MIAMI, FL – (July 5, 2011) Trivest Partners, L.P. today announced it has divested of its remaining holdings in DEI Holdings, Inc. (“DEI” or the “Company”) to Charlesbank Capital Partners, a leading Boston-based private equity firm. Headquartered in Southern California, DEI is the parent company of some of the most respected brands in the consumer electronics industry. DEI is the largest designer and marketer in North America of premium home theater loudspeakers (sold under the Polk Audio® and Definitive Technology® brand names), and consumer-branded vehicle security and remote start systems (sold under Viper®, Clifford®, Python®, Autostart®, and other brand names).
During its ownership period, Trivest bolstered the management team, provided management stock ownership, supported the Company’s strategy to expand its product lines and completed eight add-on acquisitions.
Troy Templeton, Trivest’s Managing Partner said, “Over the years, Trivest has enjoyed considerable success investing in the branded consumer products arena with the likes of Banana Boat, Aero Products International (maker of the AeroBed) and now DEI Holdings. The entire DEI management team, lead by Jim Minarik and Kevin Duffy, deserves a great deal of credit for the Company’s success.”
Jim Minarik, DEI’s Chief Executive Officer stated, “Partnering with Trivest proved to be a very gratifying experience. Trivest provided the necessary support in many areas of the Company yet allowed our management team the autonomy to operate our business. On behalf of the DEI management, we thank Trivest for their belief in us.”
Trivest Partners is a private investment firm that focuses on partnering with founder/family owned businesses in the United States and Canada. The Firm is currently investing Trivest Fund IV with over $325 million of committed capital. Since its founding in 1981, Trivest has completed more than 170 transactions, totaling more than $4.5 billion in value. For additional information, please visit www.trivest.com.
