Deal Ready: Managing the Pressure, Precision, and People of M&A
Presented By: CohnReznick / Greenberg Traurig
Executing a successful deal today demands more than financial and legal readiness — it requires emotional endurance, operational discipline, and alignment across every stakeholder. In this session, dealmakers unpack the realities of transaction prep and deal fatigue, exploring how to maintain clarity, momentum, and precision when stakes are high and timelines are tight.
Moderator:
Partner, Transaction Advisory Services
CohnReznick
Elena Mervine focuses on performing buy and sell-side due diligence for private equity firms, lenders, independent sponsors, family offices, and strategic buyers and sellers. With more than 16 years of experience in finance, public accounting, and transaction diligence, she serves clients throughout the lifecycles of transactions and assesses quality of earnings, working capital, financial reporting infrastructure, profitability, and value drivers of operations.
Panelists:
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Grovecourt Capital Partners
Matt has over 15 years of middle market private equity investment experience. Formerly a Principal at Atlantic Street Capital (ASC), Matt worked on all aspects of the investment process with a particular focus on deal sourcing, due diligence, financing, and execution. Matt pursued investments in the healthcare, business services, consumer, and multi-unit retail sectors.
Prior to ASC, Matt was a member of the investment team at the Watermill Group, focusing on the industrials and distribution sectors. Matt began his career in secondary private equity investing at Newbury Partners and investment banking at Lazard Frères & Co. Matt has a B.S.B.A. from Georgetown University. Matt lives with his wife and two daughters in West Palm Beach, FL.
Chief Financial Officer
Happy Corner Hospitality Group LLC
Marc Goodman is CFO of Happy Corner Hospitality Group LLC (Motek Restaurants). Motek has 14 restaurants in New York and Florida. His specialty is scaling companies thru organic growth and M&A. In 2023, he led the successful sale of Mr Greens Produce, a private equity owned portfolio company. Previous he completed a sale of a food distributor in an ESOP transaction. Prior to becoming a CFO, Marc was an audit partner at KPMG LLP, where he specialized in retail and distribution.
Director
Palm Beach Capital
Mr. Tagle is a Director at Palm Beach Capital leading fundraising, investor relations, and business development efforts for the firm.
Prior to joining Palm Beach Capital, Juan was a Managing Director at JP Morgan Chase in the Middle Market Banking and Specialized Industries Group. There for 12 years, Juan led a team of South Florida based Middle Market Bankers and worked very closely with companies ranging from $20M-$1B in revenues. Juan was responsible for overseeing the delivery of various product sets including senior credit facilities, debt capital markets, investment banking, and treasury management solutions. Juan was licensed 79 and 63 (both inactive).
Juan is also very involved in local community engagement efforts, and currently sits on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County and the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County.
Juan is a graduate of the University of Central Florida, BS in Finance
Shareholder
Greenberg Traurig
Travis M. Walker is a transaction and business law attorney with experience in mergers and acquisitions, joint venture transactions, private equity and venture capital transactions, buyouts and recapitalizations, corporate restructurings, corporate governance and compliance, as well as other general corporate matters. Travis’ specific industry experience includes manufacturing, software and technology, and representing developers and investors in real estate joint ventures.