Clarity Partners, L.P. and ZelnickMedia Corporation announced
today the acquisition of Naylor Publications, Inc. (Naylor),
the leading provider of business-to-business media and advertising
solutions and services to trade and professional associations
in the U.S. and Canada.
Founded in 1969, Naylor has contracted with over 400 trade and
professional associations to provide printing, advertising sales
and distribution services, enabling its association clients
to publish over 800 periodicals per year, including magazines,
membership directories, newsletters, Web sites and buyer guides.
“Today’s announcement follows a long and thoughtful
sale process,” said Brent Naylor, the company’s
founder and majority shareholder. “We received extraordinarily
strong interest from several private equity sponsors. We chose
the Zelnick-Clarity team because of the breadth of their media
industry experience and the depth and credibility of their
commitment to building aggressively upon the foundation we
have established.”
Mr. Naylor will remain an advisor to the Company in his capacity
as Founding Chairman.
“We are very excited to acquire the leading media services
firm serving the association market,” said Josh Gutfreund,
one of Clarity’s active Partners on this investment.
“Decades ago, Brent, CEO Michael Moss and their Naylor
colleagues recognized the size and growth potential of the
association market, in which Naylor now enjoys a strong market
position and reputation. Clarity Partners and ZelnickMedia
intend to continue to grow Naylor Publications, utilizing
the existing executive team’s talents and continuing
to develop new association business relationships.”
“Naylor Publications is a dynamic, fast-growing company
in the publishing and media services arena,” said ZelnickMedia
partner Jim Friedlich, who will serve as Chairman of the Board.
“The company is known for its customer service, on-time
delivery and product quality – all of which contribute
to delivering a strong return on investment to its trade association
customers.”
The sale of Naylor was managed by The Jordan Edmiston Group,
Inc., the New York-based media investment bank. New Star Financial
was the lead arranger on the debt financing for the acquirers,
joined by Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending and American Financial
Group. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.About
Naylor Publications
Naylor Publications, Inc. (www.naylor.com)
is the leading business-to-business media services provider
of advertising sales, printing and production functions for
industry trade groups and membership associations throughout
North America. The company’s main offices are in Gainesville,
FL and Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The company serves 400
associations, enabling its clients to publish over 800 periodicals
per year, including magazines, membership directories, newsletters,
Web sites and buyer guides.
About Clarity Partners
Clarity Partners (www.claritypartners.net)
is a Los Angeles-based private equity firm with over $800
million in committed capital focused exclusively on investments
in communications, media and related services and technologies.
All of the senior members of the Clarity team have been successful
investors in these industry segments over long investment
careers and have had diverse and accomplished senior level
operating and financing experience. Other current Clarity
investments in media companies include ImpreMedia, Oxygen
Media and Vue Entertainment.
About ZelnickMedia
ZelnickMedia (www.zelnickmedia.com)
is a partnership of experienced media executives that owns
interests in and manages an array of media enterprises in
recorded music, catalog and online retailing, market research,
CD manufacturing, online games, and media-related software
in the U.S., Europe and Asia. The company’s holdings
include interests in Time Life, Lillian Vernon, Columbia Music
Entertainment (CME) of Japan, UGO, Arkadium, National Lampoon,
and OTX, the online market research company.
About NewStar Financial
NewStar Financial (www.newstarfin.com)
was formed in June 2004 by a group of senior banking and capital
markets executives from leading financial institutions, including
FleetBoston Financial, Citigroup and JP Morgan Chase, and
leading institutional investors. NewStar is focused exclusively
on providing customized financing solutions to mid-sized borrowers
in three dedicated lending groups: Middle Market Corporate;
Commercial Real Estate; and Structured Products.
About The Jordan, Edmiston Group, Inc. (JEGI)
Founded in 1987, JEGI (www.jegi.com)
is widely recognized for its leadership in middle-market merger
and acquisition advisory services for the media and information
industries. Leveraging the shared insights and wisdom gleaned
from hundreds of transactions, JEGI has built a client base
that ranges in size from the largest media and information
companies consolidating their portfolios to entrepreneurs
selling their businesses or taking them to the next stage
of development. JEGI’s impeccable reputation reflects
its knowledge and record of superior performance on behalf
of its clients.