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Private company

Vestar Capital Partners

Logo: Vestar Capital Partners, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3

American private equity firm

Vestar Capital Partners is an American private equity firm focusing on leveraged buyout transactions in middle-market companies in the United States. The firm, which was founded in 1988, is headquartered in New York City with offices in Boston, Massachusetts and Denver, Colorado2 It was founded by James P. Kelley.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1988Founded1

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Vestar Capital Partners is an American private equity firm focusing on leveraged buyout transactions in middle-market companies in the United States.2

Corporate structure

Vestar Capital Partners is part of a group headed by Vestar Management Corporation II. 2 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

Major holders of Vestar Capital Partners

  • Daniel Stephen Oconnell Owns 75% or more of Vestar, since 05/1993 (Form ADV)
  • Vestar Management Corporation II
    • Vestar Capital Partners 245 Park Avenue

Built from major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G; owners and owned firms from Form ADV, the registration investment advisers file with the SEC. Each entity in the chart links to its source.

Investment adviser

Vestar Capital Partners is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. This is what it reports on Form ADV, the registration every adviser files and keeps current.

  • Assets it manages$2.6B5 20 accounts, all with discretion
  • Employees29 16 in investment advice or research
  • ClientsPooled investment vehicles (other than investment companies and: 20 ($2.6B)
  • How it is paidA percentage of assets under its management; Performance-based fees
  • What it doesPortfolio management for pooled investment vehicles (other than investment companies)
  • Holds client assetsNo
  • RegistrationSEC 801-74167, CRD 155953 IAPD record

Who owns it

Owners of 5% or more as the firm lists them (Schedule A), and the owners of those owners up the chain (Schedule B).

  • VESTAR MANAGEMENT CORPORATION IIowns 75% or more, since 05/1993
  • Daniel Stephen Oconnellowns 75% or more of VESTAR, since 05/1993

The story

Founded by James P. Kelley in 1988.1

Vestar is a leading private equity firm specializing in management buyouts and growth capital investments. Vestar was founded in 1988 by principals of The First Boston Corporation’s Management Buyout Group. As of 2017, four of the original founders—Daniel O'Connell, Norman Alpert, Robert Rosner, and James Kelley—were still with the firm.

Since the firm's founding in 1988, the Vestar funds have completed more than 80 investments in companies with a total value of more than $46 billion.

In 2011, Vester Capital along with Warburg Pincus acquired a majority stake in Triton International from the Pritzker family.

In 2013, Vestar Capital acquired a majority stake in Roland Foods Corporation. The firm acquired Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) from MSCI in 2014 for $364 million.

Investment funds

Between 1988 and 2019, Vestar raised seven private equity funds with total investor commitments of more than $8 billion. The first six of those funds have been fully invested.

1988 - Vestar Capital Partners ($35 million - Fully invested and liquidated)

1993 - Vestar Capital Partners II ($260 million - Fully invested and liquidated)

1997 - Vestar Capital Partners III ($803 million - Fully invested)

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1999 - Vestar Capital Partners IV ($2.48 billion - Fully invested)

2005 - Vestar Capital Partners V ($3.7 billion - Fully invested)

2013 - Vestar Capital Partners VI ($804 million - Fully invested)

2019 - Vestar Capital Partners VII ($1.1 billion - Currently investing)

From Wikipedia’s article on Vestar Capital Partners, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Leadership

Who has led Vestar Capital Partners, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Timeline

  1. 1988Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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