Vizient, Inc., Kaufman, Hall & Associates, LLC (“Kaufman Hall”) and Madison Dearborn Partners (“MDP”) today announced that Vizient has exercised its option to acquire the remaining interest in Kaufman Hall, a strategic advisor to the healthcare industry. Vizient became a minority investor in 2021 and began a joint commercial relationship that built on the strengths of both companies.

This planned acquisition brings together two of the industry’s most trusted advisors to help healthcare organizations deliver high-quality patient care to their communities. Through their industry-leading data assets and complementary clinical, strategic and financial expertise, the combined organization will be able to help solve healthcare organizations’ most complex challenges.

“We are both mission-driven organizations," said Byron Jobe, Vizient’s president and chief executive officer. “Helping healthcare organizations achieve their full potential in service to others is the reason we exist and the catalyst behind our growth. We believe we can create more value together for clients who share the responsibility of improving healthcare in communities across the country.”

“Through our partnership with Vizient, and with the support of MDP, we have unlocked increased value for our clients by delivering enhanced offerings to solve their most challenging problems,” said Kate Guelich, managing director and chief executive officer at Kaufman Hall. “This next chapter in our partnership with Vizient will build on our joint success to date and enable our continued growth well into the future. Our clients will now have enhanced access to our combined capabilities and expertise and the combination will deliver even more career opportunities for our people.”

“When we founded Kaufman Hall nearly 40 years ago, we could not have envisioned the growth in our advisory services and expertise. This growth has been appropriately recognized by our remarkable partnership with both MDP and Vizient,” said Ken Kaufman, Kaufman Hall managing director, co-founder and chair. “We are excited by what this new chapter in our firm’s history will bring. We thank MDP and Vizient for their exceptional confidence in, and support of, Kaufman Hall. Such confidence and support have allowed Kaufman Hall to grow in talent, services, products and the overall ability to be of the very best service to our clients throughout the country.”

"We are proud of all that we accomplished in partnership with Kaufman Hall and confident Kaufman Hall’s unparalleled financial performance offerings, advisory services and client-centric business approach will be great additions to Vizient," said Jason Shideler, managing director and co-head of the Healthcare team at MDP. "We have enjoyed a highly successful partnership with Ken, Kate, Byron and the entire Vizient and Kaufman Hall teams and expect great things from the combination of these two organizations as they help guide their clients through the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”

Vizient and Kaufman Hall will continue to operate as separate and independent companies until the transaction is closed, which is anticipated to occur in the second half of the year, pending standard regulatory review.

BMO Capital Markets is acting as the exclusive financial advisor to Vizient. Jefferies LLC is acting as financial advisor to Kaufman Hall. Greenberg Traurig, LLP is acting as Vizient’s legal advisor, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP is acting as MDP’s legal advisor for the transaction.

About Vizient, Inc.

Vizient, Inc., the nation’s largest provider-driven healthcare performance improvement company, serves more than 65% of the nation’s acute care providers, which includes 97% of the nation’s academic medical centers, and more than 35% of the non-acute market. Vizient provides expertise, analytics and consulting services, as well as a contract portfolio that represents $140 billion in annual purchasing volume. Solutions and services from Vizient improve the delivery of high-value care by aligning cost, quality and market performance. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Vizient has offices throughout the United States. Learn more at www.vizientinc.com.

About Kaufman Hall

Kaufman Hall provides management consulting solutions to help society's foundational institutions realize sustained success amid changing market conditions. Since 1985, Kaufman Hall has been a trusted advisor to boards and executive management teams, helping them incorporate proven methods, rigorous analytics, and industry-leading solutions into their strategic planning and financial management processes, with a focus on achieving their most challenging goals.

Kaufman Hall services use a rigorous, disciplined, and structured approach that is based on the principles of corporate finance. The breadth and integration of Kaufman Hall advisory services are unparalleled, encompassing strategy; financial and capital planning; revenue and operations improvement; treasury and capital markets management; mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and joint ventures; and real estate.

About Madison Dearborn Partners

Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC (“MDP”) is a leading private equity investment firm based in Chicago. Since MDP’s formation in 1992, the firm has raised aggregate capital of more than $31 billion and has completed over 160 platform investments. MDP invests across four dedicated industry verticals, including basic industries, financial services, health care, and technology and government. For more information, please visit www.mdcp.com

Media Contact Donna Ledbetter Vizient, Inc. donna.ledbetter@vizientinc.com 972-830-6321