World Laser Masters Championship: An Overview, By Brodie Cobb

In the world of sailing, there exists a prominent racing championship for sailors who have mastered the nuances of sailing a Laser dinghy. The racing boat, under the One Design class rules, cannot be altered outside of race rules; thus, the champion has the distinction of having won a fair race against boats of equal ability. The World Laser Masters Championship is restricted to a specific allocation of entries per country, as well as particular boat parameters, and features adult sailors of all backgrounds broken into age group brackets in 5-year increments begining at 35 years of age.

The Laser is an athletic Olympic class boat. In the Masters classes, usually the most fit sailors will prevail especially in the more challenging windy conditions. Fitness preparation includes lots of on the water training, specialized weight training, and some form or aerobic training like cycling or running.

The 2012 World Laser Masters Championship took place in Brisbane, Australia, and encompassed a number of racing categories. The newly established 4.7 Masters category had 12 entrants, of which Claire Heenan took first place representing Australia.

For more information about Laser sailing and taking part in international races, visit LasterInternational.org.

About the Author:

Brodie Cobb is an entrepreneur and athlete hailing from Dallas. In 2006, Mr. Cobb won the World Laser Masters Championship in South Korea; today, he is an avid time trial cyclist.

Tulane University Announces Dalai Lama as 2013 Commencement Speaker

A graduate of Tulane University, Brodie Cobb earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from the New Orleans school in 1984. The founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Presidio Group, which provides wealth management services, Brodie Cobb enjoys keeping up with news regarding his alma mater.

On May 18, 2013, Tulane University will host its commencement ceremony, and has announced that His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama will travel to New Orleans to deliver the keynote address. The university will present the Dalai Lama with an honorary doctorate of humane letters as recognition of his exceptional contributions to global society, and as a token of gratitude for speaking to its graduating class.

Tulane’s president, Scott Cowen, offered, “We are honored and excited to host a leader of such universal renown, whose wisdom, humility, kindness and humor have won him worldwide admiration.” He also noted, “The Dalai Lama’s message of compassion, humanity, equality, peace and service truly resonates with the Tulane community and its graduates.”

While visiting New Orleans, the Dalai Lama will be participating in a social work conference sponsored by Tulane, titled “Resilience: Strength Through Compassion and Connection.”

Brodie Cobb Discusses Private Equity at The Presidio Group

Brodie Cobb Discusses Private Equity at The Presidio Group

The majority of private equity firms in the United States tailor their services for businesses with revenues in excess of $50 million. Relatively few firms provide services customized for smaller businesses. Less than five percent of American businesses have revenues in excess of $50 million, leaving an overwhelming percentage of businesses without access to individualized private equity services. Recognizing this unaddressed need, The Presidio Group LLC strives to meet the requirements of those businesses that do not have the option of turning to established private equity funds. The Presidio Group offers a degree of personal attention impossible with larger firms, fostering close relationships with its clients. The firm’s private equity professionals understand the importance of grasping the present and future goals of clients.

The Presidio Group LLC primarily invests in two areas: technology-enabled business services and financial services. The firm’s Fund I investments include those companies based in information technology, gaming kiosks, and business technology, as well as those in banking and real estate. When a great opportunity arises involving investments in other fields, The Presidio Group will capitalize on these options if it makes sense for their clients.

At present, entrepreneurs constitute more than 90 percent of The Presidio Group’s Private Equity clients. Many private equity firms function primarily as financial buyers. Due to its intimate relationship with entrepreneurs, however, The Presidio Group operates in a number of other capacities. The professionals at the firm understand how to expand businesses and build on existing services, often employing personal experience from former professional endeavors. In addition, The Presidio Group provides flexible capital to meet the needs of principals.

Many small business owners have recently come to The Presidio Group disgruntled with their experience at larger firms, which offer only rigid services that have resulted in the loss of substantial opportunity. Increasingly, small business owners turn to private advisory firms like The Presidio Group for an incomparable level of personalization and a true sense of what entrepreneurs need in terms of private equity.

About the Author

A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a Master of Business Administration, Brodie Cobb founded The Presidio Group LLC in 1997. Brodie Cobb lends more than two decades of experience in the finance industry to his position as the firm’s Chief Executive Officer. In addition to private equity services, The Presidio Group LLC also operates Investment Banking, Wealth Advisory, and Family Enterprise Strategies divisions.

Increased Merger Activity an Optimistic Sign for the Economy

Brodie Cobb, Chief Executive Officer of independent investment bank The Presidio Group recently told Biz Journals that merger activity is back on the rise after the initial economic drop in late 2008. Despite persistently high unemployment rates, some activity in the financial industry shows signs of improving and even surpassing expectations, Cobb said, particularly in the area of mergers and acquisitions.

“In the past 30 days, buyers and sellers are finally coming together on price,” Brodie Cobb told Biz Journals. Particularly among middle-market companies selling for less than $300 million, credit availability has become easier to deal with than finding a middle ground for buyers and sellers, both of whom hold different perspectives in trying to determine the appropriate price for an organization.

Recent merger and acquisition activity between nationally recognized companies such as Adobe Systems, which bought web analytics provider Omniture, or Kraft Foods, which took over candy manufacturer Cadbury, support Cobb’s perspective on optimistic changes in various corporate industries.

Similarly, Brodie Cobb told Investment News that financial service companies continue to look for ways to acquire or work alongside independent wealth management firms. The Presidio Group, for example, aims to buy or partner with companies located in New York, California, and Texas that have more than $500 million in assets.

€œ”We think there are more and more of those types of firms out there who would be interested in joining us,” Cobb told Investment News.

Brodie Cobb’s Recreational Passions

Financial services expert Brodie Cobb devotes the same passion he has for his financial advisory business, Presidio Financial Partners LLC, to his recreational pursuits, particularly sailing, cycling, and coaching.

Brodie Cobb’s sailing accomplishments include winning several national races in the United States and Europe, a world championship title in South Korea, and the invaluable prize of new relationships around the world through his involvement with the sport. Mr. Cobb also belongs to the North American Region of the International Laser Class Association, a worldwide organization for owners and other interested parties of Laser sailboats.

After winning the 2006 Laser Master World Championships in South Korea, Brodie Cobb decided to pursue a recreational sport that did not require him to travel away from his family. Mr. Cobb began participating in bicycle racing in 2010, focusing on time trials, an individualistic race made popular by the annual Tour de France. Time trials present their riders with two challenges: to win against other bikers and to improve their own time.

Cycling attracts participants who commit themselves to the rigorous training the sport requires. Motivated by bike technology and the discipline required of its riders, Brodie Cobb continued to improve his speed and strength through past seasons and recently placed 4th out of 11 cyclists and 11th of 36 cyclists in his category.

In addition to participating in sports, Brodie Cobb enjoys sharing his passion with youth athletes. Since 2003, Mr. Cobb has been coaching girls’ youth soccer. He also teaches sailing to young racers.

Investment Banking at The Presidio Group

By Brodie Cobb

The Presidio Group LLC’s Investment Banking division distinguishes itself through its commitment to the client. All strategic or financing decisions that the firm makes take into account not just the client’s corporate assets, but alsothe owners’ personal financial goals. The division buys, sells, and raises capital according to what makes the most sense for the client’s goals in terms of both the present and the future. Investment Banking Team adopts a holistic view of clients, viewing each client not as a collection of assets and liabilities, but as an individual with personal ambitions and professional goals. These hopes and expectations become vital elements of managing risk and deciding which investment banking opportunities to pursue.  When formulating a strategy, The Presidio Group’s professionals strive to adopt the same point of view as their clients and integrate that viewpoint with their own experience and knowledge.

The Investment Banking team at The Presidio Group works closely with those professionals engaged in the Private Equity, Family Enterprise Strategies, and Wealth Advisory divisions to anticipate the needs of clients and possible issues involved with a given transaction. With significant experience across several different sectors, the Investment Banking Team understands the unique challenges that face various businesses and plans its strategy according to these potential problems, helping steer clients away from common pitfalls and avoid the threats that arise as businesses begin the expansion process. The bankers at The Presidio Group LLC collectively possess decades of experience in operations and corporate advisory positions, allowing them to provide clients with important insights and lead them to success. The professionals that constitute the senior team have filled roles at many of the top investment banking firms in the nation. Each member has a distinctive background with expertise in several different industries.

About the Author

Brodie Cobb acts as the Chief Executive Officer of The Presidio Group LLC, which he established almost 15 years ago. Today, the firm stands as one of the principal private investment firms in the nation, with offices in California, Texas, and North Carolina. When not engaged with The Presidio Group LLC, Brodie Cobb enjoys sailing and spending time with his wife and children.