Diablo Management Group Consultants

Luke Helm

Luke Helm joined Diablo Management Group as a consultant in 2000 and has since worked for twenty-two clients. He has served as a corporate officer in three cases, a project manager on seven client cases and a team member on an additional twelve cases. He is a Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor (CIRA) and a member of the Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors.

As a turnaround and work-out specialist, his assignments have comprised a broad cross-section of industries including medical devices, software, manufacturing, internet businesses, data storage, entertainment (live and recorded music, and film), fiber-optics, banking, logistics, and raw material refining.

Several of his notable accomplishments include:

• Negotiated the asset purchase agreement for the sale of patents and related intellectual property for a medical device client in a transaction valued in the seven figure range
• Profitably managed a $3M client subsidiary while positioning the business for sale; negotiated the terms of the purchase agreement and sold the company at a favorable valuation
• Successfully restructured $2M in trade debt for a publicly traded company, exceeding expectations
• Served as a client-company representative in settling several six and seven figure lawsuits in conjunction with legal counsel
• Completed the sale of various types of intellectual property for six clients, including patents, trademarks, proprietary software, databases, and contracts

Mr. Helm's project responsibilities regularly include:

• Distressed company management and advisory
• Cash management, budgeting and planning
• Distressed M&A and fixed asset sales
• Application of Bankruptcy code to distressed company situations
• Critical supplier analysis and negotiation
• Fulfillment of corporate fiduciary duties, often as an Officer and Director
• Litigation management, creditor claims analysis and negotiation of settlements
• Monthly operating reports, creditor communications
• Investor and shareholder relations
• Addressing employment, termination issues and related claims
• Employee benefit program management, including 401K's, flexible spending programs, health insurance and COBRA
• Accounts receivable collections and related legal actions
• Securing equity and debt financing
• Addressing accounting and taxation issues

Mr. Helm has 'made payroll' (had considerable operational experience) both while managing distressed businesses at DMG and while running his own companies. He co-founded a franchised business, built it to the largest and most profitable franchise in the nationwide system of 63 units and then sold the company. He also established a technology-centric marketing business, which provides services for a leading niche mortgage product fulfillment company.

Prior to earning his CIRA credentials, he graduated with honors from Azusa Pacific University with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a concentration in marketing. In his free time, he enjoys traveling with his wife in their private aircraft.