Iris Dorbian

The Gores Group, a global investment firm, and France Telecom-Orange, a worldwide telecom operator, said on on Monday that The Gores Group has completed the acquisition of Etrali, Orange Business Services – Trading Solutions, a subsidiary of France Telecom Orange. No financial terms were disclosed. As a result of the transaction, Etrali, Orange Business Services – Trading Solutions will be renamed Etrali Trading Solutions. Headquartered in Paris, France, Etrali Trading Solutions is a provider of convergent voice and electronic trading services for the financial communities.

SunTx Capital Partners said on Monday that it has launched IXTHYS Capital Management, LLC, a new hedge fund. Although IXTHYS will be based at SunTx’s Dallas office, SunTx Capital Partners says the hedge fund will be managed separately from the company's private equity funds. SunTx’s founding partners have already made contributions to the fund. Ron Dodson will serve as the hedge fund's portfolio manager.

The Emerging Markets Private Equity Association said on Monday that it has named Robert W. van Zwieten to be the organization’s next president and CEO. Most recently, van Zwieten served as director of private sector capital markets at the Asian Development Bank in Manila, Philippines. Based in Washington, D.C., EMPEA is a global organization with approximately 320 member firms representing over $1 trillion in assets under management.

First Reserve, a global private equity firm focused on energy, said on Monday that it has hired Robert Hanna as a new asset manager. He will be working in the firm's Houston office. Prior to joining First Reserve, Hanna served as a senior director of asset management at Consolidated Asset Management Services.

CIT Group, a provider of financing to small businesses and middle market companies, said on Monday that its U.S. bank subsidiary, CIT Bank, has arranged a $210 million credit facility for The Jordan Company. The loan is for The Jordan Company's refinancing of a portfolio company, Haas Group International, a provider of chemical management services. CIT Corporate Finance served as joint lead arranger and joint syndication agent for the transaction.

Townsquare Media Group has entered into an agreement to buy three music sites from AOL as well as its ComicsAlliance site. No financial terms were disclosed. The sites are The Boot, the BoomBox and NoiseCreep. Together with ComicsAlliance, they will join Townsquare Media Group's national digital business, which reaches over 52 million U.S. monthly unique visitors. Based in Greenwich, CT, Townsquare Media Group is a portfolio company of Oaktree Capital Management.

Southport Lane, a New York City-based private equity firm, said on Monday that it completed its buy of Louisiana-based Imperial Management Corp. along with its largest subsidiary, Imperial Fire & Casualty, in an all-cash transaction. Financial terms were not disclosed. Imperial Fire & Casualty is a provider of insurance products. Imperial Fire & Casualty's President and CEO H. Marcus Carter, Jr. will continue to serve as a director as will John Emmett Brignac Jr., the chairman of Imperial Management.

Agilysys said on Monday that it has entered into an agreement to sell its Retail Solutions Group to an affiliate of Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. for $34.55 million in cash. The transaction is expected to close later this summer. Agilysys, which has offices in Alpharetta, GA, Cheshire, UK, Singapore and Hong Kong, is a provider of software and solutions to the hospitality and retail industries.

Altus Capital Partners said on Monday that it has closed the sale of Thermafiber, a provider of mineral wool insulation products, to Owens Corning, a producer of residential and commercial building materials. No financial terms were disclosed. BB&T Capital Markets provided financial advice to Thermafiber, which is based in Wabash, Indiana.