Abacus Finance Group, a New York-based direct lending company, served as syndication agent and joint-lead arranger of senior secured credit facilities to support the investment by Sentinel Capital Partners in Marketplace Events.

“This was our first transaction with the Abacus team,” said Michael J. Fabian, a partner at Sentinel, “and they proved to be easy to work with. We were impressed by their efficient due diligence process coupled with the ability to give us a commitment quickly.”

“Because most of our equity sponsor relationships are longstanding, it is very exciting for us when we get the chance to work with a new partner,” said Tim Clifford, president and CEO of Abacus. “Like us, they target quality lower-middle market firms, so the fit is a good one. And, as Michael said, they appreciated our flexibility, speed and ability to provide certainty of close – key aspects of what we call our Total Partnership Approach.”

Solon, OH-based Marketplace Events is an organizer of consumer shows targeting the home improvement market.

New York-based Sentinel is a private equity firm that invests in management buyouts, acquisitions of family businesses, corporate divestitures, industry consolidations and going-private transactions in the U.S. and Canada.