Joseph E. DeGroff

Undergraduate School
Bachelor of Arts, Hanover College
Graduated in 1975

Graduate School
Masters of Business Administration, Indiana University
Graduated in 1979

Law School
Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis
Graduated in 1979

Professional Experience:
Joseph E. DeGroff is partner in Ice Miller's Business Group and was a founding partner of Ice Miller's Private Equity and Ventures Services Group. DeGroff's primary areas of practice include venture finance transactions, general business laws matters, federal and state securities law, and mergers and acquisitions.

Throughout his over 30 year career, DeGroff has concentrated on helping business leaders buy or sell businesses, or helping to raise capital. Most of his mergers and acquisitions transactional experience has been as an advisor of primarily strategic buyers of typically privately-owned companies in various industries, including financial services, software, construction materials, consumer products and distribution, and logistics. He also has substantial joint venture experience, including international joint ventures with both public and private companies. Frequently, DeGroff also represents family and other owners in exit transactions with strategic financial purchasers.

When assisting those in search of capital, DeGroff has represented companies and underwriters in initial public and follow-on offerings, as well as issuers in 144A note offerings (and related SEC exchange offerings), and debt and equity private placements. He has also assisted on many occasions in more typical commercial financing with financial institutions of all types and sizes.

He also enjoys providing general corporate advice to executives as they face both day-to-day operating and strategic issues or challenges (including corporate governance, contracts, human resources, real estate, litigation and risk mitigation matters), and for some companies serves as de facto general counsel. In the past several years, DeGroff has also enjoyed working with entrepreneurs in the formation and capitalization of new Indiana-based businesses.

DeGroff is very active in the community and serves as chairman of the Indiana Sports Corporation. In 1996 he lead the Local Organizing Committee for the U.S. Olympic swim trials which were held in Indianapolis. In 2002, the World Basketball Championships came to Indianapolis, and DeGroff served in a leadership role in charge of merchandising activities. He also chaired the 2004 World Swimming Championships held in Conseco Fieldhouse, the home of the Indiana Pacers.

He is also a director of OneAmerica Funds, Inc. and is a member of the Advisory Council of Purdue University's Discovery Park and Burton Morgan Entrepreneurship Center.

DeGroff is also listed among The Best Lawyers in America, General Corporate Law, 2007-2012 and Mergers and Acquisitions, 2008-2012; Indiana Super Lawyers, Mergers and Acquisitions, since inception.

DeGroff received his Bachelor of Arts from Hanover College in 1975 and both his Masters of Business Administration and his juris doctorate, magna cum laude, from Indiana University in 1979. He is admitted to practice law in the state of Indiana.

Professional Associations:
Former Chairman, Business Law Section, Indiana State Bar Association
Former Chairman, Young Lawyers Division, Indianapolis Bar Association
Former Chairman, Business Law Section, Indianapolis Bar Association
Member, Committee on Federal Regulation of Securities and Venture Capital, American Bar Association

Awards and Recognitions:
The Best Lawyers in America, General Corporate Law, 2007-2012
The Best Lawyers in America, Mergers and Acquisitions, 2008-2012
Indiana Super Lawyers, Mergers and Acquisitions, Since Inception
Purdue University Burton D. Morgan Entrepreneurship Award, 2010

Community Involvement:
Board Member, Discovery Park and Burton Morgan Entrepreneurship Center, Purdue University
Chairman, Indiana Sports Corporation
Board of Directors and Executive Committee, Indiana Chamber of Commerce, 2004-2010
Lead Local Organizing Committee for the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials, 1996
Leadership Role in Charge of Merchandising Activities, World Basketball Championships, 2002
Chaired World Swimming Championships, 2004

Representative Transactions:
Represented OneAmerica Financial Partners in the sale of its medical stop loss business
Represented the Indiana Department of Insurance in the reinsurance transaction out of rehabilitation (Standard Life Insurance Company and Guggenheim Life and Annuity Company)
Represented Citizens Energy Group in its acquisition of the water and wastewater systems from the City of Indianapolis
Represented the City of Indianapolis in its parking meter system concession agreement
Represented Integra Bank in the sale of multiple bank branches and related assets
Represented United States Infrastructure Corporation in several add-on acquisitions
Represented Irving Materials in multiple acquisitions and financing transactions and as outside general counsel
Represented Autobase in its sale to Dominion Enterprises
Represented Performance Assessment Network upon its formation and in its sale to TALX (now part of Equifax (NYSE: EFX))
Represented Monarch Beverage in several acquisitions
Represented Great Lakes Chemical Corporation in its joint venture with Occidental Chemical Corporation
Represented Brightpoint (NASDAQ: CELL) in several acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures and multiple contract matters

Services:

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