Subscribe to Smart Business Dealmakers
January 22, 2021
Carolyn Cassin on the good news/bad news of venture funding for women
Carolyn Cassin, BELLE Michigan Impact Fund founder and general partner talks about the challenges women entrepreneurs face and how her fund is designed to help....
By Adam Burroughs
December 22, 2020
The Softer Side of the Selling: Communications and Internal Prep
Jerrad Beauchamp, Andy Billman, Chris Meso and Tom Zucker explore the softer side of sell-side communications and internal deal prep....
By Adam Burroughs
November 24, 2020
Kathleen McCann sees a tale of two economies
Is it the best of times? Or is it the worst of times? The answer, according to Kathleen McCann, executive chairman of United Road Services and executive partner at Nonantum Capital Partners, is both....
By Dustin Klein
October 16, 2020
Why Deals Fail
Deals can fail in the early stages. But if you can recognize the red flags and get out early from a bad deal, you won’t waste your time and money....
By Adam Burroughs
June 12, 2020
Early-Stage Entrepreneurs Need To Focus On Creativity, Mitigating Risk To Close Deals
The landscape for showcasing early-stage companies to potential buyers and investors has changed dramatically in the face of COVID-19, says David Weaver, chief investment officer at City Side Ventures....
By Dustin S. Klein & Mark Scott
May 29, 2020
Summa Health, Beaumont Health End Partnership Plans
The two organizations had been working over the last year to create a partnership, signed a definitive agreement in December 2019 and later received all necessary state and federal regulatory approvals....
By SBN Staff
May 15, 2020
PMCF’s Joe Wagner: Dealmaking Community Continues To React, Respond To COVID-19
Dealmaking has been slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but activity hasn’t stopped, says Joe Wagner, managing director and partner at Plante Moran Corporate Finance....
By Dustin S. Klein & Mark Scott
April 23, 2020
Ancora’s David Sowerby Sees Opportunity For Buyers Coming Out Of COVID-19
Ancora's David Sowerby expects acquisitive companies to find targets at more attractive valuations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic....
By Dustin S. Klein & Mark Scott
April 1, 2020
Resilience Capital Partners invests in Leader Auto Resources
Leader Auto Resources and Resilience Capital Partners are partnering to expand LAR’s auto dealership sourcing and service business in the U.S....
By Adam Burroughs
March 20, 2020
Greenwich Capital Group’s Andrew Dickow Shares How Coronavirus Is Impacting His Approach To Dealmaking
Dealmaking won't be the path to economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, but it can certainly play a role in it, says Andrew Dickow....
By Mark Scott
March 19, 2020
Chip McClure: Dealmaking Can Open The Door To New, Innovative Business Opportunities
Discipline is a crucial component to being an effective dealmaker, says Michigan Capital Advisors’ Chip McClure....
By Mark Scott
March 11, 2020
Riverside Invests In Kalamazoo-Based National Flavors
National Flavors creates and produces flavors for use in beverages, frozen desserts, baked goods, confections and processed fruits....
By Mark Scott
March 5, 2020
Robert Levin Makes Deal To Save Levin Furniture From Closing
Levin has reached an agreement to acquire the Pennsylvania and Ohio assets of Levin Furniture and Wolf Furniture through a court restructuring of the parent company Art Van Furniture LLC....
By Mark Scott
March 4, 2020
Chemical Bank’s Jim Robinson: Family Offices On The Rise As Entrepreneurs Look To Deal
The dealmaking environment in Detroit is alive and well, says Chemical Bank’s Jim Robinson. Family offices are one trend driving increased M&A activity....
By Mark Scott
March 4, 2020
Intellinetics Completes Equity And Debt Financing, Buys Graphic Sciences
Intellinetics Inc., a cloud-based document solutions provider, has closed an equity and debt private placement financing and raised a total of $5.5 million....
By Mark Scott
March 2, 2020
B’laster Corp. Buys MI-Based Armor Protective Packaging
As a result of this acquisition, B’laster is now the manufacturer and retail distributor of Metal Rescue products. The company began manufacturing the product line in its Valley View plant in late February....
By Mark Scott
February 26, 2020
Everstream To Buy Detroit-Based Rocket Fiber
The acquisition completes Everstream’s coverage in all major Michigan markets and gives Everstream the largest fiber footprint in greater downtown Detroit, according to a news release. Terms of the deal were not disclosed....
By Mark Scott
February 20, 2020
An Inside Look At Terrence Oprea’s Sale Of MCCI To His Executive Team
The moment you start to think that maybe it’s time to retire in terms of private ownership, it’s usually too late, says Terrence Oprea....
By Mark Scott
February 6, 2020
CitySide Ventures’ David Weaver: When Your Plan Doesn’t Work, Be Ready To Pivot To Something New
Longtime dealmaker put more than three decades of diversified management experience to use to help early-stage companies connect with the resources they need to grow their businesses....
By Mark Scott
January 23, 2020
Jeremy Falendysz: Be Ready To Answer The Tough Questions When You Sell Your Business
The decision to sell your business is an important, but very small step in the actual transaction timeline, says UHY's Jeremy Falendysz....
By Mark Scott
January 22, 2020
Tenth And Blake Buys Detroit-Based Atwater Brewery
Tenth and Blake Beer Co. is the Chicago-based U.S. craft division of Molson Coors Beverage Co. Atwater Brewery is highly regarded in the Michigan craft beer community for its traditional German-style lagers and unique ales....
By Mark Scott
January 16, 2020
Andrew J. Goldberg: Why A ‘Pre-Mortem’ Is A Useful Tool In Dealmaking
When you think about everything that can go wrong in a deal, it gives you a better chance at doing it right, says Andrew J. Goldberg....
By Mark Scott
January 15, 2020
Beet Analytics Technology Raises $5.64M In Venture Funding
As of Jan. 15, the Plymouth-based company has raised a total of $7.48 million....
By Mark Scott
January 15, 2020
Turnspire Capital Buys MPI Holdings
Founded in 1969, MPI is a Tier 1 supplier of high-precision, fineblanked metal components, and is a leader in safety and mission-critical automotive and industrial parts....
By Mark Scott
January 14, 2020
Lambert & Co. Buys NY-Based Casteel Schoenborn
The deal marks Lambert's seventh transaction and second in the last two months....
By Mark Scott
January 10, 2020
Resilience Capital Partners-Backed Trialon Completes Acquisition
With the acquisition, Trialon adds a wide variety of additional testing capabilities including vehicle emissions, engine and chassis dynamometers, vehicle test lab, acoustics, materials and design and fabrication....
By Mark Scott
January 9, 2020
Autobooks’ Steve Robert: Give Investors A Reason To Believe In Your Business
You can’t afford to be short-sighted, getting quick dollars and board members without thinking a few steps ahead, says Autobooks’ Steve Robert....
By Mark Scott
January 7, 2020
Escalent Buys Javelin Strategy & Research
Javelin Strategy & Research is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and provides in-depth analysis of financial services market and technology trends....
By Mark Scott
January 7, 2020
Lear Corp. Invests In SV-Based Autotech Ventures
The investment is being made through Lear Innovation Ventures, which was launched one year ago, to identify advanced development teams and early-stage technologies and provide direct capital to innovation initiatives....
By Mark Scott
January 7, 2020
MCCI Sells To Executive Team
MCCI was founded in 1993 by legendary broadcaster Mort Crim, joined by Post-Newsweek (WDIV-TV) Executive Producer and journalist Terry Oprea. Crim retired in 2008, selling the firm fully at that time to Oprea....
By Mark Scott
January 6, 2020
Beaumont Health, Summa Health Sign Definitive Agreement
The two organizations signed a letter of intent in July and then began an extensive review of both organizations' clinical, regulatory and financial systems. Signing the definitive agreement is the next step in the process....
By Mark Scott
January 6, 2020
Hub International Buys Cranbrook Bloomfield Insurance Agency
Headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, CBIA is an independent insurance brokerage providing personal and commercial insurance, and employee benefits solutions to individuals and businesses....
By Mark Scott
January 5, 2020
Penske Corp. Completes Deal To Buy Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Penske Corp. becomes just the fourth owner in the history of the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which has hosted the world's largest single-day sporting event — the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race — for more than 100 years....
By Mark Scott
January 3, 2020
Pinnacle Dermatology Buys Brighton Dermatology
The acquisition of Brighton Dermatology and its five providers is intended to further Pinnacle Dermatology’s commitment to serving the residents of the state of Michigan where it already operates 13 other dermatology clinic locations....
By Mark Scott
January 3, 2020
Level One Bancorp, Ann Arbor Bancorp Complete Merger
The size of the combined company is approximately $1.8 billion in assets, $1.4 billion in loans and $1.5 billion in deposits, based on information as of Sept 30, 2019....
By Mark Scott
January 2, 2020
2020 Forecast: What To Expect For The Year In Dealmaking In Detroit
We spoke with Greenwich Capital Group's Andrew Dickow, Michigan Capital Advisors’ Gerry Giudici and Renaissance Venture Capital Fund’s Christopher L. Rizik to get their thoughts on what to expect from a dealmaking perspective in 2020....
By Mark Scott
January 2, 2020
HED, Puchlik Design Associates Announce Merger
The deal is part of an ongoing effort by Southfield-based HED to invest in its healthcare clients in the region and nationally....
By Mark Scott
December 27, 2019
Hitachi Completes Deal To Buy JR Automation
The deal is expected to pair Holland-based JR Automation's global strengths in robotic system integration with Hitachi's deep skillsets in artificial intelligence and IoT solutions for manufacturing....
By Mark Scott
December 23, 2019
Rivian Closes $1.3B Investment Round
The financing was led by funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates Inc. Amazon, Ford Motor Co. and funds managed by BlackRock also participated in the round....
By Mark Scott
December 23, 2019
J.D. Power Buys Trilogy Automotive
Trilogy’s SaaS-based enterprise lead management platform will be integrated into J.D. Power’s Autodata Solutions division’s original equipment manufacturer digital dealer platform....
By Mark Scott
December 23, 2019
TriMas Completes $135M Sale Of Lamons Division
TriMas will report the 2019 results of its Lamons division, which was previously reported in the specialty products segment, as discontinued operations beginning in the fourth quarter of 2019....
By Mark Scott
December 23, 2019
SkySpecs Closes $17M Series C Round Led By McRock Capital
The Ann Arbor-based company experienced a heavy-growth year, tripling its staff, significantly building out its solutions offerings for the wind energy industry and reaching a landmark 30,000 fully autonomous inspections....
By Mark Scott
December 23, 2019
Detroit 2019 Dealmaking Year In Review
With 2019 just about over, we’re taking a look back at some of what we learned this year....
By Mark Scott
December 20, 2019
Conway MacKenzie Bought By Dallas-Based Riveron
As part of Riveron, Conway MacKenzie will continue to go to market under its long-standing brand. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed....
By Mark Scott
December 19, 2019
Huron Capital-Backed High Street Insurance Partners Buys InPro
Based in Troy, InPro provides commercial, group and personal insurance to businesses ranging from local governments to maintenance services and industrial manufacturing....
By Mark Scott
December 19, 2019
Equity funding up in Detroit, Pittsburgh
The greater Detroit area and Pittsburgh have grown the most in the amount of equity funding they attract by percent, year over year, a report by Crunchbase states. The greater Philadelphia area ranked No. 5 on the list....
By Jayne Gest
December 19, 2019
Ovid’s Matt Geiger: Focus On Finding Ways To Get The Deal Done
Matt Geiger has experience as both an entrepreneur and an investor. When he’s an entrepreneur, he’s learned the value of letting the investor be the smartest one in the room....
By Mark Scott
December 17, 2019
Genstar Invests In Truck-Lite
Auburn Hills-based Truck-Lite was owned by affiliates of BDT Capital Partners, Koch Equity Development and Penske Corp. As part of its investment, Genstar acquired BDT and Koch's ownership interests....
By Mark Scott
December 17, 2019
QStride Bought By Drisla
The acquisition is an effort to position the tech startup for further expansion in the U.S. with next-generation technology offerings and access to over 300 experienced IT professionals through Drisla's portfolio companies....
By Mark Scott
December 16, 2019
J.D. Power To Merge With Autodata Solutions
The newly combined company will operate under the name J.D. Power and be headquartered in Troy....
By Mark Scott
