Activist investor hires heavy hitter for fight with HomeStreet

Blue Lion Capital in Dallas has brought a partner with activist investor chops.

The hedge fund said in a press release Thursday that it had hired veteran community bank investor Johnny Guerry. He will join Blue Lion on Jan. 1.

Guerry previously served as a managing partner and portfolio manager of Clover Partners.

"I have known Johnny for almost 15 years,” Chuck Griege, a managing partner of Blue Lion Capital, said in the release. “When evaluating potential investments, Johnny and I have a very similar approach to risk/reward, position sizing and portfolio composition."

Blue Lion said that Guerry, who has led many activist campaigns to increase shareholder value, will be helpful with efforts to bring about change at HomeStreet in Seattle.

Blue Lion has been pressuring HomeStreet to improve performance or sell itself.

"I believe that Johnny's addition to Blue Lion Capital will be accretive to our portfolio management strategy, our capital raising efforts and our ability to constructively engage with management,” Griege added.

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