James A. Trankina

Professional Profile

Jim Trankina is a Sr. Managing Director in the Chicago office with over 20 years of experience. He thrives on balancing high-level strategy with meticulous organization to achieve success in complex situations for his clients. Mr. Trankina’s clients value his empathetic, disciplined, and practical approach grounded in experience across a variety of industries as a consultant, investment banker, lender, transaction due diligence advisor, and corporate finance professional. Mr. Trankina has worked in numerous subsectors across a variety of industries including healthcare, industrials, transportation, logistics, TMT, public sector, business services, financial services, and hospitality.

His expertise includes:

• Evaluating and presenting strategic alternatives for distressed debtors or their lenders
• Devising and implementing strategic business plans and related operational initiatives
• Forecasting and managing liquidity in cash-constrained environments
• Preparing complex analyses critical to negotiating and maximizing value for stakeholders

Prior to joining DSI, Mr. Trankina cultivated his expertise in the Restructuring groups at AlixPartners and Houlihan Lokey following a senior role at SOLIC Capital Advisors. Earlier in his career, he built a robust foundation in corporate finance and accounting with roles at Bank of America, Arthur Andersen, and Abbott Laboratories.

Mr. Trankina is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor, and he holds Certifications in Distressed Business Valuation (CDBV) and Financial Forensics (CFF). He earned an M.B.A. from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a B.S. in Finance from the University of Illinois. Mr. Trankina is an active member of the Turnaround Management Association. He is a past Director of the Chicago/Midwest chapter and has co-chaired and served on various committees at both the global and chapter levels.

Select Engagements

• Financial advisor for a major Pizza Hut and Wendy’s franchisee engaged to secure a bridge loan, perform market analysis, mitigate the onset of Covid-19, leverage CARES Act benefits, guide all aspects of bankruptcy case management, navigate numerous disputes, effectuate a §363 asset sale, and wind down the remnant estate.
• Financial advisor for a marine logistics business engaged to navigate disruptive growth by devising and implementing organizational changes, business plans, policies, and standard operating procedures to protect company assets in critical collection, disbursement and capital investment processes.
• Financial advisor for a public state university engaged to evaluate the viability of a student housing development and strategic alternatives for the university to address burdensome, overmarket commercial lease and parking license agreements. Evaluated debt modification scenarios, created a business plan, and collaborated with external legal counsel to advise the university in mediation proceedings.
• Led multiple operational work streams and the project management office in the operational turnaround of a publicly traded $1 billion asset-based North American truckload freight carrier to generate a $50 million run-rate EBITDA improvement.
• Established and led the project management office in the operational turnaround of a $110 million carbon filter manufacturer subsidiary of a $1.4 billion private equity sponsored water technology business. Identified, prioritized and tracked 40+ initiatives by devising and mapping them to six chartered work programs (pricing, cost take-out, org design, assembly operations, internal controls, and ERP tools/reporting) elevating cross-functional communication, accountability and strategic decision support.
• Financial advisor for the secured, fulcrum lender to workout a multi-state operator in the cannabis industry situation by supporting placement of rescue financing, assessing borrower-developed business plans, liquidity forecasts and related reporting, and critically evaluating potential strategic alternatives.
• Financing placement agent for a company newly organized to build, equip, and operate a greenfield aluminum remelt billet casting facility.
• Financing placement agent for a company newly organized to manufacture wind turbine gears.
• Financial advisor for a homeowner financial services business to evaluate and implement restructuring options that resulted in the sale of one business unit and restructuring of senior and subordinated debt and legacy equity interests at the other business unit.