Castle Creek makes control investments in U.S.-based community banks with assets of less than $10 billion. Castle Creek pioneered the concept of private equity control investing in the highly regulated banking industry and became the first private equity firm to meet the requirements to be registered as a bank holding company. As a bank holding company, Castle Creek can exercise meaningful control over its portfolio companies without subjecting its investors to bank regulation or oversight which it believes is a significant competitive advantage.

Over the past decade, Castle Creek has been the most prolific acquirer of U.S. banks and thrifts. Since 1992, the Principals have raised $1.6 billion of capital for bank transactions ($1.9 billion when including capital raised for financial services investments) completing 42 bank acquisitions and 8 bank sales. Inclusive of the capital invested are the three private equity funds managed by Castle Creek.

Castle Creek has a long and consistent record of creating value using an operationally driven, hands-on approach to managing its portfolio banks. Castle Creek’s success investing in the banking industry can be attributed to three primary factors:

• a team with significant banking experience,
• the ability to make control investments and
• operational execution.

While each of these factors is important, taken together, they form the foundation for Castle Creek’s success.