Selling the Successful Turnaround: Creative Growth Strategies for a Prosperous Exit

March 25, 2005

New Haven, Connecticut – Mar. 25, 2005 – How do you position a formerly troubled company for sale once it has been restored to financial health? Woodbridge, LLC. answered that question and provided fresh insights into many more at the Connecticut Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association (CT-TMA) meeting on Tuesday, March 22, 2005. The meeting was held at 500 Blake Street, an elegant and long-established restaurant in the Westville section of New Haven. The Turnaround Management Association is a professional society of those involved in corporate renewal – “turning around” companies in transition. Members include lenders, accountants, lawyers, and other professionals involved in corporate restructuring.

Approximately 75 people attended “Selling the Successful Turnaround: Creative Growth Strategies for a Prosperous Exit.” The program began with an introduction by Robert Koenig to an original video case study that featured the program’s panelists. Each panelist offered his unique perspective on a range of issues from creating liquidity to purifying the brand to strategic alignment. Woodbridge’s Bob Murphy outlined the firm’s multimedia approach to bringing a company to market once its trend lines are positive.

The video was followed by an in-depth panel discussion and Q&A. Woodbridge assembled a diverse and engaging panel of business professionals to address the case of the Federal Furniture Company, an ailing small business in need of turnaround and resuscitation. The challenge posed to the panelists focused on how to create maximum value for Federal’s principals so that when marketed the company would bring multiple offers from a wide assortment of buyers.

Each speaker offered innovative approaches within his area of expertise to overcoming obstacles to renewed growth and profitability faced by a newly revitalized business.

Panelists included Robert Koenig, president of Woodbridge Group; Richard W. Wirth, CEO and managing director of Corporate Renewal Services Inc.; Richard S. Hawkes, principal and Robert E. DeSimone, Partner of Crazy Growth Partners; Robert Rakowski, director of AlixPartners LLC; and Charlie Mason, principal of the marketing and advertising firm Mason, Inc.