Meeting Home Page

TMA Detroit First Brands Bankruptcy: Debt-Fueled Growth, Aggressive Lending and Fraud

The Kingsley Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Hills, MI Visit Website

Wednesday, November 04, 2026 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM iCalendar Eastern Standard Time

In July 2004, Patrick James acquired his first company in Detroit—launching what would eventually become First Brands.

Join TMA Detroit for breakfast and CPE credit as an in-person panel examines how the First Brands empire was built—and how it ultimately unraveled. Panelists will explore the company’s unsustainable growth, aggressive debt structures, corporate complexity, and alleged fraud, which led to an unsalvageable Chapter 11 case, substantial lender losses, and the liquidation of most of its businesses.

Panelists:

Meagan Hardcastle, Harmon Partners, Co-founder
Walter Popiel, Riveron, Detroit Market Leader
Marc Swanson, Miller Canfield, Bankruptcy Group Leader
John Trendell, Republic Business Credit, Senior Vice President

Moderator: John Klehm, SPECTRUM, Senior Vice President

Member/Sponsors: $65 I Non-Member: $90

The Kingsley Bloomfield Hills Visit Website

39475 Woodward Ave
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304-5023
(248) 644-1400

Participants will earn 1.0 CPE credit
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge
Prerequisites: None
Advanced Preparation: None
Program Level: Overview
Delivery Method: Group Live
Click here for more information.

To monitor attendance all attendees wishing to earn CPE credit must sign in and out at the check in desk and complete a post event evaluation form.

The Detroit Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.

For questions about this event please contact TMA Detroit Chapter Executive Amanda Rymiszewski via email at detroit@turnaround.org.

Event Cancellation Policy

Requests for refunds must be made in writing no later than 48 hours prior to the date of the event (e-mail is acceptable). No cancellations will be accepted within 48 hours of the event. Substitutions are allowed and must be submitted in writing (e-mail is acceptable). The substitute must be from the same firm as the original registrant and, if the substitute is not a TMA Member, the difference in registration fee will be required. Please note that if you register for the event after the cancellation deadline has passed, you will not be eligible for a refund should you need to cancel your registration. The cancellation policy applies to all registrants regardless of when the registration is submitted. Registrants who fail to attend the event and do not provide written notice in accordance with these policies and deadlines are responsible for full payment.

TMA Detroit First Brands Bankruptcy: Debt-Fueled Growth, Aggressive Lending and Fraud

Event Sponsors