Wunderlich Co-Founds New Financial Firm

January 17, 2020

THE DAILY MEMPHIAN

Gary Wunderlich and Rick Hendrix have formed a new company, Live Oak Merchant Partners, that provides private investment and advisory services to “best in class” middle-market companies.

“Our goal is to support and advise companies ready for their next phase of growth,” Wunderlich said in a release.

“We look forward to putting our experience to work, particularly during a critical point in a company’s trajectory,” he said. “Though we are working in a variety of industries, our shared end goal for Live Oak portfolio companies is to support them in creating exceptional outcomes for customers, employees, and owners.”

Wunderlich had founded Wunderlich Securities, a full-service investment banking and brokerage firm, in Memphis in 1996. He sold the firm in 2017 to Los Angeles-based B. Riley Financial.

Hendrix was chairman and chief executive of FBR & Co., an investment banking and brokerage firm, from 2009 until it merged in 2017 with B. Riley Financial. He remains a senior adviser to Crestview Partners, a private equity firm, according to the Live Oak website.

Another managing partner of Live Oak Merchant Partners is Robert Feinstein. He previously was partner of Compass Point, which started an investment banking group and grew from four to 55 employees during his 11 years there.

According to its website, Live Oak Merchant Partners has offices in Memphis, McLean, Va., and Great Falls, Va.

For more information, visit liveoakmerchant.com.