Session B

Post-Close is When the Real Work Begins

Presented By: CIBC / Louis Plung & Company

Closing day may feel like the finish line—but for many dealmakers, it’s just the start of the real adventure. In this candid conversation, executives and advisors share behind-the-scenes “post-close war stories,” from unexpected senior management shakeups and international complications to financial surprises—and even an FBI raid. Panelists will unpack what went wrong, what went right, and how better planning could have prevented the chaos. Attendees will walk away with practical insights on how to anticipate integration pitfalls, manage risk across borders and balance sheets, and ensure that what happens after the deal creates lasting value, not lasting headaches.

Moderator:

Beth Bershok
Chief Marketing Officer
Louis Plung & Company

Beth serves as the Chief Marketing Officer at Louis Plung & Company (LPC), a CPA firm that’s been serving clients in Pittsburgh for over 100 years. She joined the firm in October 2021 to develop marketing strategy, firm branding, strategic growth planning, staff development and pipeline management.

Panelists:

Thomas Bakaitus
Partner
Louis Plung & Company

Thomas Bakaitus, Jr. is a CPA, MST and is a partner with Louis Plung & Company. Tom has over 30 years of Tax and M&A experience, where he uses his expertise for tax-based transactional planning & analysis. His contributions in the financial due diligence process are on both the sell-side & buy-side. In the acquisition process, Tom also plays a key role in entity structuring.

Stan Celich
Owner, Chairman & CEO
Drafto Corp

Scott Evans
Co-Founder & MP
Guardian Capital Partners

Mr. Evans is a founding partner of Guardian and leads new investment acquisitions, manages portfolio companies, and manages Guardian Capital Partners’ strategy and team operations. He has been with Guardian for seventeen years. While serving on the board of numerous portfolio companies, Mr. Evans is a member of the firm’s Investment Committee and Chairman of Havis, Precision Roll Solutions, Upper Echelon Products, LINX, Heatscape, and Raptor Power Systems.

Prior to Guardian, Mr. Evans had an extensive professional career in private equity, operations management, and corporate finance. He was a Vice President with Cerberus Capital Management L.P. leading due diligence and execution of transactions, facilitating ownership transition plans, and monitoring and assisting with post-transaction business planning. Earlier in his career, Mr. Evans was a Vice President with TenX Capital Management, a middle market private equity firm. Prior to TenX, Mr. Evans was with Crowe, Chizek, and Company LLP and with Deloitte Consulting LLP, as a Senior Manager in their M&A and Corporate Recovery practice.

Mr. Evans earned his MBA from Northwestern J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management and his BS in economics from Miami University (Oxford, OH).

Annie Westbrook
Managing Director
CIBC Bank USA

Annie is currently a Managing Director at CIBC Bank USA focused on middle market commercial lending and banking. As a relationship manager, Annie provides senior debt and related banking services to middle market companies (directly and via private equity investments). Companies (prospects and clients) generate $20 million to $2 billion in annual revenue and require senior debt in the $10 million to $125 million range. Annie firmly believes understanding the operations, management team, and culture of a business are paramount when developing an appropriate financing package and long-term banking relationship.

Prior to this position, Annie was a corporate lender for TriState Capital Bank. She also worked for The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, PNC Bank and was a mathematics teacher and coach at Woodward Academy in Atlanta, GA.

Annie serves as Campaign Chair for The Neighborhood Academy Great Futures Capital Campaign.

Post-Close is When the Real Work Begins

Conference Location

Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown