Ablum Brown & Company was founded in 1988 as a private merchant banking firm to assist management
teams and buyers, structure acquisitions and implement value creating strategies in the face of change. In
any environment, these changes may result in obtaining the following financial objectives:
- Source capital to pursue organic or external growth opportunities
- Pursue a leveraged (LBO) or management buyout (MBO)
- Restructure the balance sheet to preserve financial and operating integrity
- Create value enhancement strategies
- Assess and implement liquidity options for the business and its stakeholders
- Change lenders or refinance maturing debt obligations
- Assess and obtain financing for real estate and energy projects
Our principals have managed and directed the placement of capital and negotiated the completion of
transactions with approximate values in excess of $5 billion. In addition, the principals have worked on
the formulation and execution of turnarounds and workout plans in a variety of industries. Ablum Brown &
Company’s principals are able to deliver a total solution based on their financial, operating, management,
restructuring and corporate governance experience.
The firm’s principals have over 70 years of combined experience in corporate finance, restructuring, advisory,
transaction and operating management, serving the financing needs of both public and private companies.
Thomas S. Ablum has 30 plus years of experience in corporate finance as well as extensive
experience in private placements, leveraged buyouts, securitizations, workouts, turnarounds, strategic
planning, financial structuring, and troubled debt restructuring. Before co-founding Ablum Brown & Company
in 1988, Mr. Ablum was co-head of corporate finance at Rodman and Renshaw and held positions with
Prudential Bache Securities, Borg-Warner Acceptance Corporation, Household International and Walgreens.
Peter J. Irwin has over 14 years of real estate, corporate finance and structuring
experience with senior and mezzanine debt, corporate net lease financing, and equity. Mr. Irwin’s real estate
specialties include bridge financing for project renovations, repositioning and lease-up of properties and
financing for both new construction and stabilized properties. Prior to joining Ablum Brown & Company,
Mr. Irwin was employed by iStar Financial Inc./Fremont Investment and Loan and prior to that, with Baird
Warner Real Estate Capital, LLC. Before his real estate experience, Mr. Irwin gained credit and general
corporate finance experience at Sanwa Business Credit Corporation, and accounting and auditing experience
at Archer Daniels Midland.
Sean Lenz has over 7 years of real estate investment banking experience specializing in
strategic advisory and capital raising services. Mr. Lenz has experience across all major real estate property
types. Mr. Lenz experience covers corporate mergers, strategic acquisitions and sales, public and private
securities issuances, joint ventures, structured investments, initial public offerings, equity, leveraged finance
and debt financings. Prior to joining Ablum Brown & Company, Mr. Lenz held positions with BMO Capital
Markets, M3 Capital Partners, and Wachovia Securities, LLC. Mr. Lenz is also a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Drew Reynolds has 5 years of experience in the real estate industry. Prior to joining Ablum
Brown & Company, Mr. Reynolds was an Associate at Venture One Real Estate, LLC where he was
responsible for research and analysis pertaining to third-party investment sales, and principal acquisition and
development opportunities. Mr. Reynolds started his career as an Analyst in the CMBS Origination
department of Nomura Credit and Capital, Inc underwriting securitized debt transactions across a variety of
income producing property types. Mr. Reynolds obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of
Wisconsin with a BBA in Real Estate and Finance. He received his Masters of Property Development and
Investment from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.
Regan J. Rybarczyk has 7 years experience underwriting and managing corporate finance
and commercial loan transactions. Prior to joining Ablum Brown & Company, Mr. Rybarczyk was a Senior
Associate at Merrill Lynch in their Middle Market Finance group. He was part of Merrill Lynch Capital before
his group spun off to create a separate lending arm at Merrill Lynch. Mr. Rybarczyk began his corporate
banking career at Bank One (now JP Morgan Chase) where he completed their formal credit training program.
Regan received his Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
and his MBA from the University of Notre Dame, graduating with High Honors.
