Wynnchurch Capital has purchased Alliance Designer Products, a maker of sand installation for commercial and residential hardscaping projects. Hardscaping uses constructed features that are used in landscape architecture, such as concrete paths or walls. "Wynnchurch invests in market leading businesses which possess a customer-centric focus on product and service excellence," says Wynnchuch managing partner Frank Hayes. "We are thrilled about our new partnership with Wynnchurch and are excited to continue to serve our Alliance customers around the globe. We are confident that the future of Alliance has never been brighter," adds Alliance senior vice president Jack Tutino. Wynnchurch is a middle-market private equity firm that is located in Rosemont, Illinois. The firm was founded in 1999 by former GE Capital executive John Hatherly, and manages about $2.2 billion in capital. Wynnchurch is investing from its fourth fund, which has $1.3 billion in capital. In January, Wynnchurch acquired Boss Industries, a manufacturer of rotary screw air technology. Other recent Wynnchurch investments include: Infra Pipe Solutions, a maker of high density pipes; uniform services company Logistik Unicorp Inc.; engineering systems maker Critical Process Systems Group; and Team Car Care, a vehicle maintenance services company.

DEAL NEWS
Leucadia Asset Management, an arm of Jefferies Financial Group Inc., is backing a new investment firm led by former Blackstone Group LP and Carlyle Group LP executives that will buy stakes in middle-market private equity, real estate, infrastructure, hedge fund, private credit and venture capital company, reports Bloomberg News. Stonyrock Partners LP, based in New York, is led by managing partner Craig Schortzmann and partner Sean Gallary, former managing directors at Blackstone and Carlyle’s AlpInvest Partners, respectively. The two previously worked together at Asset Management Finance, or AMF, a Credit Suisse Group AG affiliate that focused on buying and selling slices of investment managers. Stonyrock is seeking $750 million to $1 billion for its debut fund, which will be a permanent capital vehicle, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Read the full story from Bloomberg News: Jefferies backs firm led by ex-Blackstone, Carlyle directors.

Enlightenment Capital has invested in Trowbridge & Trowbridge, a provider of cybersecurity and IT services to government agencies.

Gryphon Investors-backed Jensen Hughes has bought security risk management firm Hillard Heintze. Livingstone advised Hillard, and XMS Capital Partners advised the buyers.

MiddleGround Capital has acquired Peterson Spring, a manufacturer of springs and wires.

Universal Logistics Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: ULH) has bought transportation and logisitcs company Michael's Cartage. Dykema advised Universal and Republic Partners advised the target.

Seaport Capital has invested in All Traffic Data, a a provider of traffic data collection and reporting, consulting services, and transportation asset management for civil engineering firms, state and local transportation authorities, municipalities, and commercial establishments across the U.S. Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP represented Seaport.

Comvest Partners has invested in VanDeMark Chemical, a producer of specialty derivatives.

PEOPLE MOVES
Tony Armand has been promoted from operating partner to partner at middle-market investment firm Norwest Equity Partners. Armand joined Norwest in 2018, and he focuses on the consumer, outdoor and sporting goods sectors.

Guy Camerlengo, Todd Pacifico, and Matt Simon were hired by lender Huntington Business Credit as senior vice presidents, where they will be overseeing the firm's new Atlanta office.

Drew Caylor has joined private equity firm Wilsquare Capital as a managing director. He was previously with Louis York Capital.

FEATURED CONTENT
Carriers such as AT&T and Verizon need to upgrade their infrastructure as they look to offer 5G, driving demand for infrastructure and IT providers. Read the full guest article by Alarian Associates' Pauli Overdorff: How buildout of 5G wireless technology fuels M&A.

Excelled. Innovated. Inspired. That’s what the eight winners of Mergers & Acquisitions’ 12th Annual M&A Mid-Market Awards did in 2018. Our awards honor the leading dealmakers and deals that set the standard for transactions in the middle market. In addition to Nike, award winners include: Fortive, TA Associates, the Riverside Co., Harris Williams, Monroe Capital, Goodwin and Luminate Capital Partners' Hollie Haynes. Read our full coverage: Meet the winners of the M&A Mid-Market Awards: Nike, Fortive, TA, Harris Williams.

Related: Read more about Mergers & Acquisitions' three annual special reports, including the M&A Mid-Market Awards, the Rising Stars of Private Equity, and the Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A.

Genstar Capital, Audax, HarbourVest ranked as the top U.S. private equity firms of 2018, based on volume of completed deals, according to PitchBook. Check out Mergers & Acquisitions' profiles of 21 firms that led the league tables. Top private equity firms: Genstar, Audax, HarbourVest and more

Also see: Top investment banks in PE-backed deals: KPMG, Houlihan, GS, William Blair.

Technology permeates dealmaking today. “Tech is, more or less, touching everything,” as the authors of The 2019 BDO Technology Outlook Survey put it. You can see the impact of tech throughout the 2018 winners of Mergers & Acquisitions’ M&A Mid-Market Awards especially: Luminate Capital Partners founder Hollie Hayne scoring Dealmaker of the Year for raising a second fund to invest in enterprise software companies; and TA Associates winning Private Equity Firm of the Year for investing a record $2.8 billion in new portfolio companies, most of which are infused with technology one way or the other.

Related: Why private equity firms still love technology
Related: 10 private equity firms share strategies for tech M&A.

Mergers & Acquisitions has named 36 leaders the 2019 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A, including Kainos Capital's Sarah Bradley, Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors' Nishita Cummings and Pelham S2K Managers' Venita Fields. All 36 are outstanding dealmakers both inside and outside of their firms. This year, we asked the featured dealmakers to tell their own stories through Q&As, including their advice for women. Related: Meet the 2019 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A.

EVENTS
ACG Boston hosts a 40th Anniversary Celebration and inaugural awards reception at the Boston Harbor Hotel's Wharf Room on April 24.

InterGrowth 2019 takes place May 6-8 at the Waldorf Astoria & Hilton Bonnet Creek in Orlando, Florida.

Innovation Works holds its second annual AI/Robotics Venture Fair in Pittsburgh May 15-16.

ACG Chicago hosts the Midwest Capital Connection, at The Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile, May 21-22.

ACG New York, ACG Boston and ACG Philadelphia are holding the Industrial Conference with Value Creation at the Infor in New York on June 6. The event is part of the Northeast Industry Tour.

ACG Minnesota hosts the The Upper Midwest ACG Capital Connection at the Renaissance Minneapolis Hotel, The Depot, June 10-11.

ACG Boston brings together 700-plus dealmakers for DealFest Northeast and DealSource Select 2019 at the Cyclorama & The State Room, June 12-13.

Exponent Women hosts the Annual Exchange, which brings a trusted network of women dealmakers together for a focused day of robust content and networking, at Second in New York, on Thurs July 11. The Exchange provides attendees with opportunities to establish new connections, reinforce existing ones, and absorb timely and relevant knowledge from industry leaders.