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^® and 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.