James D. McNair Joins Araquot Partners as CEO-in-Residence

April 27, 2010 - PRLog -- Hoboken, N.J. – Araquot Partners, a lower middle-market private equity firm, is pleased to announce that James D. McNair III, former CEO of The Garlinghouse Company, a leading multi-channel marketer of stock house plans and related media products, is affiliated with the firm as CEO-in-Residence.

“We are very proud to have James as part of the team.  He is a seasoned veteran in multi-channel marketing and an accomplished executive in the housing, consumer, and media markets,” said Brian Toolan, Managing Partner at Araquot Partners. “I have worked closely with James for nearly ten years and have tremendous confidence in him. Just as he helped create a highly successful marketing and distribution business for stock house plans, he is now in an excellent position to bring his leadership skills and expertise on consumer behavior, the Internet, and product development to lead a niche business into the next generation.”

Prior to joining Araquot Partners, Mr. McNair served as an advisor and executive management consultant to several consumer Internet companies and publishing organizations where he helped them with new business launches, product development, and establishing multiple lines of distribution. In his role as CEO of Garlinghouse, he spearheaded the company’s transformation from a traditional catalog-oriented publisher into a multi-channel marketer with a leading presence on the Internet as well as in traditional retailers. He also led the successful sale of Garlinghouse to a strategic buyer backed by a private equity firm.

“I am extremely pleased at the prospect of working with Brian again and doing so as part of the Araquot team,” said Mr. McNair. “We share a passion for building great teams, innovative products, and enduring companies. Araquot Partners provides the ideal environment in which to search and identify our next business platform.”

Mr. McNair holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Princeton University and a Masters of Science in Management from Purdue University.

Araquot Partners, in partnership with Mr. McNair, is actively seeking acquisitions of niche businesses, including multi-channel marketers and distributors to consumers or businesses as well as media and publishing properties. The firm is targeting businesses with $5 million to $50 million in revenue and $1 million to $5 million in EBITDA.

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About Araquot Partners
Araquot Partners, based in Hoboken, New Jersey, is a private investment firm exclusively focused on acquiring lower middle-market companies. Araquot buys and grows smaller, niche businesses that often fall outside the parameters of the typical professional investor due to a variety of factors such as size, owner transition, or a need for "hands-on" management. Our transactions provide liquidity to shareholders and offer a transition path to small business owners. For more information visit our website at http://www.araquot.com.