Tallahassee, Fla. – F&I Sentinel – an automotive finance industry compliance solutions provider with respect to the financing of Finance and Insurance products – announced its founders have partnered with Calera Capital, a leading middle-market private equity firm, in a majority recapitalization of the business.  Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Stephen McDaniel, Co-Founder and CEO of F&I Sentinel, said “With the increasing regulatory scrutiny regarding F&I products, regulators are analyzing whether finance companies have a program in place to monitor F&I products they finance. Our CITADEL® platform offers a turn-key compliance solution that addresses the reputational, financial, litigation, and regulatory risks in connection with the sale and financing of F&I products.”  He added, “We are excited to partner with Calera Capital to fuel F&I Sentinel’s future growth and expansion.”

"Automotive finance companies, banks and credit unions face complex compliance and risk mitigation challenges,” stated Paul Walsh, Senior Managing Director of Calera Capital. “F&I Sentinel represented a terrific opportunity to invest behind a market-leading business that provides unique technology and services to help financial institutions successfully navigate these issues.” 

Brian Fearnow, Managing Director of Calera Capital added, “F&I Sentinel adds tremendous value to all members of the vehicle financing ecosystem. We look forward to partnering with the management team to further enhance and extend the ways in which F&I Sentinel protects finance companies, dealers, and consumers.”