Richmond, VA – Sterling Point Advisors, a premier middle market investment banking firm based in Richmond, VA is pleased to announce that it served as the exclusive financial advisor to Caring Hands Animal Hospital, a network of eight veterinary hospitals in Maryland and Virginia, in their partnership with Veterinary Practice Partners a portfolio company of Audax Private Equity. The transaction closed on March 22, 2023.
Veterinary Practice Partners stated, “The partnership between VPP and Caring Hands is based on the companies’ strong alignment of core values, specifically, a shared mission to provide quality veterinary care in their communities while preserving the human-animal bond. The Caring Hands brand has grown under the leadership of Dr. Michelle Vitulli, founder and co-owner of Caring Hands Animal Hospital. The 21 doctors who are equity partners will enhance the leadership team of six current partners in this next chapter for the Caring Hands brand.”
“I hired Sterling Point after considering a few options. Aaron and Trey understand the veterinary space very well. They know all the potential buyers and could easily explain the pros and cons to myself and my partners. When you work with Sterling Point you work with the partners, Aaron and Trey, directly via text, phone and email. You are not forwarded to a voice message, or an assistant or the analyst for the project. Aaron is very responsive to any last-minute calls and questions. He was very intuitive with our unique situation and could navigate communication between all the partners very effectively,” said Dr. Michelle Vitulli.
“We are honored that Dr. Vitulli, Dr. Newman, Dr. Murphy and all the partners at Caring Hands provided us with the opportunity to advise them on such a monumental transaction,” said Aaron Kroll, Partner and Co-Founder of Sterling Point Advisors. “We greatly enjoyed working with the entire Caring Hands team as well as closing another transaction with Veterinary Practice Partners to make this a successful outcome for all involved.”
About Caring Hands Animal Hospital
Caring Hands is a network of eight veterinary hospitals born from a simple idea: we can create a better world for animals and the people who love them. Caring Hands offers patients wellness care, surgery, intensive care, imaging, dentistry and puppy and kitten care for new pet owners. For more information on Caring Hands Animal Hospital, visit caringhandsvet.com.
About Veterinary Practice Partners
Based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, Veterinary Practice Partners (VPP) works with over 125 partner animal hospitals with clinical autonomy in 27 states. VPP has become an established partner of choice through its co-ownership model that enables veterinarians to focus on providing high-quality patient care and fostering a strong culture at their individual practices, while VPP provides operational support across learning and development, HR and recruiting, marketing, technology, and finance. For more information on Veterinary Practice Partners, visit vetpartners.com.
About Sterling Point
Sterling Point Advisors is a boutique mergers and acquisitions (M&A) firm focused on helping privately held companies navigate the strategic challenges of growing or exiting their businesses. As a full-service M&A advisor, Sterling Point conduct a confidential, auction-style sale process to maximize competition and ensure its clients find the best partner for their businesses, employees, customers, and families. For more information on Sterling Point Advisors, visit www.sterlingpointadvisors.com
