Environmental Capital Partners, LLC (ECP) has formed a relationship with New York Private Bank &Trust (“NYPB&T”) to invest $100 million in middle-market green companies. Sectors of particular interest for the firm include: green consumer products, eco-friendly building materials, alternative energy, and industrial environmental services. ECP is actively seeking growth and buyout transactions that require equity investments of $10-25 million, but the firm has the ability to complete larger transactions.
Significantly, the New York Private Bank & Trust Company is the largest privately owned bank in the nation. Howard Milstein, President and CEO of NYPB&T, and Barry Friedberg, a Director of NYBP&T, and the former chairman of the Investment Banking Division and member of the Executive Management Committee at Merrill Lynch & Co., will serve on ECP’s Investment Committee along with Messrs. Egan and Staudt. And the fund uniquely invests in middle-market green companies.
ECP has assembled an impressive team of financial professionals and leading environmental figures. The firm will be led by Managing Partners William Staudt, an entrepreneur with extensive private equity and operating experience, and Robert Egan, formerly of J.P. Morgan Partners, LLC. In addition to Mr. Egan and Mr. Staudt, the firm’s Partners include Dr. Stephen Kellert, a senior professor at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and former New York Ranger, Michael Richter, a recognized figure in the environmental community and frequent speaker at environmental events. Christopher Staudt, a private equity professional with experience in grassroots environmental programming, joins as a Principal. “The diversity of our team gives ECP broad intellectual reach, leading environmental perspective and a range of contacts that should enable us to become the leading private equity fund for middle-market environmental companies”, stated Mr. Egan.
Each member of the ECP team is deeply committed to the goal of environmental sustainability and believes this goal is best achieved through profitable market solutions. “The environmental industry is in the early stages of an extended growth period fueled by new and dynamic market forces”, stated Mr. Staudt. “We are well positioned to become a leading participant in this growth by supporting companies that provide innovative solutions which address environmental concerns.”
Environmental Capital Partners, LLC is a private equity firm that provides long-term capital and management support to leading middle-market companies, exclusively in the environmental industry. ECP considers investments in profitable companies that provide any of a diverse range of goods and services that prevent environmental degradation to water, air, soil, or human health. ECP makes majority or significant minority investments and then works closely with company managements to build value together. The firm’s target equity investment is up to $25 million, but it will consider larger transactions. Environmental Capital Partners is located at 6 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017.