Offense vs. Defense: Preparing Your Company for Any Deal.
Presented By: CRI Advisors, LLC / Walden Businesses, Inc.
Whether you’re raising capital, making acquisitions, selling the business, or partnering for growth, smart deal prep is everything. This session dives into both offensive and defensive strategies—what you can do proactively vs. what capital sources or buyers will demand. Learn how to prepare your company (and yourself) to go to market from any angle—and position for a smoother, more successful outcome.
Moderator:
Partner, Director of Transaction Advisory Services
CRI Advisors, LLC
Jeff Hawkins is partner and director of CRI's Transaction Advisory Services. Jeff is CPA and focuses all of his time on assisting clients with sell-side or buy-side diligence and consulting needs. He focuses exclusively on middle to lower-middle market buyers and sellers and takes a white glove approach of helping client solve some of their most complex problems will seamlessly integrating into the overall deal team.
Panelists:
Vice President
Georgia Oak Partners
Corey Clemons is a Vice President at Georgia Oak, supporting Georgia Oak’s deal, portfolio, and sourcing efforts.
Corey joins Georgia Oak from ServiceMaster, a Roark Capital portfolio company, and TireHub, a JV between Goodyear and Bridgestone. He’s served in a variety of roles including FP&A, corporate strategy and the in-house M&A team. Prior to TireHub, Corey was an Associate with JP Morgan Chase in their multinational corporation and public finance credit team, where he worked on several notable municipal and infrastructure finance deals.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Corey holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Georgia. He grew up around football and played quarterback for an NCAA Division III school. He currently lives in Atlanta with his wife and two daughters.
President & CEO
Walden Mergers & Acquisitions
John Phillips is the President and CEO of Walden Mergers & Acquisitions based in Atlanta, Ga. He is a retired US Army Reserve Colonel and accomplished business executive with direct experience with creating, turnaround, stabilizing, and driving growth and value for mid-sized businesses and organizations. His success as a business leader reaches back over 35 years and spans the banking, community development, technology, and transportation and logistics industries, where he has increased business value with operational, strategic, and analytical agility.
Mr. Phillips career includes 15 years as the founder, owner, and President of Premier Transfer and Storage. Intrinsic to his entrepreneurial tenacity, John completed and integrated three acquisitions for his company. His background also includes the creation of technology accelerators for a major research university and leading the transition and merger or a Virginia based regional technology council.
Co-Founder & Co-Owner
Wilson Construction Management: WCM
Nathaniel Wilson was the co-founder of AKA Tree Service which was acquired in 2023 by a private equity firm. Nathaniel is a co-founder and co-owner of Wilson Construction Management, a heavy civil construction company with a primary focus in roadway construction. Wilson Construction Management was founded in 2019.