A. Describe your advisory firm, including how long it has been in business. Identify your
principal owner(s).
Castle Creek Advisors IV LLC (the “Company” or the “Firm”) is a Delaware limited liability
company that was formed in November 2008. The significant voting owner(s) of the Company
are JME Advisory Corp., Scavuzzo Advisory Corp., Volk Advisory Corp., and Rana Advisory
Corp., each a Delaware corporation owned respectively by John M. Eggemeyer III, Anthony
R. Scavuzzo, David J. Volk, and Sundeep V. Rana. The Company, the Company’s predecessor
advisory company, the General Partners (as defined below) and the six current Castle Creek
Funds (as defined below) (known aggregately as “Castle Creek”) were founded by Mr.
Eggemeyer.1 Currently, Mr. Eggemeyer, in combination with the other significant voting
owners of the Company, serve as Principals and are collectively responsible for running the
Company. The Company provides investment advisory services to (i) private equity funds
sponsored by the Company or its affiliates (a “Castle Creek Fund” or “Fund”), whose respective
general partners (“General Partners”) are affiliates of the Company, and (ii) discretionary and
non-discretionary managed accounts (the “Managed Accounts”).
Beginning in 1990, Castle Creek’s Principals helped forge the way for private equity investing
in the banking industry, and today, the Firm remains a prominent and active investor in the
community banking sector. The team’s strategy remains true to its original roots, effectuating
change through board participation, hands-on strategic and operational input, and in most cases,
acting in the “lead investor” role of equity syndications that have coalesced around Castle
Creek. Together the Principals have over 100 years of experience working in the banking
industry as well as extensive industry experience in raising capital, managing risk, cutting costs
and enhancing profitability. As part of Castle Creek, the Principals have initiated and led over
$1 billion of equity investments in over 100 community banks. In the non-hostile environment
in which each of Castle Creek’s investments are made, the Firm believes that it is an attractive
partner for both community bank management teams and boards of directors, given the
cumulative banking experience and financial leadership demonstrated by the Principals.
B. Describe the types of advisory services the firm offers. If the firm holds itself out as
specializing in a particular type of advisory service, explain the nature of that service in
detail. If the firm provides investment advice only with respect to limited types of
investments, explain the type of investment advice the firm offers and disclose that the
advice is limited to those types of investments.
Castle Creek Funds are structured as limited partnerships, with a specific General Partner
formed for each respective Castle Creek Fund, and both the Castle Creek Fund and its General
Partner are deemed affiliates of the Company. In addition, the Company provides investment
advisory services to Managed Accounts. The investors and other persons who invest in a Castle
Creek Fund are generally referred to herein as “investors”, and the beneficial owner of a
Managed Account is generally referred to herein as an “owner.” Unless otherwise expressly
stated herein, the terms “Castle Creek Fund” and “Managed Account” do not include
“investors” or “owners”, respectively.
The Castle Creek Funds and the Managed Accounts invest in the banking and financial
Note: For Castle Creek Advisors IV LLC, its predecessor advisory company and the general partners of the Castle Creek Funds advised
by such entities, William J. Ruh
was a co-founder.
services industry. On each Castle Creek Fund’s and Managed Account’s behalf, the Company
will originate, recommend, structure, and identify sources of capital for investment, (2)
monitor, evaluate, and make investment recommendations regarding the timing and manner
of disposition of portfolio investments, and (3) provide such other services as required in
support of such Fund or such Managed Account.
Investment opportunities in the Castle Creek Funds are privately offered only to persons who
are both (1) “accredited investors” as defined in and pursuant to exemptions available under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the regulations promulgated
hereunder and (2) “qualified purchasers” as defined in and pursuant to exemptions available
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and the regulations
promulgated thereunder. Such Castle Creek Funds, including any parallel funds and alternate
investment vehicles thereof, are not registered with the SEC as investment companies based on
specific exclusions from the 1940 Act. Managed Account services are privately offered only to
“qualified clients” as defined in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the
“Advisers Act”). Typically, interests in Castle Creek Funds and Managed Account services are
offered to institutional investors and high net worth individuals. Other qualified individuals
who may not be employees of Castle Creek, but who have pre-existing business relationships
with Castle Creek or industry experience in the banking sector in which a particular Fund or
Managed Account may be investing, also may invest or participate in or alongside the Funds
and/or Managed Accounts. Some of these outside investors and industry experts are current
and/or former executives of portfolio companies in which a Fund or a Managed Account may
invest.
C. Explain whether (and, if so, how) the firm tailors advisory services to the individual
needs of clients. Explain whether clients may impose restrictions on investing in certain
securities or types of securities.
The Company must tailor its advisory services to the limitations imposed by the organizational
documents of the applicable Castle Creek Fund and the investment advisory agreement of the
applicable Managed Account. In addition, certain Castle Creek Funds (x) are subject to
investment restrictions provided for in such Fund’s organizational documents, (y) have a
limited partner advisory committee that is composed of certain of such Fund’s investors and
that may have purview over certain investments made by such Fund and/or (z) are subject to
letter agreements entered into between such Fund and certain clients of such Fund.
D. If the firm participates in wrap fee programs by providing portfolio management
services, (1) describe the differences, if any, between how the firm manages wrap fee
accounts and how it manages other accounts, and (2) explain that the firm receives a
portion of the wrap fee for its services.
The Company does not provide portfolio management services to wrap fee programs.
E. If the firm manages client assets, disclose the amount of client assets it manages on
a discretionary basis and the amount of client assets on a non-discretionary basis.
Disclose the date “as of” which it calculated the amounts.
As of December 31, 2023, the Company managed approximately $978,730,706 in client
assets over which it or an affiliate of the Company has full investment discretion (subject to
the investment guidelines for the applicable Castle Creek Funds), and no client assets on a
non-discretionary basis.