USD Magazine Summer 2015

Providing capital to underserved businesses has been key to Huntington Capital’s growth, and it’s a fundamental component of our mission statement.” Since joining the team in 2007, Bubnack has been instrumental in developing investment part- nerships that identify and assist small- to medium-sized businesses in manufacturing, healthcare, services and technology industries. While some of his peers may view small-business investment as a risky means to an unpredictable end, Bubnack and team have raised more than $210 million from 26 institutional investors for allocation to Huntington Capital’s portfolio companies. “When people realize that our focus isn’t just about sup- porting a business — it’s about supporting the community that business serves — it goes a long way in legitimizing our process,” Bubnack says. He beams when discussing how Huntington Capital portfolio companies like Native Foods Café are flourish- ing, thanks in large part to their commitment to minimizing their product’s adverse impacts on the environment, and reinvesting their success in communities through local nonprofit donations, free cooking demonstrations and the development of health conscious, plant-based diet plans for consumers. “Native Foods fits our model perfectly, as they share our belief in improving their community by investing in it,” Bubnack says. Given that Native Foods Café grew from 14 to 26 stores in 2014, it would appear that the proof of Bubnack’s successful and socially conscious investment strategy is in the proverbial pudding — or, in this case, Native Foods Café’s freshly made, award-winning mango lime vinaigrette. “We want to invest in businesses like Native Foods Café that share our mission to generate excellent returns while having a positive impact on communities.”

MICHELE EHLERS

[ p r i n c i p l e d ]

Tim Bubnack espouses socially conscious financing IMPACTFUL INVESTMENTS

by Mike Sauer

W

hat do tennis and private equity have in common? At first

the work that I do now in invest- ments, there’s a very strong team dynamic, even though we might have individual tasks and goals. It’s about helping the person next to you be better at what they do.” As managing partner of San Diego-based private equity firm Huntington Capital, Bubnack takes a great deal of pride in his team’s focus on maximizing their investors’ return on investment without compromising their core values. Since its founding in 2000, Huntington Capital has built a

very impressive portfolio by pro- viding debt and equity financing to underserved companies that are overlooked by larger financial investment institutions. For Bubnack and his team, investment in small business provides a value proposition that extends well beyond bal- ance sheets and bottom lines. “More often than not, it can be very difficult for small business to get loans funded through the banking industry,” says Bubnack. “For them, it’s a numbers game.

glance, absolutely zero, but Tim Bubnack ’91 (BBA) begs to differ. In fact, he believes the two seem- ingly diametric endeavors compli- ment each other perfectly. “When I played tennis at USD, I really embraced the team con- cept, even though I often com- peted as an individual,” he says, referencing his days as a member of the Torero men’s tennis squad in the late ’80s/early ’90s. “With

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