David Hirschfield joined Ravinia Capital, a boutique investment bank, as managing director. Hirschfield has closed more than 150 transactions during his three and a half decades of experience in sales, restructurings and debt and equity raises.

Hirschfield began his career in the women’s apparel business and is credited with helping grow an apparel company from startup to $300 million in revenue over a three-year period.

In 1984, Hirschfield then went on to found The Stonegate Group, an investment banking firm that provided a range of financial advisory services to clients in all industries and segments of the middle market for more than 35 years.

“The team at Ravinia shares my hands-on, operational approach to business challenges and I am eager to marry up my experience with theirs,” Hirschfield said.

“We are excited to bring additional value to our clients through the combination of David’s extensive investment banking expertise with our own,” Tom Goldblatt, managing partner at Ravinia Capital, said. “The tremendous passion that he has demonstrated for working with business owners and senior management to resolve strategic, financial and operational issues for companies facing financial pressures aligns perfectly with Ravinia’s culture, ethos and reputation in the industry.

“David’s profile further bolsters our reputation as the preeminent investment bank for handling complex special situations and advocating for business owners and other stakeholders in the middle market. It’s remarkable to be able to work with someone whom I have respected for years and who I know likewise understands the value of combining one’s personal experience from running and operating companies, with lessons learned in the art of the deal, in order to help clients achieve extraordinary results by maximizing and marketing the future potential of their business.”

“I am very pleased for David to add his exceptional skill set and experience to the Ravinia investment banking platform,” Steve Fansler, regional head of commercial banking at BMO Harris Bank, said. “Over the years, I have turned to David to handle many tough situations, as, in my opinion, no one does it better. What a great match David and Ravinia are.”