Private Equity EventPanelist: Neal Aronson, Managing Director, Roark Capital Neal Aronson is the Founder and Managing Partner of Roark Capital Group. Roark Capital is an Atlanta-based private equity firm that specialized in business and consumer service companies with attractive growth prospects. Specific areas of focus include franchise, brand management, environmental services and marketing services. The firm has $3 billion of equity capital under management. In addition to his responsibilities as Managing Partner, Aronson is most actively involved in Roark's investments in FOCUS Brands, Primrose, Corner Bakery, and Arby's. Prior to founding Roark, Aronson was Co-Founder and CFO of U.S. Franchise Systems ("USFS"). Aronson helped transform USFS from one brand with 22 hotels in nine states to three brands with more than 500 hotels in 50 states and five countries, making USFS the tenth largest hotel company in the United States. Prior to founding USFS, Aronson was a Principal of Odyssey Partners, L.P., a private investment partnership founded by Jack Nash and Leon Levy. Prior to Odyssey, Aronson was a Principal and General Partner at Acadia Partners, L.P. (now Oak Hill Partners), and subsequently a Managing Director of its successor company Rosecliff Inc. Aronson began his career in the corporate finance department at Drexel, Burnham, Lambert Incorporated. Aronson received a B.A. from Lehigh University. Ticket 37.92