TruArc Structured Opportunities Fund, LP ("TruArc SOF"), a non-control strategy managed by TruArc Partners (“TruArc”), is pleased to announce its role as the lead arranger and provider of junior capital securities to support Brightstar Capital Partners’ (“Brightstar”) acquisition of Bendon Publishing International, Inc. ("Bendon" or the "Company"), a provider of screen-free children's activity products.

“We are pleased to support Brightstar in its acquisition of Bendon and look forward to collaborating with them on future opportunities over the coming years,” said William Gassman, Partner at TruArc and Portfolio Manager of TruArc SOF.

“We are confident that Bendon is well-capitalized for growth, and we are pleased to partner with TruArc in this exciting new chapter for the company,” said Charles Yoon, Partner at Brightstar and Managing Partner of Brightstar’s lower middle market strategy.

“Choosing the right partner to facilitate the next chapter of our growth was an important decision for us at Bendon,” said Ben Ferguson, Founder and CEO of Bendon. “Brightstar brings deep experience working with founder-led companies and shares our long-term vision for the business. I'm excited to collaborate as we continue to grow organically and pursue selective M&A opportunities.”

Bendon’s products are designed to support hands-on, creative engagement and provide screen-free forms of entertainment and learning for children. Through coloring, activity, and educational formats, the Company focuses on encouraging imagination, creativity, and fine motor skill development all while providing accessible, non-digital alternatives for families.

About Bendon

Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Ashland, Ohio, Bendon is a designer and distributor of licensed children’s coloring, activity, and educational products. The Company partners with leading entertainment licensors to develop engaging, affordable offerings distributed across a broad range of retail channels in North America. Bendon’s products are designed to support hands-on, creative, and screen-free engagement for children. For more information, please visit http://www.bendonpub.com.

About Brightstar Capital Partners

Brightstar Capital Partners is a middle-market private equity firm with $5bn AUM focused on control-oriented investments in business services, industrials, technology, media & telecom, and financial services companies. Brightstar combines hands-on operational value creation with a focus on disciplined deployment of artificial intelligence to support execution, productivity, and decision-making across its portfolio. For more information, please visit www.brightstarcp.com.

About TruArc Partners

TruArc Partners is a New York-based private equity firm focused on middle-market investments. TruArc provides both control and non-control private capital solutions to companies in attractive sub-sectors across specialty manufacturing and business services. The TruArc investment team collaborates with its operating partners and portfolio management teams to create value through a transformational growth strategy led by organic and acquisition-driven growth. To learn more about TruArc visit www.truarcpartners.com.

About TruArc Structured Opportunities Fund

TruArc Structured Opportunities Fund, LP (“TruArc SOF”) is TruArc’s dedicated non-control strategy, investing in junior capital securities issued by middle-market companies. TruArc SOF provides capital solutions, spanning structured debt to non-control equity, designed to address the needs of each transaction. Working in close partnership with controlling shareholders and management teams, TruArc SOF supports growth initiatives through structured investments which offer flexibility in transaction structuring.

Disclosure: All endorsements and/or testimonials are from current or former portfolio company executives about TruArc’s ability to provide operational support to their companies. In certain cases, the executives are investors or co-investors in TruArc’s vehicles. The executives have not been paid, directly or indirectly, for their testimonial or endorsement but as an investor or co-investor they are inherently incentivized to endorse TruArc.

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