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Cynthia Romano

Global Director, Performance Improvement and Restructuring

Cynthia Romano has more than 25 years of experience in performance improvement, turnaround management, transaction support, and investment analysis. Cynthia’s areas of expertise include liquidity management, profit improvement through operational restructuring, organizational and process redesign, capital sourcing, and business and creditor workout/management. A co-leader of the firm’s Performance Improvement practice, Cynthia focuses on increasing collaboration across service lines and creating new services to help clients drive growth.

Cynthia’s work adds significant value to middle- and upper-middle market companies nationally and internationally in various industries including healthcare, manufacturing, education, technology, security, distribution, professional services and not-for-profit.

Workout advisor to a $300M skilled nursing operator with significant liquidity challenges.
Workout advisor to a $75M multi-specialty medical practice rollup.
GM of ambulance company with 911 contracts. Stabilized cash and operations, sold business (start to finish) in 6 weeks.
CFO of $75M oil distributor. Family business returned to profitability after 3 loss years via operational turnaround, successfully recapitalized, then sold for 50% higher than initial estimate.
COO of $30M paper manufacturer. After 14 loss months, achieved profitability within 4 months.
CRO of $40M construction engineering firm. Company returned to profitability and successfully refinanced.
Acting GM of aerospace manufacturer in Chapter 11 with sole source defense-related contracts. Successfully operated company with limited infrastructure to complete manufacturing/sale of inventory, complete contracts, and sell business.
Workout advisor to $300M multinational brokerage. Secured lender paid down 79% in 2 months; management buyout and refi paid remaining in debt in full.
Liquidating agent for retailer under Chapter 7 Trustee control. Gross recovery exceeded appraiser’s valuation by 9x.
Advisory to 170M family business. Improved financial controls, redesigned organizational structure around new management team, and spearheaded next generation assessment.

Events and speaking engagements

MCLE New England Webinar, "1st Look" at the Impact of COVID-19 on Business Bankruptcy Practice, Expert Panelist, April 27, 2020
Expert Webcast, Driving Value in Private Equity Portfolio Companies, Panelist, March 19, 2020
CohnReznick LLP, Bolster Finance and Operations Against Coronavirus Disruptions, Panelist, March 19, 2020
TMA Florida, Interactive Case Study, March 5, 2020, Tampa, Florida
2020 TMA Distressed Investing Conference, Interacting with Private Equity in Today's Environment, February 6, 2020 Las Vegas, Nevada

Press

October 28, 2020 | Bloomberg Law

Hospital Bankruptcy Surge Looms as Virus Rages, Stimulus Lapses

May 26, 2020 | abfjournal

The Impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Asset-Based Finance

April 30, 2020 | Modern Healthcare

Covid-19 pandemic likely put some bankruptcies on hold

Awards and recognition

Turnaround Management Association (TMA), 2020 Turnaround of the Year Award Winner, Chief Restructuring Officer in the turnaround and sale of Allentown, Pennsylvania-based Coordinated Health
Smart CEO Brava Award Honoring Top Female CEOs, Winner
Turnaround Management Association (TMA) Northeast Chapter’s Small Company Turnaround of the Year, Co-Winner
Harvard Business School Turnaround Conference, Panelist
MIT PE Symposium, Panelist
ABI National and Regional Conference, Panelist
Nassau County and Boston Bar Association, Panelist and Trainer
Debtwire Podcast - Healthcare Restructuring, Guest Speaker
Exit Planning Exchange (XPX) - Performance Improvement, Guest Speaker
Babson College, Suffolk University, and MIT Sloan MBA programs, Guest Lecturer
“The Three C’s of a Turnaround: Cash, Communication, and Control” ABF Journal, Co-Author
“Key Issues in Operational Turnarounds” (with Gerald Sherman), TMA Northeast Journal, Author

Professional affiliations

Turnaround Management Association, Board Member (Former, Northeast), Committee Member (NYC) and Member
American Bankruptcy Institute, Advisory Board Member (Northeast)
Association for Corporate Growth
Women Helping Other Women
Financial Women’s Association
International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation

Education