sandwich chain sells itself to Dunkin' owner Roark Capital". CNBC. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  14. ↑ Kaiser, Tom (July 22, 2016). "Roark Sells Batteries Plus Bulbs as Retail Heats Up". franchisetimes.com. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  15. ↑ "ROARK CAPITAL BUYS A PIECE OF CHEESECAKE FACTORY". Restaurant Business Online. April 20, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Atlanta's Roark Capital buys Il Fornaio parent firm". San Francisco Chronicle . June 14, 2011.