Select Past Investments

AMERIGON Dearborn, Michigan Amerigon  develops, manufactures and markets proprietary high technology products for the automotive and consumer product industries.  The company's Climate Control Seatô (CCSTM) significantly enhances individual driver and passenger comfort in virtually all climatic conditions by providing cooling and heating to seat occupants, as desired, through an active, thermoelectric-based temperature management system.  Amerigon maintains sales and technical support centers in Detroit, Japan and Germany.  (NASDAQ: ARGN) APRIA HEALTHCARE Apria Healthcare is the nation's largest multi-line provider of home healthcare services. The company provides respiratory therapy systems, infusion therapy systems and durable medical equipment along with other products and services to the home care market. It has a network of 350 branch offices in 48 states. Revenues exceed $1.2 billion. NYSE: AHG (1987 buy-out and industry consolidation; distributed shares in 1992) CINETECH Cinetech is the leading provider to major motion picture studios of film preservation and restoration services. With its proprietary technology and service capabilities, the company has developed a renowned reputation throughout the motion picture industry that has made it a primary choice for restoring and preserving some of the most cherished films in cinematic history. (1995 buy-out; sold 2004) CONSOLIDATED FIRE PROTECTION Consolidated Fire Protection provides contract installation, repair, service and inspection of fire sprinkler systems. The company is the largest installer of automatic sprinkler systems and providers of repair, service and inspection capabilities in the Western United States. It has offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Dallas, Denver and Fresno. (Sold Feb. 2005) DEL MONTE FOODS Del Monte Foods is the largest marketer and manufacturer of canned vegetables in the United States and is also a brand leader in fruit and cut tomato products. Scoring 96% consumer awareness levels, it has one of the most widely recognized labels in the food industry. With the 1997 acquisition of Contadina, revenues exceeded $1.3 billion. (1997 minority investment; IPO 1999) EL DORADO COMMUNICATIONS El Dorado Communications is a Hispanic-orientated radio broadcast company that operated two Spanish language radio stations in Los Angeles, four in Houston and two in Dallas. (1995 minority investment, stations individually sold, culminating in 2002) HARPER LEATHER GOODS Harper Leather Goods is the leading manufacturer and distributor of rawhide pet products made in the United States. The company's products include a variety of rawhide dog bones and chews produced in different sizes and marketed as plain or basted with flavors. Revenues exceeded $30 million prior to its sale in 2004. IGLOO Houston, Texas Igloo is the leading ice chest manufacturer worldwide.  Founded in 1947, the company manufactures a complete line of hard and soft-sided ice chests, active cooling refrigeration products and beverage jugs.  The company distributes its products through mass merchants, drug stores, supermarkets and specialty sporting goods retailers both in the United States and abroad. (Sold October 2008) PEPSI-COLA PRODUCTS PHILIPPINES Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines is the tenth largest Pepsi distributor in the world. It operates thirteen bottling facilities and has a nationwide distribution system for Pepsi-Cola and 7-Up products throughout the islands. Revenues exceed $140 million. (1989 minority investment; sold to a large Philippines company in 1997) SOFF-CUT Soff-Cut is the innovator and leading producer of early-entry concrete sawing equipment and replacement blades. Its products enable the concrete construction industry to greatly reduce or eliminate the early, random cracking of concrete slabs and flatwork. The patented Soff-Cut early-entry system received the 1998 NOVA award for construction products innovation and was included in the official standards of the American Concrete Institute in 1996. (Sold June 2007) TECSTAR Tecstar is an advanced technology company with a world leadership position as a sub-supplier to the satellite communications industry. Key products include high-efficiency spacecraft power systems employing silicon, gallium arsenide and multi-junction Cascade solar cell technologies as well as electromechanical products such as solar array drive and power transfer assemblies, reaction wheels, rotary and linear actuators, drive electronics, motors, brakes and clutches. Tecstar's products have been used on virtually every type of spacecraft including communications, weather, military and intelligence satellites. Tecstar also produces specialized aircraft components. Revenues exceeded $120 million prior to its sale. (Sold in 2001 and 2002 in three separate transactions by lines of business) USCS USCS, now a division of DST Systems, is a leading worldwide provider of both customer management software and bill processing and presentment services to the communications industry. With clients throughout the United States and fifteen countries, it produces over 60 million billing statements per month and has become the largest centralized first-class mailer in the U.S. The company's software and billing services currently support 53% of U.S. cable television subscribers. It also provides bill processing and presentment services for approximately 33% of U.S. cellular users and 9% of U.S. land-line telephony customers. USCS clients also include DBS, interactive video and multi-service providers. Revenues exceed $250 million. (Merged into DST System, NYSE: DST, in 1998) VERTEQ Verteq is a leading supplier of single wafer and batch process cleaning equipment for the semiconductor industry. As a pioneering developer in advanced wafer cleaning, rinsing and drying, the company has established itself as a key resource for much of the industry’s leading device manufacturers. The company's cleaning systems are based on advanced megasonic technology. Verteq was merged with Akrion, an industry competitor, in 2004. WINDMILL Windmill was formed by the consolidation of several branded baking products companies. It became the leading supplier in the Southeast of consumer flour, cornmeal, and baking mixes under the White Lily and Martha White labels. Windmill also was the largest producer of economy frozen pizza, including the Fox Deluxe and Mr. P's brands. Revenues reached $480 million prior to its sale. (1989 buy-out and consolidation; sold in 1995)