For Immediate Release
Kirkland, WA – June 1, 2012
WaveDivision Holdings, LLC (“Wave”) today announced that Oak Hill Capital Partners (“Oak Hill Capital”) and GI Partners (“GI”), in conjunction with Chief Executive Officer Steve Weed and other members of Wave management, have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Company from its current owners, led by Sandler Capital Management. Oak Hill Capital and GI are leading private equity firms with longstanding cable and IT infrastructure expertise. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Formed in 2003 by Mr. Weed and Sandler Capital Management, Wave owns and operates broadband cable systems that deliver advanced video, high-speed data and voice services to residential and commercial customers. Operating under the Wave Broadband and Astound brand names, Wave has established a reputation for high quality service in the suburban markets of Seattle, San Francisco, Sacramento and Portland, passing more than 586,000 homes and serving approximately 385,000 revenue generating units.
Mr. Weed said, “We are extremely pleased to be partnering with Oak Hill Capital and GI. Both firms bring value-added expertise and impressive track records of successful investments in our industry. Their insight and support will be invaluable as we continue to provide our communities with the highest levels of product quality, speed and customer care available. On behalf of Wave, I would also like to thank the entire team at Sandler Capital for a decade of successful partnership.”
Jonathan Friesel, a Partner of Oak Hill Capital, said, “Steve Weed and the Wave management team have built an outstanding organization, with highly advanced networks, strong operations, a robust suite of products and exceptional customer service. We are looking forward to working with them as they continue to set the standard in the markets they serve.”
Gregory VandenBosch, a Director of GI, said, “We are delighted about this new partnership and look forward to working with management and Oak Hill Capital to further enhance the Wave platform.”
Completion of the transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, is expected in the fourth quarter of 2012.
RBC Capital Markets (lead) and Waller Capital Partners are serving as financial advisors to Wave on the transaction, and Deutsche Bank and Wells Fargo are serving as financial advisors to Oak Hill Capital. Dow Lohnes PLLC is legal counsel to Wave. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is legal counsel to Oak Hill Capital and Kirkland & Ellis LLP is legal counsel to GI Partners.
About WaveDivision Holdings
WaveDivision Holdings, LLC is a cable services company currently serving customers in Washington, Oregon and California. WaveDivision Holdings is headquartered in Kirkland, WA and operates under two retail brand names – Wave Broadband, www.wavebroadband.com, and Astound Broadband, www.astound.net. Owned and operated by industry leaders, WaveDivision Holdings supports its customers with decades of cable know-how, providing its cable systems with the latest technologies and upgrades, including true high-speed Internet, home phone service, digital cable, international programming, advanced digital video recording options, HDTV and TV On Demand services.
About Oak Hill Capital Partners
Oak Hill Capital Partners is a private equity firm with more than $8.2 billion of committed capital from leading entrepreneurs, endowments, foundations, corporations, pension funds and global financial institutions. Robert M. Bass is the lead investor. Over a period of more than 25 years, the professionals at Oak Hill Capital Partners and its predecessors have invested in more than 70 significant private equity transactions. Oak Hill Capital Partners is one of several Oak Hill partnerships, each of which has a dedicated and independent management team. For more information about Oak Hill Capital Partners, visit www.oakhillcapital.com.
About GI Partners
GI Partners, headquartered in Menlo Park, CA, is a private equity firm with approximately $8.4 billion of capital under management from leading institutional investors in the U.S., Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The firm primarily invests in asset-intensive, middle-market businesses and portfolios of assets located in North America. Key sectors of focus include assetbacked communications and internet infrastructure, specialist healthcare, asset-backed leisure and retail, financial services and commercial real estate. Across all of its investments, GI Partners seeks to identify operating companies with market leading positions and establish a partnership orientation with management to drive value creation and growth. GI Partners’ investments have included SoftLayer Technologies, Waypoint Real Estate Group, First Republic Bank, FlatIron Crossing, The Telx Group and Digital Realty Trust. For more information about GI Partners, please visit www.gipartners.com.