FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AIRVISION Forms AV
CAPITAL Division
Arthur Rubinfeld and Mark Albert Join Forces To Create Investment
Group Focused
On Leading and Emerging Consumer and Retail Companies
SEATTLE –November 30,
2004 -- AIRVISION, a leading provider of direct-to-consumer brand
positioning and strategic business growth planning, has partnered with
M. Mark Albert to create AV CAPITAL, a partnership focused on direct
investments in emerging consumer and retail companies. Albert is
currently responsible for AIRVISION’s financial advisory affiliate, AV
ADVISORY LLC, which is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. With
this newly formed partnership, Rubinfeld and Albert will manage
AIRVISION’s long-term equity investments in consumer-related businesses.
“We are extremely pleased to partner with Mark due to his depth of
financial advisory and investment experience,” said Arthur Rubinfeld,
President and Founder of AIRVISION. “Mark and I will work closely
together to guide our disciplined investment philosophy, which enables
us to act as a flexible source of capital and a value-added partner to
our clients and portfolio companies.”
AV CAPITAL is focused on investing long-term equity capital to support
the strategic and financial objectives of outstanding management teams
in consumer-related businesses, including consumer products,
direct-to-consumer sales, marketing and distribution, and retail
concepts. AV CAPITAL distinguishes itself by partnering closely with
management while providing a complete breadth of professional services
through the team’s consulting and financial advisory expertise.
AIRVISION’s affiliate, AV ADVISORY LLC, currently provides financial
advisory services to clients with respect to capital-raising , merger
and acquisition advice and other financial matters.
Albert brings more than 17 years of investment banking experience to
AIRVISION from major Wall Street firms including Drexel Burnham Lambert,
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, Bear Stearns & Co., Credit Suisse First
Boston and CIBC World Markets. During his career, Albert has executed
close to 100 financing and advisory transactions for financial sponsors
such as Apollo Advisors, Brentwood Associates, Leonard Green & Partners
and Texas Pacific Group. In addition, Albert has represented numerous
consumer and retail companies including Del Monte Foods, Hain Food
Group, Mattel, Miramax Films, Petco Animal Supplies and Samsonite,
Albert is an active member of the Investment Committee and Pension
Investment Committee for Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles,
California. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from
Stanford University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration
from the University of Chicago.
About AIRVISION
Founded by Arthur Rubinfeld in 2002, Seattle-based AIRVISION is known
for providing visionary work in integrated brand positioning, marketing
and retail design. AIRVISION specializes in the development and
execution of growth strategies and operational plans for
consumer-oriented companies worldwide. AIRVISION clients include some of
the most recognized brands in the world including: adidas, AmericasMart,
City University, Gateway, Media Play, Potbelly Sandwich Works, Oakley,
Omaha Steaks, Sam Goody, Shared Media Licensing, SunCoast Entertainment
and Washington Mutual. For more information about AIRVISION, please
visit www.airvision.net.
Arthur Rubinfeld has also written a soon-to-be-published book, “Built
for Growth”, about his vision for the future of retail. For more
information about his book, please visit
www.builtforgrowth.com or
www.amazon.com to pre-order a copy.
For additional information for this article, please contact:
Media Inquiries:
Megan McKenzie
McKenzie Worldwide
meganm@mckenzieworldwide.com
503.625.3680