Kind Of A Big Deal: ZM Capital Strikes First Deal With “Father Of Infomercials”
ZM Capital got off to a false start last year, when its first deal as a solo shop -- a buyout of media services company Greenfield Online -- fell apart. But the firm, an investment subsidiary of ZelnickMedia, prevailed this week in its acquisition of Cannella Response Television, a Wisconsin-based broker of infomercial spots. ZM Capital brought in Palladium Equity Partners to share the equity load. The deal included no senior debt, but did have mezzanine notes and a small equity slice from VSS Structured Capital II (first investment from Veronis Suhler Stevenson’s second mezzanine fund). ZM Capital purchased the privately-owned company from its founder Frank Cannella, who is credited with being “The Father of the Infomercial Industry,” according to ZM Capital’s Andrew Vogel. Management, which includes Cannella and CEO Robert Medved, has retained a significant stake. Petsky Prunier advised the seller on the transaction. Pricing terms weren't disclosed.
