Experience

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  Staffing 360 Solutions, Inc.

  • New York City Metropolitan Area

  • Independent Director

    • Jul 2021 - Present
    • New York City Metropolitan Area

    Member of the Compensation Committee and Human Resources Committee, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the Audit Committee. Staffing 360 Solutions, Inc. is engaged in the execution of an international buy-integrate-build strategy through the acquisition of domestic and international staffing organizations in the United States and United Kingdom. The Company believes that the staffing industry offers opportunities for accretive acquisitions and as part of its targeted consolidation model, is pursuing acquisition targets in the finance and accounting, administrative, engineering, IT, and light industrial staffing space.

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  Special Situation Investments

  • New York City Metropolitan Area

  • Independent Director, Operating Advisor and Investor

    • Jan 2021 - Present
    • New York City Metropolitan Area

    Thirty-five years of experience in private equity, distressed debt and special situation investing, investment banking and operational restructurings. Involved in investments in 37 companies representing over $1.7 billion in invested capital that generated over $2.7 billion in returns, including as a Board Director in three public and eight private companies. Active in the raising of five investment funds representing $4.3 billion in committed capital and involved with 17 distressed debt investments and 22 special situations, private equity and post-reorganization equity investments, a majority of which were in aerospace, leasing, logistics, energy, oilfield services, construction and building products. Extensive experience with corporate governance, capital markets, debt restructurings, regulatory disclosures for issuers, investors and investment advisors and tax planning.In 2013, Mr. Cebula co-founded Solace Capital Partners, an asset management firm that provides capital to lower middle market companies in the United States and Canada, focusing on structured debt and equity investments as well as investments in distressed debt where there may be an opportunity to obtain control or significant influence.Mr. Cebula was a Managing Director at Oaktree Capital Management from its inception in 1995 through 2007 where he was involved in private equity and distressed debt investing. In 2007, Mr. Cebula joined Jefferies Capital Partners to pursue investment opportunities in the middle market where he was involved in banking, restructuring and proprietary investments.Mr. Cebula began his career as an investment banker at Drexel Burnham Lambert where he advised clients on over $5 billion in acquisition and recapitalization financings. He later worked as a corporate development and finance professional for Brooke Group Ltd., a publicly traded holding company actively involved in the purchase and restructuring of troubled or out of favor businesses.

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  Solace Capital Partners, L.P.

  • Operating Advisor

    • Jan 2021 - Present

    Operating Advisor to this Los Angeles-based alternative asset manager with responsibilities to assist in the management of select portfolio companies, tax planning, regulatory and financial reporting as requested.

  • Chief Operating Officer & Co-Founder

    • Jul 2013 - Dec 2020

    Co-Founder of this Los Angeles- and New York-based alternative asset manager focused on distressed debt and special situation investment opportunities in middle market companies. Participated as a member on each of its Investment Committee and Executive Committee on all substantive matters, including deployment of capital from Solace's inaugural closed end investment fund which had $576 million of committed capital and served as a Managing Partner and then Chief Operating Officer.

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  Voyager Aviation

  • New York City Metropolitan Area

  • Independent Director

    • Feb 2013 - May 2021
    • New York City Metropolitan Area

    Independent Member serving on the Board of Managers of this specialty lessor of commercial aircraft (formerly known as Intrepid Aviation Group Holdings) since its February 2013 recapitalization by Centerbridge Partners and Reservoir Capital. Voyager Aviation's assets have grown to as much as $3 billion represented by 30 new generation aircraft including Airbus A330's, Boeing 777-300ER's, Boeing 747-8F's, Boeing 787-8's and next generation forward deliveries of Airbus A220-300's.

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  Centerbridge Partners

  • Greater New York City Area

  • Aviation Consultant

    • Nov 2012 - Feb 2013
    • Greater New York City Area

    Advised Centerbridge Partners on its $325 million capital commitment to Intrepid Aviation Group Holdings, LLC, a Stamford, CT and Dublin, Ireland-based aircraft lessor formed by Reservoir Capital and specializing in widebody commercial aircraft which grew to over $3 billion in assets by 2018.

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  Jefferies & Company

  • Greater New York City Area

  • Managing Director

    • Nov 2007 - Jul 2012
    • Greater New York City Area

    Leveraged Credit Sales and Trading (2012)- Evaluated pre- and post-bankruptcy investment opportunities in debt and equity securities- Structured debt capital markets solutions for prospective borrowers involved in airline operations, leasing, Jones Act and international shipping, oil and gas explorationJefferies Capital Partners (2007-2011)-Evaluated numerous private equity investment opportunities in aerospace, equipment leasing, international shipping, manufacturing, onshore and offshore energy exploration, and specialty finance

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  Oaktree Capital Management

  • Los Angeles, California, United States

  • Managing Director

    • Apr 1994 - Oct 2007
    • Los Angeles, California, United States

    Senior portfolio manager since inception of the TCW Special Credits / Oaktree Distressed Debt for Control / Private Equity Group having raised four closed-end funds with over $3.7 billion in committed capital. Served as a Director of seven companies in such industries as natural gas exploration (EXCO Resources), aircraft leasing (Pegasus Aviation), power electronics (Elgar, Eos), international freight forwarding (Geologistics), airline operations (Gemini Air Cargo) and Consumer Products (UnionTools).Initiated or assisted in the purchase of distressed debt, defaulted bank claims, public and private post-reorganization debt and equity securities across a variety of industries including automotive machine tools, airline food catering, scholastic jewelry, natural gas exploration, day care centers, aerospace components, construction, grocery and auto parts retailing, textile manufacturing, and audio equipment design and distribution.

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  Brooke Group Ltd.

  • Los Angeles, California, United States

  • Executive Assistant to the Vice Chairman

    • Mar 1990 - Sep 1993
    • Los Angeles, California, United States

    Coordinated financing, tax and SEC disclosures for NYSE-listed holding company engaged in the acquisition of troubled and out-of-favor companies. Oversaw merger with public subsidiary and issuance of Contingent Value Rights. Negotiated terms of dividend recapitalization of tobacco subsidiary, advised on defined benefit plan allocation and structured spinoff of trading card subsidiary.

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  Drexel Burnham Lambert

  • Greater Los Angeles Area

  • Associate, Corporate Finance

    • Jan 1986 - Feb 1990
    • Greater Los Angeles Area

    Structured and marketed over $5 billion in nearly twenty debt and equity offerings. Advisory assignments included fairness opinions, tender offers, defensive share repurchases and exclusive sales. Clients included Kaiser Aluminum (metals), Vons Companies (grocery retail), AFG Industries (glass manufacturing), Liggett Group (tobacco), Valhi (diversified industrial and forest products company), NL Industries (chemicals), Bally Manufacturing (equipment maker) and Cooper Technicon (medical diagnostic equipment).