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June 30, 2025
Announcing the Cleveland Smart Business Dealmaker Award Winners and 2025 Dealmakers Hall of Fame Class
By Dealmakers Staff
We celebrated the accomplishments of the 2025 class of honorees at the Cleveland Smart Business Dealmakers Conference. See who we recognized!
October 10, 2024
2024 Northeast Ohio Smart Business Dealmakers Rising Stars
The Smart Business Dealmakers Rising Stars program recognizes up-and-coming dealmaking professionals engaged in a wide range of M&A activities.
June 13, 2024
Announcing Cleveland's Smart Business Dealmaker Award Winners and 2024 Dealmakers Hall of Fame Class
Read about the Dealmakers of the Year we honored this year and check out the accomplishments of our Hall of Famers.
January 19, 2024
Cavs CEO Nic Barlage On Creating A Winning Culture
Nic Barlage, CEO of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Rock Entertainment Group, discusses talent acquisition and development, building a winning culture, and the importance of leadership on the Smart Business Dealmakers Podcast.
January 5, 2024
Exploring Capital Options In A Challenging Market
Working within the commercial real estate space, Spencer Pisczak, president and founding Member of Premier Development Partners, says the current climate is in many ways a challenge. "The big problem
November 3, 2023
Putting Your Superpower To Work Post Exit
It's always a good time to start thinking about life after the sale of a business, says North Coast Ventures Managing Director Todd Federman. That, he says, can help business owners avoid being one of
October 20, 2023
Cleveland Deal Activity: Rise In Bankruptcies Drive Distressed M&A Activity
Throughout 2023, the U.S. M&A landscape has been significantly shaped by a notable rise in distressed M&A transactions. According to bankruptcy filings from the U.S. Courts, the number of Chapter 11
September 8, 2023
Cleveland Deal Activity: Navigating M&A deal structures in a tightened debt market
As interest rates and borrowing costs move in parallel, buyers are faced with the challenge of navigating increasing costs of debt to finance acquisitions, especially in deals where the seller has
June 9, 2023
Superstar CEO Roundtable Kicks Off Cleveland Conference
Kicking off the 2023 Cleveland Smart Business Dealmakers Conference were several of the region’s top executives talking with moderator Jeff Bechtel, President - Cleveland Region, First National Bank,
May 26, 2023
Recognizing The 2023 Dealmakers of the Year Award Winners
Hundreds of millions of dollars have been channeled to the 2023 Smart Business Dealmakers Dealmaker of the Year Awards honorees. But raising funds is not all this year's class of entrepreneurs have
May 26, 2023
The Inaugural Cleveland Dealmakers Hall of Fame Class Sets The Stage
Welcome the inaugural class for the Cleveland Dealmakers Hall of Fame! This group of dealmakers has made an often-groundbreaking impact on their organizations, industries and the Northeast Ohio region
April 14, 2023
Deal Pulse: Best of times, worst of times
The domestic M&A market is in a state of great disparity. Valuations from buyers receded to pre-pandemic levels while sellers continue to expect the lofty valuations seen in the latter portion of 2020
March 31, 2023
The Importance Of Knowledgeable CFOs In Deals
TalentLaunch's Matt Lyon and Resilience Capital Partners' Bassem Mansour on post-acquisition integration and how the CFO role plays a part in making sure the deal pays off.
March 10, 2023
Cleveland Deal Pulse: The Role of the Rollover
MelCap Partners David Shibley looks at trends and deals in the Northeast Ohio M&A market over the month of February.
March 3, 2023
The Three-Phase Set Up of Society Brands' Success
Society Brands CEO Michael Sirpilla on financing business growth.
January 6, 2023
Rocco DiLillo On His M&A Legacy
Rocco DiLillo on the many businesses he's built, bought and sold, and offers advice to entrepreneurs looking to experience similar successes.
October 28, 2022
Despite Two Retirements, Ralph Della Ratta Is Still Going
Kirtland Capital Partners' Ralph Della Ratta on what he's learned from his four decades in M&A, his keys to success and how that experience will be brought to bear in his newest role.
October 23, 2020
Chris Adams on how the pandemic, presidential election are affecting M&A
Park Place Technologies Chris Adams offers his sense of what’s likely to be on the minds of dealmakers through the balance of a year plagued by uncertainty.
April 23, 2020
KJK’s Jon J. Pinney: The Deal Market Will Recover, But Big Changes Are Likely
The COVID-19 pandemic is bringing to life doomsday scenarios that even seasoned dealmakers like Jon J. Pinney dismissed as the stuff of Hollywood.
March 4, 2020
Randy Markey: Integrity, Character Matter More Than Just About Anything in Dealmaking
Randy Markey's No. 1 tip for an effective investment strategy: Make sure it's an opportunity you can explain to your grandmother.
February 12, 2020
Marcum’s Gregory J. Skoda: Before You Sell, Examine The Deal From Every Angle
When Gregory J. Skoda finalized a deal for Skoda Minotti to become part of New York-based Marcum LLP, it was part of a growth strategy, not a path to exit the business he launched in 2001.
February 4, 2020
Hylant’s Kim Riley: Dealmaking Provides Opportunity To Those Willing To Put In The Work
Relationship-building is a big part of Kim Riley’s M&A strategy at Hylant Cleveland.
January 28, 2020
Dealmaking Is A Way Of Life For Ken Ganley, Bob Serpentini
Bob Serpentini and Ken Ganley are always ready to make a deal, and their recent acquisition of three Pat O’Brien Chevrolet dealerships is a perfect example of the duo’s go-big-or-go-home mentality.
January 23, 2020
Victory Capital’s David C. Brown: Each Day Is A New Challenge, A New Opportunity To Make A Deal
If you’re not buying, and you’re not selling, you’re thinking about it and evaluating potential opportunities, says Victory Capital’s David C. Brown.
January 16, 2020
John Ziss Jr.: Are You Ready To Make A Deal?
Dealmaking readiness is an important part of M&A strategy, says Kurtz Bros. Inc.'s John Ziss Jr.
December 26, 2019
Cleveland 2019 Dealmaking Year In Review
With 2019 just about over, we’re taking a look back at some of what we learned this year.
December 17, 2019
Everstream’s Brett Lindsey: Don’t Be Afraid To Uncover Your Own Deal Opportunities
When you develop an effective M&A strategy to inform your decisions, you minimize the risk of making crucial mistakes. Everstream’s Brett Lindsey explains.
December 4, 2019
Blue Olive’s Ed Weinfurtner: Focus On The Opportunity In Dealmaking And You’ll Find Success
Blue Olive Partners’ Ed Weinfurtner is always driven to find the next challenge. His attitude helps him turn tough situations into great opportunities.
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 17, 2019
Acquisitions Drive Opportunity As MAI Nears $7B
Acquisitions have MAI Capital poised to top $7 billion in assets under management, says Rick Buoncore, with more deals and more growth to come.
