New York, New York – In recognition of both its Senior Leaders’ depth of knowledge and longtime industry-centric service, and the significance of dedicated industry services groups, Getzler Henrich & Associates LLC has formalized its industry practices by naming longtime dedicated experts at the firm who have been informally leading their respective industry groups as Industry Practice Leaders. While these newly-named Practice Leaders will head specific industry groups, they have a wide array of experience in numerous industries and will continue to work with Getzler Henrich’s clients in a broad spectrum of industries.

Getzler Henrich & Associates is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected middle-market corporate restructurings and operations improvement firms.

In making the announcement, Joel I. Getzler, Co-Chairman said, “Each of the Industry Leaders we are announcing today has numerous successful engagements in their industry practice area.  The formalization of these appointments is recognition of their outstanding work and the importance of these business segments to our firm.”

William H. Henrich, Co-Chairman continued, “Each practice is a growing industry segment for Getzler Henrich. As there may be many common challenges facing every industry–such as inflation and the high cost of money, financing difficulties and rising operating expenses–there are equally many that are unique to specific industries.  With each of these Managing Directors’ outstanding industry backgrounds, experience, and leadership we have the dedicated recognizable industry teams to work with our clients in these industries.”

Automotive -Kevin Krakora advises boards of directors and executive management teams regarding strategic alternatives and performance improvement plans. He has served as a Chief Restructuring Officer and Independent Director and has led numerous Section 363 sales processes in Chapter 11 cases as well as business and assets sales in out-of-court situations.

Among his many significant automotive engagements are the representative matters:

• CRO for $400 million tier 1 manufacturer of fuel/fluid delivery, routing, and handling systems
• Advisor for $350 million tier 1 designer and manufacturer of vapor management systems
• CRO for $150 million tier 2 manufacturer and designer of small motors, gears, and actuators
• Advisor for $200 million tier 1 supplier of appliances and accessories to Recreational Vehicle OEM’s
• Advisor to secured lender of $180 million global tier 2 machined metals manufacturer
• Advisor to global tier 1 supplier experiencing supply issues with distressed tier 2 manufacturer

He recently served as President and Chair of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA Global).

Commercial Real Estate and Hospitality- Mark Podgainy has extensive experience in the hospitality industry including line and management positions at Harvey Hotels, Winegardner & Hammons (Holiday Inn concepts) and Howard Johnson’s Restaurants. His hotel clients have included major flag franchisees and independent hotels, and restaurants. 

Most recently, Mr. Podgainy was financial advisor to the Williamsburg Hotel and Starlin LLC. He is currently CRO of The Wagner Hotel at Battery Park. His areas of expertise include operations restructuring, business plan analysis, performance improvement, cash and vendor management, bankruptcy consulting and interim management services.

He has a master’s degree in business administration from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.

Consumer Products-Robert Gorin recently served as Chief Operating Officer for a $220 million consumer products company overseeing finance, order processing, logistics, customer service, IT, human resources, forecasting, and strategic planning. He was also appointed CRO of an international furniture manufacturer with manufacturing in Costa Rica and global sales of approximately $60 million, and prior to that, was interim COO of a $100 million, globally recognized, family-owned apparel and fashion company.

Before joining Getzler Henrich, Mr. Gorin was president and chief operating officer of EGC, Inc., a consumer goods wholesaler, distributor, and importer and was president and general manager of Camlog Biotechnologies, a dental industry supplier, where he established a U.S. presence and led an aggressive international growth program. Mr. Gorin served in multiple leadership roles with Chase Manhattan Bank, including positions with the company’s merger office and the strategy and implementation team for the retail branch network.

Education– Most recently Mark Podgainy, was financial advisor to a small, non-profit undergraduate and graduate liberal arts school that had planned to wind down. He opened an improved line of communication with bondholders and guided the CFO in producing financial forecasts and operational plans to manage the wind down process.  He also previously served as Chief Restructuring Officer of The College of New Rochelle (“CNR”), a non-profit, undergraduate, and graduate liberal arts college to guide the educational wind down and maximize recoveries for creditors.  Getzler Henrich’s responsibilities included opening an improved line of communication with CNR’s bondholders and lenders, oversight over the wind down of educational operations, oversight over the transition of the student population and critical support services to Mercy College, filing Chapter 11 after all educational operations were terminated, and monetizing the assets for the benefit of creditors, including serving as Liquidation Trustee of the CNR Liquidation Trust.

Healthcare – David Campbell is a healthcare professional with over 20 years of investment banking, restructuring and asset management experience, having worked across almost every healthcare sub-sector, including physician practice groups, acute care hospitals, behavioral health, senior living and pharma.  

Expert in creating and executing strategies that maximize stakeholder value throughout a company’s life cycles, from pre-acquisition to investment exit, he has extensive experience with in- and out-of-court restructurings and recapitalizations, M&A, and divestiture initiatives. His expertise includes special-situation strategies, financial and due diligence, and capitalization initiatives. 

Mr. Campbell received an MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, a Masters’ Degree from the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy and a Bachelor of Arts from Boston University.

He currently serves as Board Chair for a private equity owned dermatology group, Board Member for a PE backed industrial company, Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee of Heartland Health Centers, an FQHC located in Chicago that serves nearly 30,000 patients of lower and moderate income through both school-based and free-standing clinics.

Restaurants- Mark Samson has expertise in QSR, bakery-cafes, casual dining, fine dining, and Michelin star restaurants. He has served as CEO, CRO, president, financial advisor (“FA”), or board member for 70+ restaurants and food supply companies. Since the pandemic, he has restructured 100+ restaurant, commercial and retail leases both in and out of bankruptcy.

Select experiences include:

• FA for Toojays in chapter 11- Successfully renegotiated all leases achieving abatements, deferrals, and percentage rent deals.
• Interim CEO for 51 units chain. Improved Four (4) Wall EBITDA by 4% within 21 days.

• Fresh Produce: FA to the largest family-run tomato grower and canning processer in Northeast.
• Protein Processing- Retained by secured lender and then the company to advise a protein processing company supplying restaurants, fast food outlets, delicatessens, and supermarkets. Reviewed operations and advised on product mix, margin, and waste elimination. Successfully extended their loans with the lender.

Retail- Michael Appel is an experienced retail executive who has had direct supervisory responsibility for every functional area within a retail operation, across hard and soft lines categories and multiple channels from off price to luxury. Mr. Appel has served as interim CEO, COO, turnaround advisor for such well known retailers as Laura Ashley, rue21, Barney’s, Wilkes Bashford, Baccarat, Loehmann’s, MacKenzie Childs and Kasper/Anne Klein, for which Mr. Appel won the 2004 Turnaround Management Association Turnround of the Year Award.

Mr. Appel served as CEO and Chairman of rue21, the 700-unit fast fashion retailer from its emergence from Chapter11 in Sept 2017 until February 2020 and led its successful turnaround with outstanding financial results in fiscal 2019.

Michael graduated from Brandeis University (Phi Beta Kappa) and has an MBA with Distinction from Harvard Business School.

ABOUT GETZLER HENRICH & ASSOCIATES LLC:  Getzler Henrich & Associates LLC is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected names in middle-market corporate restructurings and operations improvement and has successfully worked with thousands of companies to achieve growth and profitability. Working with a wide range of companies, including publicly held firms, private corporations, and family-owned businesses, Getzler Henrich’s expertise spans more than fifty industry sectors, from “new economy” technology and service firms to “old economy” manufacturing and distribution businesses. Getzler Henrich is a Hilco Global Company. For more information on Getzler Henrich’s expertise, please visit getzlerhenrich.com.