ANNOUNCEMENT
Franklin Partners advises leading trade show and digital media company in its sale to BridgeTower Media
BridgeTower Media, the authoritative source for business insights, data-driven marketing solutions, and events across more than 40 specialized B2B brands, has acquired Grace Media, publisher of Window Fashion VISION and producer of the International Window Coverings Expo (IWCE).
The acquisition reflects BridgeTower’s continued expansion into high-performing verticals, reinforcing its commitment to serve niche professional communities with industry-leading content, events, and insights.
Window Fashion VISION has been the go-to resource for trends, business strategies, and education in the custom window coverings industry for over 30 years. IWCE is the premier B2B event for window covering professionals in North America, drawing thousands of attendees and exhibitors from around the globe each year.
“Grace Media has built a loyal, engaged audience that relies on its content and connections to stay ahead. We’re excited to bring our digital transformation expertise to help scale that audience further, just as we’ve done across other high-performing verticals. We also see tremendous synergy between Grace Media and our coverage of the home furnishings and construction sectors. This acquisition will strengthen our tradeshow business and provide new growth opportunities across markets.”
— Hal Cohen, President and CEO, BridgeTower Media
Grace McNamara acquired Window Fashion magazine in 1986 from the Industrial Fabrics Association International and later rebranded it as Window Fashion VISION. In 1997 she launched IWCE, which has since grown into a national event welcoming over 8,000 companies to date, including thousands of new attendees annually.
“Building this business has truly been a labor of love. We’ve always been passionate about supporting the window covering industry and helping professionals grow their businesses. BridgeTower Media is the ideal partner to carry this mission forward as their track record in digital transformation and B2B growth is exceptional.”
— Grace McNamara, President and Owner, Grace Media
Ms. McNamara and Grace Media, Inc. engaged Franklin Partners, Inc. to run a competitive sale process to identify strategic partners interested in both the digital media and event production segments and had a proven track record of growing B2B brands. Franklin Partners identified BridgeTower Media and their investor, Transom Capital Group, who stood out amongst a range of interested parties.
Franklin Partners acted as the exclusive sell-side financial advisor to Grace Media, while Winthrop & Weinstine, P.A. acted as legal counsel and Eide Bailly, LLP provided sell-side Quality of Earnings services. If you are considering a sale of your business or want to learn more about Franklin Partners’ approach to advising privately-owned businesses, please contact Joel Fischer or Chip Myers.
About BridgeTower Media
BridgeTower Media is a leading business intelligence, marketing and event platform providing authoritative content and expert analysis through its 40+ B2B media and research brands. More than 4.4 million business decisionmakers rely on BridgeTower Media for timely information and expert insights to grow their businesses. These deep and trusted first-party customer relationships power tailored insights for business executives and precision audience targeting for omnichannel marketing solutions. BridgeTower Media also celebrates professional and organizational success through 200+ events and its Best Companies Group. BridgeTower Media is a portfolio company of Transom Capital Group. Learn more at www.bridgetowermedia.com and www.transomcap.com.
About Grace Media
Grace Media is the publisher of Window Fashion VISION, North America’s leading trade publication for custom window treatments, and the producer of the International Window Coverings Expo (IWCE), the industry’s foremost B2B event. Since 1986, the company has connected thousands of designers, fabricators, retailers, installers, and suppliers with cutting-edge products, education, and business growth opportunities. Learn more at www.iwce-vision.com and www.wf-vision.com.
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