The firm raised its first dedicated buyout fund with $100 million of investor commitments in 1990.

"For us there are too many people trying to do typical leveraged buyout funds right now," he said.

A. In 1998, buyout funds raised $45.39 billion, more than they ever had.

They said most of that would possibly come from a leveraged buyout fund.

"The deal shows that Japanese companies are embracing buyout funds."

Blackstone, for example, is raising about $12.5 billion in what would be the world's biggest buyout fund.

He has close to $750 million of his $16 billion pool spread around 13 or 14 leveraged buyout funds.

Or at least buyout funds for pretty rich individuals.

The firm put up $700,000 from its leveraged buyout fund.

Massachusetts has committed $50 million to the buyout fund.