Victory Park Capital (VPC), an asset management firm focused on middle-market debt and equity investments, announced today the promotion of five investment professionals in its Chicago office, signaling the depth and further development of the firm’s investment expertise.

The new appointments are as follows:

• Charles Asfour, Partner. Charlie will continue to be responsible for originating, executing and managing private debt and equity investments in middle market companies across a number of industries. He plays a leading role in VPC’s investment efforts within the transportation and retail sectors, and is actively involved in value creation initiatives and strategic alternatives for VPC’s investments. Asfour joined VPC in 2010 and has more than 11 years of experience as an investment professional.
• Tom Affolter, Partner. Tom oversaw the development of VPC’s SBIC fund, which he currently manages. He is also responsible for sourcing, underwriting, executing and managing private debt and equity investments in lower middle market companies, including those in the specialty finance sector. Affolter joined VPC in 2009 and has more than 20 years of experience in middle market investing, including structuring and underwriting, workouts and turnaround management, capital markets and business development.
• Robert Goldstein, Principal. Robert is primarily involved in developing and implementing operational and strategic initiatives within VPC’s portfolio companies and working with the management teams on various value creation initiatives. He will continue to be active in originating investment opportunities for the firm. Goldstein, who is a CPA and attorney, joined VPC in 2011, and has worked with middle-market companies for more than 25 years.
• Tom Welch, Principal. Tom is involved in sourcing, underwriting, executing and managing of private debt and equity investments, primarily in the specialty finance and industrial sectors. He has been integral in VPC’s leading presence as a capital provider in the specialty finance sector. Welch joined VPC in 2009 and has more than seven years of experience as a lender to middle market businesses.
• Geoff Mikelsons, Vice President. Geoff is involved in the origination, fundamental analysis, transaction execution and management of private debt and equity investments with a focus on the consumer and retail sectors. He also actively works on value creation initiatives and strategic alternatives for VPC investments. Mikelsons joined VPC in 2012 and has more than nine years of investing and operational experience.

“Each of these individuals has been instrumental in the firm’s growth and development,” said Richard Levy, CEO and founder of VPC. “We look forward to the valuable contributions they will add to the firm’s senior investment team. There is no doubt that their dedication and strong vision will help drive our business forward.”

Victory Park Capital (VPC) is a privately held registered investment advisor dedicated to alternative investing through the management of its investment funds. As specialists in credit and private equity investments, VPC focuses on middle-market companies across a diversified range of industries. Whether as a lender or a control investor, VPC seeks to identify opportunities where it believes the potential for reward outweighs the risks entailed.