ACG South Florida Annual Awards Banquet 2014

Honoring Lennar, Q.E.P., ABB Optical, Mako Surgical and List Industries

The Westin Fort Lauderdale – September 17, 2014 5:30pm

Registration 5:30pm - Networking (cocktails and appetizers) 5:30pm

Awards Banquet 6:15pm - Post Event Networking (coffee and desert) 8:15pm

ACG Member rate $100; non-members $125

Register at http://www.acg.org/southflorida/

The South Florida Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG-South Florida) today announced that it has selected Lennar Corp. as its Outstanding Growth Company; Q.E.P. as its Emerging Growth Company and Mako Surgical and ABB Optical Group as its Transaction of the Year recipients.

ACG-South Florida will honor its 2014 award winners at a cocktail reception and awards banquet at 5:30 p.m. on September 17th at The Westin – Fort Lauderdale. In addition, CFA-Florida will honor its ABL transaction of the year recipient, List Industries, at the event.

Jim Craig, Vice President Middle Market Healthcare at Fifth Third Bank and President of ACG South Florida, stated “the selection process was intense due to the numerous companies that reflect success across many industry sectors. The companies selected have traveled different paths to achieve their success and reflect the diverse nature of the South Florida economy.” A summary of award recipients are shown below:

Lennar Corp.

Miami based Lennar Corporation is engaged in homebuilding activities in the United States, operating through various subsidiaries. Its homebuilding activities include the construction and sale of single-family attached and detached homes and the purchase, development, and sale of residential land. The company also offers real estate related financial services and is involved in raising, investing, and managing third party capital; originating and securitizing commercial mortgage loans, and investing in real estate related mortgage loans, properties, and related securities. Lennar, founded in 1954, also develops multifamily rental properties. Stuart A. Miller is Chief Executive Officer.

Q.E.P. Co., Inc.

Boca Raton headquartered Q.E.P. Co., Inc. engages in the manufacture, marketing, and distribution of hardwood flooring, installation tools, adhesives, and flooring related products for the professional installation and do-it-yourself markets. Its’ wide array of products, totaling approximately 5,000, are marketed under the QEP and other brand names. It sells to home improvement retail centers, specialty distribution outlets, municipalities, and industrial solution providers in the United States and internationally. The company was founded in 1979. Lewis Gould is Chairman and CEO.

Mako Surgical Corp.

Based in Fort Lauderdale, MAKO Surgical Corp., a medical device company, markets its advanced robotic arm solution, joint specific applications for the knee and hip, and orthopedic implants for orthopedic procedures in the United States and internationally. The company offers solutions under the names MAKOplasty, RESTORIS knee and hip implant system. The company markets through a direct sales force and independent orthopedic product agents and distributors. MAKO Surgical Corp. was founded in 2004. As of December 17, 2013, MAKO Surgical Corp. operates as a subsidiary of Stryker Corporation. David K. Floyd is President and Principal Executive Officer.

ABB Optical Group

ABB OPTICAL GROUP supplies more than 30,000 eye care professionals across the U.S. with brand name contact lenses, fully customizable gas permeable and custom specialty soft contact lenses, stock ophthalmic lenses, and a fully automated, full service digital lens laboratory. The Company is the nation's leading distributor of optical products.  The Company manufactures Gas Permeable (GP) contact lenses and its digital eye lab creates state-of-the-art custom eyewear. The Company also offers practice building services to its customers. Angel Alvarez is Founder and CEO

ABB Optical’s distribution business began in 1989 with the purchase of Co-Optics Distribution by ABB's founder, Angel Alvarez. In April 2007, ABB Optical and CON-CISE Contact Lens Company merged to form ABB CONCISE Optical Group LLC, the nation’s largest contact lens distributor and Gas Permeable (GP) lens manufacturer. In October 2012, private equity firm, New Mountain Capital, recapitalized ABB CONCISE to support future growth. Subsequently, ABB CONCISE merged with the nation's second largest contact lens distributor, Optical Distributor Group (ODG) forming ABB OPTICAL GROUP.

List Industries Inc.

Deerfield Beach based List Industries Inc. is a manufacturer of metal and wooden lockers as well as metal industrial shelving. J.R. List is Chief Executive Officer. The Company utilized ABL financing, and its disciplines, as part of its sustained turnaround activities (growth from revenue of $15 million and 120 employees to $100 million and 500 employees). List Industries Incorporated was founded by Max H. List in 1936 and has been operated by three generations of family management including former CEO Herb List and now his son, as List grew to become "America's Most Complete Locker Line®". An innovator and industry leader in product design and development, List Industries continues to develop new products, such as The Recruiter™, a furniture quality wood sport locker, made in List’s factory to the high standards that the Company is known for.
 

Join your colleagues for an evening of appreciation for the ACG Award winners and networking with the community's business leaders.

The 2014 Awards Banquet event is sponsored by Platinum sponsors Commercial Finance Association-Florida, Akerman and Gold sponsors Advaion, BB&T, Cassel-Salpeter, FACT Financial, Fifth Third, Grant Thornton, Marsh, Mercantil Commercebank, Trivest and Wells Fargo.

ACG Florida, a partnership of the four ACG chapters in the state, will hold its 10th annual Florida Capital Connection on November 18-19, 2014. The event promises to be a middle market powerhouse, bringing together representatives of private equity firms, commercial and investment bankers, growth-oriented companies and accountants, attorneys and other professionals all focused on deal making. This year’s conference comes to the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, on 35 acres of unspoiled beauty in one of Florida’s most picturesque locales, and only five minutes from Tampa International Airport.