J. Sharpe

AEA is a pioneer in the private equity industry, having been founded in 1968 by the Rockefeller, Mellon, and Harriman family interests and S.G. Warburg & Co. With almost 40 years of investing experience, AEA has established a track record of achieving returns as a leading private equity partner to middle market companies. AEA focuses on control buyouts in four industry sectors: value-added industrial products, specialty chemicals, consumer products, and services involved in these sectors. With offices in New York, London, and Hong Kong, the firm focuses on buying businesses headquartered in the U.S. and Europe (and selectively in Asia). AEA's middle market private equity team currently manages over $3.6 billion of invested and committed capital. In 2004, AEA formed AEA Small Business Fund as its principal investment vehicle for pursuing leveraged buyout investment opportunities in the United States small business market. The Small Business Fund has $285 million of capital under management. In 2005, AEA formed the AEA Mezzanine Fund to pursue mezzanine debt investment opportunities in middle market companies. The Mezzanine Fund has $600 million of capital under management. In 2007, AEA formed the AEA Middle Market Debt Fund to pursue senior secured debt investment opportunities in middle market companies. The Middle Market Debt Fund has over $300 million of capital under management.