Kickoff Keynote - Looking Back; Looking Forward: The Past Decade of M&A
Presented By: Ice Miller LLP
The M&A landscape has been reshaped by changing valuations, new sources of capital, evolving buyer and seller expectations, and economic uncertainty. This opening keynote brings together perspectives from private equity, investing, entrepreneurship and the advisory community to examine how the dealmaking playbook has evolved. The panel will explore lessons from the past 10 years, how the relationship between capital and operators has changed, and what those experiences can tell us about where M&A is headed next.
Moderator:
Partner
Ice Miller
Jim Smolik is a Partner in Ice Miller’s Business Group, where his practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and corporate finance.
Jim represents private equity funds, mezzanine debt funds, independent sponsors, and family offices in all stages of their corporate life cycle. Jim also counsels clients in matters relating to pre-incorporation planning, joint ventures, and outside general counsel services.
Jim received his juris doctor from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and his bachelor’s degree, from the University of Dayton.
Panelists:
Vice President
Stonehenge Partners
Austin Berning is a Vice President at Stonehenge Partners, an Ohio-based private equity firm that focuses exclusively on the lower middle market. He joined the Columbus-based firm in November 2021 and has advanced through roles as an Associate and Senior Associate to his current executive position.
Co-Founder
Pit BBQ Grille; BILT Connections
A former NFL athlete turned entrepreneur, business analyst, and consultant, Chimdi brings a unique perspective shaped by experience in professional sports, business, investing, and hospitality. He is an experienced restaurateur, early-stage startup investor, and real estate investor.
Chimdi holds an MBA from the University of Miami and a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University, where he was a standout football and track athlete. Following his collegiate career, he played six seasons in the NFL.
Passionate about helping the next generation of athletes build successful futures beyond sports, Chimdi co-founded BILT Connections and Root 3 Sports to empower high school and college athletes to leverage their athletic journeys, maximize their potential, and create opportunities both on and off the field.
Senior Investment Associate
3A Partners
Erika Oku is a Senior Investment Associate at 3A Partners, an asset manager focused on investing in private fund managers across the United States, with a particular emphasis on Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs). Since joining the firm in 2024, she has focused on sourcing, underwriting, and monitoring SBIC fund investment opportunities. Prior to joining 3A Partners, Erika developed expertise in commercial banking and credit underwriting through roles at Park National Bank and Peoples Bank.
Partner
Timmerman Capital
Josh is driven by the belief that success begins with understanding "why" and flourishes through meaningful connections with "who." His journey reflects a commitment to this philosophy, having immersed himself in environments that share these values.
At The Ohio State University, Josh excelled academically, graduating summa cum laude in theoretical mathematics. His dedication extended to the varsity wrestling team, where, within his first 12 months, he earned the prestigious Battling Buckeye Award for his exceptional commitment to athletics, teamwork, academics, and work ethic. Consistently named to the Dean's List, Josh held the highest GPA on the team for four consecutive years, securing the Ohio State Scholar Athlete Award each year. A finalist for the Corwin A. Fergus Memorial Award and recipient of the Men's Varsity "O" Scholarship Award, he demonstrated a profound commitment to academic and athletic excellence. Concluding his wrestling tenure, Josh earned his varsity letter and the title of Academic All Big-10.
Post-Ohio State, he pursued finance and entrepreneurship at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, graduating with high distinction. Professionally, Josh navigated the startup landscape, making notable contributions across several companies. His journey included significant roles at R.S. Hanline, ZoCo Design, and Facilities Management eXpress (FMX), where he played a pivotal role in driving revenue growth over 10x and scaling the team from fewer than 5 to over 60 employees. He also played crucial roles in two companies that went from pre-revenue to valuations of $250M+ and $30M+, respectively.
Today, Josh focuses on taking majority stakes in historically profitable businesses, leveraging his expertise in sales, marketing, and go-to-market strategy to facilitate scalable growth alongside their founders. He takes a hands-on approach post-close, working directly inside the businesses he acquires alongside owners and management teams, and applies modern AI tooling to optimize existing processes while giving employees the leverage to do higher-value work and get more out of their jobs.