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By Adam Burroughs
Steve McHale talks about how he identifies investment targets and what trends he’s chasing with his investment dollars.
January 29, 2021
Tony Ciepiel talks about 2020’s M&A challenges
Step2 Discovery CEO Tony Ciepiel on how the company has fared so far through the pandemic, and the challenges it’s faced transacting in this environment.
January 15, 2021
Matt Kaulig offers insight into his dealmaking decisions
Matt Kaulig, executive chairman of Kaulig Companies, talks about his M&A outlook, as well as how he’s guided his family of businesses to success.
March 12, 2020
Jill Arena: Struggling To Find The Right Deal Partner? Take A Deeper Look At Your Process
If you can’t make a good case for an acquisition, it’s going to be difficult to make the right deal, says Jill Arena.
February 27, 2020
Oswald’s Robert J. Klonk: Culture, Employee-Owners Drive Firm’s Opportunistic Approach To Dealmaking
Acquisitions create opportunity for Oswald Cos., as well as the companies the business pursues for a deal, says Robert J. Klonk.
January 9, 2020
Rick Busby: Acquisition Gives The Rogers Co. A Foothold On The West Coast
When you take the long view in a deal negotiation, you often come out ahead, says The Rogers Co.’s Risk Busby.
December 12, 2019
Roll-Kraft’s Sanjay Singh: Find Deal Opportunities That Fit What You Want To Achieve
Dealmaking is a big part of Sanjay Singh’s life, both at Roll-Kraft and through his family office.
November 26, 2019
Hyland's Bill Priemer Uses A Methodical Approach To Identify M&A Targets
Hyland is a very acquisitive company, but it wasn’t always that way, says Bill Priemer, the software company’s president and CEO.
November 21, 2019
Fire-Dex’s Bill Burke: Acquisitions Provide Opportunities To Learn From Other Businesses
The four companies Fire-Dex has acquired in the past decade were good businesses. Bill Burke saw an opportunity to make them stellar.
November 12, 2019
Falls’ Rob Falls: Merger With Wyse Provides Tools To Continue Growing, Evolving
Rob Falls needed to make an acquisition. When he found a peer in the Cleveland marketing industry who was looking to sell, he got to work negotiating a deal.
October 30, 2019
Staffing Solutions’ SueAnn Naso: When Buying A Business, Take The Time To Do It Right
SueAnn Naso and Carmella Calta are good friends. But they still had to follow the proper steps when Calta sold her business, Staffing Solutions, to Naso.
October 30, 2019
Shore Capital Partners’ Justin Ishbia: Shared Vision Often Leads To Great Deal Opportunities
Shore Capital Partners's Justin Ishbia sees tremendous potential for growth at Akron, Ohio-based Main Street Gourmet.
October 15, 2019
MC Group’s Tim Eippert: Lack Of Customer Overlap Facilitates MC Group/Icon Merger
In dealmaking, you don’t grow just to double, says Tim Eippert. You want more. The CEO of MC Group explains how integration will play a key role in maximizing the benefits of its merger with Icon.
October 4, 2019
Key Deals Propel Gent Machine To Steady Growth
Rich Gent talks about two pivotal deals in Gent Machine Co.’s history that have set the business up for a bright future.
August 23, 2019
Park Place's Entuity Deal Marks Shifting Strategy
On his way to shifting Park Place Technologies' M&A strategy with a tricky deal to buy Britain's Entuity, Chris Adams takes a lesson from Microsoft’s Satya Nadella
July 19, 2019
How To Leverage Your Banker, Even Without Using Debt
Wes Gillespie, ErieBank’s regional president for the Cleveland market, talks about the bank’s role in the acquisitions process and how lenders can be a valuable M&A partner, even if you’re not using debt to finance your acquisition.
July 1, 2019
H. Jack’s Plumbing’s John Langer: Culture Is Key In Service Acquisitions
H. Jack’s Plumbing President John Langer talks about the role acquisitions can play in helping companies in the service industry maintain their reputation for top-notch customer satisfaction.
May 31, 2019
Hyland's acquisition strategy fuels march to $1B in sales
CEO Bill Priemer and M&A chief Justin Torkelson talk about the software company’s acquisition strategy and the role dealmaking has played in putting Hyland on the cusp of being a $1 billion business.
May 17, 2019
Blue Olive’s Ed Weinfurtner takes hands-on approach to investing
Ed Weinfurtner is a dealmaker who likes to get his hands dirty. If the company is being marketed for sale or has a book that pitches the acquisition opportunity, he’s not interested. “I’m trying to find a diamond in the rough,” he says.
April 23, 2019
TalentLaunch's Aaron Grossman eyes $1B business via acquisitions
The CEO talks about the role process and discipline will play in reaching the ambitious goal he has set for his growing stable of staffing firms.
April 19, 2019
Foundation’s David Wood: Understanding Seller’s Needs Drives Better Deals
Foundation Investment Partners' David Wood talks about making smart acquisitions and the discerning approach he takes to dealmaking.
April 10, 2019
Acquisition strategy: Have discipline, retain talent and avoid dishonest negotiators
Investor Lee Zapis shares tips for making better acquisitions, lessons learned from mistakes and the evolving role of culture in the dealmaking process.
April 3, 2019
FNB’s Boyd Pethel: How to invest with a flat yield curve, low interest rates
The economy may be slowing, but there’s good news for investors who are worried about rising interest rates, says First National Bank’s Boyd Pethel.
April 1, 2019
First impressions matter when studying acquisition opportunities
The key to a successful acquisition is a well-planned, successful transition, achieved by working with the key customers, employees and suppliers to ensure that sales and operations continue smoothly.
March 29, 2019
Nordson's Anne Pombier: Creating value through acquisitions
Before joining Nordson, Anne Pombier led or participated in more than 100 transactions ranging from $500,000 to more than $1 billion in size. Now she helps identify and pursue M&A targets that can create value for Nordson on a global basis.
March 28, 2019
4 reasons you need an M&A lawyer
Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, dealmaking involves sharing some of your company’s most confidential information with the other side. Ulmer & Berne’s Howard Groedel explains how experienced legal counsel can guide you through the M&A process.
February 25, 2019
Understand the risk profile of your target company
Oswald's Jeff Schwab explains how he helps clients identify and forecast risks in their deals — and why it’s worth the effort.
February 15, 2019
How Lincoln Electric picks its deals
Last year, Lincoln earned a 20.7 percent return on invested capital – up 4.5 points from 2017. CFO Vince Petrella shares how the manufacturer approaches acquisitions to drive continued earnings growth.
January 30, 2019
Embrace fear and uncertainty
If there’s not something wrong with the business you’re investing in, you’re probably paying too much, says Umberto P. Fedeli.“You take a great company, great quality and great growth, but the value
January 24, 2019
Elements of an effective M&A strategy
John Ensign doesn’t have much downtime. But that comes with the job at MRI Software.Since he joined the real estate software solutions provider in 2010, MRI has made more than 20 acquisitions,
March 5, 2021
For Bill Lee, approachability is key when investing
By Adam Burroughs
Bill Lee, serial entrepreneur and investor, on what he’s learned over his years of buying, selling and investing.
December 11, 2020
Carlton D. Dean III on how the pandemic reshaped deal priorities
Carlton D. Dean III talks about how the pandemic has affected both the state of the market, and the state of his M&A thinking.
December 18, 2019
Hawthorne’s Katy Wiles: With the right process, buyers can minimize deal disruption
Katy Wiles has learned a thing or two about running an efficient deal process on the buy side. The lead attorney and legal adviser for Hawthorne Gardening Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Scotts Miracle-Gro., shares her take on creating a core team and how deal processes should work.
November 19, 2019
Stadion Capital’s Michael Scott: You cannot outstructure a bad deal
When Michael Scott went out on his own in 2010, after more than 20 years of private equity and M&A experience, he knew there was no room for mistakes. That's why he looked for opportunities with a competitive advantage.
November 1, 2019
It took some hard lessons for Bob Grote to learn the best way to acquire companies
Bob Grote has been CEO of Grote Co. for more than a decade, but even after five acquisitions, he has to guard against deal fever. Grote discusses deal challenges and lessons learned.
October 3, 2019
Safelite's Tom Feeney: Speed, Focus Are Keys To Integration
After 100 deals during his time at Safelite, the CEO says he may have slowed the number of acquisitions, but he won't slow the pace of integrating the companies he does buy.
September 6, 2019
Mark Kovacevich: Culture Is King In Acquisitions
For Improving's Mark Kovacevich, the critical component to acquisitions has always been culture. “If the culture doesn’t work, the transaction is just not [going to work],” he says.
September 6, 2019
Before Buying, Consider Challenges As Well As Opportunities
Chris Gabrelcik always sees potential opportunities when looking to buy a company. But the CEO of Lubrication Specialties has to remind himself to bring a critical eye to the deal.
August 21, 2019
How Advanced Drainage Systems Fast-Tracked Infiltrator Acquisition
CEO Scott Barbour grabbed the pole position, and never let his foot off the gas in his bid to close the $1 billion deal.
July 25, 2019
Kassel Equity Shifts Buying From Properties To Businesses
After cutting his teeth on real estate investing, Kassel Equity found it could create more value in buying businesses than properties, says Managing Partner Brett Motherwell.
November 21, 2018
Strategic acquisitions can jumpstart your product development
President and CEO Dave Ciesinski talks about how Lancaster Colony uses M&A as a component of development and innovation.
February 19, 2021
Blue River’s Sara Clevenger explores M&A’s Tumultuous year
By Adam Burroughs
Blue River's Sara Clevenger looks back at M&A’s interesting 2020, and looks ahead, discussing what changes in perceptions and approaches could color 2021.
October 14, 2020
Pineapple Payments’ Jon Halpern puts people first when acquiring
Pineapple Payments' Jon Halpern on his company’s acquisition and integration process, and how learnings are being shared between acquirer and acquiree.
January 7, 2020
MSA develops a better integration formula
Until a decade ago, MSA Safety hadn’t been very successful with its acquisitions. But that changed when the safety equipment manufacturer started taking an intentional approach to integration that's spearheaded by the right deal quarterback.
November 5, 2019
Confluence’s Mark Evans builds trust to gain backing to take over a larger company
Mark Evans has found transparency to be his most powerful tool when working with private equity owners. That's how he was able to convince his new PE firm to help Confluence buy the larger, publicly traded StatPro.
September 27, 2019
Pitfalls And Best Practices For A Successful Acquisition
S&T Bank's Brian Dobis shares his perspective on three pitfalls and best practices when acquiring companies.
September 20, 2019
Gregory Cessna On Why Due Diligence Drives Post-Deal Synergies
The CEO of Consumer Fresh Produce says the work that’s done before the deal paperwork is signed is often the most critical to long-term success.
September 11, 2019
How Chuck Mattera Transformed II-VI With Acquisitions
Since Chuck Mattera joined II-VI Inc. in 2004, the manufacturer has completed more than 20 acquisitions. And he’s embarking on the largest deal yet as he works to close the acquisition of Finisar Corp. — a similar-sized company with annual revenues of $1.3 billion.
July 17, 2019
IPEG Industrial: Lessons from a strategic mid-market buyer
John Erkert has helped IPEG Industrial Group buy three industrial companies and sell another over the course of six years to build a global business in the plastics-processing, waste recycling and industrial heat-transfer markets.
July 2, 2019
Buying in a frenzied market
PNC Mezzanine Capital's Doug Brosius Brosius shares his insights into what is driving these high valuations and how they are impacting his approach to deals.
April 3, 2019
FNB’s Boyd Pethel: How to invest with a flat yield curve, low interest rates
The economy may be slowing, but there’s good news for investors who are worried about rising interest rates, says First National Bank’s Boyd Pethel.
March 27, 2019
Quick Med Claims' Michael J. Lewis: A CEO's approach to M&A
In four years, the CEO of Quick Med Claims has gone through two sales and initiated five acquisitions. Now, he’s interested in passing along that knowledge.
December 19, 2018
Best practices to follow and pitfalls to avoid with your next acquisition
So, you think you know what it takes to buy a business? With the range of available financing options and a red-hot M&A market, there’s a lot to consider. Finance-minded experts and entrepreneurs share their experiences at ASPIRE 2018.
August 28, 2018
The whys and hows of buying a business
When growing through acquisition, it’s imperative that the acquisition is the right company at the right price with the right integration strategy. That way you can make sure the company strengthens your existing business and accelerates your business goals.
