
Fundamental Advisors Provides $33.75M Financing to Dominican University New York
NEW YORK, Feb. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fundamental Advisors ('Fundamental'), an established alternative asset manager focused on municipal, public purpose and community assets, in partnership with its municipal bond sourcing partner, V2 Municipal Capital ('V2MC'), today announced the completion of a $33,750,000 financing for Dominican University New York through the Rockland County Economic Assistance Corporation.
Dominican University New York is an independent, four-year doctoral level liberal arts university, chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York, and fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The University's 1,400 student body represents a diverse population and includes both campus residents and commuters. The University is recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution ('HSI') by Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities ('HACU'). Dominican University's campus is located in Rockland County, NY, 17 miles north of New York City and three miles north of Bergen County, NJ.
'As dedicated public purpose investors, we view this partnership with Dominican University New York as an opportunity to support the long-term growth trajectory of an established institution serving a diverse student population,' said Laurence Gottlieb, Chairman and CEO of Fundamental. 'Our partnership with V2MC has provided significant visibility across the higher education ecosystem, creating unique opportunities to partner with leading institutions such as Dominican University. We look forward to working closely with Manuel, Tony and the entire Dominican board for many years to come.'
'We're excited to have completed our first majority financing with Fundamental, particularly with a transaction that is core to the firm's mission to support community and public purpose assets,' said Charlie Visconsi, Co-Founder of V2MC. 'The transaction presented a compelling opportunity to support a university serving a growing cohort of minority, first-generation college students, and we're excited to partner with Dominican University in this next phase.'
The financing for Dominican University comprises $28,885,000 of tax-exempt bonds and $4,865,000 of taxable bonds. The proceeds will be used to recapitalize all of the University's outstanding debt and fund certain capital projects, including improvements for the University's nursing program.
'We are pleased to have completed this transaction to structure a bond issue that meets the University's needs,' said Dr. Manuel Martinez, President, Dominican University New York. 'Fundamental and V2MC took considerable time to visit our campus and meet with our leadership team to better understand Dominican's mission and purpose. We're confident they are the ideal long-term funding partner for our university.'
'We had a great experience working with Fundamental Advisors and V2MC to refinance all of Dominican University's debt, including our tax-exempt bonds,' said Tony Cipolla, Vice President for Financial Affairs and CFO, Dominican University New York. 'We've worked collaboratively with the team over the last three months to efficiently close the financing with a structure and repayment schedule tailored to the University's specific needs. We look forward to a long and successful partnership as we continue to grow our offerings and maintain strong enrollment.'
'At D.A. Davidson, we pride ourselves on providing high-level service and personalized attention to our borrower clients, and it was clear throughout this process that Fundamental and V2MC take a similar approach,' said Dan Froehlich, Managing Director, D.A. Davidson & Co. 'On the Dominican University transaction, Fundamental and V2MC worked closely with us over several months to structure a complex bond issue that refinanced three bank loans and four tax-exempt bond issues, while also providing new financing to expand the University's nursing program. The collaboration was critical to the success of the financing, and we're pleased to have delivered this critical solution for Dominican University.'
D.A. Davidson & Co. served as the underwriter on the transaction and Frasca and Associates served as the University's Financial Advisor. Hawkins Delafield and Wood served as Bond Counsel, Nixon Peabody as Underwriter's Counsel, Harris Beach as Issuer's Counsel and Cozen O'Connor as Purchaser's Counsel.
About Fundamental Advisors
Fundamental is an established alternative asset manager dedicated to municipal, public purpose and community assets. Founded in 2007, the firm is focused on targeting control-oriented investments in stressed and distressed assets or securities, financing the development or revitalization of public purpose or community assets, and acquiring undervalued securities in the secondary market. For more information, please visit www.Fundamental.com.
About V2 Municipal Capital
Founded by Charlie Visconsi and Ron Van Den Handel in July 2024, V2 Municipal Capital is an independent sourcing company for high-yield tax-exempt and taxable municipal bonds. V2MC seeks to provide structured capital solutions for municipal borrowers across four key sectors: health care, housing, education and infrastructure. For more information, please visit: www.v2mc.com.
Contacts
For Fundamental and V2 Municipal Capital
Jon Keehner / Madeline Jones
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
212-355-4449
For Dominican University New York
Tony Cipolla
845-848-7814
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Business Wire
12 hours ago
- Business Wire
Heritage Grocers Group Elevates Fresh Prepared Foods Strategy with Predictive Analytics to Serve Diverse Communities at Scale
ONTARIO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Heritage Grocers Group (HGG), a leading Hispanic and ethnic food retailer, today announced a strategic transformation in how it plans and produces fresh prepared foods. By shifting from experience-based methods to a cutting-edge, data-driven production planning system, HGG aims to enhance product availability, optimize labor, and better serve the rich diversity of the communities it calls home. "Leveraging predictive analytics, this system will enhance market demand fulfillment and boost sales through optimized product availability and superior customer experience," said Prabash Coswatte, Chief Operating Officer for Heritage Grocers Group. "Leveraging predictive analytics, this system will enhance market demand fulfillment and boost sales through optimized product availability and superior customer experience," said Prabash Coswatte, Chief Operating Officer for Heritage Grocers Group. Headquartered in Ontario, California, HGG operates across six states—California, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Kansas, and Illinois—under four beloved banners: Cardenas Markets, El Rancho Supermercado, Tony's Fresh Market, and Los Altos Ranch Market. Across these regions, HGG is recognized not only for its extensive fresh offerings, but also for delivering authentic food experiences that resonate with multicultural shoppers. The decision to revamp its production strategy is backed by a compelling insight: multicultural families are driving America's fresh prepared food revolution. According to the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA), 76% of Hispanic, 70% of Asian American, and 69% of African American shoppers purchase prepared foods at grocery stores—compared to just 59% of white/Caucasian shoppers. This trend is fueled by a desire for quick, high-quality meals that reflect cultural traditions and suit the needs of larger family units. 'Fresh prepared isn't just about convenience anymore—it's about cultural connection,' said Coswatte. 'From carnitas and caldo to pan dulce and pozole, our customers are asking for ready-made meals that feel like home. This new system ensures we meet that demand, store by store, hour by hour.' Mike Sanders, CEO of Upshop, the technology partner behind this transformation, added, 'We believe the future of retail excellence lies in the power of AI and a single, unified operations platform. By streamlining forecasting, labor, and production into one intelligent system, we're helping retailers like Heritage Grocers Group move from good to great—maximizing efficiency, minimizing waste, and most importantly, delivering a better experience for every shopper, every day.' What the New System Delivers: Elevated Sales: By improving freshness and minimizing stockouts, HGG ensures customers can find what they need—when they need it. Smarter Demand & Team Planning: Forecasting tools align staffing with actual demand, particularly in service meat and deli departments. Efficiency Gains: Batch processing for cutting and wrapping reduces prep time and allows employees to focus on customer-facing roles. Better Service: Fewer wait times and more consistent product availability enhance the in-store experience. Workforce Optimization: Scheduling is tailored to each store's unique production rhythm, improving labor utilization and employee satisfaction. With multicultural consumers also driving mainstream adoption of global flavors, according to Nielsen, this initiative not only modernizes operations—it secures HGG's leadership position at the heart of America's evolving food landscape. This is more than a systems upgrade. It's a reaffirmation of HGG's belief that culture and technology can—and must—coexist in the aisles where families shop, celebrate, and connect. About Upshop Upshop is the leading provider of AI-powered retail operations software, helping grocers and convenience stores sell more and waste less through a unified platform that synchronizes forecasting, ordering, production, and inventory across the store. From Fresh to Center Store, DSD to eCommerce, Upshop empowers better decisions, faster actions, and more connected teams—improving labor efficiency, reducing shrink, and driving profitability. With over 450 retailers and 50,000+ stores globally relying on Upshop to manage mission-critical operations, the impact is evident: In fact, one national grocer utilizing eCommerce order management and fulfillment functionality reported over $14 million in annual savings, in addition to increased basket sizes when using conversational commerce. To learn more about the Total Store Operations Experience, visit and watch customer testimonials at Upshop Total Store Operations Experience - YouTube. About Heritage Grocers Group Heritage Grocers Group (HGG) is a leading specialty, ethnic food retailer that offers an extensive assortment of both traditional and specialty grocery items to the communities it serves. With a unique customer experience focused on freshness, authenticity and affordability, the HGG family of destination groceries incorporate freshly made ethnic foods, differentiated floor formats presenting distinct specialty categories and localized assortments that engage with each community. Headquartered in Ontario, California, Heritage Grocers Group operates in six states: California, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Kansas, and Illinois, with a total of 58 stores under the Cardenas Markets banner, 29 stores under the El Rancho Supermercado banner, 21 stores under the Tony's Fresh Market banner, and 7 stores under the Los Altos Ranch Market banner. For more information visit


Newsweek
3 days ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump's Approval Rating Suddenly Slides With Conservatives
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump's approval rating has suddenly dropped among conservative adults, new polling has shown. According to a series of polls by The Economist/YouGov, the president's net approval rating has declined by 15 percentage points from July to August. Why It Matters During his presidency, Trump's popularity has fluctuated. Key issues, including his tariff policy and his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, have caused voter discontent. Conservatives are one of Trump's key voting bases. Losing their support could be damaging for the Republicans, especially when voters head to the polls in the November 2026 midterms. What To Know Prior to Trump's approval rating declining, it had increased steadily since May. It was net +67 percent then, and +68 percent in June. It then increased by 12 percentage points to +80 in July before falling to a new low in this time period, to +65 percent. Speaking to Newsweek, analysts suggested that his falling popularity was because of his trade and immigration policies, while other analysts previously pointed to factors like the Epstein scandal. Meanwhile, other general polls have suggested support for Trump is declining. According to a YouGov poll for British newspaper The Times, the proportion of people who disapprove of Trump's job performance has increased from 52 percent in April to 57 percent in July. President Donald Trump answers questions from reporters at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus on August 5, 2025. President Donald Trump answers questions from reporters at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus on August 5, 2025. AP Photo/Alex Brandon Newsweek analysis also revealed that Trump's approval rating is positive in 18 of the states he won in the 2024 election, and negative in 13. However, his approval rating has increased among liberals in the past month. Another poll showed Trump gaining more traction with Hispanic voters, a crucial demographic that traditionally supports Democratic candidates. What People Are Saying Heath Brown, an associate professor of public policy at City University of New York, told Newsweek: "The recent poll numbers are likely tied to two factors. First, many Republican voters are skeptical about the president's signature trade policies. Recent polling suggests that a sizable percentage of Republicans believe the tariffs are hurting the U.S. economy, and this is likely driving down support overall for the president. "Second, the most radical aspects of the administration's immigration policies, including many of its punitive deportation actions, are not supported by many Republicans. As these actions have gotten more attention, it seems likely that some Republicans have lost faith in the president." Mark Shanahan, who teaches American politics at the University of Surrey, previously told Newsweek: "Trump's second term has been less of a honeymoon, but more of a divorce from half the country: one where he's got to keep the house, the kids and just about all of the assets. From day one of his rule by executive order he has never sought to bring the USA together and, indeed, has exploited differences to highlight how he's delivering on his campaign commitments, not least through DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency], through his clampdown on immigration and through his America First foreign policy." "Public services are already beginning to creak thanks to the actions of Musk and his cohort, and tariffs are driving up prices at home, while the economic benefits of the One Big Beautiful act have yet to be felt. And around all this, the whiff of Epstein is tainting the president's achievements." What Happens Next Whether Trump's standing among conservatives falls enough to impact Republicans in the November 2026 midterm elections remains to be seen. His popularity among all different demographics will likely fluctuate as his presidency continues.


Business Journals
4 days ago
- Business Journals
A capital lifeline: How one flight changed a national leader's commute
For frequent users of the American Airlines new nonstop flight between San Antonio and Washington D.C., timing is everything, and cutting out the need to always add pitstops to the nation's capital through connecting cities was transformational. Beginning on March 3, American Airlines started offering nonstop early morning flights from SAT to Washington-National (DCA) as well as evening flights daily. Flying from SAT to DCA takes less than 3.5 hours and currently that means landing in Washington before 11 a.m., providing ample flexibility for business leaders to make afternoon meetings or prepare for the next day. Flights typically land in San Antonio around 10:30 p.m. daily. This timing not only benefits travelers from San Antonio doing business in D.C., but also serves as a daily connection for numerous points across the Northeast corridor. For one international leader who resides in San Antonio but whose office is in D.C., the direct flight could not have come sooner. Ramiro Cavazos is the President and CEO of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the largest business advocacy organization for Latinos in the United States, for the past seven years, overseeing almost 300 local Hispanic chambers across the nation. Cavazos has led trade missions to Spain, Cuba, Italy, Mexico, Canada and elsewhere, advocated for the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement and was previously the President and CEO of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. expand 'About seven years ago I was recruited and asked to consider doing our national job overseeing all of our advocacy work, and we're based in Washington D.C. on 17th Street, literally across the street from the Eisenhower building,' Cavazos said. 'We were going to move, my wife and I and our two boys, they were 9 and 12 (years old). My wife at the time worked for an energy company, so it was just hard.' Cavazos said he didn't want his new job affecting his wife's career, so he began commuting by air on American Airlines from San Antonio in 2018. He wasn't unfamiliar with traveling to D.C. from San Antonio either. As the President and CEO of the local Hispanic chamber he frequently headed to D.C. to go to the national office and lobby, as well as when he worked for the city of San Antonio as Director of Economic Development, work that included recruiting the Toyota Motor Manufacturing-Texas facility. Prior to that he also worked for Levi Strauss, all positions that require heavy travel to the nation's capital. 'My jobs have always required me to travel and so the challenge when I took this job was that everything had to go through Dallas or Charlotte,' Cavazos said. 'There were no direct flights and it adds an additional three hours to the trip there. And sometimes if I had to be there for just the day and come back, I couldn't do it.' Cavazos said the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber fought tooth and nail to get the nonstop flight to become an option, working with Texas' U.S. Senate delegation. 'We're a bipartisan organization, so I love to tell people we're not red or blue—we're red, white and blue and our favorite color is green, which stands for commerce,' he said. Cavazos said he's taken the nonstop flight several times now and it usually fills up with passengers. He's flown it solo and with his family as well. 'Time is of the essence and I am just so grateful that we have another direct flight—especially to a market that by chance I happen to have an office and work in. I'm there maybe twice a month for two or three days,' he said. Cavazos said there is a huge economic advantage to have more direct flights to and from San Antonio, and the nonstop to DCA solidifies his decision not to move. Hailing from Weslaco in the Rio Grande Valley, Cavazos originally came to San Antonio for a masters in public administration for graduate school and made the city his home. 'There's no question that I prefer living in San Antonio with my family than living in D.C.,' he said. Current daily flights from San Antonio to Washington D.C. on American Airlines depart SAT around 6:30 A.M. CST and arrive at DCA around 10:40 A.M. EST.