PARTNERS
George P. Blanco, CTP, CIRA
Managing Principal
George is a senior executive with over 30 years of industry and consulting experience, performing financial and operational management for both financially distressed and high growth companies. He has been involved in a number of interim C-level roles to stabilize business operations, rebuild management teams, and prepare businesses for refinancing or sale. Previously, George worked in the Big 4 accounting firm environment for more than 14 years, which included serving as a partner and managing director in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ consulting and financial advisory services practices.
George has a demonstrated background in working with management teams to help companies through difficult transition periods. He has successfully restructured and refinanced dozens of companies when the worst outcomes were expected by lenders, creditors and investors.
Early in his career, he focused on business process re-engineering, post-acquisition integration and supply chain management for clients including “Fortune 500” companies. Brand name clients have included Giorgio of Beverly Hills, Haagen Dazs, Allergan International, Arco AM/PM Stores, Baskin Robbins, Gateway Computers, Herbalife International, International House of Pancakes (“IHOP”), Mars Candy Pet Food Division, Smitty’s Super Valu, Nissan Motor Corp., Read-Rite Corporation, Technicolor, Warner Home Video, Tosco Corp / ConocoPhillips, and Unocal 76 Products, among others.
George received the 2015 Humanitarian Award from the National Jewish Health Foundation for community service. He serves on the board of Methodist Hospital of Southern California, and served as President for the Turnaround Management Association (TMA) – Southern California Chapter (2013-14).
He is a Certified Turnaround Professional (“CTP”) and a Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor (“CIRA”). He earned his MBA in finance from the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management and his BA in economics and accounting from Claremont McKenna College.
Selected examples of George’s turnaround, operating and restructuring experience include the following situations:
Contact:
213-479-7900
GBlanco@EMA-Group.com
Download vCard
Michael M. Ozawa, CPA/CFF, CGMA, CIRA, CFE
Managing Principal
Michael M. Ozawa, CPA/CFF, CIRA, CGMA, CFE -- Michael is a Managing Principal of Enterprise Management Advisors. He has more than 30 years of experience triaging businesses with financial and/or operating problems. Michael is often retained to manage crisis liquidity situations where he determines options for preserving cash and setting priorities with lenders and trade creditors. His initial assessments frequently include determining key drivers for positive cash generation and profitability, preparing an EBITDA bridge from current to restructured operating results, preparing a Quality-Of-Earnings report for financing sources, and assisting with the review and implementation of business plans. Michael typically works side-by-side with management to define, plan and help implement agreed upon objectives. However, he is equally comfortable as an interim officer should the circumstances require that structure.
Michael has assisted in the disposition of businesses at the request of management, private equity investors or lenders. These dispositions include evaluating and executing the sale, orderly winddown or liquidation (or some combination thereof) of the business either in an out-of-court or court-supervised process. Michael has a demonstrated record of leadership in numerousdebt and business restructurings, recapitalizations, bankruptcy/”363” proceedings, transaction / M&A advisory assignments, and forensic accounting matters.
HIs clients include company boards, management, private equity investors, secured lenders, unsecured creditors’ committees, unsecured debt holders, trustees and receivers. Related client business revenues have ranged from private enterprises with annual revenues of $50 million to public entities with revenues in excess of $2 billion.
Michael’s experience spans a diverse range of industries, including retail, consumer products and services; food; restaurants; software; manufacturing; distribution; healthcare; business services; real estate and financial services industries.
In addition to business and operational turnarounds, Michael has managed many forensic accounting investigations, including matters involving cash transaction analysis, asset acquisition and disposition, asset tracing and compliance issues. Clients include secured and unsecured lenders, private equity sponsors, unsecured creditors’ committees, trustees, receivers and “governmental” agencies.
Prior to EMA Group, Michael was a partner in Business Recovery Services practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers and also a senior managing director at FTI. He is a Certified Insolvency & Restructuring Advisor (CIRA), a licensed Certified Public Accountant with a financial forensics specialization credential (CPA/CFF), a Certified Global Management Accountant (CGMA) and a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). He earned his Bachelor of Arts in economics-business from the University of California at Los Angeles.
Select distressed/bankruptcy engagements:
Contact:
213-705-9339
MOzawa@EMA-Group.com
Download vCard