The EFO Private Equity management team brings together individuals with extensive investment and operating expertise as well as diverse industry knowledge and experience. The Private Equity group frequently taps a wide array of resources at EFO Holdings - resources normally found in much larger investment firms - for portfolio company assistance and investment support.
William P. Esping, Managing Partner, Managing Director and a principal of the Manager. Mr. Esping is responsible for the origination, structuring, and monitoring of transactions. Mr. Esping is the co-founder and Managing Partner of EFO Holdings, L.P., a private investment company in Dallas, Texas with assets under management in excess of $300 million. Mr. Esping currently is responsible for the day-to-day management of EFO including the origination, structuring and monitoring of private equity transactions. EFO has a diversified portfolio of investments in private and public companies and real estate properties. Prior to founding EFO Holdings, Mr. Esping was the operating officer of J and L, Inc., a high-end fashion, apparel company. Mr. Esping has served as a director on numerous boards in the past and currently serves as a director for three of EFO's portfolio companies: Melbourne Greyhound Park, LLC, Palm Beach Tan, Inc. and Laser Spine Institute, LLC. Mr. Esping received his B.S. in business administration from Southern Methodist University.
Ballard O. Castleman, Managing Director and a principal of the Manager. Mr. Castleman is responsible for the originating, structuring and monitoring of transactions. Mr. Castleman is a partner at EFO and is responsible for managing the day-to-day activities of EFO's private equity investments including the originating, structuring and monitoring of transactions. Prior to joining EFO in 1997, Mr. Castleman was with Heller Financial's Corporate Finance Group (1995-1997), most recently as a Vice President, where he was responsible for originating, underwriting, and structuring leveraged debt and mezzanine transactions of private buy-outs and acquisitions. Prior thereto, Mr. Castleman was in merchant banking with BNP Paribas and in operations with a privately-held steel fabricator. He has served as a director on numerous boards in the past and has served on the Advisory Board for two private equity investment partnerships of CHB Capital Partners. Mr. Castleman currently serves as a director for five of EFO's portfolio companies: Waste Corporation of America (NASD: WCAA), Navigator Communications, LLC, NTE Aviation, Ltd., Stampede Holdings, Inc. and Melbourne Greyhound Park, LLC. Mr. Castleman received an M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business and a B.A. from Vanderbilt University.
Charles N. Rolfe, Managing Director and a principal of the Manager. Mr. C. Rolfe is responsible for the origination, structuring and monitoring of transactions as well as general oversight of the administrative duties of the Manager. Prior to joining EFO in 2001, Mr. Rolfe was responsible for the origination, structuring and monitoring of debt and equity transactions while employed at SunTrust Bank (2000-2001) as a Director, BNP Paribas (1996-2000) as a Director, and Heller Financial (1994-1996), most recently as a Vice President in the Corporate Finance Group. Prior thereto, Mr. Rolfe was in corporate banking with Nationsbank (1992-1994) and in commercial banking and investment banking with First American National Bank (1986-1992). Mr. Rolfe currently serves as a director for four of EFO's portfolio companies: My Office Products, Inc., NTE Aviation, Ltd, Security Savings Bank and Jacob Ash Holdings, Inc. Mr. Rolfe received his M.B.A. from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University and his B.A. from the University of the South (Sewanee).
Robert O. Rolfe, Managing Director and a principal of the Manager. Mr. Rolfe is responsible for the origination, structuring and monitoring of transactions. Mr. Rolfe is currently the Chairman and CEO of MyOfficeProducts, Inc., one of EFO's portfolio investments. Mr. Rolfe has served in numerous executive management positions for companies in the past, often in tandem with a substantial personal investment in the company. Prior to joining EFO in 2001, Mr. Rolfe spent several years making personal private equity investments and spent over 18 years in municipal finance/investment banking while employed most recently as a Managing Director at J.C. Bradford & Company (1982-2000). Mr. Rolfe has served as a director on numerous boards in the past and currently serves as a director for two of EFO's portfolio companies: MyOfficeProducts, Inc. and Stampede Holdings, Inc. Mr. Rolfe received his M.B.A. from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University and his B.S. from the University of Alabama.
Brad Johl Mr. Johl joined EFO in March 2007. Prior to working at EFO, Mr. Johl worked at Fortress Investment Group, a New York based hedge fund, where he focused on special situation debt opportunities. Prior to Fortress, Mr. Johl worked at American Capital Strategies, a publicly traded private equity fund and alternative asset manager. Mr. Johl worked in the Chicago office where he focused on debt and equity transactions with companies in the middle market. During his time at American Capital, Mr. Johl helped close two private equity transactions and was responsible for monitoring two others. Prior to joining American Capital, Mr. Johl worked for Bear Stearns in their investment banking division in Dallas, Texas. While at Bear, Mr. Johl focused on M&A and financing opportunities with companies located in the southern part of the United States. Mr. Johl graduated with high honors from The University of Texas at Austin with a BBA in Finance and Business Honors.