Value Creation Forum

Eddie Binder
Principal
Apex Growth Strategies LLC

As the founder of Apex Growth Strategies [AGS, www.apexgrowth.com], Eddie Binder is focused on and dedicated to helping his clients grow and realize their value creation objectives. He is passionate about seeing his clients succeed and brings that enthusiasm to every engagement. Founded in 2003, AGS provides strategic planning, exit planning, and due diligence services to growth-oriented portfolio companies of private equity groups in the lower end of the middle market.

Eddie has created a model that focuses on working with management teams to uncover and articulate organic growth, profit improvement, infrastructure and add-on acquisition strategies and tactics to ensure maximized value over time. He has worked with more than 200 lower middle market, private equity owned companies. Eddie also has extensive experience serving as an Independent Director on the Board of Directors of private equity-owned portfolio companies.

Currently, he serves on the Board of Pro-Vigil [remote video surveillance and monitoring services for automotive dealerships, construction sites, utilities and oil and gas companies]. He has also served on the Boards of the following successfully exited private equity portfolio companies: 3Phase Elevator Corporation; The Tranzonic Companies; Health & Safety Institute; Lone Star Overnight; L-com Global Connectivity, Tensator Group and Junior Sports Corporation. In addition, Eddie serves on the Management Advisory Board of Fort Point Capital, a private equity firm focused on growth investments in the lower end of the middle market.

Prior to starting AGS, Eddie was an Executive Vice President and Operating Committee member of Spalding Sports Worldwide (a Kohlberg Kravis Roberts company), where he had global marketing and product responsibilities for the company’s golf and sporting goods brands. For his work in revitalizing Spalding’s golf brands, Eddie was named to GolfWeek magazine’s list of the “Top 40 Executives Under 40.” Prior to Spalding, Eddie was Vice President of Marketing for Dunkin’ Donuts, where he led development and implementation of an integrated plan to make Dunkin’ Donuts the sales growth leader in the quick service restaurant industry, for which he was named to Advertising Age magazine’s list of “America’s Top 100 Marketers.”

Today, he supports and mentors several first-generation college students, helping them discover and further their educational and professional interests. Eddie also serves as a mentor and lecturer within the non-profit organization, “Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Disabled Veterans,” which provides entrepreneurship education, training and business plan development support to psychologically and physically disabled Iraq and Afghanistan returning veterans.

Eddie resides in Washington, DC with his wife, Kathy, while their three children, Evan, Celia and Aaron are out in the world doing great things.

Mike Strachan is the CEO of 3Phase Elevator Corporation, a leading provider of elevator and escalator maintenance, repair, and modernization services to customers across 18 states and the District of Columbia. He is responsible for all aspects of the business. He and his team have created significant value in the business via organic and add-on acquisition growth and scaling of operations. The result of this work led to a successful realization with Fort Point Capital and one that is currently being continued and extended with the investment of Berkshire Partners.

Mike has been in the elevator business for over 30 years and is a licensed mechanic in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. His prior experience includes President & CEO of Dynamic Consulting Services, where he provided vertical transportation consulting to building owners, and National Director of Modernization at KONE Elevator Company. He also served as the Northeast Regional President for ThyssenKrupp Elevator Company, the largest elevator company in the Americas, where he was responsible for 1,200 people and a $400M P&L.