Luisa Beltran

Siegel steps down as Bowie Resource chairman

Bowie Resource Partners LLC, a portfolio company of Galena Private Equity Resources Fund, said April 12 that John J. Siegel, its founder and chairman, will become non-executive chairman. Gene DiClaudio was appointed CEO and Carlos Pons, a Board member of Bowie, has been appointed co-CEO alongside DiClaudio. Galena Private Equity Resources Fund is also providing a capital injection that will allow Bowie to settle outstanding payments, including a termination fee owed to Peabody Energy Corp. Bowie Resource, of Louisville, Kentucky, is a bituminous coal producer.

Vision Venture Partners launches

Rick Fox, a three time NBA champion, has joined Vision Venture Partners, a newly launched private equity firm that will focus on investments in the hyper-growth esports, digital entertainment and lifestyle food and beverage sectors. Stratton Sclavos, Amit Raizada, Rick Fox and Jace Hall are also part of Vision Venture, which is based in Beverly Hills. Sclavos is the former chairman and CEO of VeriSign, Raizada is the ex-CEO of Spectrum Business Ventures and Hall, an avid gamer, is the ex-EVP and general manager of Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment.

First Circle raises $2.5 mln

First Circle said April 12 that it has raised $2.5 million from investors including Accion Venture Lab, Deep Blue VC, 500 Startups, IMJ, and Key Capital. First Circle, of Manila, is a lender for small and medium-sized enterprises in South East Asia.

Darkstore raises $1.4 mln from PivotNorth

Darkstore said April 12 that it has raised $1.4 million in seed funding from PivotNorth. Darkstore, of San Francisco, is a third party logistics provider.

Lim joins Mizuho America

Mizuho America said April 11 that Alexander Lim has joined as a managing director in healthcare investment banking. Lim will be located in Mizuho's San Francisco office. He most recently served as a managing director, healthcare investment banking, for Oppenheimer & Co in San Francisco.

First Reserve to sell Navigator Energy Services for $1.48 bln

NuStar Energy LP said April 11 it agreed to buy Navigator Energy Services LLC for approximately $1.475 billion. First Reserve is the seller. Navigator owns and operates crude oil transportation, pipeline gathering and storage assets located in the Midland Basin of West Texas. UBS Investment Bank provided financial advice to NuStar, while Andrews Kurth Kenyon was the attorney for NuStar. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc was the financial adviser to Navigator and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP was legal adviser to Navigator.

Roark sells Atkins to blank-check company after 6-year hold

Conyers Park Acquisition Corp to buy Atkins Nutritionals

Conyers Park Acquisition Corp is merging with Atkins Nutritionals Inc to form The Simply Good Foods Company that will list on the Nasdaq. Roark Capital Group, the seller, will receive $730.1 million, which includes 10,250,000 shares of Simply Good common stock. Conyers Park has also secured a $100 million private placement from investors including Fidelity Management and Research Co, Capital Research and Management Co and T. Rowe Price Associates Inc. Conyers Park, a special purpose acquisition company, is an affiliate of Centerview Capital.

SDIC Fund Management invests $46.6 mln in Maxwell Technologies

SDIC Fund Management Co Ltd, of China, is investing about $46.6 million in Maxwell Technologies Inc for a 19.9 percent stake. Maxwell, of San Diego, develops and makes capacitive energy storage and power delivery solutions.

Supervalu to buy Unified Grocers: CORRECTED

Supervalu Inc said April 10 that it has agreed to buy Unified Grocers in a deal valued at about $375 million. The $375 million transaction includes about $114 million cash for all of Unified Grocers stock plus the assumption of about $261 million in net debt. Unified Grocers, of Commerce, California, is a retailer-owned wholesale grocery distributor that supplies independent retailers throughout the western United States. RBC Capital Markets LLC acted as Supervalu’s financial advisor, while Faegre Baker Daniels LLP and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP was their legal counsel. Moelis & Company LLC acted as financial advisor to Unified Grocers and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP acted as Unified’s legal counsel. CORRECTION: A prior version of this story said that Supervalu is a portfolio company of Cerberus Capital Management. It is not. The story has been changed.