Specialized expertise.
Enterprise perspective.
Herrekvarn Advisory Services provides independent board leadership for companies pursuing growth, navigating strategic change, or addressing complex business challenges. Drawing on expertise in governance, strategy, mergers and acquisitions and special situations, it brings an enterprise perspective that contributes meaningfully across the full board agenda.
Why Independence Matters
Independent judgment is most valuable when decisions matter most.
- Brings an objective, experienced perspective to board deliberations, particularly when interests are not fully aligned.
- Challenges assumptions and helps boards evaluate alternatives when facing important or complex situations.
- Supports disciplined, well-informed decision-making that reflects strong governance that stands up to scrutiny.
Leadership Through Perspective
Curt Lindeman’s perspective has been shaped through experience in every seat around the boardroom table. Over nearly three decades, he has served as an independent director, executive director and chairman; as a member of executive management teams, including General Counsel of a public company; and as outside counsel and strategic advisor to private equity sponsors, portfolio companies and other businesses.
These roles provide a practical understanding of how directors, management teams, investors and advisors approach opportunities, risks and difficult decisions from different perspectives. They also provide an enterprise view of how decisions in one area of a business can affect the organization as a whole.
Combined with specialized expertise in governance, strategy, mergers and acquisitions and special situations, this perspective enables Curt to engage meaningfully across the full board agenda, identify issues that can fall between functional areas and help boards navigate complex situations with informed, independent judgment.
Role as Independent Director
Independent board leadership can create meaningful strategic advantages, particularly when companies are navigating important decisions or business complexity. Herrekvarn brings particular value in the following areas.
Strategic Advantages
Objective Oversight
Herrekvarn brings objective judgment to board deliberations, particularly when challenging management or prevailing assumptions. This is especially valuable when evaluating transactions involving insiders or other situations where interests may not be fully aligned.
Fresh Perspective
We bring an outside perspective that can identify issues and opportunities that may be less visible from within the organization, or even within its sector.
Stakeholder Confidence
The presence of an independent director signals credibility and professionalism to stakeholders. Herrekvarn’s involvement can strengthen stakeholder confidence in the board and its decision-making.
Crisis Navigation & Risk Management
Significant experience navigating financial and non-financial crises from multiple perspectives allows Herrekvarn to bring seasoned judgment when circumstances become most challenging. A steady, measured approach helps boards maintain focus and avoid reactive decision-making under pressure
Restructuring & Special Situations
Herrekvarn brings significant experience with in-court and out-of-court restructurings and other special situations. This experience enables effective oversight of the restructuring process and informed engagement with financial, legal and other advisors, while allowing management to remain focused on operating the business.
Governance That Stands Up to Scrutiny
The addition of Herrekvarn reinforces strong governance, which helps boards maintain disciplined processes and a clear record of informed decision-making. This becomes particularly valuable when board decisions are later scrutinized by investors, lenders, transaction counterparties, regulators or courts.
Independent Decision-Making in Restructurings
In a restructuring, creditors and other stakeholders may look to an independent director to provide objective oversight where interests may not be fully aligned. Herrekvarn provides an independent voice in evaluating significant decisions and helps ensure that the board’s process is appropriately documented and capable of withstanding later scrutiny.
Effective Communication
Herrekvarn can provide an experienced, independent voice in communications with investors, lenders and other key stakeholders. This can be particularly valuable when complex or sensitive matters require added credibility.
Board Experience
Curt Lindeman has spent nearly three decades advising and serving on boards through his work as a corporate attorney, senior executive, independent and executive director, and chairman. His board experience spans public and private companies across a range of industries, including periods of growth, organizational transformation and complex special situations.
The representative engagements below illustrate the range of circumstances in which he has been called upon to provide board leadership.
Representative Engagements
July 2024 - February 2025
Italian restaurant chain serving family-style meals across a national portfolio
As independent director and sole member of the board, led the company through a financial restructuring involving approximately $50 million of secured debt, culminating in a sale of the business through Chapter 11. Provided independent oversight of the restructuring process and advisors while working closely with management as the company rationalized its store portfolio, negotiated key leases and separated critical infrastructure from its parent organization.
September 2023 - Present
In association with the University of Southern California Michelson Center Convergent Science Institute in Cancer, the Pink Test focuses on the early detection of Breast cancer using blood draws instead of mammograms
Serve on the Advisory Board, providing strategic guidance on the development and commercialization of the Pink Test and its related digital health platform. The role spans the path from development to market, with particular focus on regulatory strategy, financing and commercial relationships.
June 2020 – April 2023
An all-in-one ecommerce website solution that helps businesses of all sizes build and manage successful online stores
Served as independent director and led the company through a Chapter 11 balance sheet restructuring involving approximately $40 million of debt, resulting in revised terms with its secured creditor. Worked with management throughout the restructuring on significant organizational changes and operating efficiencies while maintaining focus on the company’s technology platform and future growth. Despite the uncertainty, the company experienced limited employee attrition and received multiple recognitions as one of Austin’s best workplaces.
May 2015 - November 2020
Integrated provider of Internet, voice and television services engineered specifically for multi-tenant residential purposes
Joined the board in connection with the acquisition of the business by its senior lenders through an Article 9 sale. As independent director and Chairman, led the replacement and recruitment of the senior management team and worked with the new team to reposition the business around a high-speed, fiber-based broadband platform designed for the multifamily market. The successful transition positioned the company for its sale in 2020.
August 2006 – October 2011
During period of service was a publicly-traded building products company with annual revenues up to $804mm, and as many as 3,200 employees
Served as Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of this NASDAQ-listed public company during its restructuring of approximately $272 million of debt. Played a leading role in the reorganization from its early stages, including interviewing and selecting restructuring advisors and actively managing the Chapter 11 process through emergence.
At the same time, worked closely with the board to support directors in fulfilling their fiduciary and governance responsibilities throughout the restructuring. Responsibilities included preparing board agendas and materials, participating in all board and committee meetings, managing director recruitment and compensation, and coordinating the board’s engagement with management and outside advisors. Following emergence, helped lead the company’s relisting as a public company. The restructuring was completed in only 124 days.
May 2017 – September 2017
College focusing on providing hand's-on medical training targeted to allow students move rapidly into the healthcare work force
Served as an independent director during a dispute between the company’s former owners and its senior lender, providing objective judgment as the company navigated the competing interests of the parties.
June 2010 – August 2010
Supplier of ready-mix concrete and building materials within the Detroit Metro and Greater Lansing markets
In a limited engagement, served as an executive director of this joint venture, representing the interests of U.S. Concrete during its restructuring.
November 2007 – November 2009
Manufactures, sources and sells scaffolding, forming and shoring and custom cast iron fabricated products
Elected to the board by the senior lender to serve as independent director during a period of financial volatility, remaining in the role until the lender’s exit.
Transactions
Complex transactions have been a central part of Curt Lindeman’s career as a corporate attorney, senior executive and director. His experience spans the transaction lifecycle, from evaluating and negotiating transactions through execution and the integration or separation that follows.
M&A Transactions
In addition to transactions undertaken as part of his board engagements, Curt has been directly responsible for acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and other strategic transactions throughout his career. These transactions span a broad range of industries and transaction structures. Representative transactions include:
VARIOUS SECTORS
- Represented a private investment company in the acquisition of a Northern California catering and event production business.
- Represented a private investment company in 2 separate acquisitions of ship repair and maintenance companies.
- Represented a private investment company and its Texas-based fitness portfolio company in the consolidation of 40 athletic clubs.
- Represented a private investment company and its early education portfolio company in 3 separate acquisitions of preschools in Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin.
- Represented a private investment company in 2 separate acquisitions and growth of a chain of 31 rock climbing and fitness facilities in the Northeast, Georgia and Florida.
- Represented an architectural millwork company in 2 acquisitions of Southern California architectural millwork companies operating in the United States and Mexico.
- Represented a private investment company in the acquisition, growth and subsequent divestiture of a jet maintenance company.
- Represented a private investment company and its Arizona-based HVAC portfolio company in 4 separate acquisitions of HVAC companies in Arizona, the growth of the business, and the subsequent sale of the combined company.
- Represented a touring entertainment company in its sale to a private investment company.
- Represented a private investment company and its Texas-based fitness portfolio company in 2 separate acquisitions of 10 health clubs in West Texas.
- Represented a private investment group in the acquisition of a Texas software business.
- Represented a private investment company in the acquisition of an online sports retail company.
- Represented a private investment company in the divestiture of a Texas lighting company.
- Represented a major oil and gas exploration, production and transportation company in an exchange of assets.
- Represented a major wholesale baker and distributor of baked products in an exchange of baking facilities and distribution routes, and the acquisition of a national baking company.
TRANSPORTATION
- Represented a Texas transportation company in 2 separate acquisitions of assets in bankruptcy.
- Represented a Texas transportation company in the acquisition of a Louisiana transportation company, and the subsequent sale of its Texas charter business.
- Represented a private investment company and its transportation portfolio company in 2 separate acquisitions of U.S. transportation companies.
- Represented a major international transportation company in 19 separate acquisitions of U.S. and Canadian transportation companies.
- Represented a major international transportation company in 19 separate divestitures of transportation companies.
- Represented a major international transportation company in the acquisition of federal passenger transportation routes.
- Represented a major international transportation company in an equity investment in an online travel company.
- Represented a major international transportation company in the formation of multiple joint ventures for the purpose of providing commuter transit service.
LIFE SCIENCES & HEALTHCARE
- Represented a private investment company in the acquisitions of 4 autism service providers in California.
- Represented a private investment company and its Arizona-based physical therapy portfolio company in the acquisition of 5 physical therapy clinics in Oklahoma, and the eventual sale of the combined company with 20 clinic locations.
- Represented a private investment company in the sale of a clinical research company in Northern California.
- Represented an orthopedic surgeon in the sale of an orthopedic practice with locations in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
- Represented a private investment company and its California-based clinical research portfolio company in the sale of its Northern California company, followed by a sale of its Southern California company.
- Represented a private investment company and its Florida-based medical research company in the acquisition of a Florida clinical trial company.
- Represented a major pharmaceutical company in 2 separate equity investments in biotechnology companies.
- Represented a major pharmaceutical company in the divestiture of a line of dermatology products.
- Represented a major pharmaceutical company in an equity investment in a biotechnology company in connection with the licensing of certain oncological compounds.
- Represented a major pharmaceutical companyin a joint venture relating to a new formulation of insulin and an inhalation device to permit the pulmonary delivery of insulin.
- Represented a major pharmaceutical company in the sale of all of the stock of a subsidiary generic pharmaceutical company.
BUILDING PRODUCTS
- Represented a private investment company in 2 separate acquisitions of Southern California roofing companies.
- Represented a public building products company in 13 separate acquisitions of ready-mix concrete and aggregate companies.
- Represented a public building products company in 4 separate divestitures of ready-mix concrete and aggregate companies.
- Represented a public building products company in a restructuring consisting of entering into an agreement with the company’s bond holders to exchange their debt for equity, and resulting in the filing of voluntary petitions in the United States Bankruptcy Court seeking relief under the provisions of Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the United States Code. Restructuring reduced the company’s debt by approximately $272 million, required only 124 days of Chapter 11 protection, and included a relisting on The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC.
- Represented a public building products company in a joint venture including the contribution of over 30 owned and leased real properties, multiple supply, service and transition agreements, and an agreement with a multiemployer pension fund to prevent the transaction from triggering pension withdrawal liability.
- Represented a closely-held limestone quarry in its sale to a major producer of construction aggregates.
About
Curt Lindeman
Curt Lindeman
Herrekvarn Advisory Services
120 Birmingham Dr., Suite 120 B
Cardiff by the Sea, CA 92007
(281) 300-8896
Curt Lindeman is an independent director and corporate attorney with nearly three decades of experience working with boards, management teams and investors. His career spans board leadership, executive management and legal advisory roles with public and private companies, with particular experience in mergers and acquisitions, restructurings and other complex business situations. Curt also maintains an active corporate and M&A legal practice through Lindeman, Esq. Additional information about his legal practice is available at Lindemanesq.com.
Prior to founding Lindeman, Esq., Curt served as Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of U.S. Concrete, Inc., a NASDAQ-listed building products company headquartered in Houston, Texas. He previously served in-house with Coral Energy, L.P. and Coach USA, Inc., after beginning his legal career in the Corporate Finance and Securities practice at Shook, Hardy & Bacon, L.L.P.
Herrekvarn?
The name Herrekvarn comes from a mill in Sweden purchased by my sixth great-grandfather, Påfvel Töreson, on July 16, 1716, during the reign of King Charles XII. My family lived on the property until at least 1833.
In 2022, I was fortunate to return to Herrekvarn with three generations of my family, wandering the property with my dad and daughter. The mill still stands today. While its water no longer powers the grinding of grain, I understand it may now be used to generate electricity.
