DJM History

DJM Timeline

1992

• Company founded by Andy Graiser, Emilio Amendola and Mario Ciampi.

• DJM retained by its first client, The Children’s Place, to dispose of over 100 stores as part of a “composition agreement.”  DJM helps its client avoid Chapter 11, which plays an instrumental role in allowing The Children’s Place to eventually become one of the best growth retailers in America.

1993-1996

• DJM’s primary focus is on small to mid-sized companies disposing of manufacturing, industrial, wholesale, office, residential and retail properties.

• DJM breaks into the retail bankruptcy world when it is retained in the Savemart case.

• Due to the accolades in The Children’s Place case, DJM begins receiving calls from many troubled companies trying to avoid Chapter 11.

• DJM hired as Chapter 11 Liquidating Trustees in both the Dabah family and Gitano bankruptcies.  DJM successfully sells off millions of dollars worth of real estate assets, liquidates divisions, negotiates reductions in claims and creates a recovery to creditors in a case originally deemed, “Administratively Insolvent.”

• DJM retained by a large 1,500 national store chain to dispose of 300 stores and restructure the remaining leases.  All stores were disposed of and 550 leases were renegotiated.

1997

• DJM enters the valuation business.  Retained by the banks in Rickel Home Centers’ Chapter 11 to evaluate a group of “to be” closed stores.  The real estate leases were sold at exactly what DJM had valued them for.  This leasehold valuation model created by DJM has since been used in over 100 bankruptcies and continues to be accurate in a real estate sector which has rarely shown similarity between valuations and sales.

• DJM’s reputation for being superb real estate professionals, tenacious negotiators and delivering promised results spreads throughout the turnaround management, retail and landlord community.  More importantly, DJM gains accolades as having integrity, creating solutions and finding value where others cannot.

1998 - 1999

• DJM retained by over 40 clients (including many large institutional banks) since its founding.

• DJM merges with Gordon Brothers Group, the predominant worldwide provider of dispositions, acquisitions, appraisals and capital solutions across all asset classes.  The merger gives DJM access to capital to help support the creative solutions they offer their clients.

2000 - 2001

• DJM ventures into the “Healthy Company Disposition” world when the company is retained by Harcourt General and Sears; 60 million square feet went to market and 60 million square feet were successfully disposed of.

• DJM becomes further entrenched in “healthy” real estate, having been retained by over 70 financially “healthy” companies including Wal-Mart, CVS and Yum! Brands.

• DJM’s representation of “financially stressed” companies continues to soar. DJM is retained to work on more than 75 million square feet of real estate which also included warehouse and distribution centers in such high-profile cases as Kmart, Helig Meyers and Winn-Dixie.

2002 - 2003

• DJM retained by investors to help them buy troubled companies.  Specifically, DJM does all the real estate due diligence, assists with the real estate strategy and executes the disposition.

• DJM involved in the C&S acquisition of Grand Union and Bear Stearns acquisition of Lerner (New York & Company).  In addition, DJM buys all of the assets of Quality Stores with Tractor Supply and subsequently buys the assets Tractor Supply does not want.

• DJM expands its real estate activities through its involvement in the purchase of designation rights

 2004

• DJM expands into the restaurant and supermarket sectors.  Involved in the disposition of high-profile companies including Kroger, Winn Dixie, Albertson's, A&P and Delhaize.  Restaurant clients include Yum! Brands, Burger King and Chi-Chi's.

 2005 - Present

• DJM expands into real estate acquisition by acquiring six commercial properties.

• DJM continues to expand into other real estate sectors such as office, industrial, warehouse and residential.  Disposes of 2,000,000 sq. ft. of industrial space, 400,000 sq. ft. of office space, three condominium buildings and 57 one-to-four family investment houses.