Brent Mathews

Brent Mathews, with 20+ years in lending and financing, with prior operational leadership roles, is an SVP, Commercial Lender, leading Sponsor Finance at Main Street Bank. He provides senior secured cash flow loans to finance acquisitions of smaller ($5-50MM Revenue, $0.5 - $5MM EBITDA) companies in the U.S. by private equity groups, independent sponsors and family offices.

Brent’s Market and Product:

The ”Lower Middle Market” (generally companies less than $10MM EBITDA) has increasingly been targeted for acquisitions by sophisticated financial investors seeking outsized returns. Over a 3-5 year period an equity investor buys a family or privately owned business, brings in new management or coaches up current management to grow EBITDA (“EBITDA expansion”), then sell at a higher multiple of EBITDA (“multiple expansion”). Debt financing is a significant source of capital for acquisitions and a return enhancer for the equity investors.

Sponsor Finance provides cash flow (not dependent on collateral) acquisition loans up to 50% of the total capital structure at close of a transaction often with committed, undrawn loans for follow-on acquisitions. The ability to deliver on-time and on-terms results from competence born from experience and an organization focused on delivering for the buyer, and satisfying the conditions of the sale.

About Brent:

Brent has worked in seven different financial institutions with even more different lending products, from one of the largest companies in the world at the time (GE Capital) to a family-owned high-risk equipment leasing business, from making loans to public companies to sourcing merchant cash advance deals for a multi-unit retailer to structuring and closing a Bitcoin collateralized line of credit. 

Pre-lending roles / education / certifications:

Six Sigma Black Belt, via the GE Experienced Commercial Leadership Program (sales and marketing training)

MBA, Darden School, University of Virginia

Diaper manufacturing machine team leader, Kimberly-Clark, Connecticut

Captain, Signal Corps (branch detailed Infantry), U.S. Army, 25^th Infantry Division, Hawaii

BS, Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia