BNET Industries

Last Fiscal Year Sales:$40.0M
  • Private
  • US
Dow Jones Description

Capstar Partners, LLC is a private investment firm based in Austin, Texas. Capstar Partners participates in small and middle market buyouts, real estate development, and public investing. Since 2000, Capstar has invested in a broad range of industries including media and broadcasting, healthcare services, e-commerce, financial services and real estate.

Chief Executive Officer of Dmx, Inc.
John D Cullen
Number of Employees 30
Contact Information

600 Congress Ave, Ste 1400

Austin, Texas 78701

www.capstarpart...

(512) 340-7800

NAICS Code Miscellaneous Financial Investment Activities: 523999

News & Analysis

capstar partners llc - All News and Analysis

Decision Makers

Name (plus bio) Position
John D Cullen Chief Executive Officer of Dmx, Inc.
Stuart McManus President
Robert S Hicks Partner
Benjamin M Hanson Partner and Manager
Neil R Silver
Patrick E Bouchard

Board of Directors

Name (plus bio) Position
Steven Hicks Chairman

John D. Cullen, 54, currently serves as chief executive officer of DMX, Inc., a company engaged in the provision of business media services, and as president of Andrew Harper, Inc., a high-end travel publishing and services firm. Prior to joining Capstar, Cullen had twenty-five years of experience in management and marketing including twenty-years of experience in Radio Sales, Sales Management, General Management and Senior Media Management. Most recently, Cullen served as a member of the Executive team with Clear Channel (NYSE:CCU) as President of the International Division and as the Senior Vice President for Clear Channel Radio. In this role he streamlined operations in all markets, developed and implemented systems and managed acquisitions for his divisions. Prior to joining Clear Channel, Cullen served as the President of the New Media division of AMFM (NYSE:AFM) where he supervised the Systems, Services and Technology initiatives for AMFM including Katz Media Group, Prophet Systems, Galaxy, Star Performance and StarSystems. Further, he re-engineered Television Representation Division producing an 86% increase in income in 2000. In the technology arena, he oversaw and secured buy-in for the development and installation of the Prophet digital audio system for all AMFM properties and continued sponsorship of the Galaxy unified Traffic, Billing, Inventory and Yield Management System. All of these systems have been adopted by Clear Channel and are now the standard for the surviving company. Prior to AMFM, Mr. Cullen served as the Chief Operating Officer of Capstar Broadcasting Partners (NYSE:CRB), successfully managing the then largest Radio broadcast company in the United States. The Company completed the acquisition and successful integration of stations in 75 markets preparing the Company for an Initial Public Offering. In 1998 the Company successfully completed the then largest Radio IPO in history. Capstar was unique to the radio industry as the Company developed the infrastructure for distributing content (StarSystems) and introduced collective contesting thereby reducing annual operating cost by an estimated $10,000,000 while simultaneously increasing ratings.

Organization Position Status
Dmx, Inc. Chief Executive Officer Current
Capstar Partners, LLC Chief Executive Officer of Dmx, Inc. Current
Andrew Harper, Inc. President Current
Clear Channel Current
International Division President Former
Capstar Partners, LLC Chief Operating Officer Former
Clear Channel Radio Senior Vice President Former
Capstar Partners, LLC Partner Former
Sterling Communications, Inc. Former
Cox & Company, Inc. Former
Star Systems, Inc. Former

Organization Position Status
Capstar Partners, LLC President Current
Shopoff & Cavallo Llp Board of Directors Current
Shopoff Securities, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Beachside Capital Partners Investment Partner Former
International Business Machines Corporation Former
Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University MBA Former
Northwestern University BA in economics and political science Former

R. Steven Hicks, 57, is Chairman of Capstar Partners, LLC formed in June 2000. Capstar Partners participates in small and middle market buyouts, real estate development, and public investing. Since 2000, Capstar has invested in a broad range of industries including media and broadcasting, healthcare services, e-commerce, financial services and real estate. Prior to forming this venture, Hicks was Vice Chairman of AMFM Inc. (NYSE: AFM), the nation's largest owner and operator of radio stations, with over 450 radio stations in markets across the U.S. In 1996, Hicks founded Capstar Broadcasting Corporation, and led Capstar Broadcasting and its 350 radio stations to a successful public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in 1998. In August 1999 Capstar Broadcasting merged with Dallas-based Chancellor Media Corporation, another radio industry powerhouse, and in a stock swap valued at $4.1 billion, AMFM Inc. was born. In addition to serving AMFM Inc. as Vice Chairman, Hicks was President of its New Media division, which developed Internet products and technologies for the radio industry. Hicks bought his first radio station at age 29 and co-founded Hicks Communications, Inc., in 1979, acquiring stations in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. In 1993, Hicks co-founded SFX Broadcasting, Inc., building it into a publicly traded industry leader and one of the five largest radio groups in the country. Hicks left the company in mid-1996 to begin building Capstar Broadcasting. Steve Hicks made radio history by inventing the local marketing agreement (LMA), the forerunner to the radio duopoly, which has dramatically changed the way the broadcasting industry does business by allowing consolidation of radio station operations. This innovation changed FCC regulations and returned many radio stations to profitability, increasing the value of broadcast properties across the nation. Eventually, Hicks' new system of management helped persuade Congress to change ownership rules in the 1996 Telecommunications Act. A 33-year veteran of the radio broadcasting industry, including 20 as a station owner, Hicks was named Radio Executive of the Year and was ranked one of the 10 Most Powerful People in Radio by Radio Ink magazine, and was also honored as Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. In 1996, Hicks was recognized by the Texas Association of Broadcasters as Broadcaster of the Year. He serves on numerous charitable and professional boards. A father of three children, two stepchildren, and six grandchildren, he makes his home in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Donna.

Organization Position Status
Capstar Partners, LLC Partner Current
Capstar Partners, LLC Principal of Capstar Partners and Serves Former

Benjamin M. Hanson recently joined Capstar Partners, LLC as a Principal and as its General Counsel. Most recently, Ben served as a member of Texas Governor Rick Perry's Senior Staff, and as Chief of Staff and General Counsel for Texas Secretaries of State J. Roger Williams and Geoffrey S. Connor. Prior to his government experience, Ben worked as General Counsel for an internet software start-up, CLIX Network, Inc., engaged primarily in the delivery of music via personal computers. Ben began his legal career in the Dallas office of Jenkens & Gilchrist, a Professional Corporation, as an associate in the Corporate & Securities Group. Ben's legal and business experience includes extensive familiarity with state-level executive and legislative issues, the representation of public and private corporations, partnerships and other entities and individuals generally, and in connection with the planning, due diligence, structuring, negotiating and closing of mergers, acquisitions, and other capital-raising transactions (from venture and seed capital financings to public offerings of equity and debt securities), as well as general corporate, business, and securities counseling, and best practices concerning compliance and risk/litigation management. Ben graduated in 1996 after three years at the University of Texas at Austin with a double major in Plan II Honors and Government. Following his undergraduate degree, Ben obtained his law degree from the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University in 1999.

Organization Position Status
Capstar Partners, LLC Partner and Manager Current
Andrew Harper, Inc. General Counsel Former
Capstar Partners, LLC Principal Former
Jenkens & Gilchrist, Llp Former
Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law Law Degree Former
Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law Degree Former
The University of Texas at Austin Former

Organization Position Status
Reigns Capital Ltd. President, Reigns Capital Current
Reigns Capital Ltd. Founder Current
Capstar Partners, LLC Current
Pace University Master of Business Administration Former
The State University of New York BS Former
Midwood High School Former

Organization Position Status
Capstar Partners, LLC Current
Orion Partners, Ltd. Cfo Former
Orion Partners, Ltd. Senior Vice President Former
National Lending Group Vice President Former
National Lending Group West Coast Section Manager Former
Texas Commerce Bank Former
The University of Texas Former

Steve Hicks is the Chairman of Capstar Partners, LLC. Formed in June 2000, Capstar is a private investment company that participates in traditional investments and the funding of early stage technology companies. Before forming Capstar, Steve was Vice Chairman of AMFM Inc., the nation's largest owner and operator of radio stations, with over 450 radio stations in markets across the USA. Clear Channel Communications, Inc acquired AMFM for $23 billion in 2000. In 1996, Steve founded Capstar Broadcasting Corporation and led the company and its 350 radio stations to a successful public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in 1998. In August 1999 Capstar Broadcasting merged with Dallas-based Chancellor Media Corporation, in a transaction valued at $4.1 billion to create AMFM Inc. In addition to serving AMFM as Vice Chairman, Steve was President of its New Media division. In 1993, Steve co-founded, with Robert Sillerman, SFX Broadcasting, Inc., building it into a publicly traded industry leader and one of the five largest radio groups in the country. Steve left the company in mid-1996 to begin building the Capstar Broadcasting group. A 33-year veteran of the radio broadcasting industry, including 20 as a station owner, Steve has been named Radio Executive of the Year and as one of the 10 Most Powerful People in Radio by Radio Ink magazine. He has also been honored as Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young and as Broadcaster of the Year by the Texas Association of Broadcasters. Steve serves on numerous professional and charitable boards. He makes his home in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Donna, and three children.

Organization Position Status
Capstar Partners, LLC Chairman Current
Texas Radio Hall of Fame Board of Directors Current
NYSE Group, Inc. Former
Ernst & Young Former
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