Charles N.Bensinger III (Chip)

Partner

New York + 1.212.326.3797

Chip Bensinger has more than 25 years experience in lending and other finance transactions, representing both capital providers and users in acquisition financings, cross-border and multijurisdictional financings, asset-based loans (ABLs), sports franchise and arena financings, private placements, and restructurings and chapter 11 debtor-in-possession and exit financings.

Representative transactions include innumerable private equity acquisition financings, including advising a consortium of private equity firms in an unusually complex $2.8 billion commodities ABL, term loan, and subdebt acquisition financing; ConAgra Brands' $10.9 billion acquisition of Pinnacle Foods, $6 billion acquisition financing of Ralcorp Holdings, and $1.1 billion spin-off financing of Lamb Weston; an $11.6 billion acquisition financing commitment for Frontier Communications; the $3.1 billion financing of Diebold's cross-border acquisition of a publicly traded German company; the $2 billion spin-off financing of Fortrea; representing a debtor during three years of chapter 11 proceedings and its emergence with five layers of secured and unsecured debt; and financings of baseball (MLB), basketball (NBA), and hockey (NHL) franchises (including construction of the world-class Prudential Center in New Jersey).

Representative clients include public and private company borrowers such as Conagra Brands, Delaware North, Diebold Nixdorf, Flowers Foods, Frontier Communications, Lamb Weston, Rex Energy, Verint Systems, and Welbilt; private equity firms such as AGIC Capital, EagleTree Capital, Goode Partners, J.F. Lehman & Co., One Equity Partners, and Riverside; and private capital and bank lenders such as Angelo Gordon, CIT, Citizens, Jefferies, and Wells Fargo.

Chip was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He joined Jones Day in 1997 and became a partner in 2007.

Experience

  • Angelos Family agrees to sell control stake in Baltimore Orioles to Baltimore native David RubensteinJones Day advised the Baltimore Orioles in connection with the sale of a controlling interest in the Orioles to a diverse investor group led by David Rubenstein that includes Michael Arougheti, Mitchell Goldstein, Michael Smith, and Maryland leaders, philanthropists, and sports legends.
  • J.F. Lehman & Company acquires Mission MicrowaveJones Day advised J.F. Lehman & Company in the acquisition and financing of all of the outstanding membership interests of Mission Microwave Technologies, LLC, a revolutionary designer of radio frequency and microwave electronics supporting ground-based, airborne and space-based applications.
  • EagleTree Capital acquires Summit Hill FoodsJones Day advised EagleTree Capital in the acquisition and financing of Summit Hill Foods, Inc., a leading branded food company producing nationally recognized, premium brands, including Better Than Bouillon and The Original Louisiana Hot Sauce.
  • OUTFRONT Media completes $450 million Senior Secured Notes offeringJones Day advised OUTFRONT Media Inc., one of the largest providers of advertising space on out-of-home advertising structures and sites across the United States and Canada, in connection with the issuance by two of its wholly-owned subsidiaries of $450 million in aggregate principal amount of 7.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2031 in a Rule 144A and Regulation S offering.
  • EagleTree Capital acquires MMGY GlobalJones Day advised EagleTree Capital in the acquisition and financing of MMGY Global, a leading integrated marketing firm specializing in travel, tourism and hospitality, from Peninsula Partners and other shareholders.
  • J.F. Lehman completes financing in connection with its $1.2 billion take-private acquisition of Heritage-Crystal Clean, Inc.Jones Day represented J.F. Lehman & Company, a leading private equity investment firm focused on the aerospace, defense, maritime, and environmental sectors, in connection with a syndicated senior secured credit facility financing its approximately $1.2 billion take-private acquisition of Heritage-Crystal Clean, Inc. (NASDAQ: HCCI), a leading provider of parts cleaning, used oil re-refining, hazardous and non-hazardous waste disposal, emergency and spill response, and industrial and field services to vehicle maintenance businesses, manufacturers and other industrial businesses, as well as utilities and governmental entities.
  • J.F. Lehman & Company portfolio company acquires White Lake Dock & DredgeJones Day advised J.F. Lehman & Company in the acquisition and financing by portfolio company, ENTACT, LLC, of White Lake Dock & Dredge, Inc.
  • Greenpac Mill obtains $150 million revolving credit facilityJones Day represented Greenpac Mill, LLC, a subsidiary of Cascades Inc., in connection with a $150 million revolving credit facility with National Bank of Canada, as administrative agent.
  • Fortrea completes $570 million private placement of Senior Secured Notes and obtains $1.5 billion credit facilityJones Day represented Fortrea Holdings Inc., a leading global contract research organization (“CRO”) that provides comprehensive phase I through IV biopharmaceutical product and medical device services, patient access solutions and other enabling services, in connection with the Rule 144A and Regulation S offering of $570 million aggregate principal amount of 7.500% Senior Secured Notes due 2030 and a $1.5 billion senior secured credit facility as part of its spin-off from Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings.
  • OUTFRONT Media amends and extends its $500 million revolving credit facilityJones Day advised OUTFRONT Media Inc., one of the largest providers of advertising space on out-of-home advertising structures and sites in the United States and Canada, in connection with the amendment and extension of its $500 million revolving credit facility with Morgan Stanley Senior Funding Inc., as collateral agent and administrative agent.
  • EagleTree portfolio company acquires Weil & AssociatesJones Day advised EagleTree Capital in the acquisition and financing by portfolio company, PRA, of Weil & Associates, a destination management sector leader in the Hawaiian market.
  • Baltimore Orioles MLB franchise amends and extends its revolving credit facilityJones Day represented the Baltimore Orioles MLB franchise, as borrower, in connection with an amendment and extension to its revolving credit facility.
  • EagleTree Capital acquires PRA EventsJones Day represented EagleTree Capital in connection with its acquisition of PRA Events, Inc., a leading business event management firm, from CI Capital Partners.
  • J.F. Lehman & Company backed NorthStar Group acquires Trans Ash Inc.Jones Day advised NorthStar Group, a portfolio company of J.F. Lehman & Company, in the acquisition and financing of Trans Ash Inc., a leading provider of coal ash (or coal combustion residuals) services to utilities customers across North America.
  • EagleTree backed company Arc acquires HR Technology and Education Technology portfolios from LRP Media GroupJones Day advised EagleTree Capital in the acquisition and financing by Arc of a portfolio of event and related media assets serving the HR Technology and Education Technology sectors from LRP Media Group.
  • EagleTree Capital acquires MacKenzie-Childs from Castanea PartnersJones Day advised EagleTree Capital in the acquisition and financing of MacKenzie-Childs, the artisan-driven American heritage home decor brand, from Castanea Partners.
  • Conagra Brands amends and extends $2.0 billion revolving credit facility and obtains $500 million delayed draw term loan facilityJones Day represented Conagra Brands, Inc., a leading branded foods company, in connection with (i) an amendment and extension of a $2.0 billion unsecured revolving credit facility with Bank of America, N.A., and (ii) a new $500 million unsecured delayed draw term loan facility with Farm Credit Services of America, PCA.
  • United Natural Foods obtains $2.6 billion credit facilityJones Day advised United Natural Foods, Inc., a leading distributor of natural, organic, specialty, produce and conventional grocery and non-food products, and provider of support services to retailers in the United States and Canada, in connection with its $2.6 billion secured asset-based revolving credit facility, including a U.S. dollar equivalent of $100 million sublimit for borrowings in Canadian dollars, with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association as administrative agent.
  • Nasco sells Whirl-Pak®Jones Day advised EagleTree Capital and its portfolio company, Nasco, in the sale of Whirl-Pak®, a leading provider of sterilized sampling and testing solutions including its line of write-on, stand-up, filter and other specialty single-use sterilized sampling bags and accessories, to Filtration Group, an affiliate of Madison Industries.
  • EagleTree Capital portfolio company acquires bChannelsJones Day advised EagleTree Capital in connection with the acquisition and financing by portfolio company The Channel Company of bChannels, a leading global marketing and data services agency specializing in the technology channel.