Neil W. Townsend

Willkie is advising FFL Partners and Eyemart Express on the sale of Eyemart Express, a leading optical retailer, to VSP Vision. On October 9, VSP, the first national not-for-profit vision benefits company, announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Eyemart Express from FFL Partners and Leonard Green & Partners. With nearly 250 stores in 42 states, Eyemart Express represents a significant network investment by VSP to serve its more than 85 million members. The Willkie team is led by partners Neil Townsend, Caleb Vesey and Patrick Sandor and includes associates Ryan McNamara and Noor Halloum.

Oct 17

1 min

Willkie advised SGA Dental Partners, a portfolio company of Thurston Group, in connection with a new $350 million credit facility to support its ongoing efforts to expand its practice network and enhance patient care. On July 30, Thurston Group announced the new financing for SGA Dental Partners. Overland Advantage, Man Varagon, and Jefferies served as joint lead arrangers and bookrunners on the transaction. SGA Dental Partners is a leading dental support organization focused on serving communities in the Southeast United States through its network of over 125 general and specialty dentistry practices throughout the region, employing a shared-ownership model with its dentist partners. Thurston Group is a private equity firm that focuses on building industry-leading companies in the healthcare services sector. Founded by its Chairman and CEO Patrick J. Haynes III in 1986, Thurston Group has returned more than $4 billion of invested capital in its 38-year history. The Willkie team was led by partners Viktor Okasmaa and Neil Townsend and included associates Robert Mostek, Travis Simon, Chetan Tripathy and Andrew Litman.

Aug 21

1 min

Willkie advised FFL Partners and its portfolio company Anova, a global provider of Industrial Internet of Things solutions for remote monitoring and management of industrial assets, on the sale of Anova to Aurora Capital Partners. Anova provides cloud based analytics and connected sensor technologies that give industrial suppliers real time visibility into remote assets⁠—⁠such as tanks, cylinders, and related equipment⁠—⁠across thousands of customer sites. The company serves major sectors including LPG/propane, industrial gases, chemicals, fuels, lubricants, and water/wastewater. Its solutions are deployed in more than 80 countries, supporting 2,000+ customers and monitoring ~1.8 million assets globally. FFL Partners is a leading middle-market private equity firm that has been investing in high⁠⁠-⁠⁠quality companies since 1997. The Willkie team was led by partners Neil Townsend and Thomas Spencer and included associates Kevin Simms, Patrais Strzelecki and Ariel Herzog.

Jan 22

1 min

Willkie advised Dubin Clark on the sale of its portfolio company United Safety & Survivability Corporation (USSC), a global manufacturer of safety and survivability solutions, to Cogenuity Partners. The sale, announced on November 5, follows a successful partnership between longtime Willkie client Dubin Clark and USSC, during which USSC underwent a notable transformation and achieved significant growth in several key areas. The company designs, engineers and manufactures some of the leading safety and survivability products for niche markets including bus, subway, light rail, transit, military, marine and first responder vehicles. Willkie previously advised Dubin Clark on numerous transactions, including four successful exits in the past 18 months. In addition to representing the firm in the sale of USSC, Willkie advised Dubin Clark on the sale of event services companies PEAK Event Services, InProduction and Curated Events. Dubin Clark is a private equity firm focused on building niche market leaders in the lower middle market. The Willkie team was led by partners Neil Townsend and Andrew Marmer.

Nov 6

1 min

Willkie represented FFL Partners in the sale of its investment in Ovarro, a leader in critical infrastructure technologies, to Indicor, LLC, a leading diversified industrial company specializing in mission-critical technologies across various niche markets. On September 5, FFL announced that it agreed to sell Ovarro to Indicor, having successfully grown the company, expanded its product offerings, and entered new markets. Ovarro’s suite of water management and process control solutions serves a global customer base, enhancing customers’ operational efficiency, data analytics, and sustainability. The transaction is subject to required regulatory approvals. FFL Partners is a leading middle-market private equity firm that has been investing in high-quality companies since 1997. The Willkie team was led by partners Neil Townsend, Philip Coletto and Thomas Spencer.

Sep 9

1 min