Spire Capital Partners, a private equity firm specializing in investments across the business services, information services, media, education and communications sectors, closed on the sale of Performance Assessment Network, a leading provider of talent management software and solutions, to PSI Services LLC, a portfolio company of Waud Capital Partners.
Spire Capital has significant experience investing in the education, certification, assessment, and testing sectors and in Performance Assessment Network, executed a highly successful corporate carve out alongside a strong management team. During Spire’s four-year investment, PAN exhibited strong growth in both its corporate and government businesses as well as entering the education arena with its “Am I Job Ready” product offering. The acquisition of IPAT in 2015 and its globally recognized 16pf assessment provided PAN with a comprehensive and highly differentiated suite of talent measurement solutions.
“Led by Jim Holm, the PAN senior management team did an extraordinary job in positioning the company in the highly complex and quickly evolving talent measurement industry. Our strong financial performance and ultimate investment outcome are a direct result of the management team’s vision and execution,” commented Bruce Hernandez, a partner at Spire Capital.
“I am proud of the PAN team and what we were able to accomplish,” commented Jim Holm, PAN’s CEO. “As a second time senior leader at a Spire portfolio company, I had a good sense of the strategic insight and business development input the firm would provide, as well as the overall support needed during our aggressive growth period over the last few years. It was a great partnership from start to finish,” said Holm.
Houlihan Lokey acted as exclusive financial advisor to Spire Capital and PAN, while Dentons US LLP served as legal counsel.
About Performance Assessment Network
Performance Assessment Network, Inc. (PAN” is a leading global provider of online talent assessments and testing technology solutions that aid both corporate and government organizations in hiring and growing top talent. Founded in 2000, PAN offers a single point of access to the most diverse collection of online talent assessments available including hundreds of professionally developed employment tests from the most respected publishes in the industry. With a technology platform that sets the standard for online testing innovation and security, PAN has delivered millions of assessments, leveraging its vast testing center network of over 600 locations and its diverse collection of online talent assessments from more than 50 leading publishers. PAN is headquartered in Carmel, Indiana. For more information, please visit www.panpowered.com.
About Spire Capital Partners
Founded in 2000, Spire Capital is an active and experienced private equity firm with an investment focus on lead and control investments in companies within the technology-enabled business services, media, education and communications sectors. Spire Capital leads buyout investments in its areas of expertise and believes its deep industry experience and network of relationships are invaluable in helping its portfolio companies grow and create value. Spire Capital is investing out of its third fund and has managed over $900 million in private equity commitments since its founding. For more information, please visit www.spirecapital.com.
