The Financial Restructuring Investment Banking Group of Morgan Joseph TriArtisan LLC announced the successful placement of $62.5 million in senior credit facilities following the formation of Civitas Media, LLC. Morgan Joseph served as a placement advisor to Civitas in connection with the financing transaction.

Formed in 2012, Civitas is a community oriented news media company formed by private equity investment firm Versa Capital Management. Civitas combined four media entities owned by Versa, including: Freedom Central, Heartland Publications, Impressions Media, and Ohio Community Media.

“With this transaction, Civitas has the financial strength to focus on opportunities for its editorial and advertising professionals to serve their local communities,” said James (Jim) Decker, head of Morgan Joseph’s Financial Restructuring Group. “The new company is now well positioned for growth.”

In addition to Decker, the Morgan Joseph team members involved in implementing the transaction included Jay Jacquin and Alex Fisch, directors, and James Hadfield, vice president.

Civitas Media is a publisher of community newspapers in 12 Midwestern, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern states.

Philadelphia-based Versa Capital Management is a private equity investment firm with $1.2 billion of assets under management that is focused on control investments in special situations involving middle market companies where value and performance growth can be achieved through enhanced operational and financial management.

Morgan Joseph TriArtisan is an investment bank engaged in providing financial advice, capital raising and private equity investing. The firm’s services include mergers, acquisitions and restructuring advice, in addition to private placements and public offerings of equity and debt.