LEE S. BLOOM, CFA
1159 Wilmette Avenue, Suite 240, Wilmette, IL 60091
Voice:847.920.9221 • Mobile:312.543.0924 • Fax:312.873.4042

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE


ALDINE ADVISORS
Mr. Bloom founded Aldine Advisors in 2006. Aldine Advisors is a professional services firm providing financial decision support to privately held and small-cap publicly traded companies. These services include:

  • Assisting companies in financial transition: Ownership change, recapitalization, dividend review, and capital structure objectives.
  • Providing limited investment banking services: Assisting in identifying buyers for a company, negotiating transaction terms, and assisting with identifying potential sources of capital.
  • Providing Bankruptcy/Restructuring advisory services to creditor committees.

    • DUFF & PHELPS, LLC
    Mr. Bloom worked at Duff & Phelps for over 22 years, primarily in the firm’s Financial Advisory practice. From mid-2002 through 2005, Mr. Bloom headed up the firm’s Financial Advisory Practice in the Chicago office with responsibility for over sixty professionals and staff members in the practice. From 1990 to 2005, Mr. Bloom was also responsible for overseeing the firm’s information technology (IT) and information services (IS) departments. From 1993 through 1996, Mr. Bloom supervised the Chicago office Analyst staff.

    While at Duff & Phelps, Mr. Bloom was professionally involved in all aspects of Duff & Phelps’ financial advisory practice, including ERISA, valuation, and fairness opinion engagements. He advised clients on debt and equity financings, employee stock ownership leveraged buyout transactions, merger/acquisition analyses, venture capital projects, and capital structure and dividend policy. Typical assignments included structuring ESOP transactions, advising ERISA trustees on financial considerations in complex transactions, and serving as financial advisor to Boards of Directors in change- of-control transactions. Mr. Bloom also served as a senior member of the firm’s Fairness Opinions review committee.

    Mr. Bloom has also served as an expert witness in valuation related matters. A list of his testimony experience is included below.

    Before joining the Financial Advisory practice, Mr. Bloom was an Equity Research Analyst in Duff & Phelps’ Technology Research group. Mr. Bloom was responsible for in-depth, fundamental analysis of New York Stock Exchange companies participating in the consumer technology, diversified technology and electrical equipment industries. In this role, he advised institutional investors, brokerage houses and other clients regarding stock selection; and provided fixed income analysis for Duff & Phelps’ credit ratings service.

    BOARD MEMBERSHIPS

    Akiba-Schechter Jewish Day School (www.akiba-schechter.org): Director since 2006. Member of the Finance Committee. Located in the Hyde Park community of Chicago, Akiba-Schechter provides pre-school, kindergarten and elementary education (grades 1 through 8).

    Best Travel & Tours Inc. (www.besttravel.com): Director Since January, 2007. Provider of corporate travel services and leisure travel arrangements. An employee owned company.

    Blue Heron Paper Company (www.blueheronpaper.com): Director since September, 2006. Manufacturer of newsprint and specialty papers. An employee owned company.

     

    Norcal Waste Systems Inc. (http://www.norcalwaste.com): Director since December, 2007. Provider of waste disposal services to the City of San Francisco and surrounding areas. An employee owned company.

    Valin Corporation (http://www.valinonline.com): Director since January, 2008. Distributor of precision fluid control products. An employee owned company

    EDUCATION

    WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS – JOHN M. OLIN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

    Mr. Bloom received his MBA degree in 1983 with concentrations in Finance and Accounting and his BSBA degree in 1982 with a major in Accounting. He was awarded the John Wayne Latchum prize for Academic Excellence in his graduate studies.

    PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS

    The ESOP Association: Mr. Bloom is in his second term serving as Chairman of the Valuation Advisory Committee (2005 and 2006). Mr. Bloom has served on the Valuation Advisory Committee since 2000.

    National Association of Corporate Directors: Member since 2001.

    ISS Accredited Directors Education Program: Mr. Bloom has completed two of the certification qualifying sessions titled: “Directors College” and “Following the Money”. These sessions were presented by Washington University in St. Louis (2005).

    CFA Institute: Holder of Chartered Financial Analyst designation since 1987.

    National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.: Registered Agent (Series 7 and 63).

    Investment Analyst Society of Chicago: Member since 1985.

    Business Valuation Association of Chicago: Member since 1989.

    SPEECHES

    Mr. Bloom is a frequent speaker on valuation issues, in particular on topics related to ESOPs. The following is a sample of Mr. Bloom’s speaking topics:

    “How do Repurchase Obligations Affect Share Value,” co-presented at the September 2006 Repurchase Obligation Seminar of the ESOP Association.

    “S Corporation Valuation Issues,” co-presented at the February 2006 S Corporation Conference of The ESOP Association.

    Advanced Valuation Topics, panelist at the May 2005 Annual Conference of The ESOP Association and the November 2003 Two Day Deal Conference of The ESOP Association.

    “Valuing Synthetic Equity,” co-presented at the November 2004 Two Day Deal Conference of The ESOP Association and the May 2004 Annual Conference of The ESOP Association.

    “Valuation and Fiduciary Issues,” co-presented at the 2003 S Corporation Conference of The ESOP Association.

    “S Corporation ESOP Valuation Issues,” co-presented at the February 2000 S
    Corporation Conference of The ESOP Association.

    PUBLICATIONS

    “Valuing Synthetic Equity White Paper,” DRAFT, written with Peter Abrahamson, Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP, submitted for review to The ESOP Association Valuation Advisory Committee.

    “Pricing Mechanisms for Buy/Sell Agreements,” Valuation Insights Quarterly, Spring 1994.

    “Attracting Minority Investment: Providing Organizational Constraints through Security Design,” Valuation Insights Quarterly, Winter 1993.

    “Finding Value Amidst the Rubble,” Valuation Insights Quarterly, Winter, 1992. Co- authored with Jay Dembsky.

    “Selling to Employees – The Divestiture Strategy of the 1990s,” Credit Decisions, November 13, 1989. Co-authored with Elyse Bluth.

    “High Technology Convertible Bonds,” Credit Decisions, April, 1985.

    EXPERT WITNESS TESTIMONY AND DEPOSITIONS

    USCC Distribution Co., LLC v. Western Maryland Wireless Connection, Inc. et. al. under the American Arbitration Association (arbitration testimony only)

    Carmen J. Giorno vs. Ambitech Engineering Corporation, (2004) in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois County Department-Chancery Division (deposition only)

    Marilyn Cain, et al. vs. Health Trust, Inc. et al., (2002) in the United States District Court, for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division (deposition only)

    Roberts, et al. v. Taussig, et al., (2000) in the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division (deposition and trial testimony)

    The Marriage of Valerie Vance (Petitioner) and William Vance (Respondent), (1999) in the Circuit Court of The Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, Lake County, Illinois (deposition and trial testimony)

    Nancy Scott Kidd Payne et al vs. The Trust Company of Louisiana and Heritage Financial Corporation Employee Stock Ownership Plan, (1995) in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana (deposition only)

    Bernice S. Nugent et al v. Capital Bank & Trust Company et al, (1993) in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana (deposition only)