Industry: Consumer / Services
Transaction: Sell-Side


Established in 2003, Denver School of Nursing is the leading for-profit post secondary nursing school serving students in the Denver metropolitan area. DSN offers an upper division Baccalaureate degree, Associate degree programs, and is approved to offer a practical nurse program. In late 2006, the private owner of the company made the decision to sell the business.

GMB Business Advisors was engaged to identify and negotiate a sale to either a strategic or financial buyer that had a current holding or past experience in post-secondary education. GMB Business Advisors conducted a competitive auction process, identifying several strong buyer candidates. DSN signed an LOI with one buyer and granted exclusivity tied to very tight due diligence milestones.

GMB Business Advisors ultimately negotiated a sale of DSN to Baltimore, Maryland-based Education Affiliates, LLC (EA). EA is a portfolio company of New York City-based private equity firm JLL Partners, and was attracted to DSN as part of its strategy to expand geographically. DSN serves as EA's entree into the Rocky Mountain west.

By implementing a tightly controlled competitive process among highly qualified and motivated buyers, the GMB Business Advisors team was able to move very rapidly through the due diligence process, ultimately exceeding the DSN shareholders' expectations in the transaction.

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