BizTimes Media’s annual M&A Forum helps buyers and sellers learn what they need to know as they consider their options and move through the process. Each year, the Forum provides valuable insight on a host of buy-sell concerns, from exit strategies to finding the perfect acquisition.

Is now the right time or is it better to wait until after the next recession? Either way, you need the right tools and knowledge to make this critical decision. Selling or buying a business is a complex and infrequent event. Make sure you are prepared to maximize your outcome.

Keynote presenter Cynthia LaConte, CEO, The Dohmen Company, provided an overview, perspectives and lessons learned from The Dohmen Company’s experience in M&A.

The program continued with a buy side and a sell side panel of business buyers, sellers and industry experts followed by concurrent breakout sessions.

Keynote: Cynthia LaConte, CEO, The Dohmen Company

(click here to download a PDF of Cynthia LaConte’s presentation)

Panel: Buy Side Preparation: How to Seize the Moment

• Opportunities and risks associated with buying a business
• Implications of mistiming the market
• Managing the before and after the purchase

Panelists:

• Brian T. Baker, President & CEO, Sentry Equipment Corp. (1)
• Sequoya Borgman, Managing Director, Borgman Capital LLC (2)
• Jim Frings, President, G3 Industries, Inc. and Managing Director of Wisconsin River Partners (3)
• Derek Smith, Commercial Bank Exec, SVP, Old National Bank (4)

Moderator: Molly Dill, Managing Editor, BizTimes Media (5)

Panel: Sell Side Readiness: How To Prepare For Your Moment

• Personal readiness vs. market readiness
• Driving value through business readiness
• The deal is closed – Now what?

Panelists:

• Rick Blaha, President, Pak-Rite Ltd (1)
• Dr. Aly Gamay, President & CEO, DreamPak (2)
• Steve Peterson, Managing Director & Co-Founder, Bel Air Growth Partners (3)
• Nate Neuberger, Shareholder, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren S.C. (4)

Moderator: Ann Hanna, Managing Director & Owner, Taureau Group (5)

CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS:

Maximizing Company Value – Beyond EDITDA: You will learn about the current M&A environment and key strategies for positioning your company for maximizing value at the time of sale.

Presenters:

• Ann Hanna, Managing Director & Owner, Taureau Group
• Corey Vanderpoel, Managing Director & Owner, Taureau Group

An Honest Discussion About Financing the Deal: The panel of experts and business buyers will discuss case studies, best practices and the nature of banking relationships and what works/what doesn’t and their do’s and don’ts in the relationship.

Panelists:

• Brian T. Baker, President & CEO, Sentry Equipment Corp.
• Derek Smith, Commercial Bank Exec, SVP, Old National Bank
• David Bartelme, Managing Director, Borgman Capital LLC

Moderator: Inge Plautz, SVP – Executive Business Development Officer, Old National Bank

Avoiding Deal Killers…There’s Always Something: There are many aspects related to the buying and selling of a company. You’ll hear about some lessons learned and what works, and what to do to avoid “disaster” so the deal doesn’t “blow up”.

Presenter: Carl Kugler, Shareholder, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren S.C.

Interested in sponsoring an event? To reap the benefits of the ultimate in-person marketing opportunity contact Linda Crawford, Director of Sales, to discuss opportunities. Event sponsorships are limited.