Spanos Barber Jesse & Co. Invests in Troy Lee Designs and Announces New CEO
WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Spanos Barber Jesse & Co. (“SBJ”), a private investment firm with offices in the San Francisco Bay Area and Dallas, announced that it has completed an investment in Troy Lee Designs (“TLD”), a leading provider of off-road motorcycling and mountain biking gear and apparel based in Corona, California. Founder, Chairman and Chief Design Officer, Troy Lee, has retained a significant ownership stake in the company and continues to lead TLD’s design efforts.
“I’m thrilled to partner with Troy and SBJ as we work to unlock the brand’s full potential while remaining true to its heritage.”
Troy Lee began customizing helmets as a young motocross racer and turned that passion into a business that is renowned worldwide for its innovative styling and designs worn by “the world’s fastest racers”. TLD produces cutting edge helmets, protective equipment and performance driven apparel sold through independent dealers, international distributors and online retailers, including the company’s website. The company also sponsors successful professional supercross and motocross teams as well as leading mountain biking riders.
“It is a privilege to partner with Troy and to be entrusted with helping him realize his vision for growing the company,” said Tom Barber, Managing Director at SBJ. “Troy is a design legend and has built a truly exceptional brand, having earned the trust and respect of the best racers in the world as well as racing enthusiasts for over 30 years. We look forward to working with Troy to protect and build on that legacy.”
In addition, TLD has named Dave Bertram as Chief Executive Officer. Dave previously served as Founding Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Cycle Gear, the largest multi-channel retailer of apparel, parts and accessories for motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles in the U.S. Under his leadership, Cycle Gear grew from a local retailer with three locations to a national chain with 112 stores in 34 states. Dave also enjoyed a 10-year career as a professional motorcycle racer where he won two National Titles, five International Gold Medals and 10 state championships. “I have always admired Troy and the TLD brand,” said Dave. “I’m thrilled to partner with Troy and SBJ as we work to unlock the brand’s full potential while remaining true to its heritage.”
“Over the years I’ve thought a lot about how to build my business and am absolutely stoked about the partnership with SBJ and Dave,” said Troy. “SBJ provides us with the financial support and strategic expertise that we need to take TLD to the next level. And Dave brings a wealth of operating experience to help us tighten up our execution, which will help us serve our suppliers and customers even better and enable us to develop more of the awesome products we are known for.”
About Troy Lee Designs
For over 30 years, Troy Lee has been customizing helmets “For The World’s Fastest Racers”. TLD’s relentless commitment to creating products that exceed the cutting edge of style, design and quality, has earned them the reputation as an innovator in many different fields of racing. Troy Lee Designs offers a complete line of helmets, apparel and premium protection for off-road motorcycling and bicycling, sportswear and accessories, and operates the TLD supercross and motocross teams. For more information, please visit www.troyleedesigns.com.
About Spanos Barber Jesse & Co.
Spanos Barber Jesse & Co. manages a private investment fund with over $200 million of committed capital from offices in the San Francisco Bay Area and Dallas. SBJ invests in lower middle-market consumer, business services and healthcare services companies. SBJ has the flexibility to invest equity or debt in control or non-control situations to finance buyouts, recapitalizations, acquisitions and growth. Founded by a team of professionals with over 75 years of experience growing companies as investors, executives and advisors, SBJ draws on extensive operating experience and domain expertise to support the strategic goals of its partner companies. For more information, please visit www.sbjcap.com.
Via businesswire.com.
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What this investment will bring to TLD, is that I finally get to study the pinkbike comments at 11:30 at night on a Saturday! haha
But really, it's just as it says in that PR, I was lucky enough to find the right partnership in taking my business to another level. After 35 years of painting, designing, testing, racing, crashing, partying, prototyping and more, I reached a place with this business that I never dreamed possible-thanks to all of you, my customers, athletes, employees and friends. Running a business isn't easy, there are times that I get so bogged down with running the business that it's hard to stay focused on why I got into this, so I needed some help to service you all better and SBJ was certainly the right partner.
I am certainly not going anywhere, not in the slightest! I can now focus on working with my team here, traveling to more events, painting and designing more, riding my bike more, getting out with trail builders to see more of how they make MTB culture alive and prosper, prototype more and get back to the bike and moto community even more than I have, which is why I started TLD. This will also give me a chance to really listen to what my past, present and future customers want in their gear and get it to more places around the world in a timely manner.
For my athletes we work with, this is going to be one of the best parts about it, instead of not having the time to focus on their special requests or ideas because I have to sit in a meeting with the bank about currency rates, etc, I can work with our team to make the best stuff 'for the worlds fastest racers'...that works for older dudes like me too!
As always, I can't thank you all enough for how kind you've been to me and the brand all these years, the best is yet to come, I am super stoked man!
Peace and wheelies,
Troy Lee
I can draw one, why not?
With the politics of mountain biking so pervasive on these forums and with so much direct feedback from producer and consumer, why not have something bike oriented that denies the utility and purpose of the activity? I think it is good to produce anything that forces us to ask more questions about how we spend our time. I love mountain biking for many reasons, but one value I am sure most of us share "including WAKI" is the ability to feel creative and free, to think alternatively about my time while on my bike. Exactly what WAKIdesigns does on these forums...
www.pinkbike.com/photo/14232201
Have a great evening
Good luck to TLD in this new venture, and I hope to see more of you in my part of the world!
but big/more $$ doesn't always play well out for core products when companys merge.
Who is this quote attributed too? Who is the third party who is partnering with troy and sbj?