Russell Burbank

Russ Burbank is Senior Managing Director with BPM’s Advisory Group, where he has a history of demonstrated success advising public and private companies in transitional circumstances.

Russ’s practice emphasizes technology, manufacturing, aerospace, energy, agribusiness and financial services. His recent engagements include:

• Financial Advisor to a 2,500-cow dairy through a successful debt reduction and restructuring and Chapter 12 reorganization.
• Financial Advisor to a vertically integrated organic walnut grower and processor through a successful Chapter 11 reorganization.
• Financial Advisor to a $50 million non-profit behavioral health care provider. Developed and implemented a plan that ensured the health and wellbeing of over 1000 severely disabled patients prior to liquidation under Chapter 7.
• Liquidating Manager of a 100 person law firm in Chapter 11. Turned the firm over to a Plan Administrator after termination of legal activities, transition of lawyers and clients to new firms, collection of receivables, and full re-payment of secured debt.
• Financial Advisor to a 60,000 bpd integrated refining and marketing operation. Developed and implemented methodologies for cash and profit management following spin-off from its parent company.
• Financial Advisor to a 750 ton paper mill. Developed and implemented processes for cash and profit management during critical transition from its former parent to a new private owner.
• Chapter 11 Trustee of a 1500 head dairy with operations in CA and OK. The case was dismissed after rehabilitation and liquidation of livestock and turnover of physical assets to secured lenders.
• Interim CEO of a $15 million electronic components manufacturer, resulting in an out-of-Court asset sale in cooperation with its senior lender.
• Chapter 11 Plan Administrator of a $175 million dollar mortgage fund that was operated as a Ponzi scheme.
• Interim CEO of a $75 million oil products refining and marketing company, resulting in balance sheet restructuring, debt replacement, and ultimately sale of the business.
• Operating Receiver of a $20 million telecommunications equipment company during a hostile foreclosure by a competitor who had acquired the company’s senior secured debt.
• Restructuring Advisor to a $150 million dairy cooperative and creamery that was forced into a Section 363 asset sale under Chapter 11.
  Restructuring Advisor to a $750 million dollar agriculture products trading company in a successful replacement of $90 million of senior debt.
• Restructuring Advisor to a privately held $200 million agriculture trading company that resulted in an out-of-court settlement with its secured lender.
• Restructuring Advisor to a $100 million semiconductor and aerospace photocell manufacturer resulting in full recovery by secured lenders and creditors after a Chapter 11 liquidation.
• Liquidating Trustee and/or Assignee for Benefit of Creditors for numerous unrelated companies in manufacturing, medical devices, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, electronic components, aerospace, financial services, and consumer products.

Russ is a Certified Turnaround Professional and was formerly the Chairman of the national committee that oversees turnaround certification. Recent publications and presentations include: “The 5-Step Turnaround Process,” Dow Jones DBR; “Turnaround Process as Applied to Middle Market Companies,” Harvard Business School; “The Classic Five-Step Turnaround Process,” The Journal of Private Equity. Mr. Burbank was also honored with a “Turnaround of the Year” award for work he did at a Texas-based agri-biotechnology company.

Earlier in his career, Russ led the growth of an alternate energy company to an enterprise value of $1 billion that was realized in a hostile takeover. He has also held management and executive positions at Diamond Shamrock Corp., Natomas Co., Envirotech Corp., and the Electric Power Research Institute.