Vinum Capital Management: Equity Financing for the Wine Industry

Craig Vachon, Director (cvachon@vinumcapital.com)
Experience:		25 years of experience. Managed over 100 acquisitions and raised more than $950M in PE and VC investment. Roll-up expertise at McCaw Cellular, IES and an assortment of high-tech start-ups. CEO of VC-backed Varatouch and Sirenic growing both businesses to 4X and 8X investor returns
Education:		Emerson College (BA), Emerson College (MA) and instructor at Harvard University

Craig is a serial entrepreneur. Over his career, he has earned ~$985M in new investment for 16 projects (including two PE/VC funds) in seven different countries. Craig has led companies in London, Tokyo, Taipei, Maharashtra India, Northern California and Vancouver BC.

Most recently, Craig (as CEO) restarted an intellectual-property components and software company (Varatouch) focused on human input devices for consumer electronics. He raised venture capital investment, recruited a world-class team and distribution partners, created elegant and intuitive designs, and earned design-wins from Samsung, Motorola, Nokia and Panasonic. He sold the company to a competitor for multiples of VC investment.

Prior to Varatouch, Craig was recruited as CEO to turn-around an R&D-focused software team to commercial launch, enterprise-focused marketing, sale and distribution of a “relevant” mobile information access software solution. Craig and the shareholders sold the company to a London-based “roll-up” private equity investor.

At IES (NYSE: IES) Craig (as VP Corporate Business Development) led an acquisition and strategic investment team for a US$1.8 billion roll-up of electrical and communications solutions providers. Craig working alongside the CEO/CFO, raised $275 million in debt to fund acquisitions and VC/PE investments. Craig’s team led the acquisition of numerous companies with revenue of $20-100M and made assorted strategic private-equity investments.

At McCaw Cellular, AT&T Wireless, and Nextel International (8 years with the McCaw team) Craig led or assisted in raising significant capital, contributed to numerous M&A projects, and led strategic new initiatives.

For five semesters, Craig was an instructor of business and organizational communication studies at Harvard University.

Craig currently sits on the Board of Directors of the following companies:

T&D Industries – Manhattan Beach, CA
TotalMass – West Sacramento, CA
Comvergix – El Dorado Hills, CA
Secure-a-Quote/Vantage Media – El Dorado Hills, CA
AnchorFree, Sunnyvale, CA