Tales from the Sell-Side: Lessons Learned and Life After the Exit
Presented By: Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP / Fairport Wealth
What’s it really like to sell your company? In this candid, story-driven session, hear directly from executives who’ve been through the process—from the first serious inquiry to the final wire transfer. These sellers will share what went as planned, what didn’t, and what they wish they had known going in. More importantly, they’ll reflect on what life looks like after the close—how their roles, routines, and relationships changed—and how they’ve approached the next chapter with purpose, perspective, and sometimes, a bit of surprise.
Moderator:
Managing Director & Chair Business Owners Practice Group
Fairport Wealth
Andrew R. Connors is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional with 20 years of experience in the personal financial management arena. He has experience in advising family business owners how they can align their personal, family and business goals. His mission and purpose is to positively impact the long-term well-being of closely-held and family business owners by helping them create and maintain multi-generational wealth. He is known for his ability to translate complex financial strategies and concepts into understandable, actionable ideas.
Prior to receiving his MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, Andrew attended John Carroll University where he earned a B.S.B.A. He earned his Certified Financial PlannerTM (CFP®) designation from the College of Financial Planning.
Panelists:
Chief Executive Officer
Airotone, Inc.
Chuck graduated with a Philosophy degree from University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA and a law degree from Case Western Reserve University. After a time as a trial lawyer, he became a corporate lawyer at Revco Drug Stores. His first entrepreneurial step was to move to a subsidiary of Revco and help orchestrate an IPO, where he stayed for five years. He left to start a pharmacy benefits manager which after merging with a mail order pharmacy was eventually sold. The next day he started another one, MemberHealth. With a $75,000 SBA loan he and his daughter Jennifer worked out of his basement to offer managed care Rx benefits and to obtain prescription drug discounts for seniors. In 2002 he had 13 employees. Five years later he had experienced over 20,000 percent growth, 1,200 employees, with $1.5 Billion annual revenue, and sold MemberHealth to Universal American Financial for $630 million.
Chuck was also an early investor in and advisor to CoverMyMeds which was a huge success for its investors and employees in Cleveland and Columbus. CoverMyMeds was sold to McKesson for $1.4 Billion. This year Chuck has assumed responsibility to launch and build a new company, Airotone, which will serve the 52 Million people in America alone, who suffer from respiratory diseases. He is hoping for a good trend line.
President
Turf Care
Mark has over 35 years of industry experience and has played an important role in growing the value of the Turf Care business. Mr. Mangan has served as Chief Operating Officer of the Company since 2015, prior to which he has held multiple leadership positions at Turf Care. He has played a pivotal role in expanding commercial relationships, entering new markets, and developing strategic partnerships.
Partner
Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP
John McGuire is a Partner and Co-Chair of the Corporate and Finance practice group at Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP. John counsels clients in acquisition and divestment transactions and on general corporate matters, with a particular focus on family owned businesses – advising parents and grandparents who wish to pass their business on to the next generations.